essay in apa format example

essay in apa format example

The Importance of Proper APA Formatting in Academic Writing

1. Introduction to APA Formatting

Format influences appearance. Likewise, format reveals content. APA format delineates the four major aspects when discussing citation behavior: citing authors’ names, the year of publication, and pages. It also injects literature reviews with authority and completeness, allowing works of research to be connected correctly. Listing references at the end of a paper or document gives the reader easy access to cited text and allows research performed in earlier time periods to be recognized and accessed. Mill used in a psychological document should offer useful data that can provide an indication of the research question, even at the inception stage. It is important to insert tables and figures where they are relevant to the text and enhance the readers’ comprehension. Such formats ensure an assimilation of ideas and incredible presentation. Helping you to communicate, to the “letter,” the significance of the data and research contained within. Proper formats create an appealing and inviting product, certain to capture the attention of all who pick up the document following it from beginning to end.

The American Psychological Association Style (APA) is most frequently used within the social sciences, more so in classes relating to the fields of human services, education, and behavior. Writing in a visual format is becoming the norm for scientific research, articles, conference reports, dissertations, and more. Since professionals in the field spend so much time writing, APA style formatting is essential. It provides readability and a magnificent presentation of ideas and thoughts. It is important to adhere to the guidelines of your discipline, and it is important that we provide you with an edge over the competition, as well as page upon page of recognition and prestige. Your papers are worth it! When they are grounded in solid research, reinforced by crowded tables, well-developed figures, comprehensive citations, and repeated throughout the text, they can become valuable resources. And speaking openly, we are judged by the company we keep. In this case, your paper’s “company” includes the internet, professors, professionals, and students. When they see you beside APA, they know that your research is good.

2. Key Components of APA Style

Upon completing this section, you should be able to: 1. Apply American Psychological Association (APA) style rules to your academic writing. 2. Identify specified settings for text elements, such as font, line spacing, and margins. 3. Identify specified settings for text elements, such as font, line spacing, and margins.

In this section, we look at common APA style rules that are important for you to know as a student. The first section of your paper is the first element of your paper that the reader sees, but it does not have to be the first thing that you write. However, it is essential to know that the title should be written in sentence case, with all major words capitalized. The title should clearly and accurately convey substantive information that makes it suitable for indexing and information retrieval. The title should be no more than 12 words in length, and it should not contain abbreviations or words that serve no purpose. The title may be comprised of two parts: the first part being a brief title that is used on the manuscript pages and the second part being a detailed title that may or may not be used on the manuscript pages. If there is no second part (i.e., the detailed title is the same as the brief title), the second part should not appear in the manuscript.

3. Citing Sources in APA Format

The second problem is that the reader cannot learn more about the argument or the evidence supporting it by consulting the original source. They will need the book or the article, or access to the dataset on which the original book or article was based. When a writer fails to provide the proper citation, the reader is left in the dark. They might assign some credibility to the claim because of the other things they read, such as details of published research, a well-thought-out and theoretically sound analysis, or sophisticated methods of data analysis. However, credibility is significantly enhanced when we can show that the information is linked to an expert. In the social sciences, relying on the argument(s) made by another trained social scientist has meaning. If scholars reflect upon that argument, they will respect it more or less depending on how it fits into the existing understanding of social phenomena. By not citing the original work, the reader is left without that same ability to evaluate the argument.

There are, perhaps, no shortcuts to clear and coherent academic writing. In order to ensure proper crediting of ideas and to encourage reader confidence in the soundness of an academic argument, accurate and complete citations are essential. It is common in academic writing to come across a sentence that makes a staggering claim, quotes an important social scientist, and even attributes the quote. But the reader will see no citation to the original work from which the quote was taken, only the last name(s) of the author(s), and the year of production. The claim that is made suggests that the author(s) should have credit for those important ideas, and that the research claim either comes right from the quoted work or has been discussed at length in another worthy book or scholarly article. But the lack of a specific citation, something that is all too common in academic books and articles, leads the reader to think that the claim is a personal judgment, and not one that comes from recognized experts or sources.

4. Formatting Guidelines for APA Papers

How can readers place the work you’re citing in the proper place within your bibliography? How can other scholars locate the work you’ve cited and read it themselves? Citing your sources is a necessary part of any research paper or project. If you don’t, you could easily be charged with plagiarism. Achieving mostly correct in-text and reference list citations is much easier than you might think. It only takes using a few steps.

To lessen the burdens of formatting, you’ll find it easier to start with guidelines for providing sources carefully. Then, once that habit is established, you can introduce a guide like the one below to help you fine-tune the final formatting before you submit your work. Compliance with key guidelines will help you rise to the occasion. Following even the basics of APA Style helps students develop a consistent and clear writing style. For example, it shows how to cite references in text and describes the limitations of citing and referencing with authors. It also covers the long-term retention of references and how to avoid plagiarism. It even shows how to treat punctuation marks that accompany references. All of these rules help scholars to present their work with accuracy and clarity.

5. Common Pitfalls to Avoid in APA Formatting

Academic papers usually contain long and cumbersome sentences. Moreover, most authors choose to include signposts in their text. These are usually editorial clauses which link the paper’s content to previous statements and make the text sound more formal and cohesive. Many students forget to include them in their scholarly works, although they are a must in APA paper format. Here are some tips to help you use APA editorial clauses: Repetition is the mother of learning, so try to use one signpost phrase in each paragraph. “Remember that,” “Note that,” and “Bear in mind that” are some popular phrases you can employ. Moreover, “(not) only” should be used as a linking phrase when you want to highlight an important difference between two facts or figures. Preferably, use the link “(not) until later.” Citing the source of your information only once in the text is not enough. Use “A further” and “Furthermore” to link ideas and stay consistent in your paper’s formal approach.

5.1 Using Signaling Phrases and Verb Tenses

Although APA rules are not nearly as rigorous as those imposed by some other style guides, the format of your paper and the citing format can make the difference between a good grade and a great one. Pay careful attention when you use it, and you’re bound to make your teachers and readers proud.