Online Basics: APA Made Easy
Formatting a Scholarly Paper
The following are basic formatting points regarding use of APA:
* The preferred font is 12-point Times New Roman.
* All margins must be at 1 inch all around.
* All text within the paper is double-spaced, including quotations and the reference page.
Structure of an APA Paper
Title Page
The title must be in uppercase and lowercase letters, centered between the left and right margins, and positioned on the upper half of the page. The following required information must be centered on the page in this order:
* Title of paper in mixed upper and lower case
* Your first and last name, without including academic or license information, such as BSN or RN
* Course abbreviation and number
* Due date, including the month, day, and year
* Instructor’s name
Identify each page with the page number placed in the header at the right margin, and a shortened form of the title at the left margin. Do not use your name to identify each page. Use the same font type and size in the header and throughout the document. Use a running head only if your instructor requires it or if you are a doctoral student. Use the header feature in Microsoft® Word to set the page number and to add the running head if one is included.
Headings
Headings convey a hierarchical structure, similar to the levels of an outline. Most papers and dissertations need only three levels of headings, such as Levels 1, 2, and 3. Use at least Level 1 headings to organize your paper.
References
The reference page follows the text and must list all sources from in-text citations. For instance, if you have five citations from different sources within the text, you must have five references listed on the reference page.
Other reference page tips:
* For reference indentations, the first line is flush left with subsequent lines indented 5 to 7 spaces.
* Double-space the entire reference list.