The APA (American Psychological Association) style format is the widely known and accepted citation style for social science research papers, articles, thesis, and dissertations. The APA style originated in a 1929 article published in Psychological Bulletin that laid out the basic guidelines. These guidelines were eventually expanded into the APA Publication Manual.
What does APA style mean?
An established set of rules for writing and formatting research papers in psychology and related disciplines is known as the APA style. The disciplines of economics, criminology, political science, sociology, business, and education all regularly use APA. When we discuss APA style in research, we are discussing the requirements for what should be in a research paper and how it should be written. Nearly every facet of document layout, including font selection, margins, and punctuation, is covered by the APA style manual.
How Does APA Style Work?
There are two things to keep in mind while working with the APA style: in-text citations and the reference page. In-text citations will use the author’s name and the date within your research paper. These citations will refer back to the reference page at the end, which lists all the sources that you may have used in your research paper.
Level 1 – Organization
An APA-style research paper must include:
- A title page– limit your title to a maximum of 12 words and avoid the use of abbreviations and unnecessary words
- An abstract– the abstract should discuss the topic under study, the research questions, any subjects of the research, your research methods, the findings/results, analysis of the data, and your conclusions
- An introduction– address the problem and premise upon which the research was based
- Your methodology– explain in detail how you did your research
- Your results– explain what you found
- A discussion– talk about what your findings mean
- References– a list of the sources you cited
- There are more specific guidelines for the manuscript formatting of abstracts and title pages, many examples of which can easily be found by referring to the APA Manual of Style.
Level 2 – Writing Style
An APA-style research paper should be a formal piece of work. Your work would cater to an audience of academics, and your colleagues, and you want to communicate with them very clearly and professionally. This means:
- No slang
- No pop culture references
- No humor
- Minimize literary devices (metaphors, irony, imagery, etc.)
- Be direct
- Use technical terms, but only where appropriate
- Avoid biased language
To put it another way, your writing should come across as neutral and transparent as possible. It is advised that you refrain from employing colorful vocabulary to sound sophisticated. Say so, for instance, if you had your study participants jump up and down on one leg for 10 minutes. Avoid trying to use complicated language. Use gender-inclusive vocabulary whenever possible to avoid using prejudiced language (firefighters vs. firemen). Avoid euphemisms and use precise group designations (Asian Americans vs. minorities) (adults with learning disabilities vs. special adults). If you are unsure whether a term is offensive or not, it is always a good idea to Google it first.
Level 3 – Mechanics
APA style manuscript formatting demands the use of double-spacing and Times New Roman 12pt font is recommended. There are a large number of specific recommendations for proper manuscript formatting of an APA-style paper, which can be found in the APA Manual of Style.
How to Handle In-Text Citations
As you are drafting your paper, it’s crucial to reference the sources of the material you use in your text. These annotations are known as in-text citations, and according to APA style, you must include the author’s name followed by the publication date when citing sources within the body of your article.
For instance, you might use the following structure to cite Sigmund Freud’s work The Interpretation of Dreams: (Freud, 1900). Your reference section should then include the source’s more detailed information.
Important Tips for Reference Pages
Depending on whether you are citing a writer or several writers, a book or journal article, or an electronic source, the precise format of each reference may change slightly. Before creating your source list, it helps to spend some time looking at the particular specifications for each sort of reference. The following advice will help you include reference pages in your work.
- Start a new page for your references.
- Title the new page “References.”
- Center the title text at the top of the page.
- Put all entries in alphabetical order.
- Align the first line of a reference flush with the left margin.
- Indent each additional line (usually accomplished by using the TAB key
- Make sure the reference section is double-spaced.
- Use italics for titles of books, journals, magazines, and newspapers.
- Include all sources cited both in the text and on the reference page.
The Importance of APA Style
- Giving Credit Where Credit is Due: Citations assist authors in staying away from plagiarism and its grave repercussions. Most educational institutions see taking credit for someone else’s ideas, research, or conclusions without properly attributing them as cheating. Professional politeness that acknowledges other people’s work is called a citation. Additionally, it increases the legitimacy of your work in the process. It demonstrates how thorough your study is and strengthens the logic of your claims.
- Consistency Gives Clarity: Papers on complicated subjects are made clearer by the APA style. It facilitates the reading and comprehension of papers. The paper will flow smoother and aid to retain the attention on the document’s topic if sources are mentioned consistently and in the same format throughout. Additionally, using APA formatting might make it easier for the author to organize their research and for the reader to locate data that is crucial for reviewing that research.
Blog By : Nishtha Nayyar
