how to format an essay in apa style

• Social Anxiety Disorder
• Bipolar Disorder
• Kids Mental Health
• Therapy Center
• When To See a Therapist
• Types of Therapy
• Best Online Therapy
• Best Couples Therapy
• Best Family Therapy
• Managing Stress
• Sleep and Dreaming
• Understanding Emotions
• Self-Improvement
• Healthy Relationships
• Relationships in 2023
• Student Resources
• Personality Types
• Verywell Mind Insights
• 2023 Verywell Mind 25
• Mental Health in the Classroom
• Editorial Process
• Meet Our Review Board
• Crisis Support

How to Write an Essay in APA Format

Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."

Emily is a board-certified science editor who has worked with top digital publishing brands like Voices for Biodiversity, Study.com, GoodTherapy, Vox, and Verywell.

What Is APA Format?

Apa essay format basics.

• Steps to Follow

Frequently Asked Questions

If your instructor has asked you to write an APA format essay, it might at first seem like a daunting task, especially if you are accustomed to using another style such as MLA or Chicago. But you can master the rules of APA essay format, too.

An essay is one type of paper that can be written in APA format; others include lab reports, experimental reports, and case studies. Before you begin, familiarize yourself with some of the basic guidelines for writing a paper in APA format. Of course, it will also be important to follow any other formatting instructions that are part of your assignment.

How do you write an essay in APA format? The basic elements you need to include are:

• A title page
• An abstract
• An introduction, main body, and conclusion
• A reference section
• Proper APA formatting with regard to margins, layout, spacing, titles, and indentations

This article discusses how to write an essay in APA format, including the basic steps you should follow and tips for how to get started.

Whether you’re taking an introductory or graduate-level psychology class, chances are strong that you will have to write at least one paper during the course of the semester. In almost every case, you will need to write your paper in APA format, the official publication style of the American Psychological Association . It is also used for academic journals.

Such rules are generally the same whether you are writing a high school essay, college essay, or professional essay for publication.

APA format is used in a range of disciplines including psychology , education, and other social sciences. The format dictates presentation elements of your paper including spacing, margins, and how the content is structured.

Most instructors and publication editors have strict guidelines when it comes to how your format your writing. Not only does adhering to APA format allow readers to know what to expect from your paper, but it also means that your work will not lose critical points over minor formatting errors. 

While the formatting requirements for your paper might vary depending on your instructor's directions, writing APA essay format means you will most likely need to include a title page, abstract, introduction, body, conclusion, and reference sections.

Your APA format essay should have a title page . This title page should include the title of your paper, your name, and your school affiliation. In some instances, your teacher might require additional information such as the course title, instructor name, and the date.

• The title of your paper should be concise and clearly describe what your paper is about.
• Your title can extend to two lines, but it should be no longer than 12 words.

An abstract is a brief summary of your paper that immediately follows the title page. It is not required for student papers, according to APA style. However, your instructor may request one.

If you include an abstract , it should be no more than 100 to 200 words, although this may vary depending upon the instructor requirements.

Your essay should also include a reference list with all of the sources that were cited in your essay,

• The reference section is located at the end of your paper.
• References should be listed alphabetically by the last name of the author.
• References should be double-spaced.
• Any source that is cited in your paper should be included in your reference section.

When writing in APA essay format, the text will include the actual essay itself: The introduction, body, and conclusion.

• There should be uniform margins of at least one inch at the top, bottom, left, and right sides of your essay.
• The text should be in Times New Roman size 12 font or another serif typeface that is easily readable.
• Your paper should be double-spaced.
• Every page should include a page number in the top right corner.
• The first word of each paragraph in your paper should be indented one-half inch.

For professional papers (usually not student papers), every page of the essay also includes a running head at the top left. The running head is a shortened form of the title, often the first few words, and should be no more than 50 characters (including spaces).

Steps to a Successful APA Format Essay

In addition to ensuring that you cite your sources properly and present information according to the rules of APA style, there are a number of things you can do to make the writing process a little bit easier.

Choose a Topic

Start by choosing a good topic to write about. Ideally, you want to select a subject that is specific enough to let you fully research and explore the topic, but not so specific that you have a hard time finding sources of information.

If you choose something too specific, you may find yourself with not enough to write about. If you choose something too general, you might find yourself overwhelmed with information.

Research Your Topic

Start doing research as early as possible. Begin by looking at some basic books and articles on your topic to help develop it further. What is the question you are going to answer with your essay? What approach will you take to the topic?

Once you are more familiar with the subject, create a preliminary source list of potential books, articles, essays, and studies that you may end up using in your essay.

Remember, any source used in your essay must be included in your reference section. Conversely, any source listed in your references must be cited somewhere in the body of your paper.

Write Your Rough Draft

With research in hand, you are ready to begin. Some people like to create an outline to organize their argument prior to drafting. You may want to start with a very rough outline, and then add details.

Once you have a detailed outline, the next step is to translate it from notes to complete sentences and paragraphs. Remember, this is a first draft. It doesn't have to be perfect.

As you write your paper in APA essay format, be sure to keep careful track of the sources that you cite.

How do you start an APA paper? Your paper should begin with an introduction that includes a thesis statement that presents your main ideas, points, or arguments. Your introduction should start on the third page of your paper (after the title page and abstract). The title of your paper should be centered, bolded, and typed in title case at the top of the page.

Review and Revise

After you have prepared a rough draft of your essay, it's time to revise, review, and prepare your final draft. In addition to making sure that your writing is cohesive and supported by your sources, you should also check carefully for typos, grammar errors, and possible formatting mistakes.

When citing information or quotations taken from an interview, APA format requires that you cite the source, how the information was collected, and the date of the interview. They should not be included in the reference section, however, because they are not something that can be located by a reader in any published source or searchable database.

Instead, the information should be cited parenthetically in the main body of the text. For example: “There was an increase in the number of college students who screened positive for depression/anxiety” (R. Heathfield, personal communication, May 9, 2021).

If the essay is in a chapter of a book, edited collection, or anthology, APA format states that you should cite the last name, first name, title of essay, title of collection, publisher, year, and page range. For example: Smith, John, "The Light House," A Book of Poems , editing by Peter Roberts, Allworth Press, 2005, pp. 20-25.

According to APA format, a two-part essay is formatted the same as an essay, however, you'll need to create two title pages.

If you're including a short direct quote in your APA-format essay, you will need to cite the author, year of publication, and page number (p.) or page number span (pp.). Quotations longer than 40 words should omit the quotation marks and be put in the text using block quotation formatting, on its own line and indented 1/2 inch from the left margin.

The cover page or "title page" in APA essay format should always include the title of your paper, your name, and school affiliation as well as the course title, instructor name, and date, if requested by your teacher.

Nagda S.  How to write a scientific abstract.   J Indian Prosthodont Soc.  2013;13(3):382-383. doi:10.1007/s13191-013-0299-x

American Psychological Association.  Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association  (7th ed.). Washington DC: The American Psychological Association; 2019.

By Kendra Cherry, MSEd Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."

By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.

Generate accurate APA citations for free

• Knowledge Base
• APA Style 7th edition
• APA format for academic papers and essays

APA Formatting and Citation (7th Ed.) | Generator, Template, Examples

Published on November 6, 2020 by Raimo Streefkerk . Revised on August 23, 2022.

The 7th edition of the APA Publication Manual provides guidelines for clear communication , citing sources , and formatting documents. This article focuses on paper formatting.

Generate accurate APA citations with Scribbr

Throughout your paper, you need to apply the following APA format guidelines:

• Set page margins to 1 inch on all sides.
• Double-space all text, including headings.
• Indent the first line of every paragraph 0.5 inches.
• Use an accessible font (e.g., Times New Roman 12pt., Arial 11pt., or Georgia 11pt.).
• Include a page number on every page.

Let an expert format your paper

Our APA formatting experts can help you to format your paper according to APA guidelines. They can help you with:

• Margins, line spacing, and indentation
• Font and headings
• Running head and page numbering

Table of contents

How to set up apa format (with template), apa alphabetization guidelines, apa format template [free download], page header, headings and subheadings, reference page, tables and figures, frequently asked questions about apa format.

Scribbr Citation Checker New

The AI-powered Citation Checker helps you avoid common mistakes such as:

• Missing commas and periods
• Incorrect usage of “et al.”
• Ampersands (&) in narrative citations
• Missing reference entries

References are ordered alphabetically by the first author’s last name. If the author is unknown, order the reference entry by the first meaningful word of the title (ignoring articles: “the”, “a”, or “an”).

Why set up APA format from scratch if you can download Scribbr’s template for free?

Student papers and professional papers have slightly different guidelines regarding the title page, abstract, and running head. Our template is available in Word and Google Docs format for both versions.

• Student paper: Word | Google Docs
• Professional paper: Word | Google Docs

In an APA Style paper, every page has a page header. For student papers, the page header usually consists of just a page number in the page’s top-right corner. For professional papers intended for publication, it also includes a running head .

A running head is simply the paper’s title in all capital letters. It is left-aligned and can be up to 50 characters in length. Longer titles are abbreviated .

Prevent plagiarism. Run a free check.

APA headings have five possible levels. Heading level 1 is used for main sections such as “ Methods ” or “ Results ”. Heading levels 2 to 5 are used for subheadings. Each heading level is formatted differently.

Want to know how many heading levels you should use, when to use which heading level, and how to set up heading styles in Word or Google Docs? Then check out our in-depth article on APA headings .

The title page is the first page of an APA Style paper. There are different guidelines for student and professional papers.

Both versions include the paper title and author’s name and affiliation. The student version includes the course number and name, instructor name, and due date of the assignment. The professional version includes an author note and running head .

For more information on writing a striking title, crediting multiple authors (with different affiliations), and writing the author note, check out our in-depth article on the APA title page .

The abstract is a 150–250 word summary of your paper. An abstract is usually required in professional papers, but it’s rare to include one in student papers (except for longer texts like theses and dissertations).

The abstract is placed on a separate page after the title page . At the top of the page, write the section label “Abstract” (bold and centered). The contents of the abstract appear directly under the label. Unlike regular paragraphs, the first line is not indented. Abstracts are usually written as a single paragraph without headings or blank lines.

Directly below the abstract, you may list three to five relevant keywords . On a new line, write the label “Keywords:” (italicized and indented), followed by the keywords in lowercase letters, separated by commas.

APA Style does not provide guidelines for formatting the table of contents . It’s also not a required paper element in either professional or student papers. If your instructor wants you to include a table of contents, it’s best to follow the general guidelines.

Place the table of contents on a separate page between the abstract and introduction. Write the section label “Contents” at the top (bold and centered), press “Enter” once, and list the important headings with corresponding page numbers.

The APA reference page is placed after the main body of your paper but before any appendices . Here you list all sources that you’ve cited in your paper (through APA in-text citations ). APA provides guidelines for formatting the references as well as the page itself.

Creating APA Style references

Play around with the Scribbr Citation Example Generator below to learn about the APA reference format of the most common source types or generate APA citations for free with Scribbr’s APA Citation Generator .

Formatting the reference page

Write the section label “References” at the top of a new page (bold and centered). Place the reference entries directly under the label in alphabetical order.

Finally, apply a hanging indent , meaning the first line of each reference is left-aligned, and all subsequent lines are indented 0.5 inches.

Tables and figures are presented in a similar format. They’re preceded by a number and title and followed by explanatory notes (if necessary).

Use bold styling for the word “Table” or “Figure” and the number, and place the title on a separate line directly below it (in italics and title case). Try to keep tables clean; don’t use any vertical lines, use as few horizontal lines as possible, and keep row and column labels concise.

Keep the design of figures as simple as possible. Include labels and a legend if needed, and only use color when necessary (not to make it look more appealing).

Check out our in-depth article about table and figure notes to learn when to use notes and how to format them.

The easiest way to set up APA format in Word is to download Scribbr’s free APA format template for student papers or professional papers.

Alternatively, you can watch Scribbr’s 5-minute step-by-step tutorial or check out our APA format guide with examples.

APA Style papers should be written in a font that is legible and widely accessible. For example:

• Times New Roman (12pt.)
• Arial (11pt.)
• Calibri (11pt.)
• Georgia (11pt.)

The same font and font size is used throughout the document, including the running head , page numbers, headings , and the reference page . Text in footnotes and figure images may be smaller and use single line spacing.

You need an APA in-text citation and reference entry . Each source type has its own format; for example, a webpage citation is different from a book citation .

Use Scribbr’s free APA Citation Generator to generate flawless citations in seconds or take a look at our APA citation examples .

Yes, page numbers are included on all pages, including the title page , table of contents , and reference page . Page numbers should be right-aligned in the page header.

To insert page numbers in Microsoft Word or Google Docs, click ‘Insert’ and then ‘Page number’.

APA format is widely used by professionals, researchers, and students in the social and behavioral sciences, including fields like education, psychology, and business.

Be sure to check the guidelines of your university or the journal you want to be published in to double-check which style you should be using.

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.

Streefkerk, R. (2022, August 23). APA Formatting and Citation (7th Ed.) | Generator, Template, Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved December 8, 2023, from https://www.scribbr.com/apa-style/format/

Is this article helpful?

Raimo Streefkerk

Other students also liked, apa title page (7th edition) | template for students & professionals, creating apa reference entries, beginner's guide to apa in-text citation, scribbr apa citation checker.

An innovative new tool that checks your APA citations with AI software. Say goodbye to inaccurate citations!

Purdue Online Writing Lab Purdue OWL® College of Liberal Arts

General Format

Welcome to the Purdue OWL

This page is brought to you by the OWL at Purdue University. When printing this page, you must include the entire legal notice.

Copyright ©1995-2018 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use.

Please use the example at the bottom of this page to cite the Purdue OWL in APA.

You can also watch our APA vidcast series on the Purdue OWL YouTube Channel .

General APA Guidelines

Your essay should be typed and double-spaced on standard-sized paper (8.5" x 11"), with 1" margins on all sides.   Include a page header (also known as the “ running head ”) at the top of every page. For a professional paper, this includes your paper title and the page number. For a student paper, this only includes the page number. To create a page header/running head , insert page numbers flush right. Then type "TITLE OF YOUR PAPER" in the header flush left using all capital letters. The running head is a shortened version of your paper's title and cannot exceed 50 characters including spacing and punctuation.

The 7th edition of the APA Publication Manual requires that the chosen font be accessible (i.e., legible) to all readers and that it be used consistently throughout the paper. It acknowledges that many font choices are legitimate, and it advises writers to check with their publishers, instructors, or institutions for guidance in cases of uncertainty.

While the APA Manual does not specify a single font or set of  fonts for professional writing, it does recommend a few fonts that are widely available. These include sans serif fonts such as 11-point Calibri, 11-point Arial, and 10-point Lucida Sans Unicode as well as serif fonts such as 12-point Times New Roman, 11-point Georgia, 10-point Computer Modern.

Major Paper Sections

Your essay should include four major sections: the Title Page , Abstract , Main Body , and References .

Note: APA 7 provides slightly different directions for formatting the title pages of professional papers (e.g., those intended for scholarly publication) and student papers (e.g., those turned in for credit in a high school or college course).

The title page should contain the title of the paper, the author's name , and the institutional affiliation . A professional paper should also include the author note . A student paper should also include the course number and name , instructor name , and assignment due date .

Type your title in upper and lowercase letters centered in the upper half of the page. The title should be centered and written in boldface. APA recommends that your title be focused and succinct and that it should not contain abbreviations or words that serve no purpose. Your title may take up one or two lines. All text on the title page, and throughout your paper, should be double-spaced.

Beneath the title, type the author's name : first name, middle initial(s), and last name. Do not use titles (Dr.) or degrees (PhD).

Beneath the author's name, type the institutional affiliation , which should indicate the location where the author(s) conducted the research.

A professional paper should include the author note beneath the institutional affiliation, in the bottom half of the title page. This should be divided up into several paragraphs, with any paragraphs that are not relevant omitted. The first paragraph should include the author’s name, the symbol for the ORCID iD, and the URL for the ORCID iD. Any authors who do not have an ORCID iD should be omitted. The second paragraph should show any change in affiliation or any deaths of the authors. The third paragraph should include any disclosures or acknowledgements, such as study registration, open practices and data sharing, disclosure of related reports and conflicts of interest, and acknowledgement of financial support and other assistance. The fourth paragraph should include contact information for the corresponding author.

A student paper should not include an author note.

Note again that page headers/page numbers (described above for professional and student papers) also appear at the top of the title page. In other words, a professional paper's title page will include the title of the paper flush left in all capitals and the page number flush right, while a student paper will only contain the page number flush right.

Student APA title page

Title page for a student paper in APA 7 style.

Professional paper APA title page

Title page for a professional paper in APA 7 style.

Begin a new page. Your abstract page should already include the page header (described above). On the first line of the abstract page, center and bold the word “Abstract” (no italics, underlining, or quotation marks).

Beginning with the next line, write a concise summary of the key points of your research. (Do not indent.) Your abstract should contain at least your research topic, research questions, participants, methods, results, data analysis, and conclusions. You may also include possible implications of your research and future work you see connected with your findings. Your abstract should be a single paragraph, double-spaced. Your abstract should typically be no more than 250 words.

You may also want to list keywords from your paper in your abstract. To do this, indent as you would if you were starting a new paragraph, type Keywords: (italicized), and then list your keywords. Listing your keywords will help researchers find your work in databases.

Abstracts are common in scholarly journal articles and are not typically required for student papers unless advised by an instructor. If you are unsure whether or not your work requires an abstract, consult your instructor for further guidance.

APA Abstract Page

Abstract page for a student paper in APA 7 style.

Please see our Sample APA Paper resource to see an example of an APA paper. You may also visit our Additional Resources page for more examples of APA papers.

How to Cite the Purdue OWL in APA

Individual resources.

The page template for the new OWL site does not include contributors' names or the page's last edited date. However, select pages  still include this information.

In the absence of contributor/edit date information, treat the page as a source with a group author and use the abbreviation "n.d." for "no date":

Purdue Online Writing Lab. (n.d.).  Title of resource.  Purdue Online Writing Lab. http://Web address for OWL resource

Purdue Online Writing Lab. (n.d.).  General Writing FAQs. Purdue Online Writing Lab. https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/general_writing_faqs.html

The generic APA citation for OWL pages, which includes author/edit date information, is this:

Contributors' names. (Last edited date).  Title of resource . Site Name. http://Web address for OWL resource

Note:  This page reflects the latest version of the APA Publication Manual (i.e., APA 7), which released in October 2019. The equivalent resource for the older APA 6 style  can be found here .

• UK Office: +44 2081 447946
• US Office: +1 (253) 235 4136

Custom Writing

Essay writers for hire, essay writing help online, write my essay, other essay services, how to place an order:.

• Select your academic level and the number of pages and pick a desired deadline
• Then press “Order Now”
• Add your instructions
• Choose writer’s category
• Make a payment
• Get your paper before the deadline

Assignment services

Online assignment writing service, assignment help, coursework paper writing, assignment writing services, buy assignment online, coursework writing service, research paper services, research proposal writing service, term papers writing services, research paper help, pay for research papers, academic research paper service, research papers writing services, buy a research paper, college papers for sale, annotated bibliography help, thesis services, thesis report writing services, thesis editing services, thesis writing services, phd services, phd writing services, phd proposal writing service, buy phd thesis, phd research and literature review, phd thesis editing, dissertation services, dissertation writing services, buy dissertation online, custom dissertation writing help service, dissertation proposal services, write my dissertation, dissertation editing services, dissertation literature review writing, dissertation consultation services, dissertation survey help, mba dissertation writing services, mba essay writing, mba dissertation editing, mba assignment help, mba thesis writing help, mba personal statement writing, law services, law dissertation writing services, law coursework writing services, bvc/bptc writing service – bvc/bptc opinion & drafting writing, law essay writing services, law assignment writing services, law report writing service, all subjects, university application help, college admission writing service, cover letter writing, college application help service, personal statement writing help service, resume writing help, bursary and scholarships application help, ucas application help, buy essay papers canada, buy essay papers uae, buy essay papers saudi arabia, buy essay papers new zealand, buy essay papers usa, buy essay papers uk, buy essay papers qatar, buy essay papers australia, buy essay papers ireland.

• Sample Essays
• Our Guarantee

Free Writing Tools

• AI Essay Writer

It’s so easy to contact us

Just send us an email, give us a phone call or you can visit our professional and friendly UK team for an excellent level of service delivery. An easier way is just to drop us a message on our Live ChatBox on the bottom right of the page 

• +44 20 8144 7946
• +1 (253) 235 4136
• 24/7 Live Support

How to place an order

If you have any questions and want to find more about our services, kindly check our information 

How To Write an Essay in APA Format – Complete Guide with Examples

• peachyessay
• April 22, 2020
• Blogs , Essay Writing Guideline

Writing a paper in APA format can be challenging if you are unfamiliar with it. Sometimes, you may be accustomed to crafting essays in other styles, and, therefore, switching to another new approach can be an uphill task for you.

In this guide, you will learn a lot about how to compose an essay in APA format. Let us go!

What is the APA Style Format?

APA ( American Psychological Association ) is one of the most popular academic styles used to cite sources in various disciplines, such as psychology, business, finance, and other social sciences. With APA format, you can craft your documents and consistently convey your message.

The following features characterize the APA style format

The title page should occupy the entire first page. Note that on the title page, the phrase ‘Running head’ precedes the title of your essay . Also, note that the title of the essay, your name, and your university’s name are stated on the upper part of the page. Finally, bear in mind that the writer’s notes, such as the supervisor’s name, the course title, and the department are stated at the bottom of the page.

To create a running head, choose the “different first-page” option. Next, align to the left the words ‘Running head’ followed by the short version (not exceeding 50 characters) of the paper in caps. Ensure that the page number appears on the right side of the page. Moreover, let the shortened title (running head) appear on other pages, but it should be right-aligned.

Page Numbers

Let the page number appear in the upper-right hand corner with your surname next to it.

Indentation

Ensure that all paragraphs and block quotations are indented half-inch from the left margin.

An abstract is a summary of your paper, and under APA style, it is usually between 150 to 250 words. Note that the length of an outline varies depending on the requirement of a journal or the university.

The main body encompasses the actual paper that is crafted on 8.5 inches by 11 inches. The font type for the body text is Time New Romans size 12. Note that double space is used in the entire document, and there is the presence of a page header.

You should include the reference list at the end of your essay. A reference list is essential to your readers in providing them with crucial information to enable them to retrieve the sources used in your in-text citations. As a rule, all the cited sources must be included in the reference list, and all entries in the bibliographies must be cited.

Usually, most APA articles are crafted using Times New Roman (font size 12) or Georgia (size 11). Note that footnotes are composed in size 10, and size 8-14 is used for titles to tables and figures. It is crucial to stick to one font size throughout your manuscript.

The APA requirement for word documents’ margin is 1 inch all around. Note that it is advisable to use at least one inch across the bottom, top left, and right of the page.

When writing in APA format, ensure that you double space the content throughout your document, including the quotations of 40 or more words.

APA Style Essay Example

Sometimes, crafting a scientific paper in APA format may require experience and some writing skills. As you go on with the writing process, it is crucial to check and verify whether what you are doing is okay. An essay example can help you a lot when it comes to confirming the level of your conformity with the style.

If you are stuck and don’t know what to do to finish composing your document, visit professional writing companies, such as Peach Essay, to familiarize yourself with their APA style essay examples. Additionally, if you need expert assistance, you can always rely on Peach Essay to ‘ write my essay ‘ and ensure a high-quality submission.

What is an APA Style Essay?

The APA style essay is an essential guide that can help you with the formatting of your text, tables, figures, citations, and grammar. According to APA style, you are supposed to indent the beginning of a paragraph half an inch from the left margin. Also, note that block quotations are indented half-inch from the left margin. Most importantly, note that the APA style essay requires that you use a 1-inch margin on the sides of the page and a font size of 12.

How to Write an APA Style Essay?

Writing an APA style essay may pose some challenges to you, especially if you are not conversant with its formatting. If you don’t know how to go about it, don’t worry; the following tips will help you come up with an excellent paper.

Choose an exciting topic

An exciting topic is the one you feel that you have adequate content, and you can craft it without challenges. Also, ensure that the item you choose is neither too broad nor too narrow.

Conduct thorough research on the topic

To craft an excellent paper, you need adequate and relevant information. Therefore, review any related literature to the topic you have chosen, and summarize crucial points.

Early preparation

If you want to compose a high-quality paper, start researching and crafting the essay early before the submission date.

Citations and referencing

Ensure that all the quotations and citations that you use in the text must appear in the reference list.

Draft your APA essay

Once you have prepared everything, you can go ahead and draft the document. After that, proofread and edit to correct grammar mistakes.

APA Format Essay Example

APA format is usually used by students undertaking studies, especially in behavioral and social sciences. Before you craft any paper, it is advisable to familiarize yourself with essential requirements regarding APA styles.

If it is your first time writing a paper in APA and you don’t know how to do it, it is vital to refer to APA essay samples on the websites of professional writing companies, such as Peachy Essay . Note that, through the help of an example, you can quickly compose a paper without challenges.

Here is an example of APA citation in an essay

Entrepreneurial orientation refers to the behaviors of business people, and it can affect their performance (Lumpkin and Dess, 1996).

The above-cited source can appear in the reference list, as indicated below.

Lumpkin, G.T. & Dess, G.G. 1996. Clarifying the entrepreneurial orientation construct and linking it to performance. Academy of Management Review , 21(1), 135–173.

What are the Major Sections in an APA Style Essay?

An APA style article has four major components, as highlighted below

The title page

The title page encompasses the paper’s topic, the author’s name, and the institution’s name. Ensure that all these are centered and double spaced. The title of your essay is the main idea of your paper and shouldn’t exceed 12 words.

The abstract

An abstract is a summary of your essay, and it should not be more than 250 words. In the abstract, highlight crucial aspects, such as the purpose of the paper, the methods, results, and conclusions

The main body

Knowing how to write the main body is critical for your successful research. The following guidelines can help you craft an excellent piece.

Title of the paper

Use a running head to type the title of the essay on the first line of the page.

Introduction

Introduce your topic and highlight details regarding the problem

Literature review

Review and include relevant literature to support your argument.

Read More About Examples of Literature Review

How to Format an Essay in APA

APA style format can be used to craft papers in various subjects, such as education, psychology, and social sciences.

The following tips can help you in formatting your essay in APA style

• Ensure that there are uniform margins of at least one inch on all sides of your essay.
• Double-space your article and ensure that every page bears a number in the top right corner.
• If you are composing a professional paper, every page should have a running head at the top left.
• Make sure that the article has a title page that includes the title of your essay, your name, and the name of your institution.
• Your paper should have a reference list at its end. Ensure that all the cited sources are listed alphabetically based on the author’s surname.
• Indent each paragraph by half an inch from the left margin of your essay
• Use Times New Romans with font size 12 throughout your article.

How to Create an APA Style Essay Outline

Crafting an essay in an APA format can be overwhelming work for many students. If you want to compose an excellent paper, you must pick the right topic and then research relevant information to write about it.

Formatting your paper in APA style can be a challenge if it is the first time you are doing it. Fortunately, creating an outline can help you overcome these obstacles.

The following steps can help you outline your paper in APA

Select your topic

Ensure that you choose an exciting topic that can enable you to craft a compelling piece. Once you choose, develop a thesis statement and then research its content.

Start Writing

Begin writing your introduction by giving a summary of your primary ideas and background information. Also, craft the thesis statement and write the main body of your essay based on the outline.

If you want to enhance your writing, you must follow your instructor’s guidelines for crafting a paper based on the structure recommended structure. It is crucial to start with your strongest points and then support them with researched facts.

Compose your conclusion

Your conclusion should include a summary of your main points and any suggestions for further studies.

Update your outline

A completed outline is a reflection of your draft paper. Once you have crafted a framework, review and edit your document.

As you craft your essay, it is advisable to keep track of the sources you use because you will have to include them in your reference list. Also, note that all sources used in the bibliography must be cited in the text.

How to Handle In-Text Citations in APA Format

Citing your text confirms to your readers the authenticity of your information, and it is also the best way of acknowledging other researchers’ work.

Citation in APA requires that you use the author’s name, followed by the date of publication. The example below can help you get a clear perspective on to cite text in APA.

Entrepreneurial orientation comprises of five dimensions, such as proactiveness, risk-taking propensity, innovativeness, autonomy, and competitive aggressiveness (Lumpkin and Dess, 1991).

The following tips can help you cite your essay as per the APA guidelines

• Your reference list should begin on a new page. Ensure that you title the new page with ‘Reference’ and center it.
• All sources in the reference list should be in alphabetical order
• The first line of the reference should be in line (flush) with the left margin. Also, indent any additional line after it.
• Double-space all the sources in the reference section
• All sources in the reference list should be cited in the text of your document.

Final Thoughts on How to Write an Essay in APA Format

Writing an essay in APA format can be intimidating if you lack writing skills and experience. It is vital to note that APA format requires that you craft a paper with the following features: font size 12, a margin of at least one inch on all sides of the paper, use of double space, paragraphs indented half an inch from the left margin and many more.

The majority of students find it hard to compose their essays in APA style because they lack the time and experience to handle such tasks. If you are not conversant with crafting pieces in APA style, you can use essay samples as your guide. Besides, you can contact professional writing companies , such as Peachy Essay, for assistance.

Useful Links:

Essay services, assignment services, mba services, by subjects, give your grades a boost, top academic writers ready, to help with your research proposal, connect with us.

Just ask our team to write your assignment and then sit back and relax. We’ll get it done.

Safe & Trusted

Your Peachy Essay purchase is secure and we're rated 4.5/5

All work is written to order. No plagiarism, guaranteed!

We're here to answer any questions you have about our services

Quick Links

Peachy Essay provides model essays for tutoring and learning purposes only. At the end of the day, it’s the students responsibility to do their own research and work. And therefore, submit their own work. We are a strong believer in academic integrity and have a “zero tolerance policy” on plagiarism. Therefore, all our works will be submitted with a FREE Turnitin plagiarism report.

© 2007 — 2023 Peachy Essay. All Rights Reserved. 

• Research Guides
• A-Z Database List
• Library Home

APA 7th Edition Citation Guide

Order of elements: apa student essays, title page and header, table of contents, body and section headings, references page, video tutorial: formatting essays.

• Paraphrase and Summary
• Bibliographic Citations
• Sources with Multiple Authors
• Sources with No Author, Date, Title or Page Numbers
• Journal Articles
• Magazine and Newspaper Articles
• Reference Articles, Encyclopedia and Dictionary Entries
• Books and eBooks
• Conference Proceedings and Presentations
• Dissertations and Theses
• Films, Video and Audio
• Government Documents, Non-Profit and Corporate Reports
• Images and Advertisements
• Personal Communications (E-mails, Interviews, and etc.)
• Religious Texts
• Social Media
• Statutes, Legal Documents and the Constitution
• Avoiding Plagiarism

Sara Carman , Librarian

Call: 320-629-5169

Laurie Jorgensen , Library Technologist

Call: 320-629-5145

24/7 Chat help is available!

APA formatted student essays typically contain the following elements in the order listed:

Note : Individual instructors may not require that you include all of these elements.  If you are unsure of which elements to include in your essay, read your assignment's guidelines or ask your instructor. 

VIDEO CONTENTS 

0:00 Introduction 

1:20 General Formatting and Paper Set-Up 

3:23 Title Page 

7:11 Writing the Main Text 

9:08 Section Headings 

12:42 End Matter: References, Footnotes, Tables, Figures, Appendices 

15:56 Closing Thoughts

• << Previous: Home
• Next: In-Text Citations >>
• Last Updated: Dec 13, 2022 2:15 PM
• URL: https://pine.libguides.com/APA7Guide

 CREATE ACCOUNT  LOG IN

Writing: Essay Questions and APA Style

Introduction, example of formatting, writing strategy, questions within questions.

• Writing Support Home This link opens in a new window
• APA Citation Home This link opens in a new window
• CORE Library Home This link opens in a new window

Some courses may require you to write application papers that respond to prompts, similar to a question and answer format.  In these cases, use the following formatting rules unless otherwise specified by your instructor:

To format questions and answers in APA format:

• Begin the question on a new line and type number 1 followed by a period. 
• Type the discussion question in an approved font and size.  Use the correct punctuation at the end -- a question mark if the prompt is a question; a period if it is a statement.   
• Use double spacing and one inch margins.
• Separate the answer from the question by beginning the answer on a new line.
• Always answer in complete sentences.  If your answer is lengthy, it is okay to start a new paragraph.
• Incorporate in-text citations as needed, with a references page at the end.
• Continue to use the same format for fonts and spacing for the whole document.
• Continue the list of questions on a new line and align the number 2 under the 1.

If the Instructor has specific instructions about  bold  type, follow their preference, but APA does not require it.

Use an academic tone; avoid "I" statements such as "I think" or "I believe" or "My opinion is..."

These types of papers are typically not essays that require an introduction and conclusion.  However, you will still need to retain the usual APA components:  proper formatting, a title page, a references page, and in-text citations.

When in doubt, ask your instructor!

1.   Discuss the approaches psychologists have taken to understand human perception.

      Psychologists have taken three main approaches in their efforts to understand human perception. First, is the computational approach. These psychologists try to determine the computations that a machine would have to perform to solve perceptual problems in an effort to help explain how complex computations within the human nervous system might turn raw sensory stimulation into a representation of the world. The computational approach owes much to two earlier approaches .... (and so on and so forth).

Imagine that you've been asked to respond to the following question:

A solid writing strategy for responding to essay questions is the following:

Answer the Question + At Least One Reason + Closing Statement

Keep your responses focused, structured, and prove your points with evidence.

Here's how to do it.  

1)  Begin with a direct answer to the question.  The easiest way to do this is to restate the question in a way that incorporates your answer.   If you will give more than one reason or address more than one topic in your response, pre-outline the topics/reasons you will discuss in order.

2)  Address your reason(s) in order.

A.  Use transitions  to move smoothly between reasons.

B.  Incorporate examples to amplify your reasoning.

C.  Use signal phrases and in-text citations to identify your sources. 

3.  End with a closing statement that wraps up your response and reminds the reader of your position on the question.

Thanks to Texas State University for the example here.

Sometimes an instructor will prepare a prompt that is more than one question, and may require a response that tackles more than one topic.  Here's an example:

This is actually two related questions -- a main question and then a subset of that main question.

Adjust your strategy as follows:

1)  Prepare a direct response that focuses on the general main topic or question.  

2)  Respond to each question in the prompt as a separate paragraph under the restatement of the question. Use a transitional sentence to move smoothly from the first paragraph of response to the second.

3)  Wrap it up with a concluding sentence at the end of the final paragraph.

Note:  Latin "Lorem ipsum" text is used in lieu of real responses, as you may encounter this question in one of your courses!

• Answering the Short Answer Essay Exam From the University of Arkansas. Printable document that contains tips for writing effective answers to essay questions.
• Next: Writing Support Home >>
• Last Updated: Dec 24, 2020 5:03 AM
• URL: https://azhin.org/cummings/apa_questions

© 2015 - 2023