Writing Resource Hub

APA Style Resources

Visit Purdue OWL for more information on how to cite your sources. 

UACCM also has a LibGuide with information about APA Format: APA (7th ed.) for Student Papers

Formatting Your Paper

The Basics

• Typed
• Double-spaced
• Letter size paper (8.5" x 11")
• 1-inch margins
• Use 10-12 point font
• Standard font (Cambria, Times New Roman, etc)

Elements of the Paper

• Title page
• Abstract (not commonly used in freshman and sophomore level courses)
• Main body
• References 

The Title Page

• Includes the page number (found in the page header, flush right)
• Includes the title of your paper.
• Your name.
• Your institution.
• Course name and number.
• Your instructor's name. 
• The assignments due date.

The Abstract Page

• Bold and center the title "Abstract" at the top.
• The abstract is 150-250 word summary of your paper written in a concise and specific manner.
• Not commonly required for freshmen and sophomore level courses. 

The Main Body

• Page Heading: Includes your page number.
• Paper Title: Bold and centered at the top of the page. 
• No Page Breaks: Type the text without page breaks. 
• Paper Sections: Text can be broken up into sections using headings and subheadings. (Not common in freshmen and sophomore level courses) 
• In-text citations: Cite your sources using parenthetical (in-text) citations. 

The Reference Page

• Page Name: "References", centered, do NOT italicize, bold, or underline. 
• Double Space Reference Entries: If your reference takes up more than one line, the first line should be flush left and subsequent lines should be indented. (Hanging indents) 
• Entry Order: Alphabetical by Surname: If more than one author, order by the first author's surname. 

Parenthetical Citations

One Author

Paraphrasing: (Author, Year) 

Direct Quote: (Author, Year, Page #)

Two Authors

Paraphrasing: (Author & Author, Year) 

Direct Quote: (Author & Author, Year, Page #)

Three or More Authors

Paraphrasing: (Author, Author, & Author, Year) 

Direct Quote: (Author, Author, & Author, Year, Page #)

Subsequent Citations: (Author et al., Year)

Unknown Author

Paraphrasing: ("Title", Year) 

Direct Quote: ("Title", Year, Page #)

References

Basic Structure - Print Sources

Author's last name, followed by author's initials. (Publication year). Article name. Publisher or publication, Edition, Page number(s). 

Doe, J. (2020). APA Citations. Students learning Citations, 01, 10-15.

Basic Structure - Electronic Sources

Author's last name, followed by author's initials. (Publication year, Month Day). Title of page. Name of website, URL. 

Doe, J. (2020, March 8). APA Citations. Students Learning Citations. https://studentslearningcitations.com/apa-citations