How to Write a Research Paper in APA Format — A Complete Guide - Enago Academy (2023)

Completed your research experiments and collated your results? Does it feel like you have crossed a major hurdle in your research journey? No, not even close! What lies next is — publishing your research work for it to reach the science world! The process of publishing a research paper is so intricate, if you miss one aspect, you could end up struggling with revisions and reworks or getting a rejection! Thus, there is a necessity of following an exceptional mode of writing. The APA style research format comes to a researcher’s rescue.

This article discusses how to effortlessly write an APA style research paper and how it is necessary to understand the basic elements of APA style research paper in order to write an article in APA style research format.

Table of Contents

What Is APA Style?

The APA format is the official style of American Psychological Association (APA) and is commonly used to cite sources in psychology, education and social sciences. APA research paper format is widely used in the research publishing industry.

Students and researchers usually get confused with various research paper writing formats and are unclear about the requirements from the research publication journals. Therefore, the best way to deal with beginning to write a research paper is to first know the journal’s requirement and then follow the guidelines accordingly.

Though the reference section may change over the course of time, the information related to the other sections in APA research paper format is similar and could be referred to, for writing an exemplary research paper.

Guidelines for APA Style Paper (7th edition)

An APA style research format is different as compared to a term paper, a creative writing paper, a composition-style paper, or a thought paper. Throughout the paper you need to apply these guidelines while writing the paper –

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  • Page Layout:

Type the content and keep double-space on standard-sized paper (8.5” x 11”), with 1” margins on all sides.

You should indent the first line of every paragraph 0.5 inches

Include a page number on every page.

  • Font:

You could use an accessible font like Times New Roman 12pt., Arial 11pt., or Georgia 11pt.

APA Research Paper Sections

The APA research paper format is based on seven main components: title page, abstract, introduction, methods, results, discussion, and references. The sections in APA-style paper are as follows:

1. Title Page

As per the APA research paper format, the title should be between 10-12 words and should reflect the essence of the paper. After writing the title, write your name followed by name of the college. Furthermore, create a page header using the “View Header” function in MS Word and on the title page include a running head — a short title that appears at the top of pages of published articles (flush left) and page number on the same line (flush right). The running head should not exceed 50 characters, including punctuation and spacing. Moreover, you could use the toolbox to insert a page number, so that it automatically numbers each page.

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APA Style – Professional Paper in APA 7 Style

2. Abstract

Abstract should contain no more than 120 words, and should be one paragraph written in block format with double spacing. Additionally, state the topic in a sentence or two. Also, provide overview of methods, results, and discussion.

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How to Write a Research Paper in APA Format — A Complete Guide - Enago Academy (3)

APA Style – Abstract in APA Style

3. Introduction

An introduction of APA research paper format is the most difficult section to write. A good introduction critically evaluates the empirical knowledge in the relevant area(s) in a way that defines the knowledge gap and expresses your aim for your study and why you conducted it. However, the challenge here is to keep the reader’s interest in reading your paper.

A good introduction keeps readers engaged with your paper. For writing an interesting introduction, researchers should introduce logical flow of ideas which will eventually lead to the research hypothesis. Furthermore, while incorporating references into your introduction, do not describe every single study in complete detail. Summarize the key findings from the article and do not quote from the articles, instead paraphrase the content.

4. Methods

The method section in APA research paper format is straightforward. However, the protocol and requirements should be mentioned precisely. The goal of this section is to describe your study and experiments in detail, so that there is no issue in reproducibility of results and other researchers could duplicate your methods effectively.

This section includes Materials and/or Apparatus and Experiments/Procedures/Protocols. Furthermore, keep the procedures brief and accurate, and make sure to read through so as to not repeat the steps or avoid redundancy.

5. Results

In this section, you could describe how you analyzed the data and explain your findings. If your data analyses are complex, then break the section into subsections, ideally a subsection for each hypothesis and elaborate the subsections by using statistical analysis and including tables or figures to represent results visually. Most importantly, do not share interpretation of the results here. You can interpret and explain the results in the discussion section.

6. Discussion

Results are interpreted and understood in this section. Discussion section helps understand the research hypothesis better and places the results in the broader context of the literature in the area. This section is the reversal of introduction section, wherein you begin with the specifics and explain the general understanding of the topics.

In discussion, you start with a brief of your main findings, followed by explaining if your research findings support your hypothesis. Furthermore, you could explain how your findings enhance or support the existing literature on the topic. Connect your results with some of the literature mentioned in the introduction to bring your story back to full circle. You could also mention if there are any interesting or surprising findings in your results. Discuss other theories which could help you justify your surprising results.

(Video) guidelines to writing a research paper

Explain the limitation of your study and mention all the additional questions that were generated from your study. You could also mention what further research should be conducted on the topic and what are the knowledge gaps in the current body of research. Finally, mention how your results could relate to the larger issues of human existence and highlight “the big picture” for your readers.

7. References

Provide an alphabetical listing of the references. Do not keep extra spaces between references and double-space all the references. The second line of each reference should be intended. You could refer to the examples (mentioned below) to know how to format references correctly.

I. Journal Article:

Only first letter of the first word of the article title is capitalized; the journal name and volume are italicized. If the journal name had multiple words, each of the major words are capitalized.

Example: Ebner-Priemer, U. W., & Trull, T. J. (2009). Ecological momentary assessment of mood disorders and mood dysregulation. Psychological Assessment, 21, 463-475. doi:10.1037/a0017075

II. Book Chapter:

Only the first letter of the first word of both the chapter title and book title are capitalized.

Example: Stephan, W. G. (1985). Intergroup relations. In G. Lindzey & E. Aronson (Eds.), The handbook of social psychology (3rd ed., Vol. 2, pp. 599-658). New York: Random House.

III. Book:

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Example: Gray, P. (2010). Psychology (6th ed.). New York: Worth

IV. Table:

There are various formats for tables, depending upon the information you wish to include. So, be thorough and provide a table number and title (the latter should be italicized). Tables can be single or double-spaced.

V. Figure:

Be sure to mention x- and y-axes clearly. Underneath the figure provide a label and brief caption. The figure caption typically includes variables and units of measurements. Also, include error bars in your bar graphs, and note what the bars represent in the figure caption – Error bars represent one standard error above and below the mean.

VI. In-Text Citation:

  1. Mention the authors’ names and publication date while citing sources in your paper.
  2. When including the citation as part of the sentence, use AND: “According to Jones and Smith (2003), the…”
  3. When the citation is written in parentheses, use &: “Studies have shown that priming can affect actual motor behavior (Jones & Smith, 2003; Kiley, Bailey, & Hammer, 1999). The studies in parentheses should appear alphabetically by first author’s last name, and separate it with semicolons.
  4. You should avoid quoting directly, but in case you do – along with the name and date, include the page number.
  5. For sources with three or more authors, once you have listed all the authors’ names, you may write “et al.” on subsequent mentions: “Klein et al. (1999) found that…”.
  6. Meanwhile, when source has six or more authors, the first author’s last name and “et al.” are used every time the source is cited.

VII. Secondary Source:

It is a term used to describe material that is cited in another source. Avoid using secondary sources in your papers. Try to find the primary source and read it before citing in your work. However, if you must mention a secondary source, refer to the APA style paper example below:

Primary source author’s last name (as cited in secondary source author’s last name, year) argued that…

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7 Tips for Writing an Error-free APA Style Research Paper

How to Write a Research Paper in APA Format — A Complete Guide - Enago Academy (4)

  1. Although there are exceptions, minimize using first person while writing.
  2. Avoid including personal statements or anecdotes.
  3. Although there are exceptions, use past tense while writing.
  4. Do not use contractions. (e.g., “it does not follow” rather than “it doesn’t follow”)
  5. Avoid biased language – Be updated with appropriate terminologies, especially if you are writing a paper that includes gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, etc.
  6. Be certain to cite your sources.
  7. Try to paraphrase as much as possible, and do not directly quote from source articles.

This article contains only a few aspects of an APA research paper format. There are many APA style rules which can be explored before you begin to write an APA style research paper. Many of the APA research paper format rules are dynamic and subject to change, so it is best to refer to 7th edition (latest) of the APA Publication Manual and be thorough with every section’s format before writing a research paper.

Have you used an APA research paper format to write your article? Do write to us or comment below and tell us how your experience writing an APA style paper was?

FAQs

How do you set up a research paper in APA format? ›

An APA-style paper includes the following sections: title page, abstract, introduction, method, results, discussion, and references. Your paper may also include one or more tables and/or figures. Different types of information about your study are addressed in each of the sections, as described below.

What are the 7 steps of writing a research paper? ›

Seven steps to writing a university research paper
  • Step One: Determine the purpose of the paper. ...
  • Step Two: Refine your research question. ...
  • Step Three: Organize your approach. ...
  • Step Four: Collect information. ...
  • Step Five: Attribute the information. ...
  • Step Six: Write your conclusion. ...
  • Step Seven: Refine your thesis statement.
Dec 20, 2020

How to make a research paper step by step? ›

Here is a step-by-step approach to starting and completing a research paper.
  1. Choose a topic.
  2. Read and keep records.
  3. Form a thesis.
  4. Create a mind map or outline.
  5. Read again.
  6. Rethink your thesis.
  7. Draft the body.
  8. Revise.

What are the four main parts of an APA-style research paper? ›

In most cases, your paper should include four main sections: the title page, abstract, main section, and references list.

What are the 5 parts of research paper? ›

A complete research paper in APA style that is reporting on experimental research will typically contain a Title page, Abstract, Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion, and References sections.

What is a APA format example? ›

Basic Format for an Online Article:

Author's Last Name, First Initial. (Year). Article title. Magazine/Journal/Newspaper Title, Volume number(Issue number), Page numbers.

How do you write an example in APA format? ›

Thus, if you want to give a list of examples within parentheses, use the abbreviation “e.g.,” (including the comma) before the examples. If the words “for example” appear outside of parentheses, do not use the abbreviation “e.g.”

How long does it take to write an APA paper? ›

Ideally, writing 12 pages needs between 12-20 hours. An advanced writer will complete a 12-page essay in 8-10 hours, while a slow writer will take as much as over 12 hours but not more than 20 hours. The trick is to plan, research, and organize your research thoroughly, then write the paper.

What are the five 5 steps on doing a research? ›

Steps in the Research Process
  • STEP 1: Formulate your question.
  • STEP 2: Get background information.
  • STEP 3: Refine your search topic.
  • STEP 4: Consider your resource options.
  • STEP 5: Select the appropriate tool.
  • STEP 6: Use the tool.
  • STEP 7: Locate your materials.
  • STEP 8: Analyze your materials.

What is the order of writing a research paper? ›

Recommended order for writing a manuscript is first to start with your tables and figures. They tell your story. You can write your sections in any order. Many recommend writing your Results, followed by Methods, Introduction, Discussion, and Abstract.

How do you start a research paper for beginners? ›

How to Write a Research Paper | A Beginner's Guide
  1. Understand the assignment.
  2. Choose a research paper topic.
  3. Conduct preliminary research.
  4. Develop a thesis statement.
  5. Create a research paper outline.
  6. Write a first draft of the research paper.
  7. Write the introduction.
  8. Write a compelling body of text.

How do you start a research paper introduction? ›

  1. Step 1: Introduce your topic. The first job of the introduction is to tell the reader what your topic is and why it's interesting or important. ...
  2. Step 2: Describe the background. ...
  3. Step 3: Establish your research problem. ...
  4. Step 4: Specify your objective(s) ...
  5. Step 5: Map out your paper.
Sep 24, 2022

How should an APA paper look? ›

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. You should use a clear font that is highly readable. APA recommends using 12 pt. Times New Roman font.

How many paragraphs should APA have? ›

Include on each page about two handwritten or three typed paragraphs. Make your paragraphs proportional to your paper. Since paragraphs do less work in short papers, have short paragraphs for short papers and longer paragraphs for longer papers.

What is the most important part of a research paper? ›

Scientific papers are organized into specific sections and each has a goal. We have listed them here. Your title is the most important part of your paper. It draws the reader in and tells them what you are presenting.

What is the structure of a research? ›

The pattern includes the following: introduction, methods, results, discussion, and conclusions/recommendations. Usually, research papers flow from the general to the specific and back to the general in their organization.

How do you use APA correctly? ›

APA citation basics

When using APA format, follow the author-date method of in-text citation. This means that the author's last name and the year of publication for the source should appear in the text, for example, (Jones, 1998), and a complete reference should appear in the reference list at the end of the paper.

What are the 3 types of citations in APA-style? ›

There are many different citation styles, but they typically use one of three basic approaches: parenthetical citations, numerical citations, or note citations.

How do I create an APA format in Word? ›

In your Word document, click on the References tab in the Ribbon. In the Citations & Bibliography group, click the arrow next to Style. Click the style that you want to use for the citation and source.

What should you not do in an APA paper? ›

Here are five common mistakes students make with APA Style and easy ways you can fix them.
  1. Incorrect Header. The first words in a paper with a title page is the running header. ...
  2. Errors in In-Text Citations. ...
  3. In-Text Citations Don't Match the Reference List. ...
  4. Incorrect Quotations. ...
  5. Citing with Multiple Sources.
Jan 2, 2018

What is the most difficult thing about APA format? ›

Advice: The headings are always one of the difficult parts when it comes to formatting your paper in APA style.

Why is APA format so difficult? ›

It's Complicated

The reference page is composed of numerous separate citations, and each type of citation, such as book, website or journal article, has a specific set of directions. For example, a book title is italicized and set in sentence case, but the name of a journal is in title case.

What makes a good research? ›

Good research is replicable, reproducible, and transparent. Replicability, reproducibility, and transparency are some of the most important characteristics of research. The replicability of a research study is important because this allows other researchers to test the study's findings.

What are the 5 C's in research? ›

To introduce you to this world of academic writing, in this chapter I suggest that you should focus on five hierarchical characteristics of good writing, or the “5 Cs” of good academic writing, which include Clarity, Cogency, Conventionality, Completeness, and Concision.

How do you write a research topic example? ›

How To Create A Catchy Research Topic
  • Seek inspiration. Your research idea needs to be fresh, relevant, and interesting. ...
  • Be clear. There's nothing that turns off readers more than unclear, garbled language. ...
  • Avoid jargon. ...
  • Make it personal. ...
  • Consider your audience.
Dec 20, 2018

What should the first sentence of a research paper be? ›

A thesis statement.

This statement summarizes the ideas that will run through your entire research article. It should be straightforward and clear.

Which should appear first in your research paper? ›

The Introduction

The introduction should be designed to attract the reader's attention and explain the focus of the research. You will introduce your overview of the topic, your main points of information, and why this subject is important.

How do you write a first sentence in a research paper? ›

The introductory paragraph of any paper, long or short, should start with a sentence that piques the interest of your readers. In a typical essay, that first sentence leads into two or three more sentences that provide details about your subject or your process. All of these sentences build up to your thesis statement.

How many weeks does it take to write a research paper? ›

While each academic paper varies greatly in time needed to complete, it can take anywhere from 10 days to 10 months to complete all the research process steps required.

Can I write a research paper in one day? ›

While it's not ideal, a research paper can be done in a day. Spend a few hours brainstorming, researching, and creating a brief outline. After preparing everything, find a distraction-free environment and start writing. Remember to write quickly so you can finish the paper by the end of the day.

What is a good hook for a research paper? ›

A hook is an opening statement (which is usually the first sentence) in an essay that attempts to grab the reader's attention so that they want to read on. It can be done by using a few different types of hooks, which are a question, quote, statistic, or anecdote.

How many pages should a research paper be? ›

How many pages is a research paper. On average, a research paper ranges between 15 to 50 pages. As indicated earlier, the length of your paper is affected by the complexity of your topic. As such, some disciplines may require a longer document while shorter papers suffice in other disciplines.

How do you write a strong introduction? ›

Your essay introduction should include three main things, in this order:
  1. An opening hook to catch the reader's attention.
  2. Relevant background information that the reader needs to know.
  3. A thesis statement that presents your main point or argument.
Feb 4, 2019

How do I start my introduction? ›

How to Write a Good Introduction
  1. Keep your first sentence short.
  2. Don't repeat the title.
  3. Keep the introduction brief.
  4. Use the word “you” at least once.
  5. Dedicate 1-2 sentences to articulating what the article covers.
  6. Dedicate 1-2 sentences to explaining why the article is important.
Jul 30, 2019

What are the 7 elements of research? ›

A research report has seven components:
  • Abstract or Summary.
  • Introduction.
  • Review of Literature.
  • Methods.
  • Results.
  • Conclusions and Discussion.
  • References.

What are the 8 important steps in writing research paper? ›

The Process
  • Step 1: Get familiar with the assignment.
  • Step 2: Pick a topic.
  • Step 3: Research.
  • Step 4: Organize research.
  • Step 5: Form a thesis.
  • Step 6: Create an outline.
  • Step 7: Write.
  • Step 8: Edit for content.
Aug 24, 2022

What are the 7 steps of the research process quizlet? ›

Match
  • define the problem.
  • review literature.
  • formulate hypothesis.
  • select research design.
  • conduct research.
  • analyze and interpret data.

What are the 7 steps of the research process PPT? ›

Steps of the research process
  • Step 1: Identify the Problem. ...
  • Step 2: Review the Literature. ...
  • Step 3: Clarify the Problem. ...
  • Step 4: Clearly Define Terms and Concepts. ...
  • Step 5: Define the Population. ...
  • Step 6: Develop the Instrumentation Plan. ...
  • Step 7: Collect Data. ...
  • Step 8: Analyze the Data.

What are the 3 research questions? ›

With that in mind there are three common types of quantitative research questions:
  • Descriptive research questions.
  • Comparative research questions.
  • Relationship-based research questions.

What is the most important part of research paper? ›

Scientific papers are organized into specific sections and each has a goal. We have listed them here. Your title is the most important part of your paper. It draws the reader in and tells them what you are presenting.

What terms should be avoided when making a research title? ›

Avoid roman numerals (e.g., III, IX, etc.) Obvious or non-specific openings with a conjunction: e.g., “Report on”, “A Study of”, “Results of”, “An Experimental Investigation of”, etc. (these don't contribute meaning!)

What are the most important points to remember while writing a research paper? ›

Organization is Key

Select your topic carefully. Choose sources that will be helpful and make sure they are reliable. Index cards should be used to jot down helpful notes that you may need throughout the process or writing. Your notes should be organized based on the topic it is under.

How do you write a research example? ›

How to Write a Research Paper | A Beginner's Guide
  1. Understand the assignment.
  2. Choose a research paper topic.
  3. Conduct preliminary research.
  4. Develop a thesis statement.
  5. Create a research paper outline.
  6. Write a first draft of the research paper.
  7. Write the introduction.
  8. Write a compelling body of text.

What are the four main processes of research? ›

Research is a dynamic process that can be organized into four stages: Exploring, Investigating, Processing, and Creating. As you work through a research project, you may move back and forth between these stages as your understanding evolves.

What are the 6 components of research process? ›

The Research Process
  • Identify a Research Problem. ...
  • Review the Literature. ...
  • Determine Research Question. ...
  • Develop Research Methods. ...
  • Collect & Analyze Data. ...
  • Document the Work. ...
  • Communicate Your Research. ...
  • Refine/Expand, Pioneer.

What is a research problem with examples? ›

A research problem is a specific issue or gap in existing knowledge that you aim to address in your research. You may choose to look for practical problems aimed at contributing to change, or theoretical problems aimed at expanding knowledge.

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