How to Design Documents in APA Format
- 1). Create a document on a computer in a word processing program. Set up the document so that it is in 12 pt. Times New Roman font. It should also be double-spaced with 1 inch margins on all sides.
- 2). Develop your document in four main sections titled: Title Page, Abstract, Main Body and References. Your research information will need to fit in within these sections. Every page of your document should have a page header with the title of the paper and the page number on the top of the page.
- 3). Create a title page that has the title of the paper, the author's name and the institutional affiliation that the author is associated with. This information will be in the center of the title page.
- 4). Write an abstract which is a summary of the main points of your research. The word "ABSTRACT" should be on the top of the page, below the page header. The abstract should be between about 150 and 250 words, and should contain your research topic and questions, as well as your participants, methods, results, data analysis and conclusions.
- 5). Construct the main body of your APA document so that it contains your research, and cites information and quotes from references that support your work. The author and the year of the referenced source should follow the points in your paper that you need to attribute. These are known as in-text citations: (Author, Year of Publication).
- 6). Design the reference section of your document by labeling the page with the word "REFERENCES" at the top of the page beneath the page header. List your references with the last and first name of the author/s, the date the reference source was published, and the name of the publication: Smith, A. (2011, May 16). "Style Guide." You should also include the website or book the information came from. The references should be listed in alphabetical order using the last names of the sources.
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