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apa style paper for psychology

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A step-by-step guide for creating and formatting APA Style student papers

The start of the semester is the perfect time to learn how to create and format APA Style student papers. This article walks through the formatting steps needed to create an APA Style student paper, starting with a basic setup that applies to the entire paper (margins, font, line spacing, paragraph alignment and indentation, and page headers). It then covers formatting for the major sections of a student paper: the title page, the text, tables and figures, and the reference list. Finally, it concludes by describing how to organize student papers and ways to improve their quality and presentation.

The guidelines for student paper setup are described and shown using annotated diagrams in the Student Paper Setup Guide (PDF, 3.40MB) and the A Step-by-Step Guide to APA Style Student Papers webinar . Chapter 1 of the Concise Guide to APA Style and Chapter 2 of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association describe the elements, format, and organization for student papers. Tables and figures are covered in Chapter 7 of both books. Information on paper format and tables and figures and a full sample student paper are also available on the APA Style website.

Basic setup

The guidelines for basic setup apply to the entire paper. Perform these steps when you first open your document, and then you do not have to worry about them again while writing your paper. Because these are general aspects of paper formatting, they apply to all APA Style papers, student or professional. Students should always check with their assigning instructor or institution for specific guidelines for their papers, which may be different than or in addition to APA Style guidelines.

Seventh edition APA Style was designed with modern word-processing programs in mind. Most default settings in programs such as Academic Writer, Microsoft Word, and Google Docs already comply with APA Style. This means that, for most paper elements, you do not have to make any changes to the default settings of your word-processing program. However, you may need to make a few adjustments before you begin writing.

Use 1-in. margins on all sides of the page (top, bottom, left, and right). This is usually how papers are automatically set.

Use a legible font. The default font of your word-processing program is acceptable. Many sans serif and serif fonts can be used in APA Style, including 11-point Calibri, 11-point Arial, 12-point Times New Roman, and 11-point Georgia. You can also use other fonts described on the font page of the website.

Line spacing

Double-space the entire paper including the title page, block quotations, and the reference list. This is something you usually must set using the paragraph function of your word-processing program. But once you do, you will not have to change the spacing for the entirety of your paper–just double-space everything. Do not add blank lines before or after headings. Do not add extra spacing between paragraphs. For paper sections with different line spacing, see the line spacing page.

Paragraph alignment and indentation

Align all paragraphs of text in the body of your paper to the left margin. Leave the right margin ragged. Do not use full justification. Indent the first line of every paragraph of text 0.5-in. using the tab key or the paragraph-formatting function of your word-processing program. For paper sections with different alignment and indentation, see the paragraph alignment and indentation page.

Page numbers

Put a page number in the top right of every page header , including the title page, starting with page number 1. Use the automatic page-numbering function of your word-processing program to insert the page number in the top right corner; do not type the page numbers manually. The page number is the same font and font size as the text of your paper. Student papers do not require a running head on any page, unless specifically requested by the instructor.

Title page setup

Title page elements.

APA Style has two title page formats: student and professional (for details, see title page setup ). Unless instructed otherwise, students should use the student title page format and include the following elements, in the order listed, on the title page:

The format for the byline depends on whether the paper has one author, two authors, or three or more authors.

Students have an academic affiliation, which identities where they studied when the paper was written. Because students working together on a paper are usually in the same class, they will have one shared affiliation. The affiliation consists of the name of the department and the name of the college or university, separated by a comma (e.g., Department of Psychology, George Mason University). The department is that of the course to which the paper is being submitted, which may be different than the department of the student’s major. Do not include the location unless it is part of the institution’s name.

Write the course number and name and the instructor name as shown on institutional materials (e.g., the syllabus). The course number and name are often separated by a colon (e.g., PST-4510: History and Systems Psychology). Write the assignment due date in the month, date, and year format used in your country (e.g., Sept. 10, 2020).

Title page line spacing

Double-space the whole title page. Place the paper title three or four lines down from the top of the page. Add an extra double-spaced blank like between the paper title and the byline. Then, list the other title page elements on separate lines, without extra lines in between.

Title page alignment

Center all title page elements (except the right-aligned page number in the header).

Title page font

Write the title page using the same font and font size as the rest of your paper. Bold the paper title. Use standard font (i.e., no bold, no italics) for all other title page elements.

Text elements

Repeat the paper title at the top of the first page of text. Begin the paper with an introduction to provide background on the topic, cite related studies, and contextualize the paper. Use descriptive headings to identify other sections as needed (e.g., Method, Results, Discussion for quantitative research papers). Sections and headings vary depending on the paper type and its complexity. Text can include tables and figures, block quotations, headings, and footnotes.

Text line spacing

Double-space all text, including headings and section labels, paragraphs of text, and block quotations.

Text alignment

Center the paper title on the first line of the text. Indent the first line of all paragraphs 0.5-in.

Left-align the text. Leave the right margin ragged.

Block quotation alignment

Indent the whole block quotation 0.5-in. from the left margin. Double-space the block quotation, the same as other body text. Find more information on the quotations page.

Use the same font throughout the entire paper. Write body text in standard (nonbold, nonitalic) font. Bold only headings and section labels. Use italics sparingly, for instance, to highlight a key term on first use (for more information, see the italics page).

Headings format

For detailed guidance on formatting headings, including headings in the introduction of a paper, see the headings page and the headings in sample papers .

Tables and figures setup

Tables and figures are only included in student papers if needed for the assignment. Tables and figures share the same elements and layout. See the website for sample tables and sample figures .

Table elements

Tables include the following four elements: 

Figure elements

Figures include the following four elements: 

Table line spacing

Double-space the table number and title. Single-, 1.5-, or double-space the table body (adjust as needed for readability). Double-space the table note.

Figure line spacing

Double-space the figure number and title. The default settings for spacing in figure images is usually acceptable (but adjust the spacing as needed for readability). Double-space the figure note.

Table alignment

Left-align the table number and title. Center column headings. Left-align the table itself and left-align the leftmost (stub) column. Center data in the table body if it is short or left-align the data if it is long. Left-align the table note.

Figure alignment

Left-align the figure number and title. Left-align the whole figure image. The default alignment of the program in which you created your figure is usually acceptable for axis titles and data labels. Left-align the figure note.

Bold the table number. Italicize the table title. Use the same font and font size in the table body as the text of your paper. Italicize the word “Note” at the start of the table note. Write the note in the same font and font size as the text of your paper.

Figure font

Bold the figure number. Italicize the figure title. Use a sans serif font (e.g., Calibri, Arial) in the figure image in a size between 8 to 14 points. Italicize the word “Note” at the start of the figure note. Write the note in the same font and font size as the text of your paper.

Placement of tables and figures

There are two options for the placement of tables and figures in an APA Style paper. The first option is to place all tables and figures on separate pages after the reference list. The second option is to embed each table and figure within the text after its first callout. This guide describes options for the placement of tables and figures embedded in the text. If your instructor requires tables and figures to be placed at the end of the paper, see the table and figure guidelines and the sample professional paper .

Call out (mention) the table or figure in the text before embedding it (e.g., write “see Figure 1” or “Table 1 presents”). You can place the table or figure after the callout either at the bottom of the page, at the top of the next page, or by itself on the next page. Avoid placing tables and figures in the middle of the page.

Embedding at the bottom of the page

Include a callout to the table or figure in the text before that table or figure. Add a blank double-spaced line between the text and the table or figure at the bottom of the page.

Embedding at the top of the page

Include a callout to the table in the text on the previous page before that table or figure. The table or figure then appears at the top of the next page. Add a blank double-spaced line between the end of the table or figure and the text that follows.

Embedding on its own page

Embed long tables or large figures on their own page if needed. The text continues on the next page.

Reference list setup

Reference list elements.

The reference list consists of the “References” section label and the alphabetical list of references. View reference examples on the APA Style website. Consult Chapter 10 in both the Concise Guide and Publication Manual for even more examples.

Reference list line spacing

Start the reference list at the top of a new page after the text. Double-space the entire reference list (both within and between entries).

Reference list alignment

Center the “References” label. Apply a hanging indent of 0.5-in. to all reference list entries. Create the hanging indent using your word-processing program; do not manually hit the enter and tab keys.

Reference list font

Bold the “References” label at the top of the first page of references. Use italics within reference list entries on either the title (e.g., webpages, books, reports) or on the source (e.g., journal articles, edited book chapters).

Final checks

Check page order.

Check headings

Check assignment instructions

Tips for better writing

About the author

apa style paper for psychology

Glenn Geher Ph.D.

How to Write an APA Paper

Tips for scientific writing.

Posted  April 20, 2019

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APA style is the formal writing style that is endorsed by the APA (American Psychological Association). It’s got lots of rules (e.g., within a parenthetical citation, use an ampersand (&), but outside a parenthetical, use the word “and” in between the names of authors). And it bears on the entirety of a paper. From the title page to the final concluding sentence. And everything in between. And even a bunch of stuff after.

Back when I was a student, I remember thinking that APA style was arbitrary. Who cares if I didn’t put the year of the publication in the in-text citation? Who cares if I didn’t double-space my references? Why does it matter if the term “Abstract” at the start of the abstract is not centered? Seriously!!!

Years later, I’ve had something of a change of heart when it comes to APA style. If you’re a student of mine, you know that I’d much rather talk about actual content than about the details of APA style now. This said, I do think that mastering APA style is important (even if I’m fuzzy on a rule here or there!).

Why is APA Style Important?

At its core, APA style is a set of guidelines that pertain to manuscripts in scientific psychology that are submitted to journal editors for publication consideration. In other words, this is a format that a paper should be in when you want someone who runs an academic journal to publish your work as an article. An academic journal is pretty much a scholarly magazine that includes a peer-review process before papers are accepted to become articles. Many journal editors receive more manuscript submissions than they have space to publish. Only some fraction of submitted manuscripts will ultimately be accepted for publication in an academic journal.

Before a manuscript (i.e., a paper) is accepted (if the author is so fortunate!), it goes through a rigorous review process. The editor sends the paper out to a few experts on the topic of the paper. These experts read it, provide critical (often VERY critical) feedback, and then the editor takes this feedback into account and makes a determination as to whether the paper should be published as an article in the journal.*

Most journals in psychology and related fields require that the paper is in APA format. So from the perspective of a scholar in the field of the behavioral sciences, you need to master APA format because otherwise, you are probably going to have your papers rejected, even if your ideas are terrific.

Imagine a journal editor who receives 200 manuscripts to review in a given year. But that same editor's journal only has space to publish 40 articles in a year. Some pretty stringent screening is necessary. In the field of academic publishing in psychology, I can tell you this: Basic APA formatting is screen number one. If your paper misses the mark when it comes to APA formatting, good luck getting it published in an academic journal in psychology. Journal editors are way too busy to be dealing with papers that don’t meet basic APA standards.

In training students in the field of scientific psychology, then, it is critical for professors to mentor students in the process of APA writing. This style of writing is considered essential for professionals in the field.

What is APA Style?

APA Style is a method of writing that summarizes a set of scientific ideas. Usually, we think of it as a style that summarizes a report of some scientific study or set of studies that include actual data and a summary of the results. An APA style paper can also describe a proposed study (or set of studies) or it might summarize some theoretical, conceptual ideas on a topic. But a report of actual research is kind of the prototype of an APA-style paper.

So imagine you conducted some study on some psychological variables. Maybe you measured people’s level of extraversion (outgoingness) in a sample of 100 adults. And perhaps you also asked each person in your study to complete a measure of risk taking . And then suppose that your basic finding is that there is a positive and significant relationship between extraversion and risk taking. In short, you found evidence that extraverts tend to report being risky relative to the reports of introverts .

OK. So how would you write that up in a way that was able to convey your findings and their implications to the scientific community? If you look carefully at the overall structure of APA formatting, you will see that at its core, it is all about making it so that your presentation of your research is coherent and well-organized.

First you’ve got your title page. Here, you’re writing a headline and telling the audience who you are and where you come from. You might title this paper something like “Extraverts are Riskier than Introverts Are: A Correlational Study.” The title kind of bottom-lines the study.

Next, you will write an abstract in APA format. I like to think of the abstract as being the version of your paper written for very busy people. If you had to summarize your entire research in 150 words or less, what would you say? What information would be essential? What information could be left out and included in more detail later? Writing a strong and clear abstract is an intellectual skill that is, in my mind, almost without rival. It’s that important.

Next you have your Introduction. Don’t be fooled. Some people call this section the “literature review,” but that’s not a great way to think about it. Sure, you will be reviewing some past literature along the way. But the main thing that you are doing here is telling the reader what the main question is for your research and how this question has been studied in the past. And why it is important. Ultimately, your introduction should be very linear. Each sentence should point toward the next sentence, with this section culminating in a way that makes your research question obviously important and ready to be studied. The final sentence of your introduction for the example used here might be something like “For these reasons, it is important for us to better understand the relationship between extraversion and risk taking.”

After your introduction, you have your Method section. This section should be written as if you are writing down a cookie recipe for someone across the world to follow. Your goal is to have that person bake the cookies in a way that is exactly like you and your mom make them!

The Method section describes the methods by which you collected your data. Who were the participants? What variables did you measure? How did you measure them? etc.

After you describe your methods for data collection, you need to describe what you found. This is your Results section. Here, you describe how you analyzed your data. You might say that you calculated a correlation coefficient between the two main variables (in this example, extraversion and risk taking). You might say how large that effect was and if that effect was in the predicted direction. You could also comment on “statistical significance," speaking to whether the finding was beyond what would be expected by chance.

Your study might have many variables and even experimental manipulations. You might have a lot to say when it comes to your results! This said, always remember that your audience is a person who has limited time and who probably cares about your research way less than you do. So, as is always the case, be parsimonious in writing your Results section. That is, make sure that your writing is streamlined and to the point.

Next, you write your Discussion section. Here, you step back and, literally, discuss your results in a broader sense. What are the implications of your findings? Were you correct with your predictions? Do your findings match past findings on this topic? Do your data tell the world something new? Were there problems and limitations in your data-collection process? What is your bottom-line conclusion—why does your research matter?

And that’s not all! In APA format, you need to then provide a References section. Here, you present the required information on the scholarly sources that you used in your research. By “scholarly,” I mean academic publications. It pains me to say this, but typically, Psychology Today does not count! Here, you will cite academic journal articles that have already been peer-reviewed and published. You may also cite academic books, book chapters, and similar sources. Generally, you should NOT cite websites. And you should DEFINITELY NOT cite Wikipedia. See your university's library for information on what all constitutes a scholarly sources. The library should be full of these kinds of sources!

And here is a tip regarding your References section: The easiest way for someone to spot shoddy APA style is found in your References section. The formatting rules are super-clear and specific. Do not write authors’ first names. Indent after the first line within each reference. Italicize journal titles . etc. Mastering these details is not really that difficult. You simply need to follow the guidance in the APA style guide or in a similar guide on APA style. I personally like to simply check out the details found in the APA sample paper found here . As I tell my students, just follow it! If it is italicized there, italicize it. If the page numbers are listed after the volume number of the journal in the example paper, then do that. If the first words of the journal in a reference are capitalized, then do that. etc. The easiest way to look like an amateur in this field is to botch your APA style when it comes to references. Don’t let that be you!

Bottom Line

APA style may seem arbitrary and unforgiving. But the rules that comprise APA style have, in fact, been well-honed over the years to help present scientific findings in a coherent and meaningful way. Mastering APA is, in fact, an essential part of a psychology education . If you want people in the field to give your ideas any credence whatsoever, make sure that your APA skills are sharp as a tack.

*This is a very abbreviated version of the peer-review process in academic publishing.

Basic References and Resources on APA Style

Geher, G. (2019). Own Your Psychology Major! A Guide to Student Success. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 6th edition (2009). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

APA’s website for APA style: https://www.apastyle.org/

APA Sample Paper: www.apastyle.org/manual/related/sample-experiment-paper-1.pdf

Purdue Owl: https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_style_introduction.html

Glenn Geher Ph.D.

Glenn Geher, Ph.D. , is professor of psychology at the State University of New York at New Paltz. He is founding director of the campus’ Evolutionary Studies (EvoS) program.

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apa style paper for psychology

APA Sample Paper

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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 .

Media Files: APA Sample Student Paper  ,  APA Sample Professional Paper

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Note: The APA Publication Manual, 7 th Edition specifies different formatting conventions for student  and  professional  papers (i.e., papers written for credit in a course and papers intended for scholarly publication). These differences mostly extend to the title page and running head. Crucially, citation practices do not differ between the two styles of paper.

However, for your convenience, we have provided two versions of our APA 7 sample paper below: one in  student style and one in  professional  style.

Note: For accessibility purposes, we have used "Track Changes" to make comments along the margins of these samples. Those authored by [AF] denote explanations of formatting and [AWC] denote directions for writing and citing in APA 7. 

APA 7 Student Paper:

Apa 7 professional paper:.

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Paper Format

Consistency in the order, structure, and format of a paper allows readers to focus on a paper’s content rather than its presentation.

To format a paper in APA Style, writers can typically use the default settings and automatic formatting tools of their word-processing program or make only minor adjustments.

The guidelines for paper format apply to both student assignments and manuscripts being submitted for publication to a journal. If you are using APA Style to create another kind of work (e.g., a website, conference poster, or PowerPoint presentation), you may need to format your work differently in order to optimize its presentation, for example, by using different line spacing and font sizes. Follow the guidelines of your institution or publisher to adapt APA Style formatting guidelines as needed.

apa style paper for psychology

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Guides, checklists, webinars, tutorials, and sample papers for anyone looking to improve their knowledge of APA Style

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Psychology: APA Style

APA Style Overview

Hello, and welcome to the APA Section for our subject guide. APA is the most frequently used writing style within the social sciences, and it is used to cite various resources as well as create citations for the resource being created. It provides the general format for in-text citations, as well as the references page, which is a commonly used format for essays and reports where the sources for the resource being created are posted in a page(s) at the end of the resource. This is also known as a bibliography. 

This section of the subject guide consists of 4 main sections. These are

The APA Heading  system is unique and can be used to separate and classify paper sections. There are 5 different levels in APA Citations.

Headings must be double-spaced. You are never required to use all headings, as the amount of headings used should be proportional to the amount required.

Tables can be used to enhance your readers understanding of information presented. They are usually showing numerical values / textual information that is arranged in columns and rows. A figure may be a chart, or a graph, photograph, drawing, plot, infographic, or any other illustration that isn't a Table . The best tables and figures are also attractive and accessible to it's users. The APA style guidelines for tables/figures help ensure your visual displays are formatted clearly and consistently, contributing to the goal of effective communication.

Sample Paper

apa style paper for psychology

In-text Citations

When writing resources such as essays, reports, and other related resources in scholarly writing, it is important to acknowledge others that have contributed to your work, whether it be information that you found online, or other writers and researchers. By following the rules of proper citation, readers understand how different people contribute to different sections of a resource, as well as who excels in information management. APA style provides different guidelines to help writers determine the appropriate level of citation, as well as how to avoid plagiarism as well as self-plagiarism.

Basic Principles:  https://apastyle.apa.org/style-grammar-guidelines/citations/basic-principles

References provide the information necessary for readers to identify and retrieve each work  cited in the text.

Check each reference carefully against the original publication to ensure information is accurate and complete. Accurately prepared references help establish your credibility as a careful researcher and writer.

Consistency in reference formatting allows readers to focus on the content of your reference list, discerning both the types of works you consulted and the important reference elements (who, when, what, and where) with ease. When you present each reference in a consistent fashion, readers do not need to spend time determining how you organized the information. And when searching the literature yourself, you also save time and effort when reading reference lists in the works of others that are written in APA Style.

Below Are a few links that cover references on different topics.

Basic Principles:  https://apastyle.apa.org/style-grammar-guidelines/references/basic-principles

Reference Examples:  https://apastyle.apa.org/style-grammar-guidelines/references/examples

Commonly Missing Reference Information:  https://apastyle.apa.org/style-grammar-guidelines/references/missing-information

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Important resources

Writing Research Papers

Whether you are writing a B.S. Degree Research Paper or completing a research report for a Psychology course, it is highly likely that you will need to organize your research paper in accordance with American Psychological Association (APA) guidelines.  Here we discuss the structure of research papers according to APA style.

Major Sections of a Research Paper in APA Style

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. 1  Many will also contain Figures and Tables and some will have an Appendix or Appendices.  These sections are detailed as follows (for a more in-depth guide, please refer to " How to Write a Research Paper in APA Style ”, a comprehensive guide developed by Prof. Emma Geller). 2

What is this paper called and who wrote it? – the first page of the paper; this includes the name of the paper, a “running head”, authors, and institutional affiliation of the authors.  The institutional affiliation is usually listed in an Author Note that is placed towards the bottom of the title page.  In some cases, the Author Note also contains an acknowledgment of any funding support and of any individuals that assisted with the research project.

One-paragraph summary of the entire study – typically no more than 250 words in length (and in many cases it is well shorter than that), the Abstract provides an overview of the study.

Introduction

What is the topic and why is it worth studying? – the first major section of text in the paper, the Introduction commonly describes the topic under investigation, summarizes or discusses relevant prior research (for related details, please see the Writing Literature Reviews section of this website), identifies unresolved issues that the current research will address, and provides an overview of the research that is to be described in greater detail in the sections to follow.

What did you do? – a section which details how the research was performed.  It typically features a description of the participants/subjects that were involved, the study design, the materials that were used, and the study procedure.  If there were multiple experiments, then each experiment may require a separate Methods section.  A rule of thumb is that the Methods section should be sufficiently detailed for another researcher to duplicate your research.

What did you find? – a section which describes the data that was collected and the results of any statistical tests that were performed.  It may also be prefaced by a description of the analysis procedure that was used. If there were multiple experiments, then each experiment may require a separate Results section.

What is the significance of your results? – the final major section of text in the paper.  The Discussion commonly features a summary of the results that were obtained in the study, describes how those results address the topic under investigation and/or the issues that the research was designed to address, and may expand upon the implications of those findings.  Limitations and directions for future research are also commonly addressed.

List of articles and any books cited – an alphabetized list of the sources that are cited in the paper (by last name of the first author of each source).  Each reference should follow specific APA guidelines regarding author names, dates, article titles, journal titles, journal volume numbers, page numbers, book publishers, publisher locations, websites, and so on (for more information, please see the Citing References in APA Style page of this website).

Tables and Figures

Graphs and data (optional in some cases) – depending on the type of research being performed, there may be Tables and/or Figures (however, in some cases, there may be neither).  In APA style, each Table and each Figure is placed on a separate page and all Tables and Figures are included after the References.   Tables are included first, followed by Figures.   However, for some journals and undergraduate research papers (such as the B.S. Research Paper or Honors Thesis), Tables and Figures may be embedded in the text (depending on the instructor’s or editor’s policies; for more details, see "Deviations from APA Style" below).

Supplementary information (optional) – in some cases, additional information that is not critical to understanding the research paper, such as a list of experiment stimuli, details of a secondary analysis, or programming code, is provided.  This is often placed in an Appendix.

Variations of Research Papers in APA Style

Although the major sections described above are common to most research papers written in APA style, there are variations on that pattern.  These variations include: 

Departures from APA Style

In some cases, official APA style might not be followed (however, be sure to check with your editor, instructor, or other sources before deviating from standards of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association).  Such deviations may include:

Workshops and Downloadable Resources

Downloadable Resources

Further Resources

How-To Videos     

APA Journal Article Reporting Guidelines

External Resources

1 VandenBos, G. R. (Ed). (2010). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (6th ed.) (pp. 41-60).  Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

2 geller, e. (2018).  how to write an apa-style research report . [instructional materials]. , prepared by s. c. pan for ucsd psychology.

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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.

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

APA format (7th edition)

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apa style paper for psychology

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.

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.

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 .

APA running head (7th edition)

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 .

APA headings (7th edition)

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 .

APA title page - student version (7th edition)

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 abstract (7th edition)

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.

APA reference page (7th edition)

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.

APA table (7th edition)

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:

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 March 4, 2023, from https://www.scribbr.com/apa-style/format/

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APA Citation Style: APA Sample Papers

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Basic Rules of APA Format

Kendra Cherry, MS, is an author and educational consultant focused on helping students learn about psychology.

apa style paper for psychology

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.

apa style paper for psychology

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Helpful Resources

Are you writing a paper for a psychology class? Then you will need to use APA format to organize your paper and list the references you used. If you’ve never used this format before, you may find that it is quite a bit different from some of the writing styles and guidelines you have used in the past.

While it might take a while to get used to, learning how to write an APA paper is a useful skill that will serve you well whether you are a psychology major or just taking your first social science class.

What Is APA Format?

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

So why is APA format so important in psychology and other social sciences? By using APA style, researchers and students writing about psychology are able to communicate information about their ideas and experiments in a consistent format. Sticking to a consistent style allows readers to know what to look for as they read journal articles and other forms of psychological writing.

If you have never taken a psychology or social science class before, then you are probably accustomed to using a different style guide such as MLA or Chicago style. New college students are often surprised to find that after spending years having another formatting style drilled into their heads, many university-level classes instead require APA style.

It can be a difficult transition, especially if you have to bounce back and forth between different styles for different classes. Getting a solid grasp of the basics and bookmarking a few key resources can make learning this new format a bit easier.

Major Sections of Your Paper

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

Your title page should contain a title, author name, and school affiliation. Then the page should display the course number and name, the instructor's name, and the due date of your paper. The purpose of your title page is to let the reader quickly know what your paper is about and who it was written by.

An abstract is a brief summary of your paper that immediately follows your title page. According to APA format, your abstract should be no more than 100 to 200 words although this can vary depending upon the specific publication or instructor requirements.  

For something like an essay, the main body of your paper will include the actual essay itself. If you are writing a lab report , then your main body will be broken down into further sections. The four main components of a lab report include the introduction , method , results , and discussion sections.  

The reference section of your paper will include a list of all of the sources that you used in your paper. If you cited any piece of information anywhere in your paper, it needs to be properly referenced in this section.

One handy rule of thumb to remember is that any source cited in your paper needs to be included in your reference section. And any source listed in your reference section must also be mentioned somewhere in your paper.

How to Handle In-Text Citations

As you are writing your paper, it is important to include citations in your text identifying where you found the information you use. Such notations are called in-text citations, and APA format dictates that when citing in APA format in the text of your paper, use the author's name followed by the date of publication.

For example, if you were to cite Sigmund Freud's book The Interpretation of Dreams , you would use the following format: (Freud, 1900). The extended information on the source should then appear in your reference section.

Important Tips for Reference Pages

The exact format of each individual reference may vary somewhat depending on whether you are referencing an author or authors , a book or journal article , or an electronic source .

It pays to spend some time looking at the specific requirements for each type of reference before formatting your source list. Here are some useful tips for incorporating reference pages into your document.

Any reference that appears in the text of your report or article must be cited on the reference page, and any item appearing on your reference page must be also included somewhere in the body of your text.

If you are struggling with APA format or are looking for a good way to collect and organize your references as you work on your research, consider using a free APA citation machine . These online tools can help generate an APA style reference, but always remember to double-check each one for accuracy.

Purchasing your own copy of the official Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association is a great way to learn more about APA format and have a handy resource to check your own work against. Looking at examples of APA format can also be very helpful.

While APA format may seem complex, it will become easier once you familiarize yourself with the rules and format.

The overall format may be similar for many papers, but your instructor might have specific requirements that vary depending on whether you are writing an essay or a research paper. In addition to your reference page, your instructor may also require you to maintain and turn in an APA format bibliography .

American Psychological Association. About APA Style .

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

Masic I. The importance of proper citation of references in biomedical articles. Acta Inform Med. 2013;21(3):148-55. doi:10.5455/aim.2013.21.148-155

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

By Kendra Cherry Kendra Cherry, MS, is an author and educational consultant focused on helping students learn about psychology.

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apa style paper for psychology

Microsoft 365 Life Hacks > Writing > What Is APA Style Writing and Who Should Use It?

What Is APA Style Writing and Who Should Use It?

APA writing style is the official style of the American Psychological Association (APA). It’s used for scholarly writing in scientific fields like psychology, nursing, engineering, education, and the social sciences. APA style is the standard for scientific journals (including medical journals), textbooks, and academic papers.

apa style paper for psychology

Style guides like the APA are used to create consistency in things like word choice, punctuation, and format. Other fields have their own style guides, like the Associated Press (AP) style guide for journalists and the Chicago Manual of Style (CMOS) that’s used almost everywhere else. Some businesses have their own brand style guide as well.

apa style paper for psychology

How and why was APA style developed?

In 1929, a group of psychologists, anthropologists, and business managers met to create a simple set of writing style guidelines that would make scientific writing easier to read and understand, including guidelines for word choices that don’t create scientific bias. They published their seven-page guidelines in Psychological Bulletin, describing them as a standard that could be referenced as needed.

Since then, the guidelines have grown as the needs of researchers, students, and educators have evolved. However, the original intentions haven’t changed.

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Why is APA style so important?

APA style writing creates a foundation for clear and effective scientific communication. By using APA style, researchers and students who write about psychology and other scientific disciplines are able to communicate their ideas, research, and findings in a consistent format. That helps readers know what to look for as they read scientific writing and quickly scan for important information and sources.

Since APA style is uniform and consistent, readers can focus on the ideas themselves without being distracted by the way those ideas are presented, like inconsistencies in punctuation and capitalization or the way citations and statistics are presented.

Having a consistent style also helps ideas flow logically, with a predictable, consistent format. It provides a consistent way to credit sources. It also creates standard, inclusive language to describe people in a way that preserves their dignity and reflects their worth.

APA style was created to be powerful and persuasive. It helps scientific writers present their ideas clearly and it helps readers understand the information more easily.

How can you learn APA style writing?

You can purchase the APA style guide (the official name is Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association) online in spiral-bound, paperback, hardcover, or e-book format. If you’re a student, check with your school or university to see whether they have the APA style guide available for students either free or at a discount. Make sure you’re using the latest edition, as the guidelines are revised periodically to reflect up-to-date guidelines on current topics. If you’re writing a research or term paper in APA format, use a free template that complies with current APA guidelines.

With scientific topics at the forefront of many current events and news stories, it’s important to understand key points from reputable sources so you have accurate information. APA style guidelines will help you read scientific information more quickly and understand it more thoroughly. Even if you’re not writing scientific articles or scholarly papers, it’s worth getting familiar with APA style guidelines.

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COMMENTS

  1. Sample papers

    The following two sample papers were published in annotated form in the Publication Manual and are reproduced here as PDFs for your ease of use. The annotations draw attention to content and formatting and provide the relevant sections of the Publication Manual (7th ed.) to consult for more information.

  2. APA Style

    APA Style is described in the seventh edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, which is a reference book that contains comprehensive guidelines on how to set up a scholarly paper; format a title page, tables, figures, and other paper elements; create references and in-text citations; and write without bias, as …

  3. APA Sample Paper: Experimental Psychology

    Rhetorical Considerations and Style in Psychology Writing. Writing the Experimental Report: Overview, Introductions, and Literature Reviews. Writing the Experimental Report: Methods, Results, and Discussion. Tables, Appendices, Footnotes and Endnotes. References and Sources for More Information. APA Sample Paper: Experimental Psychology.

  4. A step-by-step guide for creating and formatting APA Style student papers

    Chapter 1 of the Concise Guide to APA Style and Chapter 2 of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association describe the elements, format, and organization for student papers. Tables and figures are covered in Chapter 7 of both books.

  5. How to Write an APA Paper

    Most journals in psychology and related fields require that the paper is in APA format. So from the perspective of a scholar in the field of the behavioral sciences, you need to master APA...

  6. PDF How to Write APA Style Research Papers

    How to Write APA Style Research Papers The Complete Paper from Title to References By Professor Emma Geller 1. What is the title of the paper? a. This should make the main idea or purpose of the research clear ... Journal of Experimental Psychology, 23 (10), 316-332. Indicates volume 23 Indicates issue 10 Indicates pages 316-332

  7. APA Sample Paper

    Note: The APA Publication Manual, 7th Edition specifies different formatting conventions for student and professional papers (i.e., papers written for credit in a course and papers intended for scholarly publication). These differences mostly extend to the title page and running head.

  8. Paper format

    To format a paper in APA Style, writers can typically use the default settings and automatic formatting tools of their word-processing program or make only minor adjustments. The guidelines for paper format apply to both student assignments and manuscripts being submitted for publication to a journal.

  9. DOC Writing an Empirical Paper in APA Style

    APA citation format are accessible from our web page (APA Citations: A Guide for Psychology Undergraduates. Organization of APA-Style Papers. Lab reports have eight sections (see also the APA Manual, Chapter 1): ... For student papers, either place these at the end of the paper (formal APA style) or. incorporate them into the text; ask your ...

  10. APA Style

    The APA Heading system is unique and can be used to separate and classify paper sections.There are 5 different levels in APA Citations. Beginning with level 1, your text must be Centered, use Boldface, and have a Title Case Heading.This is used to separate different sections of a resource. It should be used sparingly.

  11. Research Paper Structure

    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. 1 Many will also contain Figures and Tables and some will have an Appendix or Appendices.

  12. APA format for academic papers and essays

    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.).

  13. APA Sample Papers

    APA Research Paper. APA Sample Research Paper 1-- 6th ed. Source: Diana Hacker (Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2006). This paper follows the style guidelines in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 6th ed. (2010). APA Sample Research Paper 2 (alternative undergraduate formatting) -- 6th ed.

  14. APA Format: Basic Rules You Must Follow

    APA format is the official style of the American Psychological Association (APA) and is commonly used to cite sources in psychology, education, and the social sciences. The APA style originated in a 1929 article published in Psychological Bulletin that laid out the basic guidelines.

  15. APA style

    APA style (also known as APA format) is a writing style and format for academic documents such as scholarly journal articles and books. It is commonly used for citing sources within the field of behavioral and social sciences, including sociology, education, health sciences, criminal justice, and anthropology, as well as psychology.It is described in the style guide of the American ...

  16. What Is APA Style Writing and Who Should Use It?

    APA writing style is the official style of the American Psychological Association (APA). It's used for scholarly writing in scientific fields like psychology, nursing, engineering, education, and the social sciences. APA style is the standard for scientific journals (including medical journals), textbooks, and academic papers.

  17. Apa Style Research Paper

    Writing a research paper is easy, once students understand the process. The focus of this text is to help students learn, not only how to format an APA research paper, but how to "research smart, not hard." Not only does this book provide step-by-step instructions in creating APA templates for Microsoft Word 2003 and 2007, but helps Page 1/9