APA Paper Format
- APA Quick Citation GuidePenn State guide for APA references with examples.
With minor adjustments to Microsoft Word defaults, allow your readers to focus on what you've written and not be distracted by your paper's formatting and organization. These include, but aren't limited to:
- title page
- header/page numbering
- margins,
- font
- section headers.
Formatting your paper, citations, and references following an established style, like that of the American Psychological Association (APA) is a small, but important part of academic communication.
Follow the instructions for APA 7th edition format on either the APA website or the Purdue OWL website:
- APA Paper Format (7th ed)"Consistency in the order, structure, and format of a paper allows readers to focus on a paper’s content rather than its presentation." Here you will find instructions for formatting your paper and sample papers to review.
- APA Student Title Page (7th ed)Simplified instructions for a student title page, new with the 7th ed.
- APA Formatting and Style Guide (Purdue OWL)Extensive explanations and examples for how to cite using the APA style, commonly used in the social sciences.
APA Style
This guide contains examples of common citation formats in APA (American Psychological Association) Style, based on the sixth edition (2009) of the Publication Manual. APA style is commonly used in the social sciences.
For information on the seventh edition (2020), see the APA Quick Guide to the seventh edition.
Just need a quick citation? Try ZoteroBib.
Questions about APA Style? Ask a Librarian!
For more information about APA Style, use the following resources.
Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association 6th Edition by Call Number: BF76.7.P83 2010Publication Date: 2010In addition to providing guidance on grammar, the mechanics of writing, and APA style, this manual offers an authoritative reference and citation system. It also covers the treatment of numbers, statistical and mathematical data, tables and figures.
- Frequently Asked Questions from the APA websiteQuick answers to common questions about using APA style, including questions about formatting, headings, title page, etc.