The American Psychological Association (APA) style is a widely used citation style for writing research papers in the field of psychology and other social sciences. It provides guidelines for formatting papers, citing sources, and referencing works in the reference list.
The general structure of an APA research paper includes a title page, an abstract, the main body of the paper, and a reference list.
The title page should include the title of the paper, the name of the author(s), and the institutional affiliation(s). The title should be concise and accurately reflect the content of the paper. It should be centered on the page and written in title case.
The abstract is a brief summary of the main points of the paper, usually around 150-250 words. It should be written in one paragraph and include the research question, the methods used, the results, and the conclusion.
The main body of the paper should be organized into sections, including the introduction, method, results, and discussion. The introduction should provide an overview of the topic and the research question, and the method section should describe the research design, participants, and procedure. The results section should present the findings of the study, and the discussion should interpret the results and discuss their implications.
Citing sources in APA style involves using in-text citations and a reference list at the end of the paper. In-text citations should include the author's last name and the year of publication. The reference list should be organized alphabetically by the last name of the first author and should include all sources cited in the paper.
APA style also has specific guidelines for formatting the paper, including margins, font, and spacing. The paper should be double-spaced and have 1-inch margins on all sides. The font should be Times New Roman, size 12.
In conclusion, following the APA research paper format is important for ensuring that your paper is well-organized and properly formatted. By following these guidelines, you can create a professional-looking paper that is easy to read and understand.