APA 6th Edition Checklist
This checklist will help you ensure that your paper meats the APA 6 th edition requirements. Check
each box as you confirm your paper is formatted per the description. If your professor has provided
any resources that contradict this information, please follow their instructions.
General Paper Format
☐ Margins: 1 inch at the top, bottom, left and right of each page.
☐ Typeface: 12-point Times New Roman font.
☐ Line Spacing: Double spaced
☐ Indenting for Paragraphs: ½ inch
☐ Quotation Marks: Only around directly quoted material AND any article or chapter titles.
☐ Italics: Titles of longer works such as books and journals.
☐ Capitalization: Proper Nouns, Brand Names, Personal Names Within Disorders (non-Hodgkin’s
lymphoma).
☐ Running Head or Header: Title page running header includes Running Head: TITLE. All
subsequent pages only include the abbreviated TITLE in all caps and page number.
Major Paper Sections
☐ Title Page (Required for all submissions):
☐ Header includes running head and page number.
☐ Full Title centered in the upper half of the page in Title Case.
☐ Full Name centered below title.
☐ College Name centered below full name.
☐ Abstract:
☐ Written on separate page.
☐ Heading: On the first line, write the heading “Abstract” (centered and without bolding).
☐ Paragraphs: No indentions.
☐ Content: Describes the research problem, methods, results, and conclusions of your research
☐ Main Body:
☐ Written on separate page.
☐ Heading: Title of the paper repeated before introductory paragraph. (centered).
☐ Paragraphs: Indented.
☐ References:
☐ Written on separate page.
☐ Heading: On the first line, write the heading “References” (centered and without bolding).
☐ Alphabetical Order
☐ Appendices:
☐ Written on separate page.
☐ Heading: On the first line, write the heading “References” (centered and without bolding).
Academic Writing Style
☐ Continuity: Ideas are logical, orderly and flow smoothly.
☐ Precise: Words are selected carefully. Avoided colloquial expressions, contractions, and jargon.
☐ Verb Tense: Consistent with paper section. Literature reviews can be past or present perfect.
Reporting on others results need to be past tense.
☐ Voice: When possible, use active voice.
Written for Victoria College Tutoring Center
Updated: 11 February 2022
☐ Pronoun Use: NO FIRST OR SECOND PERSON PRONOUNS (I, we, you). Use third person
only (this author- the writer | the author-the source).
☐ Identity- First Language:
☐ Abbreviations: Avoid medical or jargon abbreviations. Accepted abbreviations are for words in
the dictionary (IQ, AIDS, ICU), units of measurement (kg). ALL OTHER ABBREVIATIONS
MUST HAVE THE FULL VERSION OF THE TERM WHEN IT IS FIRST MENTIONED
example: major depressive disorder (MDD).
☐ Number Use: Use words for numbers zero through nine and use numerals for numbers 10 and
above. Numerals are also used for times, dates, and ages.
References and Citations
☐ In-Text Citations: Consists of the author’s last name and year of publication, for example: (Smith,
2020). When quoting, also include page numbers, (Smith, 2020, p.170) or paragraph number
(Smith, 2020, ¶170). Place a period after all citations.
☐ Block Quotations: Direct quotes over 40 characters requires a free-standing block. Start the
quotations on a new line, indented ½ inch from left margin without quotations around block
quote. The parenthetical citation should come after the closing punctuation mark.
☐ Reference Page: In-text citations and references correspond.
☐ Authors’ names are inverted with first and middle name written as initials. (Last Name, F. M.).
Company names are fully spelled out.
☐ Present article titles in full.
☐ Italicize journal titles.
☐
Written for Victoria College Tutoring Center
Updated: 11 February 2022