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Title of Document
Author
St. Edward’s University
Month day, year
Course
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Title of Document
The School of Management and Business and other SEU graduate programs have
adopted American Psychological Association (APA) as its format for papers. The School of
Management and Business Website has a template that can be used when the APA format is
required for a paper. Access it at http://think.stedwards.edu/business/writingresources and
download APA TEMPLATE, 6th edition as a template to the computer. Use the APA template
for the document instead of the Normal template.
Using APA Template
When a New Document is opened, using the template the document automatically has 1”
margins, is double-spaced, and has page numbers at the top right margin in the header. It has all
the styles required by APA in the Style Guide. By clicking on different Styles, the writer can
change the formatting of words or sentences. Normal automatically has a 0.5 inch paragraph
indent, and Block Quote and Reference List are set up to automatically provide the proper
formatting. Examples of properly formatted pages can be found at the end of this chapter.
The paragraph mark (¶) must be activated from the Toolbar when a New Document is
opened from the APA template. The Styles used for APA are accessed by clicking on the arrow
on the Styles ribbon. ‘Style’ can also be added to the Quick Access Toolbar Style so that a
window showing the Style in use is visible. Clicking on the arrow brings up a list of all possible
APA styles.
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“Normal” is double-spaced, and uses 12 point serif font, specifically Times New Roman.
“Normal” is also indented 0.5 inch, so that when the Enter key is pressed, a new paragraph is
created with a 0.5 inch indent.
Title Page
On the title page at the five ¶ marks that are centered and positioned in the upper half the
page, enter the title of the document (usually no more than 12 words), the author’s name, St.
Edward’s University, the date (e.g., September 5, 2009), and course information. These lines are
identified as “title” in the Style window.
Block Quote
To type a block quote, select “Block Quote” from the Style pull-down menu. This will
indent the left margin of each line 0.5 inch. If the quotation includes more than one paragraph,
the second and following paragraphs must be indented an additional 0.5 inch.
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When the pages of text are completed, move to the page headed References, which is the
last page of the template and is permanently titled References. Start at the cursor on the line
below “References,” which will automatically format the reference list correctly with the first
line of a reference flush left and any following lines indented 0.5 inch from the left margin.
Check that References is in the Style window.
The Style window includes selections for “Abstract,” “Block Quote,” “Heading 1,”
“Heading 2,” “Heading 3,” “Heading 4,” “Heading 5,” “Normal,” “References,” and “title” that
follow APA requirements.
Headings
The introduction follows the title on page 2 or on page 3 if there is an abstract or
executive summary. The introduction does not have a separate heading. Headings may be used
to organize the document. There are five levels of headings in APA. Five levels of heading can
be found in the Style window.
If only one level of heading is needed to break a paper into subordinate categories, use
“Heading 1,” which is centered, bold face, with every major word using uppercase and
lowercase.
This is an Example of Heading 1
If two levels of heading are necessary, use “Heading 1” and “Heading 2.” “Heading 2” is
flush left, bold face, with every major word using uppercase and lowercase.
This is an Example of Heading 1
This is an Example of Heading 2
If three levels of heading are needed, use “Heading 1,” “Heading 2,” and “Heading 3.”
“Heading 3” is indented 0.5 inch, bold face, with the first word in upper and lower case, and all
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other words in lower case. “Heading 3” ends with a period and two spaces, and the paragraph
then begins on the same line.
This is an Example of Heading 1
This is an Example of Heading 2
This is an example of heading 3. The paragraph begins here.
If four levels are needed for a lengthy article or literature review, use “Heading 1,”
“Heading 2,” “Heading 3,” and “Heading 4.” “Heading 4” is indented 0.5 inch, bold face,
italicized, with the first word in upper and lower case, and all other words in lower case.
“Heading 4”ends with a period and two spaces, and the paragraph then begins on the same line.
This is an Example of Heading 1
This is an Example of Heading 2
This is an example of heading 3. The paragraph begins here.
This is an example of heading 4. The paragraph begins here.
If five levels of heading are required, “Heading 5,” is indented 0.5 inch, italicized, with
the first letter of the first word in upper case and all others in lower case. “Heading 5” ends with
a period and two spaces, and the paragraph then begins on the same line.
This is an Example of Heading 1
This is an Example of Heading 2
This is an example of heading 3. The paragraph begins here.
This is an example of heading 4. The paragraph begins here.
This is an example of heading 5. The paragraph begins here.
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Citation of Sources
When using ideas of other people in a paper, the writer must credit the sources to avoid
plagiarism. Sources must be identified in the text and, if retrievable, in alphabetical order under
References. When there are two or more references with the same author and the same year,
arrange them alphabetically by title and then use letters a, b, c, etc. after the date (e.g., 2009a).
The following are examples of using quotations in text.
Quotation Within a Sentence
Wheatley (1994) notes that “our attention is shifting from the enticement of external
rewards to the intrinsic motivators that spring from the work itself” (p. 12).
She speaks of “more fluid, organic structures, even of boundaryless organizations”
(Wheatley, 1994, p. 13) that are replacing organizations structured around a mechanistic model.
Block Quotation for Quotation with 40 or More Words
Wheatley (1994) applies the scientific idea of creating order from chaos to the structure
of organizations:
We also create order when we invite conflicts and contradictions to rise to the surface,
when we search them out, highlight them, even allowing them to grow large and
worrisome. We need to support people in the hunt for unsettling or disconfirming
information, and provide them with the resources of time, colleagues, and opportunities
for processing the information. We’ve seen the value of this process in quality programs
and participative management. In such companies, workers are encouraged to look for
fluctuations, and processes are in place to support discussions among many levels of the
organization. Through constant exchanges, new information is spawned, and the
organization grows in effectiveness. (p. 116)
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Paraphrasing
Paraphrasing must be a summary of someone else’s ideas in the writer’s own words. One
technique for correct paraphrasing is to read the document and then write what is remembered
without referring to the document. Using numbers or specific dates would indicate that a direct
quotation is required. An example of a paraphrase would be:
Instead of managing activities in silos, Wheatley (1994) suggests that we must manage
organizations by seeing them as complex systems made of patterns of relationships.
Tables and Figures
Tables
Tables can be used to present data efficiently. The layout of a table must make the data
easy for the reader to understand. The title number and title of the table are placed above the
table. Any notes necessary to explain abbreviations are placed below the table. Single-spacing
or one-and-a-half spacing can be used for a table. Each table should be on a separate page after
the reference list, and the margins must be at least 1 inch. Single spacing or one-and-a-half
spacing can be used for tables. Although APA does not specify font size, the suggested font is
12-point Times New Roman.
Figures
Figures include graphs, charts, maps, drawings, and photographs. The elements of a
figure must be large enough to be read easily. The figure number and title of the figure are
placed above the figure. A caption describing the contents and defining abbreviations is placed
below the figure. Single-spacing or one-and-a-half spacing can be used for a figure. Each figure
should be on a separate page after the reference list, and the margins must be at least 1 inch.
Although APA does not specify font size, the suggested font is 12-point Times New Roman.
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Numbered Lists and Bulleted Lists
Numbered lists and bulleted lists require that each item on the list is punctuated at the end
by a comma, semicolon, or period, depending on the grammatical structure of the list. Numbers
are followed by periods and are not in parentheses. Parallel structure should be used for items on
lists. For examples, all items should be nouns or verbs or complete sentences; different
grammatical forms should not be used within one list.
Additional Information
Additional information about APA formatting can be located at
http://psychology.vanguard.edu/faculty/douglas-degelman/apa-style/ and at
http://www.apastyle.org/
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Executive Summary and Abstract
An executive summary or an abstract may be required for a paper; no paper should use
both. Both follow the title page (or Table of Contents, if required).
Executive Summary Instructions
The executive summary serves as a concise and comprehensive summary of a document
and provides a rationale for the purpose of the paper. The executive summary is usually several
paragraphs long but is best kept to one to two pages. It should provide an overview of the entire
paper, including the conclusion. The reader should have a good idea what the paper is about
from reading this summary. For most business documents, the executive summary may be the
most important element, because busy executives will read it and then decide if they want to
review the entire document. Without an executive summary, they may not read the document at
all or only read the less important parts. Thus, the executive summary may be the best chance to
get the attention of the executives. The executive summary is like a one-minute elevator speech
in that it conveys as much relevant information about the paper as concisely and completely as
possible.
An executive summary should be written after the paper is completed and considered a
standalone document. Only the most significant information to support the conclusions should
be included. It should be written in complete sentences, not bullets.
Abstract Instructions
If an Abstract is required, type Abstract as a title at the top of the page. Start the text on
the next line (without a 0.5 inch indent) and ensure that Abstract shows in the Style window.
This style automatically formats the first line of the abstract without a left margin indent.
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The abstract is a one-paragraph, self-contained summary of the most important elements
of the paper. It is concise and brief; it should not contain more than 250 words. Ideally, it
should be between 150 and 250 words. A well-prepared abstract can be the most important
paragraph in a paper, since it contains the purpose, the major findings, and the conclusion. It
does not contain any information that does not appear in the text of the document, nor does it
contain citations of sources. It also allows the reader to preview the contents of the document.
Key words in the abstract are often used for electronic searches.
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References
Collins, J. (2001). Good to great [Kindle version]. New York: Harper Business Press.
Corporate Social Responsibility Initiative. (2010). Harvard University John F. Kennedy School
of Government. Retrieved from http://www.hks.harvard.edu/m-rcbg/CSRI/init
_approach.html
Cramer, J. (2006). Corporate social responsibility and globalization: An action plan for
business. Sheffield, UK: Greenleaf Publishing.
European Commission. (2010). Corporate social responsibility (CSR). Enterprise and industry.
Retrieved from http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/policies/sustainable-business/corporatesocial-responsibility/index_en.htm
Ford, Inc. (2010). Ford sustainability report 2010/1: Performance summary. Retrieved from
http://corporate.ford.com/microsites/sustainability-report-2010-11/overview-performance
Holme, R., & Watts P. (2000). Making good business sense. World Business Council for
Sustainable Development. Retrieved from http://www.inggroup.com.au/pdf/csr2000.pdf
Katz, R. (2005, November). How P&G switched to the low-income consumer. Retrieved from
http://www.nextbillion.net/node/1709/print
Keys, T., Malnight, T., & van der Graaff. K. (2009, December). Making the most of corporate
social responsibility. McKinsey Quarterly. Retrieved from
http://www.mckinseyquarterly.com/Making_the_most_of_corporate_social_responsibilit
y_2479
McComb, M. (2002, April 14). Profit to be found in companies that care. South China Morning
Post. p. 5.
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Nestlé Corporation. (2009). Nestlé creating shared value report. Retrieved from
http://www2.nestle.com/Common/NestleDocuments/Documents/Reports/CSV%20report
s/Global%20report%202009/Global_report_2009_GB.pdf
PepsiCo. (2010). Performance with a purpose: Sustainability reporting. Retrieved from
http://www.pepsico.com/Purpose/Sustainability-Reporting/GRI-Index.html
P&G. (2011a). Now and for generations to come: 2010 Sustainability Report. Retrieved from
http://www.pg.com/en_US/downloads/sustainability/reports/PG_2010_Sustainability_Re
port.pdf
P&G. (2011b). Our foundation. Retrieved from
http://www.pg.com/en_US/company/purpose_people/pvp.shtml
Unilever. (2010). Sustainable development report. Retrieved from
http://www.unilever.com/sustainability/?WT.LHNAV=Sustainability
United Nations Global Compact. (2010). A new era of sustainability: UN Global CompactAccenture CEO Study 2012. Retrieved from
http://www.accenture.com/SiteCollectionDocuments/PDF/Accenture_A_New_Era_of_S
ustainability_CEO_Study.pdf