Online APA Resources
The OWL at Purdue
APA Formatting and
Style Guide
University of Maryland
APA Citation Examples
Son of Citation
Machine
EU Library Blog APA
FAQs
APA Style Guide
Reed Deer College’s
APA Citation Builder
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/
http://www.umuc.edu/library/guides/apa.shtml#articles
http://citationmachine.net/
http://eulibraryblog.com/apa-style-frequently-asked-questions/
http://www.keiseruniversity.edu/ppt/APAStyleGuide.ppt
http://rdc.libguides.com/apa
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.
Sections of Your Paper
In most cases, your paper should include four main sections: the title page, abstract, main section, and
references list.
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Title Page
Your title page should contain a running head, title, author name and school affiliation. Learn more
about writing an APA format title page.
Abstract
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 150 to 250 words, although this can vary depending
upon the specific publication or instructor requirements. Learn more about writing an APA format
abstract.
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The Main Body
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 an introduction, method, results, and discussion sections.
References
The reference section of your paper will include a list of all of the sources that you used in your paper.
In-Text Citations
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.
Reference Pages
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Your references should begin on a new page. Title the new page "References" and center the title text at
the top of the page.
All entries should be in alphabetical order.
The first line of a reference should be flush with the left margin. Each additional line should be
indented (usually accomplished by using the TAB key.)
While earlier versions of APA format required only one space after each sentence, the new sixth-edition
of the style manual now recommends two spaces.
The reference section should be double-spaced.
All sources cited should appear both in-text and on the reference page. Any reference that appears in
the text of your report or article must be cited on the references page, and any item appearing on your
reference page must be also included somewhere in the body of your text.
Titles of books, journals, magazines, and newspapers should appear in italics.
Helpful Resources
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 a
APA style referenced, but always remember to double-check each one for accuracy.
Purchasing your own copy of the official Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association
(Compare Prices) 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. Explore other articles and links in this section to learn more about APA format.