APA Tutorial Unit 3: Choreographing Your APA Paper

Sections

Setting the Stage
Building the Stage Yourself
Some Cast Changes
Your Role as Editor
Encore, Encore!


Setting the Stage

The first two sections of this unit will show you the basics of APA formatting to structure elements of your paper. Included are exercises to practice selecting and setting aspects of the paper such as margins and line spacing.

The last section offers a brief review of the mechanics involved in writing an APA-style paper.

I've Never Written an APA-Style Paper Before; I Don't Know Where to Begin!

Properly using APA format begins with setting up the appearance of your paper. Establishing the format involves choosing a font style and size and setting your margins, headers, and line spacing. Most word-processing programs (e.g., Microsoft Word) have a default page setting with a portrait orientation and 8 ½-by-11-inch dimensions. The following section will take you step by step through formatting your paper so you can begin writing your paper.

Formatting Your Document

Font

When you open a new document in a word-processing program, the first tasks to complete are to select a font style and size and to set up your margins. APA format requires use of either Times New Roman or Courier New in 12-point font.

Begin by opening a new document in your word-processing program and selecting your font. The screenshots in Figures 3.1 below shows you how to do this (Note: we will give you visual directions to set your stage in MS Word 2010). From the Format group in Microsoft Word 2010, select Font. Select Times New Roman and 12 -point font. Make sure the font color is set to Automatic.

Figure 3.1
Selecting a Font Style and Size (MS Word 2010)

After you have selected the font style and size, click on the OK button in the dialogue box you have opened. Doing so will put your entire document into the font style and size selected.

Margins

Your next task will be to set the margins for your paper. APA prefers a one-inch margin on all four sides of the page. You will choose Page Setup from the File pull-down menu and set the top, bottom, left, and right margins to one inch. See Figure 3.2 below to correctly do this in MS Word 2010.

Figure 3.2
Setting Your Margins (MS Word 2010)

Line Spacing and Indentation

After you have set the margins, you must set the line spacing to be double-spaced. Follow the steps illustrated in Figure 3.3 below to do this.

Figure 3.3
Line Spacing and Indentation (MS Word 2010)

Manuscript Page Header, Page Numbers, and Title Page

Once the margins have been set, the paper is properly framed for you to begin typing. The next step in formatting the document is to insert a manuscript running head (header) and page numbers into the upper left- and right-hand corners of the document.

In APA format, each page should have a header. The first page is always different and begins with the words Running head: followed by the title of the paper. The words Running head: only appear on the first page in APA format. An example can be found at the APA Formatting and Style Guide: https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/

Please follow the steps illustrated below to do this.

An APA header should be set up as follows:

  1. Select the Insert tab menu.
  2. Select the Header/Blank header template. See figure below.

Figure 3.4.1

  1. In the Header & Footer Tools/Design section, check the box Different First Page.
  2. Click in the header box and type Running head: WRITING APA MANUSCRIPTS. The phrase “Running head:” will only go on page 1. See figure below.

Figure 3.4.2

  1. Tab over 1-2 times to the far right side of the screen.
  2. Select the Insert tab menu, and then Page Number.
  3. Select the Current Position/Plain Number template.
  4. Click out of the header box. See figure below.

Figure 3.4.3

Below, in Figure 3.4.4, is what you should see (i.e., the header and page numbers should be correctly aligned). You are now ready to set up the header for all pages subsequent to the title page and to begin typing your title page.

Figure 3.4.4

Now you must set up your title page and the header for all subsequent pages of your manuscript. Double-click outside the header area (i.e., underneath the blue box that says First Page Header) as shown in Figure 3.4.5.

Figure 3.4.5

Be sure your paper is already set up to be double-spaced (as shown in Figure 3.3. above). Type your title page information (in regular, not boldface, font).

Now center your text as shown below in Figure 3.4.6:

Figure 3.4.6

Begin typing on the first line of the page as shown in Figure 3.4.7 below.

Figure 3.4.7

With the cursor on page 1 complete your title page. Highlight the title and go to the Page Layout Tab; select Page Setup as shown in Figure 3.4.8 below.

Figure 3.4.8

In the dialogue box that pops open, select Center in the Vertical alignment area and select Selected text; then hit OK. See Figure 3.4.9 below.

Figure 3.4.9

What you should see now is shown in Figure 3.4.10 below.

Figure 3.4.10

After completing the title page, we need to insert a page break and set up the headers for the pages after page 1.

  1. From the main body of page 1, select the Insert tab menu.
  2. Select the Page Break icon. See the figure below.

Figure 3.4.11

  1. From the page 2 main body, select the Insert tab menu.
  2. Select the Header/Blank header template. See the figure below

Figure 3.4.12

  1. In the Header & Footer Tools/Design section, confirm the selection of the check box Different First Page.
  2. Click in the header box and type WRITING APA MANUSCRIPTS. See the figure below.

Figure 3.4.13

  1. If there is no page number on page 2, tab over 1-2 times to the far right side of the screen.
  2. Select the Insert tab menu, and then Page Number.
  3. Select the Current Position/Plain Number template. See the figure below.
  4. Click out of the header box.

Figure 3.4.14

APA Manual Icon

APA TIP: The header may not be visible in all views of your document. To see the header, go to the File pull-down menu and select Print Preview, or go to the View pull-down menu and select Print Layout View.

 

The running head, page numbers, and title page are complete, and your entire paper will now be properly and automatically double-spaced for you. You are now ready to begin typing your paper.

A Paper with an Abstract versus a Paper without an Abstract

If your instructor requires you to include an abstract in your paper, it immediately follows the title page and is numbered page 2. The abstract is a single paragraph that generally does not exceed 125 words, although you should check with your instructor on the word limit. This is the only portion of the paper for which the paragraph does not get indented; rather, the entire paragraph is aligned to the left.

You have already set up the header and page number for this page, including a page break (see above). All that is left for you to do is type the centered title Abstract (in regular font) and the text that follows it.

When you have finished the abstract, insert a page break to begin page 3, the first page of the body of your paper. If you have no abstract, you will begin the text of your paper on page 2 rather than page 3. See Figures 3.5.a.1 and 3.5.a.2 below for an example of each.

Figure 3.5.a.1
Paper with an Abstract

Figure 3.5.a.2
Paper without an Abstract

APA Manual Icon

APA TIP: It is necessary to hit the return key only once between sections and between paragraphs when double-spacing a paper.

 

Building the Stage Yourself

In this section of the tutorial, you will be able to practice some of the techniques we described in the first section.

APA Focus: Designing Your Own Set

Launch your own word-processing program now and open a New Page. Use the screen shots provided in the previous section as a guide to complete the following tasks and check off each task after you have completed it.

Printer friendly version of this activity.

Select Times New Roman in 12-point font.
Set one-inch margins around your page.
Insert a Manuscript Page Header and page numbers.
Center and type your title on the title page.
Vertically center your title page.
Insert a page break.
Center your title on the new page.
Align your cursor flush left.
Set your indentations/tabs at 0.5".
Type a few sentences and make sure your first line is indented and your paragraph is double-spaced.

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Some Cast Changes

In unit 2 of this tutorial, we introduced you to in-text citations (citations) and full-reference citations (references). In this section, we will show you how to cite and reference different types of media, such as:

You learned in unit 2 that citations and references are different entities and are used in different areas of your paper. As a review, please read the following excerpt in Figure 3.6 from a fictitious student paper. (Note: The excerpt also demonstrates the APA formatting rules discussed in the Formatting Your Document section of this unit).

Figure 3.6
Review of Formatting Rules

The paragraphs above contain citations for sources from:

Some of the citations in the fictitious excerpt are similar to those you saw in unit 2. For instance, at least two citations are missing a date. Do you remember why?



Reveal Answer

You may be surprised to learn that television programs require a citation and a reference. What other sources do you think might require a citation and reference when used in your paper?



Reveal Answer

 

APA Manual Icon

APA TIP: If you read it, saw it, or heard it, you should provide a citation and reference for a source. Visit APA Citation Examples to see other examples of citations and references: or refer to the APA Publication Manual (2009, pp. 193–224).

 

Each of the citations from the fictitious student paper gets represented in the reference list at the end of the student's paper. See the reference list below for each citation and notice that if a source appeared in the paragraphs above, it is also included in the list below. This is called a one-to-one correspondence.

Also note that the names, Balcer, Loeser, and Alexander (1996) and Sagarin and Lawler-Sagarin (2005) are listed in the same order in text as they are in the reference list. It is inappropriate to modify the order of authorship for a source (e.g., Alexander, Loeser, & Balcer, 1996). Why do you think the names for a particular source appear in the same order both in text and in the reference list?



Reveal Answer

The full reference for Sagarin and Lawler-Sagarin (2005) contains a digital object identifier (DOI); this number is a static identifier of the source (i.e., analogous to an IBSN number, which also does not change over time; website addresses are usually not permanent). If your article has a digital object identifier number, please use that instead of the URL (i.e., website address). When using a DOI, there is no need to provide the Retrieved from information. If a DOI does not exist, please continue using the URL and the Retrieved from information (e.g., see Gado, 2007 below).

References

Balcer, R., Loeser, E. (Writers), & Alexander, J. (Director). (1996). Remand [Television series episode]. In D. Wolf (Producer), Law and order. New York: National Broadcasting Company.

Gado, M. (2007). A cry in the night: The Kitty Genovese murder. Retrieved from the CourtTV Crime Library Web site: http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/serial_killers/predators/kitty_genovese/6.html

Kulis, J. V. (2004). The beauty of intervention. Professional Safety, 49(9), 41-43. Retrieved from http://www.asse.org/professionalsafety/index.php

Sagarin, B. J., & Lawler-Sagarin, K. A. (2005). Critically evaluating competing theories: An exercise based on the Kitty Genovese murder. Teaching of Psychology, 32(3), 167–169. doi: 10.1207/s15328023top3203_8

Weyand, D. (Director). (1999). Silent witnesses: The Kitty Genovese murder [Television series episode]. In (Producer). History's mysteries. New York: A&E Television Networks.

Notice that the personal-communication citation is not included in the reference list. Can you determine why this reference was omitted?



Reveal Answer

The first line of each reference is flush left, and all subsequent lines are indented. You will learn more about creating this hanging indent in unit 4 of the tutorial. What do you notice about the order of each reference above?



Reveal Answer

See if you can find the reference from a New York Times article (Rasenberger, 2004) that discussed the Kitty Genovese murder and copy this reference into the space provided below. Hint: Search for the author's name and the keyword Kitty in the library's New York Times database.

Note: you can also find this source by visiting the following website, which will bring you to Remote Access to UMUC Library Resources.

When you click on the link for the article, you may be prompted to log in to the library database. If so, enter your last name and 14-digit library barcode or 7-digit EMPLID. (Instructions for obtaining those numbers are here: https://www.umgc.edu/help/help-topic.cfm?id=kA0d0000000DG64CAG&table=FAQ_IT__kav&action=getArticle.) Once you have logged into the database, you will see the database record for the article, including a link to the PDF full text of the article.



Reveal Answer

Screen capture Remote Access to UMUC Library Resources

 

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Your Role as Editor

The activity below presents several jumbled references in varying formats. Review the information you learned in the previous sections and, if necessary, revisit our library for different reference formats at APA Citation Examples to participate in the activity. You may also refer to the Publication Manual (APA, 2009, pp. 169–183) for specific details on reference formats.

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Encore, Encore!

We have covered a lot of ground in this unit. Before you move onto unit 4, we recommend that you participate in the review below.

APA Focus: Dress Rehearsal

Please review the following true statements below. They refer to material found in the APA materials you have been assigned in addition to the unit information.

1. The entire APA paper should be double-spaced.

2. Each new paragraph should be indented at 0.5".

3. The proper way to begin a new page is to insert a page break.

4. A citation should be placed inside the sentence it is supporting.

5. Information from personal communications must be cited but not referenced.

6. The lyrics from a song must be cited and referenced.

7. If a source is obtained from the Internet or an online database, the URL or Web site address should be given in the full reference.

8. If a Digital Object Identifier (DOI) is available for a source, the DOI should be given in the full reference in lieu of the URL or the Web site address.

 

You will learn more about citations and references in unit 4 of the tutorial. You will also learn the different elements that go into an APA-style paper in unit 4.

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References

American Psychological Association. (2009). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (6th ed., second printing). Washington, DC: Author.

Balcer, R., Loeser, E. (Writers), & Alexander, J. (Director). (1996). Remand [Television series episode]. In D. Wolf (Producer), Law and order. New York: National Broadcasting Company.

Cherry, F. (1995). The 'stubborn particulars' of social psychology: Essays on the research process. New York: Routledge.

Gado, M. (2007). A cry in the night: The Kitty Genovese murder. Retrieved from the CourtTV Crime Library Web site: http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/serial_killers/predators/kitty_genovese/6.html

Garcia, S. M., & Weaver, K. (2002). Crowded minds: The implicit bystander effect. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 83(4), 843–853.

Geis, G., & Huston, T. L. (1983). Bystander intervention into crime: Public policy considerations. Policy Studies Journal, 11, 398–408. doi: 10.1111/1541-0072.ep11777859

Heffron, R. T. (Director), & Stirling, S. (Writer). (1975). Death scream [Motion picture]. United States: Robert Stigwood Organization.

Kulis, J. V. (2004). The beauty of intervention. Professional Safety, 49(9), 41–43. Retrieved from Academic Search Complete database.

Rasenberger, J. (2004, February 8). Kitty, 40 years later. New York Times, section 14, p. 1. Retrieved from New York Times database.

Sagarin, B. J., & Lawler-Sagarin, K. A. (2005). Critically evaluating competing theories: An exercise based on the Kitty Genovese murder. Teaching of Psychology, 32(3), 167–169. doi: 10.1207/s15328023top3203_8

University of Maryland University College. Information and Library Resources. (2007). APA citation examples. Retrieved from http://www.umgc.edu/library/guides/apa.shtml

Weyand, D. (Director). (1999). Silent witnesses: The Kitty Genovese murder [Television series episode]. In (Producer). History's mysteries. New York: A&E Television Networks.

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