APA Format Research Paper: An Explanation for Beginners

A research paper with a particular style automatically implies that such paper follows all the format requirements of the chosen style. Such conventions do not only include a citation style, but also formatting requirements as well.

In that regard, APA format research paper is a paper which is written according to the format requirements of APA as well as the APA citation style. It should be noted that there are other aspects in APA format research paper, which go beyond the format and the reference style. The present article will try to provide a brief overview of the aspects that an APA format research paper should follow.

Citation and Format in APA format research paper

The general formatting requirements for an APA format research paper are relatively simple. The latter includes a 10-12 academic font, double-spaced throughout, a page header, and other requirements. The same can be said about organization, where APA format research paper generally contains such essential sections as a title page, an abstract and a reference page.

A distinguishing element is the necessity to indent each paragraph in the paper, an aspect that might be handled differently in other styles. In terms of citation there are rules that depend on the type of the cited work. However, the general rule is the author-date system, where the authors’ last name is followed by the year of publication and put in parenthesis.

Stylistics in APA Format Research Paper

Additional aspects in APA format research paper might include the following points:

• Writing in passive voice, although preferred, should be handled with care.
• Use active voice when the people who made the action are emphasized.
• Common terms in APA format research paper are advised to be used, e.g. participants instead of subjects.
• Avoid bias in language.
• Avoid using generalities in descriptions.