title page, abstract page, references page, and pages for the body of the paper (which should include the 5 points/instructions mentioned above). The entire paper should be written in APA style or formatting.
Title Page:
The title page of the academic paper should include the title of the paper, the author’s name, and the institutional affiliation. The title should be clear and concise, accurately reflecting the content of the paper. The author’s name should be centered and located below the title. The institutional affiliation should be stated below the author’s name, indicating the academic institution or organization with which the author is affiliated. The title page should be formatted according to APA style guidelines, with the title centered horizontally and vertically on the page.
Abstract Page:
The abstract page is a concise summary of the main points and findings of the paper. It should be written in a clear and concise manner, providing a brief overview of the research question or problem, the methods used, the main results or findings, and any implications or conclusions drawn from the study. The abstract should be no longer than 250 words and should be written in a single paragraph. It should be formatted in a block paragraph without indentation, and the word “Abstract” should be centered at the top of the page.
References Page:
The references page is an essential component of the paper and should list all the sources cited in the body of the paper. It should be formatted in alphabetical order by the last name of the first author of each citation. Each reference should be formatted according to APA style guidelines, including the author’s name(s), publication year, title of the article or book, journal name (if applicable), and other relevant publication details. The references page should be titled “References” and centered at the top of the page.
Body of the Paper:
The body of the paper is where the main content and arguments are presented. It should be organized into sections and subsections as appropriate, depending on the structure and requirements of the paper. Each section should start with a clear and informative heading, formatted in bold and centered. The body of the paper should be written in a formal and academic tone, presenting the information and arguments in a logical and coherent manner. The text should be double-spaced and left-aligned, with one-inch margins on all sides.
APA Style Formatting:
The entire paper should be written in APA style, which includes specific formatting guidelines. The font should be a 12-point Times New Roman or Arial font, and the text should be double-spaced throughout the paper. The first line of each paragraph should be indented by 0.5 inches, and there should be no extra spaces between paragraphs. The paper should be aligned to the left margin, with a ragged right margin. Page numbers should be included in the top right corner of each page, starting from the title page.
In-text Citations:
In-text citations should be used to acknowledge and provide credit to the sources used in the paper. These citations should be included within the body of the paper, whenever a source is quoted, paraphrased, or summarized. The author’s last name and the year of publication should be included in parentheses, for example: (Smith, 2019). If the author’s name is mentioned in the sentence, only the year of publication should be included in parentheses, for example: Smith (2019) argued that…
In-text citations should also include the page number when quoting directly from a source, for example: (Smith, 2019, p. 35). If there are multiple authors, the last names of all authors should be included for the first citation, followed by et al. for subsequent citations, for example: (Smith et al., 2019).
The use of in-text citations allows readers to locate the full reference in the references page and supports the credibility and integrity of the paper. It is essential to ensure accurate and consistent use of in-text citations throughout the paper, adhering to APA style guidelines.
These guidelines provide a general overview of the main components and formatting requirements of an academic paper written in APA style. It is important to consult the APA Publication Manual or the APA Style Guide for further details and specific guidelines for citing different types of sources and formatting particular elements of the paper.
