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The formatting of a research paper is different depending on which style guide you’re following. In addition to citations, APA, MLA, and Chicago provide format guidelines for things like font choices, page layout, format of headings and the format of the reference page.
Apply general APA style and formatting conventions in a research paper. In this chapter, you will learn how to use APA style, the documentation and formatting style followed by the American Psychological Association, as well as MLA style, from the Modern Language Association.
Download the free Acrobat Reader. Note: The APA Publication Manual, 7th Edition specifies different formatting conventions for student and professional papers (i.e., papers written for credit in a course and papers intended for scholarly publication).
To format a paper in APA Style, writers can typically use the default settings and automatic formatting tools of their word-processing program or make only minor adjustments. Consistency in the order, structure, and format of a paper allows readers to focus on a paper’s content rather than its presentation.
Formatting a Research Paper. If your instructor has specific requirements for the format of your research paper, check them before preparing your final draft. When you submit your paper, be sure to keep a secure copy. The most common formatting is presented in the sections below: Margins. Text Formatting.
Below are some basic guidelines for formatting a paper in MLA Style: General Guidelines. Type your paper on a computer and print it out on standard, white 8.5 x 11-inch paper. Double-space the text of your paper and use a legible font (e.g. Times New Roman).
General Format. In-Text Citations: The Basics. In-Text Citations: Author/Authors. Footnotes and Endnotes. Reference List: Basic Rules. Reference List: Author/Authors. Reference List: Articles in Periodicals. Reference List: Books. Reference List: Other Print Sources.
Throughout your paper, you need to apply the following APA format guidelines: Set page margins to 1 inch on all sides. Double-space all text, including headings. Indent the first line of every paragraph 0.5 inches. Use an accessible font (e.g., Times New Roman 12pt., Arial 11pt., or Georgia 11pt.). Include a page number on every page. Tip.
This page contains sample papers formatted in seventh edition APA Style. The sample papers show the format that authors should use to submit a manuscript for publication in a professional journal and that students should use to submit a paper to an instructor for a course assignment.
Format Your Paper. Download and use the editable templates for student papers below: APA 7th ed. Template Document. This is an APA format template document in Google Docs. Click on the link -- it will ask for you to make a new copy of the document, which you can save in your own Google Drive with your preferred privacy settings.