Before writing the APA research paper, you should know what APA research paper is. It stands for the American Psychological Association. You should write and organize your research paper according to the American Psychological Association’s standards. You will use it most likely if you are writing a research paper on scientific topics.
Writing an APA research paper can be difficult sometimes. To write it accurately, you should stick to the rules of formatting it. However, there are many different sets of rules. And one of them is APA writing standards. The main aim of the APA research paper is to promote psychology as a science as well as mental health and education of people.
Tips to Write APA Research Paper
Here are some suggestions for you to write a final APA research paper.
- Categories of Paper
There are five categories of APA research paper:
Empirical Studies- It takes data from observations and experiments.
Literature Reviews- Analyze the work of other people.
Theoretical Articles- These papers are similar to literature reviews.
Methodological Articles- The author has to prove that their new method has useful data.
Case Studies- it represents information related to an individual or group.
- General Paper Length
Make sure you make your points clear and compelling. For this, you have to keep it short and more concise. According to APA format, the belief is “less is more.” You should be direct, professional, and clear.
- Margin Sizes
Keep the margin size consistent across all the four sides. It means that all four sides should have the same distance from the edge of the paper. Use at least one-inch margins around each side.
- Title Pages
APA format title page is the first page of the research paper. However, it is not mandatory. Still, some appreciate the page, which displays the writer’s name and the title of the research paper.
- Running Heads
Running heads are not required for student journals unless requested by the instructor. But they are essential for professional journals. Manuscripts are a perfect example of it.
- Preparing Outlines
Outlining is vital as they help writers to stay organized, determine the scope of the topic. You should include headings and subheadings. There is no official recommendation for Outlining in this format.
- How to Form Abstract
The APA format abstract is the summary of a scholarly article or scientific study. An abstract format allows readers to decide if they would like to read the article or not.
- Body of Papers
Begin the body with the introduction and intend all the paragraphs in the body. Do not forget to include the page number and title page. Also, don’t underline or italicize the title.