Text begins as a new paragraph.
Text beings as a new paragraph.
Adapted from American Psychological Association. (2009). Format for Five Levels of Heading in APA Journals. Publication manual of the American psychological association (6th ed., p. 62) Washington, D.C.: American Psychological Association.
There are five levels of headings available to use in an APA formatted paper. These headings indicate the hierchy of the information within the paper.
For example, if your paper contains the standard main sections Method , Results , and Discussion , these should all use the first-level heading.
If you want to include Participants and Instruments within the Method section, you would make these a level two heading.
A subsection of Participants , like Age or Race , would be level three headings. This pattern continues down to level five headings.
Each level has specific formatting requirements to make it visibly obvious which level it is. As with all other text in an APA formatted paper, the font size should be 12pt. The differences between each level are as follows:
Level One Heading
Level one headings are centered and bolded, with all major words capitalized (articles and conjunctions are not captalized).
Level Two Heading
Level two headings are similar to level one headings, except are aligned on the left.
Level Three Heading. Level three headings are similar to levels one and two, except they're indented by 5 spaces, followed by a period, and the text following the heading does not start on a new line.
Level Four Heading. The level four heading is identical to level three, except it is also italicized.
Level Five Heading. Finally, the level five heading is identical to level four, except it is no longer bold.
The following video by the University of Maryland is excellent at visually explaining everything on this page.
Heading level templates for student and professional papers.
Headings are used to help guide the reader through a document. There are five levels of headings in APA. Always use the headings in order, beginning with level 1. Only use as may headings as are needed to differentiate between sections of a paper. Headings are not necessary if your paper doesn't have separate sections.
See more guidance below.
Level | Format |
---|---|
1 | Centered, Bold, Title Case Heading Text begins as a new paragraph. |
2 | Flush Left, Bold, Title Case Heading Text begins as a new paragraph. |
3 |
Text begins as a new paragraph. |
4 | Indented, Bold, Title Case Heading, Ending With a Period. Text begins on the same line and continues as a regular paragraph. |
5 | Text begins on the same line and continues as a regular paragraph |
Note. In title case, most words are capitalized.
Chapter 7 of the APA manual provides guidance about creating tables and figures. Please consult the manual or the abbreviated guidance located on the APA Style website.
Table and figures can be presented either in the text of the paper or after the reference list on separate pages.
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Set the "normal" style of font.
Before we can set up headings, we'll need to define the format of the text that isn't a heading. The "styles" in word set some default formatting for text. Setting up the "Normal" style will create a default font setting to keep the text uniform throughout the document. The Styles pane is located under the HOME tab.
Right click on the "Normal" style to open the Modify option.
This will open a Modify Style Dialog Box. Start by changing the Paragraph formatting. This is located by selecting the Format drop down in the bottom left of the Dialog Box.
There are two things that should be set under the Paragraph settings. Under the INDENTS AND SPACING tab, check to turn on "Don't add space between paragraphs of the same style." Under the LINE AND PAGE BREAKS tab, check to turn on the "Widow/Orphan Control."
Once both of those have been set and you click "okay," you'll be returned to the Modify Style Dialog Box. Now we can set the font formatting. Select the font you wish to use throughout the document, change the font size to 12 point, ensure the line spacing is double spaced, and select the option to remove space between paragraphs (this is indicated by two lines pointing towards each other).
Inserting headings and subheadings.
Using the same technique we can create a standard for the various types of headings and subheadings used across the thesis. The Thesis & Dissertation Manual generally follows APA style for heading levels. In order to keep headings consistently correct and link the Table of Contents, the Styles function in Word is used. This is going to show you some examples of the formatting required for the headings and how to use the various heading levels. We'll also see how to use styles and update your Table of Contents.
Level 1 headings.
Chapters will be linked to Heading Level 1. If you choose not to have chapters, you will use level 1 for your major headings (typically: Introduction, Literature Review, Methods, etc.). They should be typed in title case, center aligned, and bold. The number of the chapter can be in Arabic or Roman numerals or spelled out so long as it is consistently done throughout the document. The heading should be on one line, so if you are using chapters, it should look something like this:
Chapter 1: Introduction
Once you have formatted a chapter heading, select the text of the chapter heading then right click on Heading 1 in the Styles pane and select "Update Heading 1 to Match Selection."
Once you have formatted the first heading and updated the style, you simply need to type the new level 1 heading in title case and then, with your cursor in line with the heading, click on the heading 1 button in the styles pane to format it and link it for your table of contents. Make sure to use this feature every time to ensure all headings are properly linked to your table of contents.
Subsections of your major headings should be the next level down. Level 2 headings will be left aligned, bold, and title case. They should look like this:
Level 2 Heading
Once you have formatted a level 2 heading, select the text of the heading then right click on Heading 2 in the Styles pane and select "Update Heading 2 to Match Selection."
Once you have formatted the first heading and updated the style, you simply need to type the new level 2 heading in title case and then, with your cursor in line with the heading, click on the heading 2 button in the styles pane to format it and link it for your table of contents. Make sure to use this feature every time to ensure all headings are properly linked to your table of contents.
If you wish to further subsection your paper, you will use level 3 headings. Level 3 headings will be bold italic, left aligned, and title case. They should look like this:
Level Three Heading
Once you have formatted a level 3 heading, select the text of the heading then right click on Heading 3 in the Styles pane and select "Update Heading 3 to Match Selection."
Once you have formatted the first heading and updated the style, you simply need to type the new level 3 heading in title case and then, with your cursor in line with the heading, click on the heading 3 button in the styles pane to format it and link it for your table of contents. Make sure to use this feature every time to ensure all headings are properly linked to your table of contents.
It is common to find the first 3 heading levels in papers that are as long as a thesis or dissertation. Occasionally, you may find the need to go beyond those levels. It is important to note that for the thesis and dissertation, only the first 3 headings should be included in the table of contents. It is also recommended that you only use the styles function for the first 3 headings because they stand alone on their own line of text. The next heading levels will begin on the same line as the paragraph that starts that section which means that the style function will not work properly. If you were to link the heading, the entire paragraph will appear in your table of contents.
This means that you will need to, carefully, ensure you are formatting the headings manually. Each level should be consistently formatted the same way. APA has standards for levels 4 & 5 which are described here. For heading levels beyond level 5, you should pick a consistent formatting that clearly indicates they are a subsection of the level 5 heading. It is also recommended that you carefully evaluate if this level of heading is truly necessary for your writing.
Level 4 headings will begin on the same line of the paragraph that makes up the section. It will be indented 0.5", much like a normal paragraph indent. The heading will be in title case and bold font with a period at the end of the heading:
Level Four Heading Here. Start the first sentence of the paragraph that follows the heading on the same line and continue typing. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nunc at pellentesque massa. Sed nec urna nec est efficitur iaculis. Etiam efficitur velit id dignissim eleifend. Duis euismod, nisi sed cursus sodales, sem nisi porttitor ante, eu dignissim justo tortor nec mauris.
Level 5 headings will begin on the same line of the paragraph that makes up the section. It will be indented 0.5", much like a normal paragraph indent. The heading will be in title case and bold italic font with a period at the end of the heading:
Level Five Heading Here. Start the first sentence of the paragraph that follows the heading on the same line and continue typing. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nunc at pellentesque massa. Sed nec urna nec est efficitur iaculis. Etiam efficitur velit id dignissim eleifend. Duis euismod, nisi sed cursus sodales, sem nisi porttitor ante, eu dignissim justo tortor nec mauris.
Once you have added headings and used the styles feature, you will be able to use the word function to "generate" a table of contents. You will need to type "Table of Contents" in bold font, centered at the top of the page you will be inserting your table of contents onto. Then, place your cursor on the next line
From the References tab, click on Table of Contents and select Custom Table of Contents...
From the pop up window, you will want to change the tab leaders to (none) rather than the default. The rest of the default settings will be fine, so click ok once you've done so.
This will populate your table of contents.
From here, you will need to open the style pane to modify some of the formatting of the table of contents.
You will need to locate TOC 1 and click on it, and select "modify" from the drop down list.
TOC 1 style should be bold. If you've properly set up your "normal style" of font (see above), this should be the only modification to your TOC styles that you need to make. If the text is not properly set up and you need to further format it, you can do so from this window.
If set up correctly, your table of contents should look like the image below.
The start of the semester is the perfect time to learn how to create and format APA Style student papers. This article walks through the formatting steps needed to create an APA Style student paper, starting with a basic setup that applies to the entire paper (margins, font, line spacing, paragraph alignment and indentation, and page headers). It then covers formatting for the major sections of a student paper: the title page, the text, tables and figures, and the reference list. Finally, it concludes by describing how to organize student papers and ways to improve their quality and presentation.
The guidelines for student paper setup are described and shown using annotated diagrams in the Student Paper Setup Guide (PDF, 3.40MB) and the A Step-by-Step Guide to APA Style Student Papers webinar . Chapter 1 of the Concise Guide to APA Style and Chapter 2 of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association describe the elements, format, and organization for student papers. Tables and figures are covered in Chapter 7 of both books. Information on paper format and tables and figures and a full sample student paper are also available on the APA Style website.
The guidelines for basic setup apply to the entire paper. Perform these steps when you first open your document, and then you do not have to worry about them again while writing your paper. Because these are general aspects of paper formatting, they apply to all APA Style papers, student or professional. Students should always check with their assigning instructor or institution for specific guidelines for their papers, which may be different than or in addition to APA Style guidelines.
Seventh edition APA Style was designed with modern word-processing programs in mind. Most default settings in programs such as Academic Writer, Microsoft Word, and Google Docs already comply with APA Style. This means that, for most paper elements, you do not have to make any changes to the default settings of your word-processing program. However, you may need to make a few adjustments before you begin writing.
Use 1-in. margins on all sides of the page (top, bottom, left, and right). This is usually how papers are automatically set.
Use a legible font. The default font of your word-processing program is acceptable. Many sans serif and serif fonts can be used in APA Style, including 11-point Calibri, 11-point Arial, 12-point Times New Roman, and 11-point Georgia. You can also use other fonts described on the font page of the website.
Double-space the entire paper including the title page, block quotations, and the reference list. This is something you usually must set using the paragraph function of your word-processing program. But once you do, you will not have to change the spacing for the entirety of your paper–just double-space everything. Do not add blank lines before or after headings. Do not add extra spacing between paragraphs. For paper sections with different line spacing, see the line spacing page.
Align all paragraphs of text in the body of your paper to the left margin. Leave the right margin ragged. Do not use full justification. Indent the first line of every paragraph of text 0.5-in. using the tab key or the paragraph-formatting function of your word-processing program. For paper sections with different alignment and indentation, see the paragraph alignment and indentation page.
Put a page number in the top right of every page header , including the title page, starting with page number 1. Use the automatic page-numbering function of your word-processing program to insert the page number in the top right corner; do not type the page numbers manually. The page number is the same font and font size as the text of your paper. Student papers do not require a running head on any page, unless specifically requested by the instructor.
Title page elements.
APA Style has two title page formats: student and professional (for details, see title page setup ). Unless instructed otherwise, students should use the student title page format and include the following elements, in the order listed, on the title page:
The format for the byline depends on whether the paper has one author, two authors, or three or more authors.
Students have an academic affiliation, which identities where they studied when the paper was written. Because students working together on a paper are usually in the same class, they will have one shared affiliation. The affiliation consists of the name of the department and the name of the college or university, separated by a comma (e.g., Department of Psychology, George Mason University). The department is that of the course to which the paper is being submitted, which may be different than the department of the student’s major. Do not include the location unless it is part of the institution’s name.
Write the course number and name and the instructor name as shown on institutional materials (e.g., the syllabus). The course number and name are often separated by a colon (e.g., PST-4510: History and Systems Psychology). Write the assignment due date in the month, date, and year format used in your country (e.g., Sept. 10, 2020).
Double-space the whole title page. Place the paper title three or four lines down from the top of the page. Add an extra double-spaced blank like between the paper title and the byline. Then, list the other title page elements on separate lines, without extra lines in between.
Center all title page elements (except the right-aligned page number in the header).
Write the title page using the same font and font size as the rest of your paper. Bold the paper title. Use standard font (i.e., no bold, no italics) for all other title page elements.
Repeat the paper title at the top of the first page of text. Begin the paper with an introduction to provide background on the topic, cite related studies, and contextualize the paper. Use descriptive headings to identify other sections as needed (e.g., Method, Results, Discussion for quantitative research papers). Sections and headings vary depending on the paper type and its complexity. Text can include tables and figures, block quotations, headings, and footnotes.
Double-space all text, including headings and section labels, paragraphs of text, and block quotations.
Center the paper title on the first line of the text. Indent the first line of all paragraphs 0.5-in.
Left-align the text. Leave the right margin ragged.
Indent the whole block quotation 0.5-in. from the left margin. Double-space the block quotation, the same as other body text. Find more information on the quotations page.
Use the same font throughout the entire paper. Write body text in standard (nonbold, nonitalic) font. Bold only headings and section labels. Use italics sparingly, for instance, to highlight a key term on first use (for more information, see the italics page).
For detailed guidance on formatting headings, including headings in the introduction of a paper, see the headings page and the headings in sample papers .
Tables and figures are only included in student papers if needed for the assignment. Tables and figures share the same elements and layout. See the website for sample tables and sample figures .
Tables include the following four elements:
Figures include the following four elements:
Double-space the table number and title. Single-, 1.5-, or double-space the table body (adjust as needed for readability). Double-space the table note.
Double-space the figure number and title. The default settings for spacing in figure images is usually acceptable (but adjust the spacing as needed for readability). Double-space the figure note.
Left-align the table number and title. Center column headings. Left-align the table itself and left-align the leftmost (stub) column. Center data in the table body if it is short or left-align the data if it is long. Left-align the table note.
Left-align the figure number and title. Left-align the whole figure image. The default alignment of the program in which you created your figure is usually acceptable for axis titles and data labels. Left-align the figure note.
Bold the table number. Italicize the table title. Use the same font and font size in the table body as the text of your paper. Italicize the word “Note” at the start of the table note. Write the note in the same font and font size as the text of your paper.
Bold the figure number. Italicize the figure title. Use a sans serif font (e.g., Calibri, Arial) in the figure image in a size between 8 to 14 points. Italicize the word “Note” at the start of the figure note. Write the note in the same font and font size as the text of your paper.
There are two options for the placement of tables and figures in an APA Style paper. The first option is to place all tables and figures on separate pages after the reference list. The second option is to embed each table and figure within the text after its first callout. This guide describes options for the placement of tables and figures embedded in the text. If your instructor requires tables and figures to be placed at the end of the paper, see the table and figure guidelines and the sample professional paper .
Call out (mention) the table or figure in the text before embedding it (e.g., write “see Figure 1” or “Table 1 presents”). You can place the table or figure after the callout either at the bottom of the page, at the top of the next page, or by itself on the next page. Avoid placing tables and figures in the middle of the page.
Include a callout to the table or figure in the text before that table or figure. Add a blank double-spaced line between the text and the table or figure at the bottom of the page.
Include a callout to the table in the text on the previous page before that table or figure. The table or figure then appears at the top of the next page. Add a blank double-spaced line between the end of the table or figure and the text that follows.
Embed long tables or large figures on their own page if needed. The text continues on the next page.
Reference list elements.
The reference list consists of the “References” section label and the alphabetical list of references. View reference examples on the APA Style website. Consult Chapter 10 in both the Concise Guide and Publication Manual for even more examples.
Start the reference list at the top of a new page after the text. Double-space the entire reference list (both within and between entries).
Center the “References” label. Apply a hanging indent of 0.5-in. to all reference list entries. Create the hanging indent using your word-processing program; do not manually hit the enter and tab keys.
Bold the “References” label at the top of the first page of references. Use italics within reference list entries on either the title (e.g., webpages, books, reports) or on the source (e.g., journal articles, edited book chapters).
Check page order.
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The 7th edition of the APA Publication Manual provides important formatting guidelines that you need to follow. In this article, we’ll tell you how to properly format an APA header, cover page, abstract, and reference page in your research paper.
Note that we’ll be looking at the formatting guidelines provided by the 7th edition of the APA Style guide, commonly referred to as APA 7. This edition came out in October 2019, replacing the 6th edition that dated back to 2009.
Make sure your APA-style paper is perfectly formatted. Learn more
The APA format is used while writing academic literature such as research papers, essays, and theses. It is provided by the American Psychological Association (APA) as a style guide and is used commonly in the fields of behavioral and social sciences.
The APA formatting guidelines are described in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association , APA’s official style guide. It is widely used by other scientific journals in its entirety or with some variations to publish research articles and papers.
Universities and colleges also use the APA format, so students need to adhere to the formatting guidelines while writing a college paper or essay. As we’ll see in an update given by the APA 7 format, the style guidelines are often a bit relaxed for college students.
The APA Manual lays down a standard set of guidelines that remove colloquial usage and bias from academic writing. Since all researchers follow common rules of writing and formatting, it becomes easy for everyone to read and understand scientific papers.
Plus, the APA formatting style is primarily known for its directness and simplicity. By ensuring a logical flow in a research paper or journal article, the APA format helps the reader focus on the content of the document.
So the simple answer to this question is, we use APA formatting for research papers because it reduces confusion and improves clarity. It brings uniformity to scientific writing and enables the reader to comprehend academic documents with ease.
The APA Style format is used by researchers and students to write research papers, journal articles, college papers, and dissertations. You can also use the APA Style in textbooks, websites, PowerPoint presentations, or conference posters.
While the style guide can be used to write academic papers in any discipline, it is mostly used in the following disciplines:
There are some general APA formatting rules you need to follow throughout your paper. Here are the most important style guidelines from the 7th edition of the APA Publication Manual:
APA recommends the following fonts:
Guidelines regarding page formatting appear in the second chapter of the APA Publication Manual. The general structure for research papers under the APA format includes a title page, abstract, text, and references.
College students don’t have the compulsion to add an abstract in their paper, but the particular university guidelines provide the final say on this matter. An APA Style paper usually follows this order:
Aside from these major sections of your paper, we’ll also take a look at how to format APA headers, headings, and subheadings.
The cover page, also called the title page, is the first page in an APA Style paper or essay. This page isn’t absolutely necessary for college students, but some universities may ask their students to include it. Ask your instructor for clarification on whether you should include the cover page in your paper.
The APA 7 cover page has slight variations for student papers and professional papers. Student papers should include details of their course and college, while professional papers include an author note.
The title page in an APA Style student paper should include the following elements:
The APA cover page in a professional paper includes:
According to the APA 7th edition, the title page should be formatted as follows:
There are no strict rules regarding the length of titles under the 7th edition of the APA Publication Manual. But the style guide does recommend that the title shouldn’t be more than 12 words in length.
It’s also recommended to keep the title concise and to the point, so you should remove any extra words. Here’s an example of an ideal APA title:
A Focused Analysis of the Patterns of Migration Between England and Colombia
Migration Patterns Between England and Colombia
So, make sure you keep the title short and focused, and ensure that it includes the main search term for your paper. Keywords are important!
The APA page header appears within the top margin of the page. It consists of a page number and a running head, but student papers don’t have to include the running head.
So, the APA header for a student paper only contains the page number. For professional papers, the header consists of both the running head and page number.
A running head is a shortened version of your title. If the title is already short, you can place the whole title in the running head. But if your title is long, you need to cut out the extra words and use only the most important words in the running head.
Title: Examining the Wealth of Religious Figures: A Global Study of How Economics, Faith, and Language Intersect
Running head: WEALTH OF RELIGIOUS FIGURES
While the APA running head isn’t a compulsion for student papers, some course instructors or universities may ask you to include it. So it’s always a good idea to get clarity on the paper format from your course instructor.
These are the formatting guidelines for an APA header:
Any word processing program like Google Docs or Word has the header feature that allows you to customize your header. Use this feature to create the running head and page number for your APA header.
Apply the same formatting to all pages in your APA Style paper, as the header appears on every page.
APA headings and subheadings are important to organize your text and improve your paper’s readability. An APA style paper has five possible levels of headings. You can use them to order your content into relevant sections.
These are the APA format guidelines for headings and subheadings in your paper:
An abstract is a one-paragraph summary of a research paper, about 150–250 words in length. It contains the objective or problem statement of the paper and includes information on the research methods, results, and conclusions of your research.
An abstract tells the reader what they’ll find in the paper and helps them decide whether or not they should read it. So, your abstract should be well-written. But more importantly, it needs to be formatted according to the APA format guidelines.
The APA abstract page must adhere to specific formatting requirements for indentation, spacing, section label, page margins, font type, and running head. The APA abstract must be formatted as follows:
An APA abstract isn’t required in student papers, but it is necessary in professional papers.
Aside from the general guidelines we saw above, there aren’t any specific APA format guidelines for the body of your paper. In case of an essay, the body will be your essay itself. If you’re writing a lab report, then the main body will be divided into different sections.
In a research paper, the body is divided into introduction, method, results, discussion, and references. Each of these sections begin on a new page, with a section label that is in bold and center.
These are the APA formatting guidelines for your text:
Also called the reference list, this is where all the cited sources in the paper are listed. The citations differ for each source type. The APA reference page as a whole also has specific APA formatting guidelines.
Mention the section label “References” in bold and center at the top of the page. Start the entries in the next line, flush left. Here are the formatting guidelines for an APA reference page:
The APA provides different format guidelines for specific document types such as articles, journals, and websites. For a detailed study of how to cite sources and include them in the APA reference page, visit this article .
Using graphics is a great way to communicate important data in your paper. But in an APA Style paper, there are certain rules you need to follow for inserting tables and figures.
Although they present information differently, the APA style guide has similar formatting rules for them. Tables and figures under the 7th edition of the Publication Manual are labeled with numbers followed by titles. Under the graphic, you may also add a note.
APA formatting guidelines help you create clean and clear graphics with no unnecessary flourish. So keep in mind that you should include graphical elements only when they are necessary for better comprehension.
Here is how you can create a properly formatted table under the APA guidelines:
Rather than using the spacebar to type your data, use the table feature of Google Docs or Word to create an APA Style table in your paper.
For an APA formatted paper, any graphical representation aside from a table is classified as a figure. This includes charts, graphs, pie charts, drawings, maps, or any other visual infographics.
Follow these rules to properly format your APA figures:
Number your tables and figures in the order they appear in your APA Style paper. You can add three types of notes under your table or figure to explain a point not covered in the graphic itself.
Hopefully, this article will help you format your APA Style paper perfectly. After formatting your research paper, if you still have doubts, you can consider taking our research paper editing services . We not only ensure proper formatting but also correct any grammatical, word choice, and sentence errors.
Here are some other articles that you might find interesting:
What are the benefits of apa formatting, what does et. al. mean in apa formatting, what is the difference between mla and apa formatting, should i add the apa header on the cover page, what are the changes in apa 7.
Found this article helpful?
Two or three things would finish up the basic formatting: 1. The Cover Page header needs the words Running head: before the title. Also, the cover page should be in the same Times New Roman (or Arial) 12pt font. (I’ve seen some pretty fancy cover pages LOL). 2. The abstract cannot be more than 250 words (no less than 150 words) 3. Information in the main body should be broken down by layers of headings to tell the reader what they will find in each section.
Overall good advice in succinct bullet points, however. I appreciate you doing this. APA is a thorn in the side of my students (I teach Psychology).
Hey, Kathryn! Thanks for your words of encouragement. The points you have mentioned are indeed crucial to finishing up the basic APA formatting. We hope our blog continues to help you and your students. Keep coming back for more!
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Research papers written in APA style should follow the formatting rules specified in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association . Most research papers that are written for psychology courses at UCSD, including the B.S. Degree Research Paper and the Honors Thesis, have to follow APA format. Here we discuss the formatting of research papers according to APA style.
For the most accurate and comprehensive information on formatting papers in APA style, we recommend referring directly to the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association. Reputable online sources (e.g., the official APA Style website and the Purdue University Online Writing Lab’s guide to APA style) are also recommended.
According to the Publication Manual, the major sections and components of APA style research papers should adhere to the following guidelines. Note that how closely these guidelines are followed may vary depending on the course and instructor.
As of the sixth edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (released in 2010), the five possible levels of heading in APA-formatted manuscripts are: 7
Depending on the structure of your research paper, some or all of the five levels of headings may be used. The headings have a “hierarchical nested structure” where Level 1 is the highest and Level 5 is the lowest. For example, you may have a research paper which uses all five levels of heading as follows:
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2 vandenbos, g. r. (ed). (2010). (pp. 87-88). , 3 vandenbos, g. r. (ed). (2010). (pp. 23-25). , 4 vandenbos, g. r. (ed). (2010). (pp. 25-27)., 5 vandenbos, g. r. (ed). (2010). (pp. 41-49). , 6 vandenbos, g. r. (ed). (2010). (pp. 37-38, 49-51). , 7 vandenbos, g. r. (ed). (2010). (p. 62). .
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Font type and size, spacing and indentation, tables, figures, and illustrations, formatting previously published work.
All copies of a thesis or dissertation must have the following uniform margins throughout the entire document:
Exceptions : The first page of each chapter (including the introduction, if any) begins 2″ from the top of the page. Also, the headings on the title page, abstract, first page of the dedication/ acknowledgements/preface (if any), and first page of the table of contents begin 2″ from the top of the page.
Non-traditional theses or dissertations such as whole works comprised of digital, artistic, video, or performance materials (i.e., no written text, chapters, or articles) are acceptable if approved by your committee and graduate program. A PDF document with a title page, copyright page, and abstract at minimum are required to be submitted along with any relevant supplemental files.
Fonts must be 10, 11, or 12 points in size. Superscripts and subscripts (e.g., formulas, or footnote or endnote numbers) should be no more than 2 points smaller than the font size used for the body of the text.
Space and indent your thesis or dissertation following these guidelines:
Exceptions : Blocked quotations, notes, captions, legends, and long headings must be single-spaced throughout the document and double-spaced between items.
Paginate your thesis or dissertation following these guidelines:
Format footnotes for your thesis or dissertation following these guidelines:
Endnotes are an acceptable alternative to footnotes. Format endnotes for your thesis or dissertation following these guidelines:
Tables, figures, and illustrations vary widely by discipline. Therefore, formatting of these components is largely at the discretion of the author.
For example, headings and captions may appear above or below each of these components.
These components may each be placed within the main text of the document or grouped together in a separate section.
Space permitting, headings and captions for the associated table, figure, or illustration must be on the same page.
The use of color is permitted as long as it is consistently applied as part of the finished component (e.g., a color-coded pie chart) and not extraneous or unprofessional (e.g., highlighting intended solely to draw a reader's attention to a key phrase). The use of color should be reserved primarily for tables, figures, illustrations, and active website or document links throughout your thesis or dissertation.
The format you choose for these components must be consistent throughout the thesis or dissertation.
Ensure each component complies with margin and pagination requirements.
Refer to the List of Tables, Figures, and Illustrations section for additional information.
If your thesis or dissertation has appendices, they must be prepared following these guidelines:
You are required to list all the references you consulted. For specific details on formatting your references, consult and follow a style manual or professional journal that is used for formatting publications and citations in your discipline.
Your reference pages must be prepared following these guidelines:
In some cases, students gain approval from their academic program to include in their thesis or dissertation previously published (or submitted, in press, or under review) journal articles or similar materials that they have authored. For more information about including previously published works in your thesis or dissertation, see the section on Use of Your Own Previously Published Materials and the section on Copyrighting.
If your academic program has approved inclusion of such materials, please note that these materials must match the formatting guidelines set forth in this Guide regardless of how the material was formatted for publication.
Some specific formatting guidelines to consider include:
Previous: Order and Components
Next: Distribution
APA Style includes guidelines for paragraph alignment and indentation to ensure that papers are formatted in a consistent and readable manner. All writers should follow these guidelines.
Align the text of an APA Style paper to the left margin. Leave the right margin uneven, or “ragged.” Do not use full justification for student papers or manuscripts being submitted for publication.
Do not insert hyphens (manual breaks) in words at the end of line. However, it is acceptable if your word-processing program automatically inserts breaks in long hyperlinks ( such as in a DOI or URL in a reference list entry ).
Indent the first line of each paragraph of text 0.5 in. from the left margin. Use the tab key or the automatic paragraph-formatting function of your word-processing program to achieve the indentation (the default setting is likely already 0.5 in.). Do not use the space bar to create indentation.
Exceptions to these paragraph-formatting requirements are as follows:
Paragraph alignment and indentation are covered in the seventh edition APA Style manuals in the Publication Manual Sections 2.23 and 2.24 and the Concise Guide Sections 1.22 and 1.23
APA Style student papers webinar
A new APA Style webinar, “A Step-by-Step Guide for APA Style Student Papers,” taking place on September 10, 2020, will provide detailed guidance on creating, formatting, and organizing APA Style student papers.
This subreddit is for discussing academic life, and for asking questions directed towards people involved in academia, (both science and humanities).
It's probably a bit silly and an open to interpretation question, but still:
For a typical research paper / thesis, would you include any paragraphs directly under a heading (before subheadings)? Or do you always write everything under a subheading?
I've looked through many research papers and saw them laid out both ways. To easier illustrate:
----------------- or (nothing between heading and first subheading):
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As a researcher, you are increasingly encouraged, or even mandated, to make your research data available, accessible, discoverable and usable.
Sharing research data is something we are passionate about too, so we’ve created this short video and written guide to help you get started.
What is research data.
While the definition often differs per field, generally, research data refers to the results of observations or experiments that validate your research findings. These span a range of useful materials associated with your research project, including:
Raw or processed data files
Research data does not include text in manuscript or final published article form, or data or other materials submitted and published as part of a journal article.
There are so many good reasons. We’ve listed just a few:
How you benefit
You get credit for the work you've done
Leads to more citations! 1
Can boost your number of publications
Increases your exposure and may lead to new collaborations
What it means for the research community
It's easy to reuse and reinterpret your data
Duplication of experiments can be avoided
New insights can be gained, sparking new lines of inquiry
Empowers replication
And society at large…
Greater transparency boosts public faith in research
Can play a role in guiding government policy
Improves access to research for those outside health and academia
Benefits the public purse as funding of repeat work is reduced
The good news is it’s easy.
Yet to submit your research article? There are a number of options available. These may vary depending on the journal you have chosen, so be sure to read the Research Data section in its Guide for Authors before you begin.
Already published your research article? No problem – it’s never too late to share the research data associated with it.
Two of the most popular data sharing routes are:
These brief, peer-reviewed articles complement full research papers and are an easy way to receive proper credit and recognition for the work you have done. Research elements are research outputs that have come about as a result of following the research cycle – this includes things like data, methods and protocols, software, hardware and more.
You can publish research elements articles in several different Elsevier journals, including our suite of dedicated Research Elements journals . They are easy to submit, are subject to a peer review process, receive a DOI and are fully citable. They also make your work more sharable, discoverable, comprehensible, reusable and reproducible.
The accompanying raw data can still be placed in a repository of your choice (see below).
Mendeley Data is a certified, free-to-use repository that hosts open data from all disciplines, whatever its format (e.g. raw and processed data, tables, codes and software). With many Elsevier journals, it’s possible to upload and store your data to Mendeley Data during the manuscript submission process. You can also upload your data directly to the repository. In each case, your data will receive a DOI, making it independently citable and it can be linked to any associated article on ScienceDirect, making it easy for readers to find and reuse.
View an article featuring Mendeley data opens in new tab/window (just select the Research Data link in the left-hand bar or scroll down the page).
Data statements offer transparency.
We understand that there are times when the data is simply not available to post or there are good reasons why it shouldn’t be shared. A number of Elsevier journals encourage authors to submit a data statement alongside their manuscript. This statement allows you to clearly explain the data you’ve used in the article and the reasons why it might not be available. The statement will appear with the article on ScienceDirect.
View a sample data statement opens in new tab/window (just select the Research Data link in the left-hand bar or scroll down the page).
We have 3 top tips to help you maximize the impact of your data in your article on ScienceDirect.
You can create bidirectional links between any data repositories you’ve used to store your data and your online article. If you’ve published a data article, you can link to that too.
The days of being confined to static visuals are over. Our in-article interactive viewers let readers delve into the data with helpful functions such as zoom, configurable display options and full screen mode.
Get credit for your work by citing your research data in your article and adding a data reference to the reference list. This ensures you are recognized for the data you shared and/or used in your research. Read the References section in your chosen journal’s Guide for Authors for more information.
If you have yet to publish your research paper, the first step is to find the right journal for your submission and read the Guide for Authors .
Find a journal by matching paper title and abstract of your manuscript in Elsevier's JournalFinder opens in new tab/window
Find journal by title opens in new tab/window
Already published? Just view the options for sharing your research data above.
1 Several studies have now shown that making data available for an article increases article citations.
Run a free plagiarism check in 10 minutes, generate accurate citations for free.
Published on September 24, 2022 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on March 27, 2023.
The introduction to a research paper is where you set up your topic and approach for the reader. It has several key goals:
The introduction looks slightly different depending on whether your paper presents the results of original empirical research or constructs an argument by engaging with a variety of sources.
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Step 1: introduce your topic, step 2: describe the background, step 3: establish your research problem, step 4: specify your objective(s), step 5: map out your paper, research paper introduction examples, frequently asked questions about the research paper introduction.
The first job of the introduction is to tell the reader what your topic is and why it’s interesting or important. This is generally accomplished with a strong opening hook.
The hook is a striking opening sentence that clearly conveys the relevance of your topic. Think of an interesting fact or statistic, a strong statement, a question, or a brief anecdote that will get the reader wondering about your topic.
For example, the following could be an effective hook for an argumentative paper about the environmental impact of cattle farming:
A more empirical paper investigating the relationship of Instagram use with body image issues in adolescent girls might use the following hook:
Don’t feel that your hook necessarily has to be deeply impressive or creative. Clarity and relevance are still more important than catchiness. The key thing is to guide the reader into your topic and situate your ideas.
This part of the introduction differs depending on what approach your paper is taking.
In a more argumentative paper, you’ll explore some general background here. In a more empirical paper, this is the place to review previous research and establish how yours fits in.
After you’ve caught your reader’s attention, specify a bit more, providing context and narrowing down your topic.
Provide only the most relevant background information. The introduction isn’t the place to get too in-depth; if more background is essential to your paper, it can appear in the body .
For a paper describing original research, you’ll instead provide an overview of the most relevant research that has already been conducted. This is a sort of miniature literature review —a sketch of the current state of research into your topic, boiled down to a few sentences.
This should be informed by genuine engagement with the literature. Your search can be less extensive than in a full literature review, but a clear sense of the relevant research is crucial to inform your own work.
Begin by establishing the kinds of research that have been done, and end with limitations or gaps in the research that you intend to respond to.
The next step is to clarify how your own research fits in and what problem it addresses.
In an argumentative research paper, you can simply state the problem you intend to discuss, and what is original or important about your argument.
In an empirical research paper, try to lead into the problem on the basis of your discussion of the literature. Think in terms of these questions:
You can make the connection between your problem and the existing research using phrases like the following.
Although has been studied in detail, insufficient attention has been paid to . | You will address a previously overlooked aspect of your topic. |
The implications of study deserve to be explored further. | You will build on something suggested by a previous study, exploring it in greater depth. |
It is generally assumed that . However, this paper suggests that … | You will depart from the consensus on your topic, establishing a new position. |
Now you’ll get into the specifics of what you intend to find out or express in your research paper.
The way you frame your research objectives varies. An argumentative paper presents a thesis statement, while an empirical paper generally poses a research question (sometimes with a hypothesis as to the answer).
The thesis statement expresses the position that the rest of the paper will present evidence and arguments for. It can be presented in one or two sentences, and should state your position clearly and directly, without providing specific arguments for it at this point.
The research question is the question you want to answer in an empirical research paper.
Present your research question clearly and directly, with a minimum of discussion at this point. The rest of the paper will be taken up with discussing and investigating this question; here you just need to express it.
A research question can be framed either directly or indirectly.
If your research involved testing hypotheses , these should be stated along with your research question. They are usually presented in the past tense, since the hypothesis will already have been tested by the time you are writing up your paper.
For example, the following hypothesis might respond to the research question above:
The final part of the introduction is often dedicated to a brief overview of the rest of the paper.
In a paper structured using the standard scientific “introduction, methods, results, discussion” format, this isn’t always necessary. But if your paper is structured in a less predictable way, it’s important to describe the shape of it for the reader.
If included, the overview should be concise, direct, and written in the present tense.
Full examples of research paper introductions are shown in the tabs below: one for an argumentative paper, the other for an empirical paper.
Are cows responsible for climate change? A recent study (RIVM, 2019) shows that cattle farmers account for two thirds of agricultural nitrogen emissions in the Netherlands. These emissions result from nitrogen in manure, which can degrade into ammonia and enter the atmosphere. The study’s calculations show that agriculture is the main source of nitrogen pollution, accounting for 46% of the country’s total emissions. By comparison, road traffic and households are responsible for 6.1% each, the industrial sector for 1%. While efforts are being made to mitigate these emissions, policymakers are reluctant to reckon with the scale of the problem. The approach presented here is a radical one, but commensurate with the issue. This paper argues that the Dutch government must stimulate and subsidize livestock farmers, especially cattle farmers, to transition to sustainable vegetable farming. It first establishes the inadequacy of current mitigation measures, then discusses the various advantages of the results proposed, and finally addresses potential objections to the plan on economic grounds.
The rise of social media has been accompanied by a sharp increase in the prevalence of body image issues among women and girls. This correlation has received significant academic attention: Various empirical studies have been conducted into Facebook usage among adolescent girls (Tiggermann & Slater, 2013; Meier & Gray, 2014). These studies have consistently found that the visual and interactive aspects of the platform have the greatest influence on body image issues. Despite this, highly visual social media (HVSM) such as Instagram have yet to be robustly researched. This paper sets out to address this research gap. We investigated the effects of daily Instagram use on the prevalence of body image issues among adolescent girls. It was hypothesized that daily Instagram use would be associated with an increase in body image concerns and a decrease in self-esteem ratings.
The introduction of a research paper includes several key elements:
and your problem statement
Don’t feel that you have to write the introduction first. The introduction is often one of the last parts of the research paper you’ll write, along with the conclusion.
This is because it can be easier to introduce your paper once you’ve already written the body ; you may not have the clearest idea of your arguments until you’ve written them, and things can change during the writing process .
The way you present your research problem in your introduction varies depending on the nature of your research paper . A research paper that presents a sustained argument will usually encapsulate this argument in a thesis statement .
A research paper designed to present the results of empirical research tends to present a research question that it seeks to answer. It may also include a hypothesis —a prediction that will be confirmed or disproved by your research.
If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.
Caulfield, J. (2023, March 27). Writing a Research Paper Introduction | Step-by-Step Guide. Scribbr. Retrieved July 23, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/research-paper/research-paper-introduction/
Other students also liked, writing strong research questions | criteria & examples, writing a research paper conclusion | step-by-step guide, research paper format | apa, mla, & chicago templates, what is your plagiarism score.
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There are five levels of heading in APA Style. Level 1 is the highest or main level of heading, Level 2 is a subheading of Level 1, Level 3 is a subheading of Level 2, and so on through Levels 4 and 5. The number of headings to use in a paper depends on the length and complexity of the work. If only one level of heading is needed, use Level 1.
No internal heading level should have only one instance. For example, if you have one level 1 heading, you need to have a second level 1 heading. (The exceptions are the paper or chapter title and the headings for notes and the list of works cited.) You should also generally have text under each heading. Capitalization. Capitalize headings like ...
Capitalization, formatting and sequencing. At the outset, make a plan for how you will deal with matters of capitalization, formatting and sequencing of headings. Headings at the same level should be formatted the same. For instance, "Section 2.2" should get the same treatment as "Section 4.1".
Headings and subheadings provide structure to a document. They signal what each section. is about and allow for easy navigation of the document. APA headings have five possible levels. Each heading level is formatted differently. Note: Title case simply means that you should capitalize the first word, words with four or more letters, and all ...
Definition. APA headings and subheadings refers to the rules for formatting sections of documents in the 7th Edition of the American Psychological Association's Publication Manual. A research paper written in APA style should be organized into sections and subsections using the five levels of APA headings. Related Concepts:
Formatting an APA paper. The main guidelines for formatting a paper in APA Style are as follows: Use a standard font like 12 pt Times New Roman or 11 pt Arial. Set 1 inch page margins. Apply double line spacing. If submitting for publication, insert a APA running head on every page. Indent every new paragraph ½ inch.
5 Levels of Headings. Heading.Level. Heading.Format. 1. Centered, Bold, Title Case. Paragraph begins here, on the line after the heading. This example is singled spaced, but should be double-spaced as all text in the paper. 2. Flush Left, Bold, Title Case.
Set the top, bottom, and side margins of your paper at 1 inch. Use double-spaced text throughout your paper. Use a standard font, such as Times New Roman or Arial, in a legible size (10- to 12-point). Use continuous pagination throughout the paper, including the title page and the references section.
The main specifics regarding Chicago and MLA headings and subheadings are that they should be written in title case (major words capitalized, most minor words lowercase) and not end in a period. Both styles allow you, however, to number your sections and subsections, for example with an Arabic number and a period, followed by a space and then ...
Headings are used to help guide the reader through a document. The levels are organized by levels of subordination, and each section of the paper should start with the highest level of heading. There are 5 heading levels in APA. Regardless of the number of levels, always use the headings in order, beginning with level 1.
Center, Bold, Title Case Heading. Text begins as a new paragraph. 2: Flush Left, Bold, Title Case Heading Text beings as a new paragraph. 3: Flush Left, Bold Italic, Title Case Heading Text begins as a new paragraph. 4 Indented, Bold, Title Case Heading, Ending With a Period. Text begins on the same line and continues as a regular paragraph. 5
There are five levels of headings available to use in an APA formatted paper. These headings indicate the hierchy of the information within the paper. For example, if your paper contains the standard main sections Method, Results, and Discussion, these should all use the first-level heading. Method (level one) Results (level one)
Headings are used to help guide the reader through a document. There are five levels of headings in APA. Always use the headings in order, beginning with level 1. Only use as may headings as are needed to differentiate between sections of a paper. Headings are not necessary if your paper doesn't have separate sections. See more guidance below.
Subsections of your major headings should be the next level down. Level 2 headings will be left aligned, bold, and title case. They should look like this: Level 2 Heading. Once you have formatted a level 2 heading, select the text of the heading then right click on Heading 2 in the Styles pane and select "Update Heading 2 to Match Selection."
Begin the paper with an introduction to provide background on the topic, cite related studies, and contextualize the paper. Use descriptive headings to identify other sections as needed (e.g., Method, Results, Discussion for quantitative research papers). Sections and headings vary depending on the paper type and its complexity.
Here are the most important style guidelines from the 7th edition of the APA Publication Manual: Use a standard-sized paper (8.5″ x 11″). Set margins of 1 inch on all sides. Add a page header ("running head") at the top of every page. Keep the running head short (50 characters). Mention the page number on every page.
Papers should have at least 1-in. margins on all sides. 1; All text should be double spaced. 1; ... some or all of the five levels of headings may be used. The headings have a "hierarchical nested structure" where Level 1 is the highest and Level 5 is the lowest. ... you may have a research paper which uses all five levels of heading as ...
Tips on using major headings, subheadings, minor headings in research papers. Try this test: Choose someone who knows next to nothing about your subject, give her or him a draft of your paper, and get the reader to construct an organogram (also known as an organizational chart) from all the headings you have used.
A research paper outline is a useful tool to aid in the writing process, providing a structure to follow with all information to be included in the paper clearly organized. ... Your headings should be divided into two or more subsections. There is no limit to how many subsections you can include under each heading, but keep in mind that the ...
The text following should be moved up or the heading should be moved down. This is something to check near the end of formatting, as other adjustments to text and spacing may change where headings appear on the page. ... If your document contains landscape pages (pages in which the top of the page is the long side of a sheet of paper), make ...
headings: Level 1 headings should be centered (and in bold), and Level 2 and 3 headings should be left-aligned (and in bold or bold italic, respectively). Level 4 and 5 headings are indented like regular paragraphs. tables and figures: Table and figure numbers (in bold), titles (in italics), and notes should be flush left. reference list ...
Personally, I prefer not to have a heading immediately followed by a subheading. If you have difficulty coming up with text to put between the two, use the following trick: Tell the reader what is coming. This is generally a good idea, as it prepares the reader for what to expect and perhaps put it into context. 2.
These brief, peer-reviewed articles complement full research papers and are an easy way to receive proper credit and recognition for the work you have done. Research elements are research outputs that have come about as a result of following the research cycle - this includes things like data, methods and protocols, software, hardware and more.
Table of contents. Step 1: Introduce your topic. Step 2: Describe the background. Step 3: Establish your research problem. Step 4: Specify your objective (s) Step 5: Map out your paper. Research paper introduction examples. Frequently asked questions about the research paper introduction.