Guideline for CCU students on properly formatting a paper according to APA standards.

1. Updated: 8/20/2012

2. W hat is APA?
The American Psychological Association (APA) citation
style is the most commonly used format for manuscripts
in the social sciences.
APA regulates:
• Stylistics
• In-text citations
• References

3. Gener al For mat
• 1” margins on all sides set for printing on standard
8.5”x11” paper.
• Include header (title) in the upper left-hand of every
page and a page number in the upper right-hand
side of every page.
* Cover page only includes “Running head:”
• Use 12 pt. Times New Roman.
• Lines are double-spaced with no extra spacing after
paragraphs.
• Two spaces between sentences.

4. APA Paper
Sections
References
References
Most short papers will
not need an abstract,
but if required, it goes Main Body
Main Body
here.
Abstract
Abstract
Title page

5. Title Page
Running head: APA FORMATTING GUIDE 1
Page header:
•Use “Insert Page Header” to set this up.
•Title must be flush left + page number
flush right.
•Verbiage “Running head:” will only be
found on the title page.
APA Formatting Guide
Student Name
Colorado Christian University
Title:
•Centered
•Include your name (no title or degree)
and affiliation (university, etc.).

6. APA Headings
APA uses a system of five heading levels
Level APA Heading Format
1 Centered, Boldface, Uppercase and Lowercase
2 Left-aligned, Boldface, Uppercase and Lowercase
3 Indented, boldface, lowercase with a period.
4 Indented, boldface, italicized, lowercase with a period.
5 Indented, italicized, lowercase with a period.

7. APA: Main Body
(Text) APA FORMATTING GUIDE 1
APA Formatting Guide
Formatting a paper according to the American Psychological Association (APA)
guidelines takes practice and repetition. With that in mind, here are some things to watch for
• Header: Title (without when setting up papers in APA style, followed by some general recommendations that will help
you write excellent college papers.
“Running Head:”) + page
When beginning a paper, be sure to set the margins to one inch on the left, right, top, and
bottom of your page. Then set the font to Times New Roman, 12 pt. The next thing is to ensure
number.
that the line spacing of the paper is set to double-spaced, with “0” line spacing before and after
each line (go to Page Layout and change the Before and After settings to 0). Adjusting the
default page setting in Microsoft Word (MS Word) will set the margins, font, and line spacing
automatically with each new paper. You can also open the Page Layout menu and make these
settings there.
• Title: Centered at the top Next, on the first page, which will become your title page, double click near the top of the
page to open the header box. Next, under the Header and Footer Tools tab, Design, select
of the first page in the Different First Page. Then, open the Page Number menu, select Top of Page and Page Number
3. Next to the page number, type in Running head: followed by an abbreviated title for your
body of your paper. paper, all in CAPS. Finally, hit the Tab key until it moves your Running head and title left to the
left margin. Note: You may need to change the font and size of the Running head and page
number to Times New Roman, size 12. The Running head for your first page is now completed.
When you begin your second page, you will need to repeat this procedure for the Running head
• Never use creative effects since you selected Different First Page, but all subsequent headers should format automatically.
Please note that the words, “Running head,” only appear on the first page.
(i.e. graphic art, extra
lines, or WordArt.

8. Main Body (Text)
APA FORMATTING GUIDE 1
APA Formatting Guide
Formatting a paper according to the American Psychological Association (APA)
guidelines takes practice and repetition. With that in mind, here are some things to watch for
• Paragraphs indented a when setting up papers in APA style, followed by some general recommendations that will help
you write excellent college papers.
full one-half inch.
When beginning a paper, be sure to set the margins to one inch on the left, right, top, and
bottom of your page. Then set the font to Times New Roman, 12 pt. The next thing is to ensure
that the line spacing of the paper is set to double-spaced, with “0” line spacing before and after
each line (go to Page Layout and change the Before and After settings to 0). Adjusting the
• Left justified only
default page setting in Microsoft Word (MS Word) will set the margins, font, and line spacing
automatically with each new paper. You can also open the Page Layout menu and make these
settings there.
Next, on the first page, which will become your title page, double click near the top of the
page to open the header box. Next, under the Header and Footer Tools tab, Design, select
• Two spaces after every Different First Page. Then, open the Page Number menu, select Top of Page and Page Number
3. Next to the page number, type in Running head: followed by an abbreviated title for your
sentence. paper, all in CAPS. Finally, hit the Tab key until it moves your Running head and title left to the
left margin. Note: You may need to change the font and size of the Running head and page
number to Times New Roman, size 12. The Running head for your first page is now completed.
When you begin your second page, you will need to repeat this procedure for the Running head
• Numbers one through ten since you selected Different First Page, but all subsequent headers should format automatically.
Please note that the words, “Running head,” only appear on the first page.
must be spelled out in
your text.

9. APA Style
Language in an APA paper is:
• Clear: be specific in descriptions and explanations.

10. APA Style
Language in an APA paper is:
• Clear: be specific in descriptions and explanations.
• Concise: condense information when you can.

11. APA Style
Language in an APA paper is:
• Clear: be specific in descriptions and explanations.
• Concise: condense information when you can.
• Plain: use simple, descriptive adjectives and
minimize figurative language (i.e. Idioms).

12. APA Style
Language in an APA paper is:
• Clear: be specific in descriptions and explanations.
• Concise: condense information when you can.
• Plain: use simple, descriptive adjectives and
minimize figurative language (i.e. Idioms).
• Avoid speaking Christianese, legalese, or any other
jargonese.

13. APA Style:
Language
Perspective and Voice in an APA paper is:
• Active voice (minimal if any passive voice).

14. APA Style:
Language
Perspective and Voice in an APA paper is:
• Active voice (minimal if any passive voice).
• Very limited personal pronoun use.
(never use “you should/must/will . . .”)

15. Citation Signal
Wor ds
Introduce quotations with signal phrases.
According to Adam Xanderman (2008), “. . .” (p. 3).
Xanderman (2008) has argued that “ . . .” (p. 3).
Other options include (but are not limited to):
acknowledged, contended , maintained , responded ,
reported, argued, concluded, and etcetera.
* APA requires the use of the past tense or the present
perfect tense of verbs (i.e. has/have + past participle) in
signal phrases.

16. APA Citation Basics
In-text citations help readers locate the cited source
in the References section of the paper.
Whenever you use a source, provide in parenthesis:
• Author’s name and the date of publication
Example: (Smith, 2011)
• For quotations and close paraphrases, add a
page number.
Example: (Smith, 2011, p. 110)

17. APA Biblical Quote
When citing from the Bible, the first passage cited
should include the version you are citing, fully spelled
out.
“For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain” Phil.
1:21 (New International Version).

18. APA: Direct Quote
When quoting, introduce the quotation with a signal
phrase. This can include the author’s name, the year of
publication, the page number, but keep the citation
brief—do not repeat the information.

19. APA: Direct Quote
When quoting, introduce the quotation with a signal
phrase. This can include the author’s name, the year of
publication, the page number, but keep the citation
brief—do not repeat the information.
Smith (2011) wrote in his book, Courage and Calling,
Embracing Your God-Given Potential, “we first need
to know that what we are doing comes from God” (p.
110).

20. APA: Direct Quote
When quoting, introduce the quotation with a signal
phrase. This can include the author’s name, the year of
publication, the page number, but keep the citation
brief—do not repeat the information.
Smith (2011) wrote in his book, Courage and Calling,
Embracing Your God-Given Potential, “we first need
to know that what we are doing comes from God” (p.
110).
In the book, Courage and Calling, Embracing Your
God-Given Potential, we are reminded “we first need
to know that what we are doing comes from God”
(Smith, 2011, p. 110).

21. APA: Direct Quote
A Wor k with Two Author s
When citing a work with two authors, use “and”
in between authors’ name in the signal phrase yet
“&” between their names in parenthesis.
According to feminist researchers Raitt and Tate
(1997), “It is no longer true to claim that women's
responses to the war have been ignored” (p. 2).
Some feminists researchers question that “women's
responses to the war have been ignored” (Raitt &
Tate, 1997, p. 2).

22. APA: Direct Quote
A Wor k with T hree to Five authors
When citing a work with three to five authors, identify
all authors in the signal phrase or in parenthesis.
(Harklau, Siegal, and Losey, 1999)
In subsequent citations, only use the first author's last
name followed by "et al." in the signal phrase or in
parentheses.
(Harklau et al., 1993)

23. APA: Direct Quote
A Wor k with Six and More Author s
When citing a work with six and more authors, identify
the first author’s name followed by “et al.”
Smith et al. (2006) maintained that….
(Smith et al., 2006)

24. APA: Direct Quote
A Wor k of Unknown Author
For works with an unknown author, use the source’s
full title in the signal phrase and cite the first word of
the title followed by the year of publication in
parenthesis.
•Article and chapter titles are set in quotation marks.
•Books and reports are italicized.
According to Publication Manual of the American
Psychological Association (2010), “…” (Publication,
2010).

25. APA: Direct Quote
Or ganization
When citing an organization, mention the organization
the first time when you cite the source in the signal
phrase or the parenthetical citation.
The data collected by the Food and Drug
Administration (2008) confirmed that…
If the organization has a well-known abbreviation,
include the abbreviation in brackets the first time the
source is cited and then use only the abbreviation in
later citations.
Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
confirmed … FDA’s experts tested…

26. APA Block Quote
When citing quotations of 40 words or more, you
should format it in a block style. Indent the entire
quotation one half inch (or .5 inches) from only the left
margin and double-space it.
As a people, we have forgotten how to delay
pleasure. We are living in a society that
microwaves everything. We must have it, and
we must have it now! As Brian Tracy, a well-
known motivational speaker, says, “We are
being taught by everything around us to have
dessert before dinner.” Now we are paying for
our lack of knowledge and discipline. (Ramsey,
2003, p. 8)

27. APA Summar y or
Par aphr ase
Include the author’s name in a signal phrase followed
by the year of publication in parenthesis.
Recently, the history of warfare has been
significantly revised by Higonnet et al. (1987),
Marcus (1989), and Raitt and Tate (1997) to
include women’s personal and cultural responses
to battle and its resultant traumatic
effects.

28. APA: Per sonal
Communication
When citing interviews, letters, e-mails, etc., include the
communicator’s name, the fact that it was personal
communication, and the date of the communication.
Do not include personal communication in the
reference list.
Elizabeth Harger also claimed that many of her
students had challenges with APA style
(personal communication, November 3, 2011).
Or,
(Harger, personal communication, January 4,
2012).

29. Refer ences Page
• Center title “References” APA FORMATTING GUIDE 5
at the top of the page. References
th
American Psychological Association. (2009). Concise rules of APA style (6 ed.). Washington,
* Do not bold. DC: Author.
The Holy Bible: Today’s new international version. (2005). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.
th
Kennedy, X. J., Kennedy, D. M., Muth, M. F., (2011). The Bedford guide for college writers (9
• Double-space lines ed.). Boston MA: Bedford/ St. Martin’s.
Jackson, Shirley. (2011). The lottery. In X. J. Kennedy, D. M. Kennedy, & M. F. Muth (Eds.),
th
The Bedford guide for college writers (9 ed., pp. 257-264). Boston, MA: Bedford/St.
Martin’s.
• Use a hanging indent. th
Lunsford, A. (2010). The everyday writer (4 ed.). Boston, MA: Bedford/St. Martin’s.
Smith, G. (2011). Courage & calling: Embracing your God-given potential (Rev. ed.). Downers
* Flush left the first line of the entry and indent Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
subsequent lines one-half inch.
• Alphabetize entries by the
author’s surnames.

30. Refer ences:
Basics
• Invert authors’names using first and middle
initials. Example: “Smith, G. T.”)
• Alphabetize list entries by the last name of the
first author of each work.
• Capitalize only the first letter of the first word of a
title and subtitle, the first word after a colon or a
dash in the title, and proper nouns.
* Do not capitalize the first letter of the second word in a hyphenated compound word.
• Italicize titles of longer works such as books and
journals. * See APA Guide for specifics on how to format other types of work.

31. Refer ences:
Examples
American Psychological Association. (2009). Concise rules of
APA style (6th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.
The Holy Bible: Today’s new international version. (2005).
Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.
Kennedy, X. J., Kennedy, D. M., Muth, M. F., (2011). The Bedford
guide for college writers (9th ed.). Boston MA: Bedford/ St.
Martin’s.
Lunsford, A. A. (2010). The everyday writer (4th ed.). Boston,
MA: Bedford/St. Martin’s.
Smith, G. T. (2011). Courage & calling: Embracing your God-
given potential (Rev. ed.). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity
Press.

32. Additional APA
Resour ces
APA website http://www.apastyle.org
APA – Citation Machine: http://citationmachine.net