Crafting a Professional APA Cover Letter: A Comprehensive Guide

In the competitive job market, a well-crafted cover letter is essential for making a positive first
impression on potential employers. If you're applying for a position and need guidance on creating
an APA-style cover letter, you've come to the right place. In this comprehensive guide, we will walk
you through the key elements of an APA cover letter and provide you with a practical example to
help you get started.

Understanding APA Format for Cover Letters

The American Psychological Association (APA) style is widely used in academic and professional
writing, and it offers a structured and standardized format. When it comes to cover letters, following
APA guidelines can help ensure your document looks polished and professional.

Key elements of an APA cover letter include:

1. Header: Include your contact information, the date, and the employer's contact details at the
top of the page.
2. Salutation: Address the hiring manager by name, if possible, or use a generic salutation such
as "Dear Hiring Manager."
3. Introduction: Start with a concise and engaging introduction that states the position you're
applying for and briefly outlines your qualifications.
4. Body Paragraphs: Use two or three paragraphs to highlight your relevant skills, experiences,
and accomplishments. Focus on how your skills match the job requirements.
5. Closing Paragraph: Conclude your cover letter by expressing your enthusiasm for the
position and indicating your desire for an interview.
6. Complimentary Close: Use a professional closing, such as "Sincerely" or "Best Regards,"
followed by your full name.

Sample APA Cover Letter

Below is an example of an APA-style cover letter for reference:

[Your Name] [Your Address] [City, State ZIP Code] [Your Email Address] [Your Phone Number]
[Date]

[Employer's Name] [Company Name] [Company Address] [City, State ZIP Code]

Dear [Employer's Name],

I am writing to express my interest in the [Job Title] position at [Company Name], as advertised on
your company website. With a [Number of Years] years of experience in [Your Field], I am confident
in my ability to contribute to your team's success.

In my previous role at [Previous Company], I successfully [highlight a significant achievement or

I am excited about the opportunity to bring my skills and enthusiasm to your team and contribute to
the ongoing success of [Company Name]. I look forward to the possibility of discussing how my
qualifications align with your needs in more detail.
Thank you for considering my application. I am eager to further discuss how my skills make me a
strong fit for the [Job Title] position at [Company Name].

Sincerely,

[Your Full Name]

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Include labels and a legend if needed, and only use color when necessary (not to make it look more
appealing). Below you'll find some strategies for presenting your qualifications effectively in an
academic context. If the purpose of your letter is employment related, consider ending your letter
with your contact information. Center and bold the label “Author Note.” Align the paragraphs of the
author note to the left. How to write a cover letter for journal article submission. APA provides a
student title page guide (PDF, 199KB) to assist students in creating their title pages. The cover letter
pages are organized into the following sections. When printing this page, you must include the entire
legal notice. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed
without permission. After developing my dissertation into a book manuscript, I plan to continue my
work in current composition theory through a critical examination of the rhetoric of technological
advancement in the computer-mediated writing classroom. The materials collected here do not
express the views of, or positions held by, Purdue University. 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. You can download the Word
files to use as templates and edit them as needed for the purposes of your own papers. The title page
of a student paper serves as a representation of the author. I argue that these more recent theoretical
models, while promising, cannot have the liberating effects that are claimed for them without a
concomitant reconception of writing pedagogy and the dynamics of the writing classroom.
Remember, it’s crucial to customize each cover letter to the job and organization to which you are
applying. This website collects and publishes the ideas of individuals who have contributed those
ideas in their capacities as faculty-mentored student scholars. Without the key words, your
application may not get passed along to the hiring decision-makers. Your letter should be clear and
concise, highlighting the most important information. Don’t use too much jargon or too many
acronyms, keep language straightforward and easy to read. There are both student and professional
versions of the title page. If there are three or more authors, separate the authors” names with
commas and use “and” before the last author’s name. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our
terms and conditions of fair use. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions
of fair use. The date and closing are tabbed to the center point Click here to see examples of all three
formats on the Purdue OWL. It usually includes four main sections: the header, the salutation, the
body, and the closing. The APA cover letter should be concise, professional, and clearly
communicate the applicant’s qualifications and suitability for the position. The contents of the
abstract appear directly under the label. Don’t use superscript numbers if all authors are affiliated
with the same institution (and department). A few short paragraphs within the body of the letter
should be enough to support your reasoning.
Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use. Page numbers should
be right-aligned in the page header. However, there are specific guidelines for professional papers
versus student papers, including professional and student title page formats. I am excited about the
prospect of joining your team and learning from professionals in the field. By following these
guidelines, you can create a compelling cover letter that showcases your qualifications and
demonstrates your interest in the role. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast,
rewritten, or redistributed without permission. Regardless of which format you choose, your cover
letter should follow some general content guidelines. Give their full names (first name, middle
initial(s) and last name), but don’t include titles (Dr., Prof.) or degrees (Ph.D., MSc). Language
should be formal, clear, and concise, avoiding any unnecessary jargon or complex terms. An APA
style cover letter also requires the use of one-inch margins on all sides of the page, and a running
head at the top of each page. Leave a minimum of one blank line between the affiliation and the
author note title. Upload your document to correct all your mistakes. Remember, it’s crucial to
customize each cover letter to the job and organization to which you are applying. The materials
collected here do not express the views of, or positions held by, Purdue University. Students should
use the student version of the title page unless their instructor or institution has requested they use
the professional version. Here you list all sources that you’ve cited in your paper (through APA in-
text citations ). In sum, a professional should add a title page to comply with academic standards. ??
Can I get creative with the title's font of my paper? No. There is no need for a running head (as was
the case in APA 6th edition). For student papers, the page header usually consists of just a page
number in the page’s top-right corner. The student version of the APA title page should include the
following information (double spaced and centered). These differences mostly extend to the title
page and running head. Omit this part if the authors don't have ORCID iDs. When printing this page,
you must include the entire legal notice. Center the affiliation on the next double-spaced line after
the author name(s). There are both student and professional versions of the title page. These may take
the form of background information, statistics or first-hand accounts. Include both the name of any
department and the name of the college, university, or other institution, separated by a comma. Word
template professional APA cover page (6th edition) Word template professional APA cover page (7th
edition) APA cover page: Author note format An author note in a professional paper can be found at
the bottom of the cover page. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten,
or redistributed without permission. This website collects and publishes the ideas of individuals who
have contributed those ideas in their capacities as faculty-mentored student scholars. This can help
prevent such errors as missing punctuation or naming the wrong school or organization when sending
out multiple cover letters.
Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use. Fourth paragraph:
give the contact information of the author(s). Please include what you were doing when this page
came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. Do not use the label “Running
head:” before the running head. APA (7th edition) guidelines require that running heads be a
maximum of 50 characters (spaces count as characters). This note may contain the author’s ORCID
iD, affiliation changes, disclosures of conflicts of interest, brief acknowledgments, and contact
information (in that specific order). Center the instructor name on the next double-spaced line after
the course number and name. It’s typically used for academic, scholarly, or scientific applications,
and emphasizes clarity, precision, and inclusivity. If your instructor wants you to include a table of
contents, it’s best to follow the general guidelines. A few short paragraphs within the body of the
letter should be enough to support your reasoning. A few short paragraphs within the body of the
letter should be enough to support your reasoning. Further reading For more details not covered in
this guide, take a look at the following sources. Here’s an example of a professional APA cover
letter. These may take the form of background information, statistics or first-hand accounts.
Currently revising the third of five chapters, I expect to complete all work for the Ph.D. by May of
1999. I believe that my teaching and tutoring experience combined with my course work and
research background in rhetoric and composition theory make me a strong candidate for the position
outlined in your notice. If you learn better by watching than by reading, here are two YouTube
tutorials that will help you create a title page: APA Style 7th Edition: Student Paper Formatting and
APA Style 7th Edition: Professional Paper Formatting by Samuel Forlenza, PhD. This material may
not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. I am eager to
further discuss my qualifications and how I can contribute to your team. Do not use superscript
numerals if all authors share the same affiliations (see Section 2.3 of the Publication Manual for
more). Text in footnotes and figure images may be smaller and use single line spacing. When
printing this page, you must include the entire legal notice. Center the affiliation on the next double-
spaced line after the author names; when there are multiple affiliations, center each affiliation on its
own line. As a student, the title page helps your instructor identify on a glance who wrote the paper,
what the topic is, and for what course. However, if the purpose is informational, think about closing
with gratitude for the reader's time. She has previously worked in healthcare and educational sectors.
The title page of a professional paper serves as a representation of the author. For more information
on the peer review process and possible manuscript decisions, see Section 12.7 of the Publication
Manual. I argue that these more recent theoretical models, while promising, cannot have the
liberating effects that are claimed for them without a concomitant reconception of writing pedagogy
and the dynamics of the writing classroom. The maximum length is 50 characters (counting spaces).
You should also check the IFAs for any journal specific information on what to include.