Apa Style Research

• Submitted By:Eisha Gul
• Submitted To:Sir Ali Khan

• Roll Number :5018-20181
• Department:English
• Subject:Research Methodology
• Date:18th March, 2024
• APA STYLE:
• Stands For:
American Psychological Association.
• Definition:
APA style is a set of guidelines for writing and formatting research papers in
psychology and related fields.
OR
APA provides specific guidelines for nearly all aspects of manuscript formatting, from
font choice to margins and punctuation.
APA is frequently used in the fields of economics, criminology, political science,

sociology, business, and pedagogy.
When we talk about APA style in research, we are talking about the rules for what a
research paper must contain and how it should be written.
• Why Do We Use APA Style?

We use APA style for several important reasons. First, APA is referred to
as a citation style because it includes specific rules for how the
references you cite should be formatted and indicated in your research
paper. Proper citation ensures that you will never be accused of
plagiarism and lets others who read your paper understand where you
got your information.
Second, APA style provides style and writing guidelines to make sure that
your research paper is easy to read and has all of the necessary
elements. The primary purpose of APA style is to promote scientific
communication by facilitating clarity of expression and standardizing the
organization and content of manuscript formatting.
• What Does APA Style Include?
So, what is included in an APA style research paper? In fact, APA style
has three levels. The first level dictates organization. The second level
addresses writing style and language use. The third level deals with
mechanics such as punctuation.
Let’s begin with the first level
Level 1 - Organization
An APA style research paper must include:
A title page- limit your title to a maximum of 12 words and avoid the use
of abbreviations and unnecessary words.
An abstract- the abstract should discuss the topic under study, the
research questions, any subjects of the research, your research
methods, the findings/results, analysis of the data, and your
conclusions.
An introduction- address the problem and premise upon which the

research was based.
Your methodology- explain in detail how you did your research.
Your results- explain what you found.
A discussion- talk about what your findings mean.
References- a list of the sources you cited.

There are more specific guidelines for the manuscript formatting of
abstracts and title pages, many examples of which can easily be found
by referring to the APA Manual of Style.
Level 2 - Writing Style
An APA style research paper should be written formally. Your intended

audience is other academics, your colleagues, and you want to
communicate with them very clearly and professionally. This means:
• No slang
• No pop culture references
• No humor
• Minimize literary devices (metaphors, irony, imagery, etc.)
• Be direct and straightforward
• Use technical terms, but only where appropriate
• Avoid biased language
In other words, your writing should sound as clear and neutral as
possible. It is recommended that you avoid using colorful language to try
to sound fancy. For example, if you had your research subjects jump up
and down on one leg for ten minutes, say so. Don’t try to use complex
phrasing like “participants utilized a unipedal movement to propel
themselves off of the ground and then return to land.” With regard to
biased language, always use gender-inclusive language (firefighters vs.
firemen). Use specific group labels (Asian Americans vs. minorities) and
avoid euphemisms (adults with learning disabilities vs. special adults).
It’s always a good idea to Google search any terms you want to use if you
aren’t sure whether they are offensive or not.
Level 3 - Mechanics
APA style manuscript formatting demands the use of double-spacing and

8.5 x 11 paper with 1-inch margins. Times New Roman 12pt font is
recommended. There are a large number of specific recommendations
for proper manuscript formatting of an APA style paper, which can be
found in the APA Manual of Style. Some of the most common
recommendations include:
• Use title case for headings

• Use numerals for numbers 10 and above
• Hyphenate compound adjectives that precede a noun (fact-checking
organization,not fact checking organization)
• Spell out a term before introducing its abbreviation in parentheses (the
United Nations (UN))
• Left align all tables and figures
• Use in-text citations for sources
• Use footnotes sparingly
What is APA Citation?
Citation in APA style follows a specific format. In general, you should cite
citations in the text and then provide the full citation in the “References”
section at the end of your paper. Note that APA style requires this section
to be titled “References.” “Works Cited” or “Bibliography” is not an
acceptable alternative in APA style manuscript formatting.
Citation style will differ somewhat depending on whether you are citing a
journal article, book, blog entry, news article, conference paper, social
media post, or some other type of media. For the sake of a simple
example, we will cite a journal article here.
• In-text Citation Example:
• According to some scholars (Lee, 2005), civil society in South Korea plays
a divisive rather than a unifying role in the nation’s fledgling democracy.
• Lee (2005) argues that civil society in South Korea plays a divisive rather
than a unifying role in the nation’s fledgling democracy.
• References Citation Example:
• Lee, S. J. (2005). Democratization and polarization in Korean society.

Asian Perspective, 99-125.
• Fortunately, you don’t need to worry about memorizing the tricky details
of APA citation for every media format you might cite in your research
paper. Citation generators abound online that can do the job for you.
However, it’s always a good idea to double-check the APA Manual of
Style to make sure your references are cited correctly.

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• Submitted By:Eisha Gul

• Submitted To:Sir Ali Khan

APA is frequently used in the fields of economics, criminology, political science,

• Why Do We Use APA Style?

An APA style research paper must include:

An introduction- address the problem and premise upon which the

Your methodology- explain in detail how you did your research.

Your results- explain what you found.

A discussion- talk about what your findings mean.

References- a list of the sources you cited.

Level 2 - Writing Style

An APA style research paper should be written formally. Your intended

APA style manuscript formatting demands the use of double-spacing and

• Use title case for headings

What is APA Citation?

• In-text Citation Example:

• Lee, S. J. (2005). Democratization and polarization in Korean society.

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