Vital Prompts For Writing An Essay In APA Format
The APA Style of writing was developed to ease the understanding of naturally complex scientific writing. This style uses a simple set of procedures and formatting to produce clear, bold ideas and research. Like most writing styles, APA follows a very specific set of rules. These are:
- Manuscript Structure
- Headings
- Be mindful of the language you use.
- Proper In-Text Citations
- Your Reference List (Bibliography)
There are very specific parts when it comes to the overall structure of an APA paper. You can break these down into the: title page, abstract, introduction, method, results, discussion, and finally your reference list. Feel free to research what each of these terms actually means, but this is the order in which they are to be presented to your reader. Your entire paper should be double-spaced and aligned to the left, using with one inch margins; use Times New Roman for the content and Arial for labels.
APA Style papers are going to be riddled with headings, so get used to them. However, make sure you are using these headings properly. The headings should be clear and precise; readers should understand what they’re going to be reading in the section just from the heading you decided to use.
First, your APA style paper should be formal. This means don’t use contractions, slang, or figures of speech. Also, be very specific about what you’re referencing. For example, if you’re mentioning reactive chemical, state which chemicals exactly. Furthermore, be sure to mention people by their preferred names (be politically correct if you’re unaware of their preference). This will help you accurately depict your studies and present your paper in a more scientific and professional manner.
Chances are you’re going to be using a lot of in-text citation in your paper. You need to make sure that this is done properly, otherwise the information is not considered validly cited. This can lead to several consequences, one of which may lead to you being reprimanded for plagiarism.
This is a very important piece you cannot forget! All of your citations should be listed in your reference list, with some exceptions like personal communications. Your citation page should be ordered alphabetically by the author’s surname (use the first author if there is more than one). Make sure that you are properly citing your sources, as well.
