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APA Format - 6th Edition

APA Format explained

APA format is a style for formatting academic publications. The Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association—often referred to as the APA Style Guide—is used by authors at all levels. It provides guidance and direction in all aspects of the writing process.

Whether you are working on an annotated bibliography, a literature review, or a dissertation, you can use the guide to organize and share your ideas with the scholarly community.

The APA Style Format includes guidelines for how to:

  • cite and accredit your sources
  • structure your paper (eg. margins, headings, fonts, etc.)
  • format your writing style (eg. how to present ideas, language tone, grammar, etc.)
  • format writing elements (eg. tables, present data, use figures, use photographs, etc.)
  • construct a bibliography

Check out the Tutorials to learn more about formatting your paper in APA.

Quick Reference Guides

Need Help Formatting Your Paper?

Librarians are happy to answer questions about citations, but we do not proof-read citations for accuracy. Contact Lesley's Center for Academic Achievement for help with formatting APA, as well as writing papers and other academic challenges.

Services include:
  • online tutoring for students taking courses off-campus or during intensive residencies
  • face-to-face tutoring for students taking courses on-campus.