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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
- Elements of an APA Paper from The Purdue OWLA sample APA Paper with each element highlighted from the Purdue Online Writing Lab
- APA Visual Guide by Nancy Wolf, Lesley facultyBasic APA rules laid out graphically for visual learners!
- APA 6th Edition - Lesley ExamplesQuick reference for APA citation that includes how to cite works without authors, blogs, web pages, etc.
- Annotated Bibliography Guide by Lesley faculty member, Nancy WolfInstructions on formatting an annotated bibliography.
- How to Write an APA Style Reference When Information Is Missing, by the American Psychological AssociationThis chart helps you navigate how to cite a work when information is missing.
- DOI and URL FlowchartLearn when to use a DOI vs a URL when citing resource from the American Psychological Association.
Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 6th Edition by
Call Number: Ref BF76.7 .P83 2010 Lesley/Sherrill Stacks
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.