Writing a

Research
Paper in
APA
Format
Quick Navigation
• What is APA?
• APA research paper formatting guidelines
• Format of an APA research paper
1. Title page
2. Abstract
3. Preliminaries
4. Body
5. Text Citation/References and Appendices
• Research Manuscript Content
• Research Formatting
What is
APA?
• APA or American Psychological Association is
one of the most influential associations for
professional psychologists in the world
• Includes a number of specialists from the
United States and Canada, well as associate
members from other countries, totaling
about 150,000 members
• Main goal of APA is to promote psychology
as a science and profession while improving
the well-being, mental health, and education
of people
• The organization developed the widespread
format for academic work in the social
sciences.
APA formatting is predominantly used in
research publications in the following
fields:
• Psychology
• Business
• Criminology
• Economics
• Pedagogy (including applied linguistics)
• Sociology and other related science
branches
APA
Research
Paper
Formatting
Guidelines
The following are the general formatting
guidelines for APA, which are not drastically
different from many other academic formats:
1. Text should be typed on standard 8.5” X 11” white paper.

2. APA style requires using an easy-to-read font,

recommending the size of 12, Times New Roman font, all
regular

3. Double spacing is required on both the title page and

throughout the paper

4. Titles must be bold, subtitles italicized and headers footers

capitalized
5. Margins should be 1” on all sides of the page except on the
left side which is 1.5 inches

6. Paragraph indentation should be set to one-half inch from

the left side of the page

7. A special page header consisting of the page number and

the running head, typed in all capital letters. The title on the
title page should also be in all capital letters
Things to be submitted as a final
requirement in Research:
• 1 Hard copy of the final manuscript with signed
preliminaries and complete appendices
• Soft copies of the following must be shared in a G-
Drive link to be provided:
• Final Manuscript in Microsoft Word Format
• Final Manuscript in PDF Format
• Literature materials reviewed, placed in a folder
• Final Presentation in Microsoft Powerpoint
Format of
an APA
Research
Paper
1. Title Page

• Every research paper starts with a title

page
• APA pays a lot to the front page’s layout
• These formatting requirements are simply
yet must be strictly followed in an APA
paper.
• The name of the institution or college or
university from which you are writing the
paper should then be included.
• The running head contains a capitalized
short name of the title. Then the header of
the title page has the words ‘Running
Head’ followed by a colon and the
shortened title.
2. Abstract
• In an APA paper, you must include an abstract
• The purpose of the abstract is to serve as the
following:
o An introduction to the author’s ideas
o A brief summary of the research the author
conducted
o Define any abbreviations and terminology
• The abstract page helps readers to find your paper
as well as to give your readers a brief overview of
your research
3. Body
• APA style states that text in your body paragraphs
can contain as many paragraphs or sections as you
need to answer topic-related questions
• The beginning of the body paragraph starts with
the name of the survey, which should not
be underlined, or italicized.
• To clearly identify each section, APA style requires
writers to center the heading of each paragraph in
a bold font.
4. Text Citation/References
• In APA style, in-text citations are frequently
utilized. Such citations are placed in
parentheses with the author`s name and
year of their work’s publication. This
information must match what you provide
in the reference list at the end of the paper.
5. Appendices
• Included in this section are copies of
materials like questionnaires, graphs, and
letters, among others that you used in all
stages of your academic work, and are,
then, part and parcel of your research
study.
Reference or bibliography should be
formatted in the following manners:
1. References should be indented one-half inch
from the left margin.
2. References should be listed alphabetically by
author’s last name up to seven authors by listing
their last name and their first name’s initial.
3. The year of the publication should immediately
follow the authors' names in parentheses.
• Next, the name of the reference is cited.
• Then the volume or page numbers are put
in parentheses.
• Lastly, indicate where the source’s origin
(i.e. a web-page)
• APA style provides numerous rules for accurately
editing research papers.
• This fact does not mean unnecessary efforts but
rather that effective and correct formatting of
written research helps both the author to
effectively pass along information to the reader.
• The organization’s manual stresses the
importance of academic honesty by requiring
writers to cite other works properly.
Research Manuscript Content
 Preliminaries
A

1.Fly Page

• Include blank page for protection in

binding. It is unnumbered and not
included in the page count.
 Preliminaries
A

2.Title page

• Must contain the title of the paper, the author’s

name, following the recommended authorship, the
institutional affiliations written from smallest to
largest departments, and the month and year of
research completion.
• Title must be reflective of the essence of the
research. Make sure that the title on the title page
matches all documents
 Preliminaries
A

• The title of the paper should be placed in the center of

the title page.
• APA format recommends less than 12 words to avoid
using unnecessary information and abbreviations.
• Everything on the title page should be double-spaced.
The name of the author should be written beneath the
title. The author’s name should not include any
formalities such as Ph.D. or Mr., only including the first
and last names.
 Preliminaries
A

3.Endorsement

• In this part of the paper, it must be signed first by the

teacher before the schedule of defense as a proof
that the students are ready for Oral Examination
• Always use the correct format on the endorsement
and do not change the content of the form. Make
sure all signatories are properly filled
 Preliminaries
A

4.Approval Sheet

• Always use the correct format on the approval

sheet and do not change the content of the
form. Make sure all signatories are properly
filled
 Preliminaries
A

5. Acknowledgment

• Always use the correct format on the

acknowledgment and do not change the
content of the form. Make sure all signatories
are properly filled
 Preliminaries
A

6. Dedication

• Always use the correct format on the dedicaion

and do not change the content of the form.
Make sure all signatories are properly filled
 Preliminaries
A

7. Table of Contents

• List of major divisions of the paper

• It includes the following (if available): Endorsement,
Certificate Of Originality, Table of Contents, Lit of
Tables, List of figures, List of Appendices, Abstract,
Introduction, Literature Review, Methods, Results,
Discussion, References, Appendices and first level
subtitles.
 Preliminaries
A

8. List of Tables

• Include this if the paper contains tables. Do

not combine this to other lists. Check if the
page numbers match the documents.
• When writing, include table number, name of
table and corresponding page.
 Preliminaries
A

9. List of Figures

• Include this if the paper contains images,

illustrations or diagrams. Do not combine this
to other lists. Check if the page numbers match
the documents.
• When writing, include figure number, name of
figure and corresponding page.
 Preliminaries
A

10. List of Appendices

• Write the appendices on this part. Do not

combine this to other lists. Check if the page
numbers match the documents.
• When writing, include the name of the
appendix and corresponding page.
 Body
B

Abstract

• Should be concise statements of the research

and quickly summarizes the contents of the
paper
• Should be written in complete sentences and
paragraphs rather than in one note or outline
form
• Justified and first lines are not intended
 Body
B

• Should not exceed 250 words and should not

include formula, diagrams, or other illustrative
materials
• Should include a brief introductory sentence, main
objective, summarized method, the results with
numerical values enclosed in parentheses, main
conclusion and main contribution
• After the last paragraph, keywords must be
included
 Body
B

Chapter 1 Introduction

• Trends / Updates
• Issues / Problems
• Objectives / Purpose
• Contributions
• Significance of the study
 Body
B

Chapter 2 Literature Review

• Theoretical/Conceptual Framework
• Variable Discussion
• Definition of Terms
• SOP (Statement of the Problem) and
Hypothesis
 Body
B

Chapter 3 Research Methodology

• Research Design
• Discuss the approach and design
• Research Locale
• Describe the locale without naming it
• Participants and Sampling Technique
• Rationalize
 Body
B

Chapter 3 Research Methodology

• Research Instruments
• Data Gathering Procedure
• Research Ethics
• Data Analysis
 Body
B

Chapter 4 Results

•Respondent’s Background
•Presentation of Findings
•Emergent Framework
 Body
B

Chapter 4 Results

•Present the data, processed and condensed,

with important trends extracted and described.
•It’s important that the findings be clearly and
simply stated. The results should be brief and
direct, without verbiage. However, do not be
too brief.
 Body
B

Chapter 4 Results

•Readers cannot be expected to extract important

trends from the data if not enough data is
provided
•Also, when describing the results from a table or a
figure, make sure to introduce the table or figure
number and title on the first statement for easier
location of table or figure involved
 Body
B
Chapter 4 Results
• Results should be communicated
• What principles have been established or
reinforced?
• Are there any theoretical or practical implications
of the result?
• What generalizations can be drawn?
• How do the findings compare to the findings of
others or expectations based on previous work?
 Body
B

Chapter 4 Results

• the discussion and to discuss the importance of

the results
• Make sure this is genuinely interpretative, not
just a restatement of the results
 Body
B

Chapter 5 Discussion, Conclusions and

Recommendations

• Results should be communicated here

• Summary (of what you did and found)
• Conclusions (Explanation of the findings)
• Recommendations (based on your findings)
 Body
B

References

• Should begin on a new page with the title bold and

left indented
• References should strictly follow the American
Psychological Association 6th edition and written in 0.5
inch hanging indent
• All reference types (journal, book, internet, etc.) is
integrated and arranged alphabetically
C Appendices

• Each appendix begins on a new page

• Appendix title contains appendix letter and name of
appendix at the next line
• May include a wide variety of illustrations, survey
instruments, copies of computer print outs, copies of
handwritten documents and other materials which are
not acceptable or appropriate in the text
C Appendices

• Contents of the appendix section includes but is not limited to the

following:
• Letter of Permission
• Consent
• Research Instruments
• Research Budget
• Timeline
• Interview Text/Research Tally
• Certifications
• About the Researchers
Title
Defense
 Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Marikina
Senior High School Department
San Roque Campus

Proposed Title: (Insert title here)

Researchers: Principal Investigator

Member 1
Member 2
Member 3

Research Instructor: J-B Vincent L. Rico

 Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Marikina
Senior High School Department
San Roque Campus

Approved Title: (Insert title here)

Researchers: Principal Investigator

Member 1
Member 2
Member 3

Research Instructor: J-B Vincent L. Rico

Panel Chairman: (Remember the names from chairman to panel members)

Panel Member 1:

Panel Member 2:
 Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Marikina
Senior High School Department
San Roque Campus

Researchers: Principal Investigator

Member 1
Member 2
Member 3

Research Instructor: J-B Vincent L. Rico

Proposed Title #1

(Insert the title here)

Literature Review

(Insert the literatures here)

Theory

(Explain the theory here)

References
• Writing a Research Paper in APA format. (2018, July 31).
Retrieved October 25, 2019, from

https://papersowl.com/blog/research-paper-in-apa-format
• Common Manual for Publication and Scientific Studies. 2014.
First Edition. Our Lady of Fatima University –
Research Development and Innovation Center.
Marulas, Valenzuela City, Philippines.
Thank You!