Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 3: Formatting the title page and summary
• Part 2 of 3: Writing the main part
• Part 3 of 3: Making the final adjustments

The American Psychological Association (APA) citation method is one of the most widely used styles for writing scientific and research papers, especially on such topics as psychology, sociology, business, economics, and medicine. This style may seem intimidating, but it is usually a matter of dividing your report into proper sections and following basic formatting guidelines. Write a strong introduction and follow it up with the method, results and discussion sections. Name the references, provide a summary and any relevant tables or figures, and you're good to go!

To step

Part 1 of 3: Formatting the title page and summary

1. Set the parameters for the basic format. An APA style report should use a 12 point font size and have double spaces throughout. Margins of 2.5 cm are also recommended. Use this basic layout on every page of your report.
2. Think of a short title. The APA recommends that titles be short, sweet and to the point. Ten to 12 words is a good length, and the title should give readers an idea of ​​what exactly your article is about.
   • For example, a title like "Age, Health and Cities" is too short and vague.
   • "Age-based influences on perception of access to healthcare in cities" is more informative.
   • Center the title on the page.
3. Please include your name and institution below the title. Double distance is fine here. There is no need to add extra spaces between the title and this information. It should look something like this:
   • Age as an influence on perceived access to healthcare in cities
   • Rohanda Jenkins
   • University of Toledo
4. Use the page header. Every page of your report, including the title page, should have a running heading. This should be a brief summary of the title of your report. Write it in capital letters and keep the text below 50 characters.
   • For example: "AGE AND PERFORATED ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE"
5. Set the page number at the top right. The page number should be on the same line as the running heading to the far right. Set the page number so that it automatically appears on each subsequent page.

Part 2 of 3: Writing the main part

1. Introduce your report. The first part of an APA style article is the introduction, there is no need for a title above. Just write the title of your report at the beginning of the next page and start writing your introduction on the line below.
   • Your introduction should summarize your topic, the added value for other research and how you arrived at your hypothesis.
   • Keep it interesting. Don't bore readers with lists like "Schmidt concluded in 2009 that…. As Donaldson granted in 2011…. In 2013, Pavlov then argued…"
   • Instead, take ideas as a starting point: “Scholars such as Schmidt and Donaldson have proven that access to healthcare is widespread. The role of age in creating this variability has not been sufficiently considered. Knowledge of health care options in the elderly is an important premise that Pavlov's research examines, but a more comprehensive study of age-related influences is needed. "
2. Put a title above the methods section. In bold, just after your introduction, center the word "Method". This section is a bit simpler. It should describe in simple terms the exact design of your research. Create subsections to describe the participants, materials, and procedures you used in your research. Do not use page breaks between these subsections or other parts of your report).
   • Put a bold subtitle above each subsection ("Participants", "Materials", "Procedures") and put the subsection titles to the far left. Start each paragraph on the next line.
   • If it is necessary to describe the equipment used, you can also include a section "Devices" in place of or in addition to the section "Materials".
   • The purpose of the methods section is that others could replicate your research if they wanted to.
3. Describe your results. Make the word "Results" bold and center it after the last subsections of your methods. Make sure to include any statistics if applicable.
   • Please refer to the APA manual for your specific research area for precise information on how to format statistics.
   • Refer to any additional material you have in your report (charts, pictures, charts, tables, etc.). For example, you could write something like "As Figure 1 indicates ..."
4. Tell readers the meaning of your work in the discussion section. Name this section "Discussion" in bold, centered, just after the results section. Describe whether or not your findings matched your hypothesis (and your guess why). Make sure you acknowledge any restrictions on your studies. You can also state what other scientists can do next based on your findings.
   • For example, your discussion may say something: "While this study indicated that teens consider healthcare to be less accessible than adults over the age of 35, additional research is needed to investigate this topic among 18-35 year olds."

Part 3 of 3: Making the final adjustments

1. Make use of the reference section. All sources you use in your research should be cited according to current APA style guidelines. After your discussion section, you should also include a list of full bibliographic information for these references, followed by the word "References", in bold.
   • List references alphabetically, based on the first author's last name.
   • Do not put an extra space between references. Double spacing is all you need.
   • Use indentation for the references.
   • When citing a reference in the body of your essay, make sure to include APA style citations in the text as well.
2. Include any tables or figures you have created. The layout of tables and figures varies based on your field and the design of your research. Consult the most recent APA style guide or authorities in the field to see recommendations. If you include multiple tables and images, you give each of them their own page.
   • However, if you are a student, your teacher may ask you to include tables or figures in the body of your report. When in doubt, always ask.
3. Dedicate a separate page to the summary. Write a paragraph summarizing topic, methods, results and discussions. Limit it to 150-250 words. Like the rest of your report, this should be double-spaced. However, it must be a block format (do not indent the first line).
   • Place the word "Summary" in the middle of the line above the paragraph.
   • Write the summary after you have finished the report. Place it on its own page just after the title page.