APA Formatting and Style Guide

Sep 4, 2026

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Guide to APA formatting and academic style, authored by Barrie L. Cooper and B. Charles Tatum of National University, providing instructions for preparing manuscripts in MS Word. Covers practical setup steps (fonts, line spacing, paragraph spacing, rulers), interpretation of formatting icons, and general layout rules including margins, typeface, running head, page numbers, and headings. Details APA structure for title page, author note, abstract, keywords, references, tables, figures, appendices, and provides comprehensive citation guidance with formats and quotation rules for scholarly writing.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryPaper Templates

FormatPDF

Pages60

Reading Time21 min

AccessFree to download

Formatting

Setting Up MS Word for Effective APA Formatting

General Formatting Rules

Headings

Formats of Different Manuscript Sections

Title Page

Author Note

Table of Contents

Abstract

Keywords

References

Tables and Figures

Appendices and Supplemental Materials

Citations

General Citation Rules

Citation Formats

Quotations

Documenting References

Guide to APA Formatting and Style Barrie L. Cooper and B. Charles Tatum National University Author Note Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to B. Charles Tatum, Department of Psychology, College of Letters and Sciences, National University, 11255 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037. Email: [ctatum@nu.edu](ctatum@nu.edu) Table of Contents Page Abstract ............................................................................................................................... 6 Formatting ............................................................................................................................7 Setting Up MS Word for Effective APA Formatting ..............................................7 Interpreting Icons .........................................................................................8 The Show/Hide Icon ....................................................................................8 Setting Default Font .....................................................................................8 Setting Default Line Spacing to Double Space............................................8 Eliminating Space Before and After Paragraphs .........................................9 Show Ruler................................................................................................. 10 General Formatting Rules ..................................................................................... 10 Margins and Alignment .............................................................................10 Spacing....................................................................................................... 11 Typeface ..................................................................................................... 11 Running Head and Page Numbers .............................................................11 Headings .................................................................................................... 12 Formats of Different Manuscript Sections .............................................................13 Title Page ................................................................................................... 13 Author Note ............................................................................................... 13 Other Title Page Information .....................................................................14 Table of Contents ....................................................................................... 14 Abstract ...................................................................................................... 15 Keywords ................................................................................................... 16 Title on First Page of Text ......................................................................... 16 Introductory Paragraph(s) .......................................................................... 16 Other Sections of the Manuscript ..............................................................17 References .................................................................................................. 17 Tables and Figures ..................................................................................... 18 Appendices and Supplemental Materials ...................................................19 Citations .............................................................................................................................20 General Citation Rules ...........................................................................................20 Citation Formats.....................................................................................................21 One Author.................................................................................................21 Two Authors ..........................

FAQs

How should MS Word be configured for effective APA formatting?

Adjust default font, set line spacing to double, remove extra space before and after paragraphs, and use the ruler as needed. The guide also explains relevant formatting icons to support consistent APA layout.

What are the key general formatting rules in APA style?

Follow APA requirements for margins and alignment, spacing, and typeface. The guide also specifies how to set the running head and page numbers, and how to format headings.

How does the guide recommend handling citations and quotations in APA style?

Use general APA citation rules and apply the appropriate citation formats for different authors and source types. The guide also outlines how to format short, long (block) quotations, nested quotations, and how to revise quotations by inserting, omitting, or adding emphasis.

Sep 4, 2026

Upload by Fahsai