APA Basics

Here are the basic points for how your actual paper should be set up before typing your content.

BASICS:

• printed on 8.5" x 11" white paper
• black ink
• 1" margins

PARTS:

• Title Page
• Abstract (may be optional for class, ask your instructor)
• Main Body
• Reference Page

Include all of your "in-text citations" as you're typing your paper. It's very difficult to go back later to add them. Your instructor may require you to write an abstract. This is a page after your title page but before your main paper that describes what you found or concluded in your paper. Abstracts are 150-200 words and are used as a brief overview for readers to know what your paper is about.