Chapter 1. The Structure of an APA-Style Paper

Introduction

In this activity, you will practice structuring an APA-style title page and organizing an APA-style research report as a whole.

Dr. Natalie J. Ciarocco, Monmouth University

Dr. David B. Strohmetz, University of West Florida

Dr. Gary W. Lewandowski, Jr., Monmouth University

Something to Think About…

Learning how to structure and format a report in APA style is not always easy. If you do not plan on becoming a psychological researcher, you might be wondering why you should dedicate the time to getting it right. There are several reasons why learning APA style is beneficial.

Hero Images/Getty Images

Something to Think About…

Familiarizing yourself with the structure of an APA-style report can help you focus your energy when you read and comprehend research articles in other classes. You will be able to quickly deduce which section of an article has the specific information you need.

Although you may not need to use APA style in particular in the future, you will likely have to use some form of formal or technical writing in your career. Learning APA style will help you practice attending to the formatting details that many styles of writing require. This skill will help you stand out from your coworkers.

Instructions

Jacek Dudzinski/Shutterstock

Let’s start developing your attention to detail with the following activity, which will help you practice formatting an APA-style title page. If you need help, you can refer to the appendix in your textbook that covers communicating the science of psychology.

Your task is to arrange the various pieces of an APA-style title page in the proper order.

Activity 1: Title Page Formatting

Use the drop down boxes to identify where each piece of information should go on an APA-style title page.

Instructions

Jacek Dudzinski/Shutterstock

The next activity will help you practice formatting an APA-style research report. If you need help, you can refer to the appendix in your textbook that covers communicating the science of psychology.

Your task is to arrange the various sections of an APA-style paper in the proper order. Using the text boxes, assign each section a number (1 = first section in the paper, 2 = second section in the paper, etc.) to indicate its place within the report.

Activity 2: Research Report Formatting

Arrange the sections of an APA-style paper in the proper order. Assign each section a number (1 = first section in the paper, 2 = second section in the paper, etc.) to indicate its place within the report.

Instructions

Jacek Dudzinski/Shutterstock

This last activity will help you practice identifying which sections of an APA-style research report begin on a new page. If you need help, you can refer to the appendix in your textbook that covers communicating the science of psychology.

Your task is to indicate which sections of an APA-style research report start on a new page.

Activity 3: Research Report Formatting

Select the item if it starts on a new page.

Take Home Message

RapidEye/iStockphoto/Getty Images

Although you may not have been aware of it, completing this activity on APA style has helped you build marketable skills. You have attended to formatting details, and being detail-oriented is a valuable skill to add to your resume. You have also practiced organizing your thoughts in a technical way, which will help you write the formal emails, memos, and reports required in many professions.

On a larger scale, APA style is beneficial to research and all fields of science. Consistency in the presentation of information helps guarantee that important information is not missing. It also helps readers like you know where to find the specific information you need in a research article. The more familiar you are with the structure of APA-style papers, the easier it will be for you to write, read, and understand them and other written works.

Congratulations! You have successfully completed this activity.

KMGS Photography/Moment/Getty Images