33b Formatting APA manuscripts

• Title page. If your instructor wants you to include a running head, place it flush left on the first line. Write the words Running head, a colon, and a short version of the title (fifty characters or fewer, including spaces) using all capital letters. On the same line, flush with the right margin, type the number 1.

  Center the title and include your name and school affiliation. An author’s note at the bottom of the page can give the course name and contact information, if desired.

• Margins and spacing. Leave margins of one inch at the top and bottom and on both sides of the page. Do not justify the right margin. Double-space the entire text, including any headings, set-off quotations (13b), content notes, and the list of references. Indent one-half inch for the first line of a paragraph and all lines of a quotation over forty words long.
• Short title and page numbers. Place the short title in the upper left corner of each page. Place the page number in the upper right corner of each page, in the same position as on the title page.
• Long quotations. To set off a long quotation (more than forty words), indent it one-half inch from the left margin. Do not use quotation marks. Place the page reference in parentheses one space after the final punctuation.
• Abstract. If your instructor asks for an abstract, the abstract should go immediately after the title page, with the word Abstract centered an inch from the top of the page. Double-space the text of the abstract. In most cases, a one-paragraph abstract of about one hundred words will be sufficient to introduce readers to your topic and provide a brief summary of your major thesis and supporting points.
• Headings. Headings are used within the text of many APA-style projects. In a text with only one or two levels of headings, use boldface type; center the main headings, and position the subheadings flush with the left margin. Capitalize all major words; however, do not capitalize articles, short prepositions, and coordinating conjunctions unless they are the first word or follow a colon.
• Visuals. Tables should be labeled Table, numbered, and captioned. All other visuals (such as charts, graphs, photographs, and drawings) should be labeled Figure, numbered, and captioned with a description and the source information. Remember to refer to each visual in your text, stating how it contributes to the point(s) you are making. Tables and figures should generally appear near the relevant text; check with your instructor for guidelines on the placement of visuals.