Professor Jeff Sallee
Abstract
Enter the abstract for the paper on the first page. This and an Appendix entry are the only portion of the paper where paragraphs are not indented.
Generally, abstracts should be limited 150-250 words, according to Smith and Jones (2017). The abstract is where you provide the reader with a high-level overview of the main points and the purpose of the paper.
[Complete Title of the Research Paper]
Open your paper with a short written map of the paper. This should include your hypothesis. Is should also describe how you plan to prove your points. Once you start your paper, all paragraphs should have the initial line indented 0.5”. Be certain to use spell check on your paper. Remember what Sallee (2018) mentioned in the Residency Weekend Overview session regarding citations, consistency, and plagiarism.
Level 1 Heading (e.g., Discussion)
Every new paragraph should have the indent. Make it easy for the reader by letting the reader know what to expect in the paper. Most groups will assign students particular section of the paper to write. Someone should read the final submission to verify that the points suggested in the introduction are also in the body of the paper. Verify that the conclusion section actually summarizes the paper. It is easy to include new ideas in the conclusion in situations where the person writing the conclusion is not the same person who wrote the rest of the content.
Level 2 Heading
Your level 2 heading is where your tackle a major point for the paragraph. Use these instead of bullet points in APA formatted papers.
Level 3 heading. Use a level 3 heading where you would have used a bullet for a bulleted item.
Level 3 heading. You can have multiple level 2 and level 3 sections of your paper.
Level 2 Heading
Remember that it is a good idea to cover both sides of a research topic. If your paper is trying to persuade the reader that the existing applicable laws are outdated and irrelevant, be certain to also point out that they were useful at one time, but the circumstances have changed. Avoid making an argument just for the sake of saying something contrary. If you search the literature on the topic, you should be able to find at least one article that argues the contrary point.
Level 1 Heading (e.g., Major Point)
I suspect that each author will have at least one major point. If the topic has only a few main points, the group may assign team members to cover one or more level 2 headings. Use as many sections and level headings as you need.
Level 2 Heading
If in doubt about how to incorporate the APA style into your paper, you can always go to Purdue’s OWL resource for advice.
Conclusions
Your paper should have a conclusions section where you summarize the points and clarify your arguments. It should not be long or go into new topics. The abstract section summarized the whole article. The introductory paragraph explains the paper was written and what the reader will discover. The body of the paper makes the points and counterpoints. The conclusion section is here to summarize the main pages and remind the reader of what they should have learned from the paper.
References
Sallee, Jeff (2018). Writing your research paper. Journal of the American Psychology Association, 107(6), 115-119.
Smith and Jones (2017). Abstracts are needed for research papers. Scientific Research Paper Association, 2(2), 34-35.
Appendix A
Title of the Appendix Material
The first paragraph of an appendix is not indented.
Indent additional paragraphs using the same rules as the APA body text. You do not need to include an appendix. If you include a table or a graphic, refer to the APA manual for special formatting needs for such items.
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APATemplate21.docx
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