Skip to Main Content

notice Some items are only available on campus or will require authentication via EUID and Password at the point of use.

LTEC 5030: Foundations of Learning Technologies

What is APA Style?

APA Style is a set of rules created by the American Psychological Association for formatting papers, citing sources, and structuring academic writing. It is widely used in the social sciences, education, engineering, and other disciplines to ensure clarity and consistency in scholarly communication.

Formatting Basics

  • Font: Use accessible, readable fonts (e.g., 12-point Times New Roman or 11-point Calibri).

  • Spacing: Double-space all text, including references.

  • Margins: Use 1-inch margins on all sides.

  • Page Numbers: Include a page number on every page.

  • Student Title Page: Title, author, institution, course, instructor, and date, centered on the first page.

  • For detailed examples, see: APA Sample Papers (APA Style)

In-Text Citations

  • Cite sources within your text using the author-date method:
    (Smith, 2020)

  • For direct quotes, include the page number:
    (Smith, 2020, p. 12)

  • For three or more authors, cite as:
    (Smith et al., 2020)

  • For more guidance, see: Purdue OWL: In-Text Citations

Reference List

  • Start the reference list on a new page, titled References (bold and centered).

  • Entries are listed alphabetically by author’s last name.

  • Use a hanging indent for each entry.

  • Basic format:
    Author, A. A. (Year). Title of work. Source.

  • See full guidelines: APA Reference Examples

Examples

Book:
Smith, J. A. (2020). Understanding research. Academic Press.

Journal Article:

Rosenzweig, E. Q., Harackiewicz, J. M., Hecht, C. A., Priniski, S. J., Canning, E. A., Tibbetts, Y., Asher, M. W., & Hyde, J. S. (2021). College students’ reasons for leaving biomedical fields: Disenchantment with biomedicine or attraction to other fields? Journal of Educational Psychology, 113(2), 351–369. https://doi.org/10.1037/edu0000456

Website:

Resources