An APA running head is not
needed for undergraduate or
master’s courses per the
University Writing and Style
Guidelines. If you are a student
in a doctoral program, or
otherwise require a running
head in your paper, consult
the doctoral APA Sample
Paper in the CWE>Tutorials
and Guides>Doctoral Writing
Resources.
Pagination: Use the
header feature in
Microsoft® Word to set
the page number (see
Appendix A).
The title: Use upper and lower case
letters, centered between the left and
right margins, and positioned on the
upper half of the page. Use black, 12-
point Times New Roman font
throughout. Arial and Courier font
types are acceptable.
All lines are double-spaced throughout
the entire document. Use black, 12-point
Times New Roman font throughout the
document. Arial and Courier font types
are acceptable.
This APA Sample Paper is intended for undergraduate and master’s level students.
The University of Phoenix APA sample papers represent the consensus of key academic officials within the University. This particular
sample reflects expectations outlined in the University of Phoenix Writing and Style Guidelines for undergraduate and master’s courses,
which correspond with the University’s preferred style guide for most programs: The Publication Manual of the American Psychological
Association, Sixth Edition. If your course materials direct you to follow MLA style, please see the MLA Sample Paper in the Center for
Writing Excellence (CWE)>Tutorials and Guides>MLA Information.
This sample paper is offered as a concise tool to help students with style, but it is not a definitive or binding representation of format for
all courses. The CWE provides many tools to help students write and format effective papers; however, the faculty member determines
the assignment grade in the course.
Abstract: Typically, an abstract is required only for
publication. If your assignment instructions indicate
a requirement to use an abstract, a sample can be
found in the CWE>Tutorials and Guides.
2
Indent the
first line of
each
paragraph
using the
tab key,
set at five
to seven
spaces or
one-half
inch.
Direct
quotations
require a
page
number or
paragraph
number.
Writing Style and Mechanics
The Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA) began as a
journal article in 1929. The APA reported results from a meeting of scholars “to establish a
simple set of procedures, or style rules, that would codify the many components of scientific
writing to increase the ease of reading comprehension” (APA, 2010, p. xiii). Today, the
Publication Manual is in its sixth edition and the APA style described in it is a widely
recognized standard for scholarly or professional writing in the social sciences. Although the
style guide is designed to prepare manuscripts for publication, many universities and health care
journals have adopted its use as a guide to achieve uniformity and consistency (Cuddy, 2002).
Writing in the style prescribed by the Publication Manual can be a daunting experience for
students. As with any new skill, “practice makes perfect” (S. Proofreader, personal
communication, June 28, 2004). Points of APA style most often used by undergraduate and
graduate students are listed below. However, keep in mind that this sample paper is a guide and
should not be considered as a replacement for the Publication Manual.
Format Considerations
Some commonly used rules and formats from the sixth edition of the Publication Manual
are listed below. Please note, however, that some assignments may require unique formatting,
and you should consult your syllabus for clarification.
Correct Margins
Margins are one inch on all sides. This rule is broken only to avoid placing a lone
heading on the last line of the page or a single line of text on the top of the next page.
Use the paper
title above your
introduction,
centered not
bolded.
Personal
communication
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