The full name of APA is American Psychological Association, and this kind of specification is updated frequently, and nowadays the seventh edition of the literature standard is used, i.e. APA 7th. APA is the most widely used literature specification outside of Harvard Reference.
For those of you who are studying abroad, it is not only the content of your paper that can be a source of frustration, but also the correct use of citation format.
As one of the common citation formats, APA format is mainly used in the field of psychology, education and social science.
APA style
Formatting Requirements
Begin each paragraph by pressing the tab key, not the space bar.
Font: Times New Roman
Font size: 12
Line spacing: double-spaced
Margins: 1 inch (2.54cm)
Header: The header of the first page should have a Running header, while the header of the second page does not need a Running header, just the short version of the title of your article + capitals.
Page number: on the far right of the header.
Title Page: The title page contains the title, date, advisor’s name, author, etc. The title page contains the title, date, advisor’s name, and author’s name. Write each piece of information on its own line.
References: a separate page at the end of the text. Names in the “References” section must be listed in alphabetical order of the last name, including the prefix of the last name.
E.g. Martin de Rijke should be changed to De Rijke, M.
Note: Arabic names are usually given with a ligature “-” between the surname and the prefix, so that the surname and the prefix are self-contained.
Citation: In APA format, a citation contains the author’s name and date of publication in parentheses, sometimes with the number of pages, after the quoted text or sentence.
