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Macdonald DeWitt Library at SUNY Ulster

APA Style 7th Edition: APA Basic Format

APA Style Links

Getting Started with APA Style:

Additional resources:

APA Style: the Basics

The American Psychological Association (APA) Style is a set of rules for citing sources and formatting papers. The purpose of this guide is to serve as a ready reference tool for formatting your papers and citations in APA Style.

In general, APA Style is used in the Social Sciences.

Check with your professor to be sure you are using the correct Style.

APA Style: Format Your Student Paper

General Format of Student Papers

Title Page

  • The following are all centered and double-spaced:
    • Title of paper in bold that describes the main thesis of your paper
    • Author name(s) 
    • Name of school (SUNY Ulster)
    • Course number: Course Name
    • Instructor name
    • Assignment due date (ex. January 25, 2021)
  • page number in upper right

Body of Paper

Follow these guidelines unless your instructor provides specific formatting:

  • Continue pagination from title page
  • Restate the title at the top of the page, bold and centered
  • Margin: One inch on all sides
  • Font size: 12 point
  • Typeface: Times New Roman
  • Spacing: Double-space throughout the entire paper
  • Alignment: Flush left, uneven on right
  • Paragraph Indentation: Half-inch
  • Section headings may be used as needed
  • Charts, tables and appendices as appropriate

Reference List

  • Start on a new page
  • Use the title References at the top, in bold and centered
  • Double-space all entries 
  • Use a hanging indent where first line of each entry is flush left and subsequent lines are indented .5 in.

 

To format your paper using Microsoft Word, see the guide below:

Publication Manual of the APA

Writing Help from the Literacy Lab

The Literacy Lab offers writing tutoring for all subjects on a drop-in basis, both in person and virtually (by request). Our professional and peer tutors are available to assist students with a variety of writing assignments, including essays, research, lab reports, and more. Space and computers are also available for independent work. We welcome you to join us!

Location: Vanderlyn 208 & 210

Hours: Monday-Friday, 9:00am-3:00pm

Stop by or email literacylab@sunyulster.edu for more information.