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For this assignment, submit the start of your research proposal that you will turn in in Module 8. It must be submitted as a Word document. Your start should be in APA format with a title page, body, and reference page. You can include an abstract if you want, but it is normally written at the end of a project or proposal as a summary. Your preliminary proposal should include: The title (and title page) A body with at least one page of the literature review (or background to the study depending on what you call it). A reference page showing all the references used in your literature review start. Your paper will be graded and the format and content reviewed with feedback to help you make sure you are doing it correctly. Be sure to open the graded assignment after it is graded to correct any problems or areas needing improvement. Also, be sure to submit the assignment before the deadline in order to get feedback for your final proposal. Late submitted assignments may not be graded in sufficient time to review. You are encouraged to use the attached template to help you correctly format your paper.
Running head: SHORT TITLE OF PAPER (50 CHARACTERS OR LESS) 1
SHORT TITLE OF PAPER (50 CHARACTERS OR LESS) 8
Comment by jcguy:
Formatting the running head and page number can be tricky. Go to “insert header”and select “different first page”. Put in the page numbering first (top right of page) using the auto page number feature. Then paste or type the running head in front of the page number. You will then need to space between the head and the page number to get them in the correct locations.
Then, scroll down to page 2 (while still in the “insert header” mode), and remove the words “Running head:”. You will probably need to remove additional spacing before and/or after the text to get it in the correct location. Be sure to locate the page number back 1-2 extra spaces to allow space for multiple digit numbers.
Then, exit out of the insert header mode and the running head and page numbers should be correct.
How to Format an APA Paper
James C. Guy
Course Name and/or Number
Liberty University
[Date as applicable]
© 2011-2013 James C. Guy
Abstract (if needed)
Your abstract is often optional in short academic papers, unless the assignment requirements specify that you should include one. One is often required for most research articles submitted for publication, many research proposals, and other larger works. An abstract is normally 150-250 words that summarize the content of your paper. It is left-justified without indentation, and the heading is not bold. Normally, it does not include any references or citations unless absolutely necessary. See chapter two of the APA manual for more information.
How to Format an APA Paper Comment by jcguy:
Note that the full title of your paper goes here in non-bold font for your introduction, or you can leave it blank. You should NOT use a heading labeled “Introduction”. The first part of your paper is presumed to be the Introduction. In the rare event one is not included, an appropriate content heading would indicate such.
This paper provides a sample of how to properly write and format an APA style paper. Note that the when the first paragraph of your paper is an introduction, you do not label it as such. Instead, it simply contains the title of your paper or nothing at all. The first paragraphs of your paper are assumed to be the introduction unless there is a heading indicating something different. Your paper should be double-spaced all the way through, should contain the running head and page numbers as shown here, and should have 1-inch margins throughout the paper. Be sure the phrase Running head appears only on the first page as shown, and that the shortened title portion of it is in ALL CAPS. Comment by jcguy:
Pay close attention to these instructions concerning these basic format issues.
Setting Up Your Paper
You can use a template such as this one to set up your paper. However, please be aware that many templates are incorrect, including some that come with Word. In fact, Word 2007 can be very problematic if you use it to set up your paper. One of the primary issues with it is that it automatically adds additional space at the end of paragraphs. Your entire paper should be double-spaced (except certain specially formatted elements). You can change this under the line-spacing options. Change the numeric value shown under after paragraph setting (usually 10 pt.) to zero. Comment by jcguy:
Double space between all lines of the paper. This includes the elimination of any extra spacing before or after the paragraph (Chapter 8, 8.03, p. 229). The default setting in Microsoft Word is to add extra spacing after paragraphs. You can change this setting under the page layout tab in Microsoft Word 2007.
Remember that just because you use a template, regardless of the source, you are responsible to see that your paper is formatted correctly. It is not only important to be able to understand information, but also to be able to share it in a professional manner. Do not get creative or flashy in your paper format. Instead, strive to follow the currently established rules and format your paper correctly. Notice also that there should be two spaces after each sentence punctuation rather than the one as specified in earlier versions of APA formatting.
Writing Style Comment by jcguy:
In the case where a heading is hanging at the bottom of the page, you should add an additional line so that the heading appears with the first lines of the paragraph.
Headings should not hang by themselves. When necessary, add additional space above a heading at the bottom of a page to force it to reside with the first lines of text. Comment by jcguy:
Avoid short paragraphs (i.e., less than four sentences). Reserve the use of short paragraphs for introductions, conclusions, and lists.
You should not use first person language for any academic paper unless specified in the instructions, or allowed by your professor. You should also not write in casual or dramatic language. Remember, you are writing an academic paper, not a novel. For example, to write, “In this paper I will discuss the psychology of children” is both first-person and somewhat casual. Instead, try, “In this paper, research concerning the psychology of children is discussed.” An example of casual language would be as follows: “Children are the apple of God’s eye. They are like seeds lying in the ground just waiting to burst open. That is why studying the mind of a child is so important.” Remember to write professionally and academically. This previous sentence does not meet either of those requirements. Comment by jcguy:
Please pay close attention to the instructions in this paragraph regarding first-person and casual writing.
Sources and Citations Comment by jcguy:
Notice that headings are used throughout the paper and it is well organized by topic and paragraph
It is important to properly cite your work. Any information you get from another source, meaning it is not original with you, you must cite. Any quotes should be in quotation marks to note it is a quote, and properly cited with page or paragraph number if available. Refer to chapter six of the APA Manual for help with citations, and to chapter seven for help with properly formatting references on the Reference Page (American Psychological Association, 2010). Comment by jcguy:
The APA Manual is cited as a corporate author. See the reference list for the correct format there. You will often see some variety in how it is formatted, but this form fits the correct APA format.
Your writing should always be in your own words. Do not simply change a word or two from a source and present it as though it were your own writing. For example, consider the following fictitious sentence from a source: Driving while intoxicated is correlated with higher incidences of traffic accidents, often leading to death. If you re-write the sentence to say, Driving drunk is correlated with higher incidences of traffic accidents that are often fatal, you have plagiarized. Instead, write it in your own words and still cite the source where you got that information. Or, note clearly that the information is from a source and cite that source in text. For example, the above sentence would not be plagiarism if written in the following manner: As the author notes,
driving drunk is correlated with higher incidences of traffic accidents that are often fatal (Smith, 2011
). This makes it clear that the information as written is from the source, and the source is clearly cited. Comment by jcguy: Note: to avoid extra line space at the bottom of some pages, in some versions of Word, go to “line spacing options” and turn off the “window/orphan control” option under the “line and page breaks” tab.
Comment by jcguy:
Note that this is a fictitious source. However, check the reference list to be sure that this source in included in the list. Every citation in text should be included in the list, and every source in the list must have been cited at least once in the text.
The preferred means of writing is to summarize and further discuss information from a source. Quotations and repeated information from a source does not make for a clear and professional paper.
Conclusion
Though the scripture I am about to include is not relative to this paper (except that it does mention a conclusion), I am including it here to demonstrate how to cite the Bible in text. The Bible says, “Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole [duty] of man” (Ecclesiastes 12:13 New International Version). Note that the Bible does not appear in your reference list. It is considered a classical reference. These are cited in text with the version used the first time it is cited. The version is not used after the first time unless you change versions. Comment by jcguy:
Classical works should contain the abbreviation “trans.” followed by year of translation or the word version and the year of the version used. For religious texts, cite the specific passage followed by the translation (e.g. 1 Peter 1:1 (New American Standard)), (Chapter 6, 6.18, p. 178-179).
This is only a partial tutorial of proper APA style. There are many more elements of APA format that should be followed. To know these, please review your manual and follow it closely. It helps to use the sample paper in the APA manual as a format guideline, and to have the sample references open to follow. Remember to include the doi number when available. Also, be sure that you do not have the first printing of the APA manual which contained many errors and should be discarded. Formatting and citing in correct APA style can seem a great task, but by paying attention to the details, it will not be as difficult as it may seem.
References Comment by jcguy:
The reference page heading should be in non-bold regular font. It is not considered in the levels of headings for the paper.
American Psychological Association. (2010). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (6th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.
Smith, J. (2011). A mock article on alcoholism. Not a Real Title of a Journal, 1(4), 1-100. doi:10.8675309.ABC/123 Comment by jcguy:
An example of a typical reference of a periodical is as follows: Andrew, B. C. (2009). A study of child learning styles. Children Science Quarterly, 2(3), 120-142. The author surname and initials appear first with the year of publication in parentheses after it, article title appears second, journal name appears third in italics followed by volume number also in italics, issue number in parentheses, and page numbers at the end (Chapter 6, sections 6.27-6.30, p. 184-186).
(Remember that references should be formatted in hanging indented style. That means if they take more than one line, the second line is indented as in the example of this sentence. Use the AUTO formatting to do this rather than manually tabbing which usually causes errors. Remember also that they should be double spaced and in the same font as the paper).
(Use your APA MANUAL for the correct way to format all sources. Different types should be formatted in different ways.)
