1. APA FORMAT GUIDELINES This tutorial is adapted from the
Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, th edition. Washington, DC: APA.
PPt by Chris Bui, Tina Blaas, Savanna Richter, and Rustian Phelps
2002, 2010, 2016 UWF Writing Lab

2. Here are some points to remember when you are writing a paper in APA style.

3. All margins are set to one inch.

4. All lines are double-spaced
All lines are double-spaced. There are no extra spaces between sections or subheadings in the main text. There are no extra spaces between paragraphs in the main text.

5. The First Level is Centered, Boldface, Title Case
An APA manuscript has five possible levels of heading.
The First Level is Centered, Boldface, Title Case
Text begins on the next line.
The Second Level is Flush Left, Boldface, Title Case
The third level is indented, boldface, sentence case,
ending with a period. Text begins on the same line.
The fourth level is indented, boldface, italicized, sentence case, ending with a period. Text begins on the same line.
The fifth level is indented, italicized, sentence case, ending with a period. Text begins on the same line.

6. In the text, the first line of each paragraph is indented half an inch
In the text, the first line of each paragraph is indented half an inch. The first line of every footnote is also indented half an inch.

7. The title page includes the following:
running head with abbreviated title (no more than 50 characters including spaces and punctuation)
and page number
Running head: EFFECTS OF READING
Effects of Reading on Grammar Mastery
Lisa Z. Lester
University of West Florida
full title (no more than 12 words)
byline (author)
institutional affiliation

8. The manuscript header appears half an inch from the top of every page, including the title page. It contains an abbreviated title followed by the page number.

9. The second page of any paper written in APA style contains the abstract. The abstract is a concise summary of the paper in a single block paragraph. The word limit varies from journal to journal, but the average is 150 to 250 words. Center the word Abstract at the top of the page. Then begin the summary on the following line. Do not indent the paragraph.

10. The main text begins on page 3.
Center the title at the top and begin the text on the following line.

11. A reference page begins on a separate page after the main text ends
A reference page begins on a separate page after the main text ends. Center the word References at the top of the page. Then begin the entries on the following line.

12. Any other pages (Appendix, Author Note, Footnotes, Tables, Figure Captions, and Figures) should begin on their own separate pages. Remember to center the subheading at the top. Remember to include the header with the page number on every page.

13. Some professors might modify these guidelines to fit their own courses and assignments. Check with your professor to be sure.

14. If you have questions about citing sources in APA, please refer to the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association or see our PowerPoint The APA Reference List at

15. If you have further questions about APA style , please refer to the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association or call the UWF Writing Lab at (850) or (850) Of course, you are always welcome to stop by our main-campus location in Building 51, Room 157.