Each academic paper assignment comes with specific directions on the formatting style to use. The formatting style indicated will determine the resulting structure and texture of your paper. You must accurately execute these formatting instructions to earn the best grade. The APA format for homework assignments is common in behavioral and human sciences like education, business, and psychology.
Academic writing rules do not allow you to combine two formatting styles in one paper. Such mix-up would result in confusion because a bracket or italic on APA could mean something else in MLA format. A reader will not understand what you mean if two citations or references, for example, have a similar entry but with different meanings. APA format for one-page assignments must, therefore, be consistent throughout your work.
APA formatting samples
APA results in a uniquely textured paper. Even the structure of your paper will change. If you are using APA format for homework assignments, you need to understand these instructions are executed. One of the tricks to understand these instructions is to use samples.
APA samples have the instructions already implemented. For instance, you will know the details to include on the cover page, how to write your introduction, and the order of entries in your citation, among other factors. With a sample, your role will be to imitate the entries and transfer them to your paper.
The biggest challenge with the APA homework format samples the source. If you get the samples from unqualified sources, it will affect the quality of the paper you produce. Consequently, you end up with a poor grade paper.
The best source of APA formatting samples is the library. A library run by a university or research institution is tasked with guiding its students to produce the best quality work. For this reason, it must offer the highest quality samples. You may also obtain samples from online databases run by reputable academic institutions.
Discuss your challenges with the APA assignment format with your tutor. He will guide you on the samples or resources to use. Your tutor may also guide you to online platforms where you can automatically generate citations for your paper.
APA formatting Guidelines
Here is an APA format step-by-step guide to making your paper easier to write and accurate.
- Line Spacing – the entire paper should be double spaced. This includes your title page, tables, and figures notes, block quotations, and appendices, among other sections. However, there is an exception to the rule. Footnotes, tables, and figures, as well as equations, should be treated differently.
- Font – use a uniform font in your entire paper. The uniform font applies to all titles and headings or subheadings in your paper. Preferred APA font choices include 11 points Calibri, 11 points Arial, and 11 points Georgia, among others.
- Margins – all margins should be uniform throughout the paper. The recommended margin is 2.45cm or 1 inch on all sides. Your tutor or the department may require you to use different margins. Please adhere to the alterations.
- Indentation – the first line of every paragraph is always indented. The tab key will help you to be consistent with the indentation. However, you should also observe a few exceptions including centering the title page and left orientation for the first line of your abstract, among others.
- Alignment – align the text of your paper to the left. Leave the right edge of your paragraphs uneven or ragged. Avoid breaking hyphenated words manually or long URLs. It will affect the orientation of your paper.
The best guide on how to follow APA format for homework assignment is to use approved samples. Discuss the samples with your tutor to help you execute the instructions accurately. Use online apps and formatting platforms to get these instructions accurately.
