How to Write an Essay in APA Format?

Essay in APA format usually include the following elements: 

• Title Page: The essay title page contains both the author’s name and the institution concerned. 
• Abstract: An Abstract page sums up everything including purpose, outcomes, etc. 
• Introduction: Contains an overview of the researcher's question, thesis statement, etc. 
• Body: Shows the arguments, evidence, and data analysis. 
• Reference entry: Shows all sources used in the process papers. 
• In-text Citations: Crediting all sources in the professional papers. 
• Proper Formatting: Ideally, 12-point Times New Roman font, double-spacing, and 1-inch margins.

This article will reveal everything you need to know on how to write an essay in APA format. Moreover, if you struggle with any academic writing, APA paper writing service EssayService is a perfect writing platform for assistance with any academic task for college students. 

APA Essay Formatting Basics

Document Structure

The standard sections of an APA style essay format look like this: 

Title Page

• The title page consists of the paper's title and the author’s name, affiliation, course title and number. In some cases, it may include the submission date and the instructor's name. 
• Formatting and spacing usually follow a specific template. 

Abstract 

• The Abstract is a short and direct paper summary. It is ideally between 150 to 250 words. 
• The Abstract usually contains the methods employed during research, research questions, the outcome of the findings, and conclusions. 
• In some cases, there may be no need for an Abstract, however, you can always find them in professional papers. 

Main Body 

• The main body is the primary content of the entire APA paper. 
• It usually contains the essay’s introduction, literature review, outcome of findings, discussion, and conclusion.
• The main body works with headings and subheadings for a more concise explanation and organized academic paper. 

References 

• References contain all the quoted or cited sources in the entire APA style paper. 
• Has a specific arrangement, such as alphabetical and formatting style, for example, hanging indent. 
• The reference entry also includes more detailed biographic information on any of the sources used in the entire work.

Page Layout

Page layout significantly contributed to a standard APA formatted essay. Here's how to professionally format your page layout in your APA manual. 

Key Sections of an APA Essay

When writing an essay in APA format, you must include certain sections to provide more meaningful and concise information to readers. These significant APA publication manual sections provide logical guidance and findings to readers, making it easier to check any information from the entire research. The key sections include the following: 

• Paper's Title Page 
• Title Page Abstract (optional)
• Introduction
• Literature Review
• Methods
• Results
• Discussion
• Conclusion
• References
• Appendices (if applicable)

Title Page

The components of title page when writing an essay in APA format will contain the following components: 

• Conciseness 
• Clarity 
• Keywords 
• Formatting

Formatting Conciseness 

• Make titles short and contain relevant information. It must capture the major paper's idea in a few words. 
• Do not write long titles 

Formatting Clarity 

• Develop a clear and concise title for the page title
• Use ideal and precise language to describe the title

Formatting Keywords 

• Use the ideal keywords to make your essay searchable in databases.

Formatting 

• Title case: Every first letter of a major word should be in Capital letters (nouns, adverbs, etc).
• Centring: Put the title at the page centre.
• Bolding: The title page should be in bold.
• Spacing: The title page should be positioned 3-4 lines down from the page's top margin. 

Example:

“The Social Media Impact On Self-Confidence” 

From the above title, there is clarity, conciseness, and title case. Readers can easily get the intent of the topic paper as it provides an effective summary.”

Abstract

When formatting the Abstract page in an essay, it should follow the below guidelines: 

Placement: Begins on a fresh page after the title page 

Heading: Centre and bolden your “Abstract” at the page's top

Text:

• A single paragraph without indentation.
• An Abstract page is usually between 150-250 words long. 
• The Abstract page must summarize the essay. It must reveal everything about it, such as the question, outcomes, research methods, and conclusions. 

Example:

This study revealed the social media's impact on self-confidence. Participants (N = 150) aged 15-20 completed measures of social media use and self-confidence. Findings and outcomes showed a strong and negative impact of social media use on self-confidence scores. Additional findings revealed excessive time on social media significantly contributed to low self-confidence. 

Main Body

The main body of an essay in APA format cover page will look like this: 

A. Introduction 

Purpose:

• Clearly and concisely introduce the topic 
• State background information 
• Reveal the research question 
• Provide a brief outline of the APA style paper's structure 

Example:

“This study revealed the social media impact on self-confidence. Young people continue to embrace social media platforms, a development that is triggering concerns about the mental health of people. This study explores the correlation between the use of these platforms and the confidence level among youngsters. This paper's literature review will explore those platforms and self-confidence. It will also examine the research methodology’s description, then the outcomes of the findings and discussions.” 

B. Headings and Subheadings

Levels:

• Level 1: Centered, boldface, uppercase and lowercase. Example: The Social Media Impact On Self-Confidence.
• Level 2: Left-aligned, boldface, uppercase and lowercase letters. Example: Literature Review
• Level 3: Indented, boldface, lowercase with a period at the end. Example: The Use of Social Media and Self-Confidence. 
• Level 4: Indented, boldface, italicized, lowercase letters with a period at the end. Example: Social Comparison Theory.
• Level 5: Indented, italicized, lowercase letters with a period at the end. Example: Impact of social comparison on self-perception.

C. In-Text Citations

• Author-Date Method: (Author Last Name, Year). Example: (Reuben, 2023)
• For direct quotations, Include the page number (Author's Last Name, Year, p. xx). Example: "Previous study revealed a correlation between the use of social platforms and depression (Smith, 2023, p. 45).”

D. Writing Style

Clarity and Precision: Avoid redundancy and indirect language, and be concise. Example: Use “Several studies revealed…..” instead of “A lot of studies show…”

Objectivity: Neutrally present your information without partiality. Do not use any individual thoughts or emotional language. Example: Use “Findings revealed that social media negatively impacts….” Instead of “I think social media has more negative impacts…” 

Formal Tone: Write professionally and academically throughout the text. 

References 

Here is an APA outline format for referencing style. 

• New Page: Always start the “references” on a new page. 
• Title Page: The title “References” must be at the page's top in bold. 
• Spacing: Double-space all entries in the "References" list.
• Hanging Indent: Use a hanging indent for each entry, meaning that the first line of each entry is flush left, and subsequent lines are indented.
• Alphabetical Order: All entries must be alphabetically arranged by the first author's last name. If a specific author has many works, chronologically order them by the date they were published. Ensure to list the earliest work. 
• Basic Format: Most references usually include the Author(s) last name and first initial. (Year). Title of work. 
• Publication information: Example, Journal Article: Author, K.Y., Author, V. T., & Author, F. E. (Year). Title of article. Journal Name, Volume(Issue), page numbers. doi:10.xxxx/xxxxx. 
• Book: Author, A. A. (Year). Book title. Publisher.
• Website: Author, A. A. (Publication date). Title of page. Retrieved from URL
• APA citation Management Tools: Some management tools like EndNote can help you with citing your references properly. They can also help with automatic, accurate bibliographies. 

Additional Considerations When Writing an Essay in APA Format

You must include tables and figures when following the APA style format to make your information understandable and concise to anyone. Tables and figures are an integral part of data presentation for visualizing form. 

Tables

• Numbering: Use Arabic numerals when consecutively numbering any table in your work. For example, Table 1, Table 2.
• Title: The table number and title should be above the table. It must be in the centre and italics. 

• Headings: Columns and rows must have simple-to-understand APA headings. 

• Notes: All necessary notes must be below the table. General notes provide significant information about the table, while specific notes provide significant information about some parts of the table. 

Example:

Table 1

Descriptive Statistics for Participant Age and Gender

Figures

• Numbering: Number figures consecutively throughout in Arabic numerals. For example, Figure 1, Figure 2. 

• Title Page: The figure number and title should be below the figure, centred and in italics. 

• Legends: For color or symbol explanation, the legend must be within the figure or below it. 

• Notes: All necessary notes should be below the figure, following the table's format.

Appendices

Appendices don't contribute much regarding understanding the main text in a better way. However, the supplementary materials are significant to references. You can format your appendices this way: 

• Labeling: Each Appendix should be in capital letters when labeling it, for example, Appendix A and Appendix B. 

• Title: The appendix should be at the center of the page’s top. 

• Content: You can include raw data, figures, and other essential information in the appendix content. 

• Referencing: Use appropriate labels to refer to the appendix, for example, see Appendix A. 

Example: 

Conclusion…………………………………….30

Discussion……………………………………..31

Recommendations…………………………….35

Reference List…………………………………….36

Appendix A. Interview Transcript……………………………………….37

Appendix B. Survey Responses…………………………………….45

The appendix usually appears at the end of the text. 

How to Write an APA Format Essay in Four Steps?

You can learn how to write an APA essay in four simple but significant steps. Below are the steps to write an incredible and error-free essay format using APA style. 

Choose an Interesting Topic  

Choosing an incredible topic comes first for APA style format essay. Your interests, scope, and requirements of the essay are things you must consider. Avoid choosing a topic that doesn't align with academic audiences’ purpose. Narrow down your focus and navigate likely questions that will corroborate your overall research questions and their significance. Considering these factors provides you with a significant selection process, making your research well-founded and purposeful. 

Gather Evidence, Write a Thesis 

Work extensively on your selected topic to gather all the required evidence and information needed. Come up with a concise statement that corroborates the main argument of your essay. Be very specific with your thesis and make sure it shows the exact direction your paper will take. Consult different academic journals and other available books that can provide more evidence that supports your claim. Find reputable sources that can help you comprehensively understand your subject matter. Thorough research solidifies your research, making your essay one of the most discussed topics among scholars.

Prepare Your First Draft  

Now that you have your research and thesis statement available, the state of writing your APA style essay comes next. Develop a very clear structure for your essay. Ensure to have concise APA headings and subheadings using clear APA format guidelines. Develop a logical introduction of your ideas and back them up with evidence and accurate APA citations. Be consistent with your font and size (ideally, 12-point Times New Roman). Always use a double-spacing from the start to the end. 

Adhering to these formatting rules makes your essay more readable, professional, and well-structured. It also aligns with the standard requirements of academic writing. 

Review, Revise, and Repeat 

Always ensure to review, revise, and repeat the process before submitting your APA essay. Thoroughly proofread everything from the beginning to the end. Carefully check if there are any grammatical flaws throughout your essay. Check if you have properly formatted your APA citation and overall expression clarity. 

Taking time to read your essay can be critical, but it is a very significant action for a polished and successful professional paper. Proofreading helps you ensure you have effectively communicated your ideas, helping your readers to have a long-term positive impression of your paper formatting. After reviewing the revision, always ensure to repeat the process for a long time to have an error-free essay. 

Sum Up

Our guide on writing a perfect APA essay comes to an end as we sum up the steps required to help. 

• Choosing an interesting topic to write on
• Gather your evidence and write a thesis 
• Prepare your first draft 
• Review, revise, and repeat until you get an error-free essay.

The above guide can help you develop the best APA format essay if you follow it strictly. However, if you experience any challenges or have any academic writing struggles, EssayService can assist you with any kind of academic task. Our highly skilled writers are available to take up any academic essay using APA format.