Using the APA Format for a Psychological Research Paper

Every psychology student will be required to write a research paper at some point in his or her academic career. The structure of a research paper is fairly simple, but must adhere to format guidelines as specified by the APA format guidebook. To begin with a good introduction should be well researched. Providing a brief history of the topic and then elaborating upon the thesis is essential. As is citing sources to establish credibility. Locating valid references using journal databases such as Psych Info and ERIC is viable.

In 1929 the American Psychological Association (APA) established intricate guidelines for citing sources in psychology research papers including the following examples:

Books

Author, I. N. (Year). Title of book. Location: Publisher.

Anonymous Articles

Title of the Article. (Year). Title of the Magazine, Volume, Page Numbers.

Single Author

Last Name, First and Middle Initial (Year). Title of book. City of Publication, State of Publication: Publisher.

Two Authors

Last Name, First and Middle Initial, & Last Name, First and Middle Initial. (Year). Title of the Article. Title of the Journal, Volume, Page Numbers.

Any further examples can be found in the APA manual. The body of the paper should follow certain formatting as well.

When writing a thesis or article, the paper should always contain a title page and an abstract. The abstract is a brief summary of the article or thesis that should not exceed 120 words. The abstract follows the title page. The title page should be reflective of the topic or subject matter at hand. Typically a title page will contain the title of the paper, the author’s name, page header, page number and a running head. 

The next focus is on references as they are the key component of an APA style paper. References within the body of the text typically consist of the author’s name followed by the year of  publication.  

The article should also have a separate source page with the word ‘references’ centered at the top to indicate the beginning of the source listings. Each listing should occur in alphabetical order and be flush with the left margin. Each subsequent reference entry is indented.

Only one space is required after punctuation within a reference. Any references cited in the text should also appear on the reference page. Likewise, any references cited on the reference page should also appear in the body of the text. Citing all sources used in a psychological research paper is imperative to avoid plagiarism and to bolster credibility.

Drawing upon our more than 30-year history of granting degrees in professional psychology, Argosy University has developed a curriculum that focuses on interpersonal skills and practical experience alongside academic learning. Because getting a degree is one thing. Succeeding, quite another. Visit Helping Psychology for more information on psychological research.