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Title Page Example

Kendra Cherry

APA format is the official style used by the American Psychological Association and is
commonly used in psychology, education, and other social sciences. Check out this gallery of
examples, tips, and guidelines for writing papers in APA format.

Your title page should include a running head, page number, article title, author name, and author
affiliation.

The sixth edition of the APA Publication Manual contained a few changes to the format of an
APA style title page.

Your title page should contain a running head that is flush left at the top of the page and a
page number that is flush right at the top of the page.
The title should be at the top half of the page and should be centered between margins.
Use both upper-case and lower-case letters.
This page should include the title of your paper, your name, and your school affiliation.
The APA suggests that your title is no more than 12 words in length. Avoid using titles or
degree info (such as Dr. or Ph.D.) before and after your name.
 Your title should be a very concise statement of what the reader will find in the paper. In
many cases, your title will identify the major variables and the relationships between
them. For example, "Effect of Sleep Deprivation on Math Performance" is an example of
a succinct title that clearly describes what the paper is about.
The APA style guide also advises writers to avoid phrases such as "An Experimental
Investigation on..." or "A Study of...". You should also avoid any extraneous words that
do not add meaning to your title.

Learn more about how to write a title page.

Reference Pages in APA Format

Kendra Cherry

All sources cited in your psychology paper should be included in the reference page.
The reference page should appear at the end of your APA paper. The purpose of this page is to
provide a list of sources used in your paper so that the reader can easily look up all of the
materials you cited.

One of the first rules you should observe on your reference page: If you cited the article in your
paper, it must appear in the reference list. Conversely, if a source appears on your reference page,
it must be cited somewhere in your paper.

Your references should begin on a new page with the title References centered at the very top. Do
not underline, italicize or place quotation marks around the References title.

Some More Basic Reference Page Rules

Your references should be alphabetized by the last names of the first author of each
source.
All references should be double-spaced.
Each reference should use a hanging indentation: the first line of the reference should be
flush left, but each additional line of the reference needs to be indented.
In article titles, only the first letter should be capitalized. If a colon appears in the title, the
first letter after the colon should also be capitalized. The title should not be placed in
quotations, underlined or italicized.
All major words in the title of a journal should be capitalized; i.e. The Journal of
Personality and Social Psychology.
Longer works such as books and journals should appear in italics.
In the case where the same author is cited multiple times for different works, start by
listing these references in chronological order with the oldest reference appearing first
and working your way up to the most recent one.
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Tables in APA Format

Kendra Cherry

Tables are a great way to display a great deal of information in a concise, clear and easy to read
format.

In APA format papers, tables are generally used to describe the results of statistical analysis and
other pertinent quantitative data. However, it is important to note that tables are not simply used
to replicate data that has already been presented in the text of the paper and not all data should be
presented in a table. If you have little numeric information to present, it should be described in
the text of your paper.

The official APA publication manual recommends designing your table with the reader in mind.
Strive to communicate data in a way that is clear and easy to understand.

Basic Rules for Tables in APA Format

All tables should be numbered (e.g. Table 1, Table 2, Table 3).

Each table should have an individual title, italicized and presented with each word
capitalized (except and, in, of, with, etc.). For example, Correlations Between Age and
Test Scores. Try to ensure that your title is neither too general nor too specific.
Each table should begin on a separate page.
 Horizontal lines can be used to separate information and make it clearer. Do not use
vertical lines in an APA format table.
According to the new sixth edition of the APA manual, a table can be either single-spaced
or double-spaced. The key is to keep the table readable and the spacing consistent.
All tables should be referenced in the text of the paper.
Tables should be last, after your reference list and appendixes.
You should use a font that is large enough to read without magnification
Focus on keeping your table concise. Too much extraneous information can overwhelm
and confuse the reader. Stick to reporting the most important data.
Remember that your table is there to supplement rather than replicate the text of your
paper. Do not feel the need to discuss every element of your table in your text. Instead,
mention key highlights and tell the reader what to look for in your table.

Table Headings

Table headings should be located flush right.

Each column should be identified using a descriptive heading.
The first letter of each heading should be capitalized.
Abbreviations for standard terms (e.g. M, SD, etc.) can be used without explanation.
Uncommon definitions should be explained in a note below the table.

Additional Notes to an APA Format Table

If additional explanation is needed, a note can be added below the table. There are three kinds of
notes: General notes, specific notes, and probability notes. General notes refer to some aspect of
the entire table; specific notes refer to a particular column or row; probability notes specify the
probability level.

A Quick Checklist

Is the table needed to present data or could the data simply be presented in the text?
Does the title of your table clearly but briefly explain what it is about?
Is the spacing consistent throughout the table?
Does the body of the paper refer to the table?
Is each column of the table clearly labeled?
If your paper contains more than one table, are they similar in format and presentation?
Are any special or uncommon abbreviations explained in notes?

References
American Psychological Association. (2010). Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association. Author: Washington, DC.

Journal and Periodicals in APA Format

Kendra Cherry

Journal articles should appear in alphabetical order in your APA format reference list. Consult the
image below for examples of journal articles in APA format.

More APA Format Tips

Capitalize the first word in the title, subtitle, and proper nouns.

Italicize the name of the publication and the volume number.

Basic Rules

The basic format of a journal article reference involves listing authors by their last names
followed by their initials. Next, the publication year is enclosed in parentheses and followed by a
period. The title of the article should then follow, with only the first word and any proper nouns
capitalized. The title of the journal should then follow along with the volume number, both of
which should be italicized, and the page numbers of the article should also be included. Finally, a
DOI number should be included if one is available.

Electronic Sources in APA Format

Kendra Cherry

Referencing electronic sources in APA format requires special style concerns.

Electronic References Are Similar to Other References

The basic format of an electronic reference is very similar to that of any other reference.
However, you do need to include the date the reference was retrieved from the Internet as well as
the online location of the document. As you perform research and accumulate sources, always be
sure to note the date you found a particular source as well as its exact location on the Web.

Use a Digital Object Identifier When Possible

Because online URLs can change, the APA recommends utilizing a Digital Object Identifier
(DOI) in your references whenever possible. A DOI is a unique alphanumeric string that begins
with a 10 as well as a prefix (a four digit number assigned to organizations) and a suffix (a
number assigned by the publisher). Many publishers will include the DOI on the first page of an
electronic document. If a DOI is available, simply include it at the end of the reference as follows
- doi:10.0000/00000000000

By Kendra Cherry
Updated August 11, 2016

APA format establishes a number of clear rules for how to list reference works using author
information. How you reference different sources varies depending on the number of authors
to whom the source is attributed. For example, the way that you reference a single author will
differ somewhat from how you reference a source with multiple authors.

Before you create a reference section for a psychology paper, it is important to know how to
properly list books, articles, and other sources in APA format.

The following guidelines can help you prepare a reference section for your APA format
paper.

APA Reference for No Author

Articles and other works that do not provide an author attribution should begin with the title
of the work. If the title is a book, list the title first in italics. The volume number and page
numbers should follow article titles, while book titles should be followed by the location and
publisher name.

For example:

A student guide to APA format. (1997). Psychology Weekly, 8, 13-27.

and
The ultimate APA format guidebook. (2006). Hartford, CT: Student Press.

APA Reference for a Single Author

Works by a single author should list the author's last name and initials. The date of
publication should be enclosed in parentheses and followed by the title of the article or book.
Books and journals titles should be listed in italics. The volume number and page numbers of
the article should follow journal titles, while book titles should be followed by the location
and name of the publisher.

For example:

McCrae, R. R. (1993). Moderated analyses of longitudinal personality stability.Journal of

Personality and Social Psychology, 65, 577-585.

and

Bandura, A. (1977). Social learning theory. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.

APA References for Two Authors

Works by two authors should list last names and first initials separated by an ampersand (&).

These names should be followed by the date of publication enclosed in parentheses. If the
work is a journal article, the title of the article should immediately follow the publication
date. Next, the title of the book or journal should be listed in italics. If the reference is a
journal article, provide the volume number and page numbers. For books, list the location and
name of the publisher.

For example:

Kanfer, F. H., & Busemeyer, J. R. (1982). The use of problem-solving and decision-making
in behavior therapy. Clinical Psychology Review, 2, 239-266.

and

Buss, A. H., & Pomin, R. (1975). A temperament theory of personality

development. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.

Three to Seven Authors

Works by three to seven authors should list last names and first initials of each author
separated by an ampersand. Author names should be followed by the date of publication
enclosed in parentheses.

If the work is a journal article, include the title of the article immediately following the
publication date. The title of the book or journal should then be listed in italics.

If the reference is a journal article, provide the volume number and page numbers. For books,
list the location and name of the publisher.

For example:

Abma, J. C., Chandra, A., Mosher, W. D., Peterson, L. S., & Piccinino, L. J. (1997). Fertility,
family planning, and womens health: New data from the 1995 National Survey of Family
Growth. Vital and Health Statistics, 23(9), 1-67.

and

Alper, S., Schloss, P. J., Etscheidt, S. K., & Macfarlane, C. A. (1995). Inclusion: Are we
abandoning or helping students? Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

APA References for More Than Seven Authors Authors

When a work is credited to more than seven authors, the reference is listed by providing the
names of the first six authors followed by . . . and then the final author. The remainder of the
reference follows the same format as that for seven or less authors.

Author last names and initials are followed by the date of publication enclosed in
parentheses. The name of the article is listed immediately after the publication date. The title
of the journal or the book title should be provided in italics. The volume number and page
number should follow journal titles, while book titles should be followed by the location and
publisher name.

For example:

Black, C. P., Arlo, S. T., Rechit, R., Machlen, J. P., Sempson, K., Bee, A. L., . . . Smith, R. K.
(1999). Citing seven or more authors in APA format. Journal of APA Style and Format, 17,
45-75.

and
Black, C. P., Arlo, S. T., Rechit, R., Machlen, J. P., Sempson, K., Bee, A. L., . . . Clark, S. P.
(2001). APA format for psychology students. Newark, NJ: Prentice-Hall.