Format

• Use 8.5" x 11" paper

• Type double-spaced with 1" margins on all edges

• Page numbers should be in the top right corner

• The right margin should be ragged

• Indent paragraphs five spaces

• Use Times Roman or Courier 12 pt. type

Conventions

• Do not use contractions in academic papers (can't, don't, didn't, shouldn't)

• Do not write one sentence paragraphs

• Keep verb tenses consistent

• Avoid using slang, jargon, and sexist or biased language

• Use active voice whenever possible (e.g. preferred: The Director of Marketing hired five employees last week. Compared to: Five employees were hired last week. The second sentence does not indicate who actually did the hiring.)

• Write from the appropriate viewpoint. This may vary according to the assignment. (For example, journal entries may be written in first person: I completed an assessment. Monographs and other research should be written in third person [the objective perspective]: Twenty-five cancer patients comprised the sample group. This viewpoint does not involve the writer personally. The exception would be if a writer needs to add a section of personal comment for purposes of indicating his or her own opinion or recommendations. This would usually be indicated by a separate heading and section in the paper, perhaps at the end. It is not appropriate to write in second person (using you and your) in academic papers because this addresses the reader directly.  When in doubt ask the instructor.

References page

• Begin the References page on a new page

• Center the word References at the top of the page.

• Double space entries

• List all entries in alphabetical order by the author's last name. Use the title of the work if the author's name is not known.

• Align the first line of every entry with the left margin. All subsequent lines of the entry have a "hanging indent" of one-half inch (1.25 cm), which is five spaces or one Tab over from the margin.

For your quick reference

Access the NLU Library's links to citing sources here

Access the APA Style Wizard here

Helpful Web sites for additional information

• http://www.docstyles.com/apacrib.htm

• http://webster.commnet.edu/apa/

• http://www.apastyle.org/

• http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/research/r_apa.html

• http://www.docstyles.com/apacrib.htm#References

• http://www.lib.usm.edu/research/guides/apa.html

• http://leo.stcloudstate.edu/research/apaintext.html

• http://www.wisc.edu/writing/Handbook/Documentation.html

• http://www.psychwww.com/resource/apacrib.htm

• http://www.lib.duke.edu/libguide/citing.htm

• http://www.bedfordstmartins.com/online/citex.html

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