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Libraries and Learning Skills

APA 7th Edition - University of Lincoln

Guidance on writing in APA style

Both the Library's APA referencing handbook and this APA referencing libguide focus on the referencing aspect of APA style which is outlined in the Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.). As well as setting out the APA 7th referencing style, the APA's Publication manual covers all aspects of scholarly writing in APA style.

For guidance on how to format your academic work in APA style (including font size, spacing, headings, etc.), the first place to check is the information in the Module handbook and the Assessment briefing for a particular assessment. Both of which will be available on the module's Blackboard site. You can also check with your lecturer re the specific requirements for a particular assignment/assessment.

For general guidance on formatting a paper in APA style, there is lots of information available on the APA's website at: 
https://apastyle.apa.org/style-grammar-guidelines/paper-format

This includes guidance on the following areas:

Fonts: https://apastyle.apa.org/style-grammar-guidelines/paper-format/font

Line spacing: https://apastyle.apa.org/style-grammar-guidelines/paper-format/line-spacing

Paragraph alignment and indentation: https://apastyle.apa.org/style-grammar-guidelines/paper-format/paragraph-format

Headings: https://apastyle.apa.org/style-grammar-guidelines/paper-format/headings

If in doubt about how to format an assessment, first check the module handbook and the assessment briefing and then, if still unsure, clarify this with the lecturer who has set the assignment. The above guidelines are those outlined by the APA for scholarly writing which may differ from those required for a particular assessment.

A Step By Step Guide for APA Style Student Papers: Webinar recording

This recording of a webinar delivered by experts at APA Style for the Association of College & Research Libraries (ACRL) discusses how to format student papers - including font, line spacing, margins, page numbers, sections, and the reference list.

APA tutorial: Basics of 7th ed. APA Style

This APA tutorial helps writers who are new to APA Style learn the fundamentals. It includes guidelines for paper elements, format, and organization; academic writing style; grammar and usage; bias-free language; mechanics of style; tables and figures; in-text citations, paraphrasing, and quotations; and reference list format and order.

This free tutorial is available here