APA Checklist for a Paper on an Empirical Study

General format

• Double-spaced
• 12-pt font
• Margins of at least 1 inch

Title page

• Header
• Running head
• Title centered
• Author (first name, middle initial, last name)
• Institution

Abstract

• Not indented
• Defines all abbreviations, acronyms, unique terms
• Includes 4-5 of the most important findings
• Uses 3rd person
• Doesn’t exceed 120 words

Should describe

• The problem under investigation
• Participants
• Experimental method, including procedure
• Findings
• Conclusion, and implications/applications

Introduction

• The title of the paper is the heading
• Presents the problem and describes past research
• Discusses background
• States the purpose and rationale of your paper
• States hypotheses and defines variables

Method

• The heading “Method” is centered
• How the study was conducted
• Explain the manipulation
• Detailed enough to let someone else replicate the study
• Can identify subsections: participants, procedure, materials (left aligned, italicized)
• Participants: sex, age, race/ ethnicity
• How the dependent variable is measured

Results

• Heading “Results” is centered
• Statistical data
• All relevant results, even if they don’t support your hypotheses
• Mention Tables and Figures if appropriate (located in Appendix)

Discussion

• Heading “Discussion” is centered
• In 1st paragraph: statement of support/non-support of your hypotheses
• Discuss similarities/differences between your findings and past research
• Address alternative explanations for results
• Last paragraph: -why the problem is important?
• The larger issue that hinges on results?
• What real life phenomenon is modeled/explained by the results?

References

• Reference list begins with a new page
• The heading “References” is centered
• In alphabetical order of the primary author’s last name
• Double-spaced
• Hanging indent
• Only first word in the title of a reference source is capitalized
• All citations made in the paper must be in the reference list
• All reference sources must be cited in the text

Appendix

• Each appendix starts on a new page
• Multiple appendices are labelled Appendix A, Appendix B, etc. in order that they appear in the text