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In 1929, the APA format was developed as a way to make the communication of scientific ideas more comprehensive and consistent. Since then, the APA (American Psychological Association) style has become a common method of citing sources in psychology, education, and the social sciences.
When presenting scholarly written materials, social and behavioral scientists use the APA format. This writing style provides its writers with the necessary guidelines to present scientific research in a clear, concise manner. As a result, complex scientific ideas can be understood by its audience.
APA Format example of aTitle Page.
The abstract is a brief summary of the main points and purpose of the paper. It is typically 150-250 words in length and includes the abbreviations and acronyms that are used throughout the paper. The abstract must be titled “Abstract.” Unlike all of the other paragraphs in an APA format paper, the abstract is not indented.
APA Format example of an Abstract page.
APA Format example of an References page.
The APA format was originally used by psychologists. In more recent times, students and writers have adopted the APA format as a way to present their research. The increase in APA writers required the American Psychological Association to create an APA style manual written for a broader audience. As a result, the APA released the 6th edition in June 2009. The APA format changes found in this edition are as follows:
In October 2009, a second printing of the APA style manual was released. This printing contains numerous corrections for errors that were found in the first printing of the 6th edition. For this reason, it is important to ensure that the second printing of the 6th edition is referred to when following the APA guidelines.