Title of the Paper in Full
Student Name
Program Name or Degree Name (e.g., Master of Science in Nursing), xx University
COURSE XX: Title of Course
Instructor Name
Month XX, 202X
Abstract
This is the abstract, which is typed in block format with no indentation. Abstracts are not required for all course papers. Please ask your instructor if you have questions regarding whether an abstract is required for a particular assignment. The abstract briefly summarizes your paper in 250 words or less. Through your abstract, your readers should be able to fully understand the content and the implications of the paper. Also, note that writing this section after the paper itself may be helpful. See section 2.9 of APA 7 and the Writing Center’s Abstracts webpage for tips and more information on writing abstracts.
Title of the Paper in Full
This template’s margins, page numbers, and page breaks are set for you, and you do not need to change them. Do not add any extra spaces between the heading and the text (tip: check Spacing under Format, Paragraph in your word processor, and make sure that it is set to 0”). Instead, just use a standard double space, indent a full ½ inch (preferably using the tab button), and start typing. While APA allows writers to choose a font that is “accessible to readers” (American Psychological Society, 2020, p. 44), and offers a few recommended types and sizes (see Section 2.19), this template uses Times New Roman size 12. The introduction should receive no specific heading because readers assume that the first section functions as your paper’s introduction.
After considering these formatting issues, you will need to construct a thesis statement, which lets readers know how you synthesized the literature into a treatise that is capable of advancing a new point of view. This statement provides readers with a lens for understanding the evidence you will present in the body of your essay (each paragraph and thus evidence within those paragraphs you include should support and apply to this thesis statement).
Once you have established your thesis, begin constructing the introduction. An easy template for writing an introduction follows:
- Start with what has been said or done regarding the topic.
- Explain the problem with what has been said or done.
- Offer a solution in a concise thesis statement that can be supported by the evidence.
Level 1 Heading
This text will be the beginning of the body of the essay. Even though this section has a new heading, make sure to connect this section to the previous one so readers follow your ideas and evidence. The first sentence in each paragraph should start with a topic sentence, which summarizes the main point in the current paragraph. Make sure each paragraph contains only one topic, which helps establish a clear scope for your paragraph. When you see yourself drifting to another idea, make sure you break into a new paragraph. You can use the MEAL plan as a way to conceptualize and organize your paragraphs. In short, think about our paragraphs in this way: new idea, new paragraph.
Another Level 1 Heading
Here is another Level 1 heading. Note that, when you add additional headings, you should use the APA levels available in the Styles area of your toolbar. If you enter them manually instead, you may need to delete the automatic indent that appears because Word thinks you are beginning a new paragraph. Again, the topic sentence of this section should explain how this paragraph is related or a result of what you discussed in the previous section. Consider using transitions between sentences to help readers see the connections between ideas.
Level 2 Heading
The Level 2 heading designates a subsection of the previous section. Using headings is a great way to organize a paper and increase its readability, so see Section 2.27 of APA 7 and the Writing Center’s Heading Levels webpage for details on heading formatting (APA 7 also has a chart detailing heading formatting in the inside front cover). For shorter papers, using one or two levels is all that is needed. You would use Level 1 (centered, bold font with title case) and Level 2 (left aligned, bold, title case). This template provides examples of APA’s four heading levels, but remember to use headings judiciously to indicate your paper’s organization. Too many headings (e.g., headings for each paragraph) can be distracting, while too little headings can make your paper’s organization unclear.
Level 3 Heading
Level 3 and 4 headings introduce some new formatting. Level 3 headings are in italics, and Level 4 headings are indented. All headings are in title case. The number of heading levels needed in a particular paper is not set, but longer papers may benefit from another heading level, such as this Level 3 heading (which is left-aligned, bold, italicized, and title case), in order to clearly organize and identify the nesting development of ideas.
Level 4 Heading. One crucial area in APA is learning how to cite. Make sure to cite source information throughout your paper to avoid plagiarism. This practice is critical: you need to give credit to your sources and avoid copying others’ work. Look at Chapter 8 of APA 7 and the Writing Center’s Plagiarism Prevention Resource Kit for guidelines on citing source information in your writing.
Level 1 Heading
APA can seem difficult to master, but following the general rules becomes easier with use. The Writing Center also offers numerous resources on its website and by email to help. Email or visit our Live Chat Hours for questions, and peruse the APA Style section of our website for in-depth information. The Writing Center’s Crash Course in APA Style video can help you identify the APA rules you may need to learn more about.
Level 1 Heading
The conclusion section should recap the major points of your paper. A conclusion can be one paragraph, but it can also be a few paragraphs, depending on the length of your paper. However, perhaps more importantly, the conclusion should also interpret what you have written and what it means in the bigger picture. To help write your conclusion, consider asking yourself these questions: What do you want to happen with the information you have provided? What do you want to change? What is your ultimate goal in using this information? What would it mean if the reader of your paper took and used the suggestions in your paper?
Course_Paper_Template_With_Abstract_APA_7
References
(Note that the following references are intended as examples only. These entries illustrate different types of references but are not cited in the body of this template. In your paper, be sure every reference entry matches a citation, and every citation refers to an item in the reference list.
For additional information, examples, and help with reference entries, see Chapter 9 of APA 7 and the Writing Center’s References section of the website, particularly the Common Reference List Examples page.)
American Counseling Association. (n.d.). About us. https://www.counseling.org/about-us/about-aca
Anderson, M. (2018). Getting consistent with consequences. Educational Leadership, 76(1), 26-33.
Bach, D., & Blake, D. J. (2016). Frame or get framed: The critical role of issue framing in nonmarket management. California Management Review, 58(3), 66-87. https://doi.org/10.1525/cmr.2016.58.3.66
Burgess, R. (2019). Rethinking global health: Frameworks of Power. Routledge.
Herbst-Damm, K. L., & Kulik, J. A. (2005). Volunteer support, marital status, and the survival times of terminally ill patients. Health Psychology, 24(2), 225–229. https://doi.org/10.1037/0278-6133.24.2.225
Johnson, P. (2003). Art: A new history. HarperCollins. https://doi.org/10.1037.0000136-000
Lindley, L. C., & Slayter, E. M. (2018). Prior trauma exposure and serious illness at end of life: A national study of children in the U.S. foster care system from 2005 to 2015. Journal of Pain and Symptom Management, 56(3), 309–317. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2018.06.001
Osman, M. A. (2016, December 15). 5 do’s and don’ts for staying motivated. Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/5-dos-and-donts-for-staying-motivated/art-20270835
Sue, D. W., & Sue, D. (2016). Counseling the culturally diverse: Theory and practice (7th ed.). Wiley.
Walden University Library. (n.d.). Anatomy of a research article [Video]. https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/library/instructionalmedia/tutorials#s-lg-box-7955524
Walden University Writing Center. (n.d.). Writing literature reviews in your graduate coursework [Webinar]. https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/writingcenter/webinars/graduate#s-lg-box-18447417
World Health Organization. (2018, March). Questions and answers on immunization and vaccine safety. https://www.who.int/features/qa/84/en/