When it comes to writing essays, term papers, and research papers the most prevalent international writing standard is APA format or style. These are style guidelines or standards that dictate the formatting and citing of sources when writing academic and professional papers.

Every day, literally thousands of visitors arrive at my Writing Help Central website looking for information and samples on how to apply the APA international standard. To serve the needs of those visitors I have set up a number of information and sample format pages that explain and demonstrate APA writing format.

APA Format
APA format or APA style are the terms commonly used to describe the writing style guidelines which are developed, maintained, and periodically revised and updated by the American Psychological Association (APA).

The American Psychological Association came into being in its current form through the 1945 amalgamation of a number of different psychological societies and organizations which existed in the U.S.A. at that time, at both the national and state levels. The APA currently has almost 160,000 members and is the largest association of psychologists in the world.

Over the years, the APA has developed a standard for writing style that is now widely used by writers in the social sciences, education, business and psychology. Accordingly, the APA documentation style is now used throughout the world, in both business and academia. APA’s writing style is documented in detail in its manual entitled:

Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, Fifth Edition (2001).

APA’s Publication Manual covers all aspects of the writing and publishing process including: organizing, writing, formatting, keying, and submitting a manuscript for publication. It provides detailed guidance on editorial style as well as on the appropriate standards for publishing research in accordance with ethical principles of scientific publishing.

There is often considerable confusion when teachers, students, editors and researchers use the terms “APA style” or “APA format”. To clear up that confusion I am including three paragraphs below from the APA website.

“When editors or teachers ask you to write in “APA style,” they do not mean writing style. They are referring to the editorial style that many of the social and behavioral sciences have adopted to present written material in the field. Editorial style consists of rules or guidelines that a publisher observes to ensure clear and consistent presentation of written material. Editorial style concerns uniform use of such elements as:

If you are unsure, you should clarify with your instructor or editor how they define “APA style.” APA’s style rules and guidelines are set out in a reference book called “The Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association.”

APA Rules
APA documentation style calls for in-text citations of sources of information to be listed “within” the text where they are referenced, rather than in footnotes and endnotes, as some systems require.

To assist those who would rather not wade through APA’s 439 page Publication Manual, I have broken down and summarized the APA Rules for the Preparation of Manuscripts into three distinct sections as follows:

1. Overall APA Paper Format Rules
2. APA Rules For In-Text Citation of Sources
3. Compiling and Formatting the APA Reference List

Each of the above sections contains a link to actual sample pages of the formats being discussed. You can access this APA Rules page at:
http://writinghelp-central.com/apa-format-rules.html

2 Responses to “APA Format Leads the Pack…”

1. Mimie Says:
   March 1st, 2007 at 3:12 am

   Wow, Shaun. Thanks again and again! GBU

2. Akobir Says:
   March 2nd, 2007 at 8:01 am

   Shaun, whatever you write is inspiring me in my new job! I’m a novice in writing.
   Short info about me: I’m a Reporting Officer in remote Tajikistan. I write reports in English as well as Tajik.