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APA Format Basics and General Advice
1. No bolded text (except in the case of a few Greek characters used in reporting statistics).
2. use a single fontand font size (including titles, headings, page numbers, etc.).
3. Minimum 1” margins all around the text.
4. Do not “right justify” the text.
5. Page numbers go in the top right–hand corner, flush with the right margin, half way between the
top of the page and the beginning of the text.
6. Indent paragraphs ½” or five spaces.
7. Double-space; no additional spaces between paragraphs, before headings, etc.
• Do not use “bullets;” see “seriation” in the APA manual.
9. Citations in text use the following format (Dolmage, 2005, p. 1) or (Clarke, 2005, pp. 1-2).
10. Quotations of 40 or more words should be in a “block format.” Block quotations should be
left indented ½” (but not right indented) and (in student papers) should be single-spaced.
Additional Information
1. Underlining is the copy-editor’s mark that tells the typesetter, “put these words in italics.”
Unless you are using a typewriter, use italics, not underlining. It makes no sense to use both.
2. Names of parties in the titles of court cases (e.g., Dolmage v. Erskine; R. v. Jones, etc.), statute
titles (e.g., Education Act) and non-English words (e.g., “nolite te bastardes carborundorum”)
are italicized.
3. Terminal punctuation usually goes inside “closing quotation marks.”
4. Serif fonts (as opposed to san-serif fonts) are much more readable in text. San-serif fonts are
better suited to headlines and advertising.
5. Use paper clips rather than staples; use document folders that grip, but do not bind, papers.
6. Always use the past tense when describing or discussing events that occurred in the past.
7. DO NOT use your university instructor as your proof-reader/copy-editor.