What Are The Main Parts Of A Term Paper In The APA Format

If you are to write a term paper in APA (American Psychological Association) format, this article may come in handy. Such a work should be well-organized and have definite structure. Here the main components of an APA-styled paper and several tips concerning writing it are listed. The constituent parts of an APA paper are:

1. Title page.

The title page of an APA paper should contain its title, the name of the author, their institutional affiliation and an author’s note.

2. Header.

Header must appear on all the pages and include two components: the head title and the number of the page.

3. Abstract.

This part of a paper follows the title page and is the key component of an APA paper. The abstract must summarize the topic; it should be short but include the most important points: main ideas and findings.

4. Body.

This part contains the text of the paper and is divided into four following sections:

1. Introduction.

The introduction follows the abstract and must include such information as:

• a general overview of the topic – relevant literature, names of the scientists who have investigated the topic, etc.;
• discussion of the uniqueness of the topic and the hypothesis;
• information about the sections of the work and its organization.



Try to make the introduction well-organized, readable and understandable.

2. Method.

This part is very important because it presents the research itself and the way it was conducted. This part has several subdivisions: subjects, measures and procedures. (These parts should describe the materials used and the realization of the experiment).

3. Results.

The following section describes the findings of the paper; it should summarize the results of an experiment and may contain illustrations: tables, graphs, drawings, pictures, etc.

4. Discussion.

This section should contain a review of the hypothesis, discussion and interpretation of the results and the importance of the research. All in all, this is the assessment of the findings.

It is essential to pay special attention to the text of the work: use short but precise sentences, the language itself should be readable, anyway, not too simple. Cite the sources you use in order not to be accused of plagiarism.

5. Final thoughts.

The concluding part of an APA paper should briefly summarize the investigation conducted, the results achieved and the conclusions made. The conclusion must be connected with the introduction as the question with the answer.