Running head: GUIDE FOR APA STYLE REPORTS (6TH ED.) 1

Guide for Authors Using the Style of the American Psychological Association

John S. Rosenkoetter

Missouri State University

GUIDE FOR APA STYLE REPORTS (6TH ED.) 2

Abstract

The Abstract is a 1-paragraph summary of the report. It is in block style; that

means the first line is not indented. Follow the order of presentation of

material that is used in the report, and use key words that will help others

find this report in PsycINFO and other abstract services. An abstract of an

empirical study should include the problem under investigation, the

participants, the number of participants, the essential features of the

method, the findings, and the conclusions. It should be no longer than 180

words or less than 1 page. Use Arabic numerals for all numbers in the

Abstract except those that begin sentences.

GUIDE FOR APA STYLE REPORTS (6TH ED.) 3Guide for Authors Using the Style of the American Psychological Association

The American Psychological Association (APA) publishes many journals.

In PSY 302, Experimental Psychology, students are expected to write reports

as if the reports are manuscripts for empirical studies that will be submitted

to one of the APA journals. The writing style to be used is found in the

Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (2010) and in

the Concise Rules of APA Style (2010). Your textbook (Bordens & Abbott,

2014) has a summary of the Publication Manual. Other books, for example,

Strunk and White (1979), give advice on writing style but not on the specifics

of APA style. Your grade for reports and the proposal (shown in Table 1) will

be based partly on how well you follow APA Style.

The body of a report of an empirical study is usually made up of four

sections: the Introduction, the Method, the Results, and the Discussion.

Some reports, such as Shepard and Metzler (1971), are in journals that use

only one section. Other reports require additional sections, for example,

Fisher and Fyrberg (1994), but we will use only the usual four in PSY 302.

In addition to the body, with its four parts, other items may be

included, such as, tables, figures, and appendices (see Appendices A, B, and

C). These are placed after the reference list and would be submitted to a

journal as separate computer files.

The Introduction section contains an introduction to the research that

helps the reader understand the general nature of what is to be presented,

the hypothesis (conceptual hypothesis), a review of the published literature

GUIDE FOR APA STYLE REPORTS (6TH ED.) 4with citations in both the text and the reference list, and the prediction

(operational hypothesis) that was tested. In order to introduce the research,

it is usually necessary to mention the variables. The variables should be

referred to by their correct names, such as, independent variable, quasi-

independent variable, dependent variable, predictor variable, or criterion

variable. The design of the study is also mentioned in the Introduction. If the

readers would not understand the name of the design, a description of the

design would be appropriate.

Method

Participants

The number of participants (or subjects) should be given in this

subsection. The methods used to get the sample of participants may be

described in this subsection or the procedure subsection. If there is an

obvious quasi-independent variable that was used to assign participants to

groups, like the gender of the college students, it could be mentioned in this

subsection. If the participants have any important characteristics, like being

depressed or above average in intelligence, tell how that was determined in

either this subsection or the procedure subsection.

APA guidelines (Ethical Principles 8.01-8.09, APA, 2002) for the ethical

treatment of people and animals must be followed. Researchers must certify

(in the cover letter that accompanies a submission, in the description of the

participants in the participants or procedure subsections of the report, or by

signing a form sent by the editor) that they have followed the guidelines.

GUIDE FOR APA STYLE REPORTS (6TH ED.) 5

For non-human animal subjects, report both the common name and

the genus and species (italicize this Latin name), for example, Norway rats

(Rattus norvegicus). When non-human animals are used as subjects, this

subsection may be labeled the Subjects subsection.

Apparatus

The apparatus subsection is where all the apparatus is described.

Everything that some other investigator would need in order to replicate the

study must be described in this subsection. Sometimes pictures, like those

shown in Figures 1 and 2, help the reader understand the way the

experimental situation looked to the participants.

If only paper and pencil tests were used, this subsection may be

labeled the Materials subsection. If the levels of the independent variable

were different conditions or arrangements of the apparatus, the operational

definition of the independent variable should be given in this subsection. If

the independent variable was described in the Introduction section, describe

it again in this section but in more detail. The Method section must contain

the operational definitions of all variables.

Procedure

The procedure subsection includes a complete description of the

conditions to which the participants or subjects were exposed. Regardless of

how well variables were described in the Introduction section, they must be

operationally defined in the Method section. If the levels of the independent

variable were different treatments given to different groups, their operational

GUIDE FOR APA STYLE REPORTS (6TH ED.) 6definitions should be in the procedure subsection. The dependent variable is

usually operationally defined in this subsection also.

The usual style is to describe what happened to a typical participant, in

order, from beginning to end. This usually describes the design of the

research as well. Do not include the analysis of data by statistics; that should

be in the Results section.

Results

The Results section summarizes the data collected and the statistical

treatment of them. Results should not be mentioned before this section.

Conclusions are left for the Discussion section. The order of presentation of

results is usually descriptive statistics followed by inferential statistics. The

results could also be presented in the order that they would be found when

you calculate them, for example, an F score would be reported before a post

hoc test score.

Discussion

The Discussion section contains the conclusions. Mention whether the

prediction is supported. Mention whether the hypothesis is supported.

Mention whether these results are similar to the results that were reported in

the literature that was cited in the Introduction (please cite it again), and if

not, try to explain why. Include ideas for future research and, possibly, how

this research affects the nature of the universe, as we know it.

GUIDE FOR APA STYLE REPORTS (6TH ED.) 7

References

American Psychological Association. (2002). Ethical principles of

psychologists and code of conduct. Retrieved from

http://www.apa.org/ethics /code2002.html

American Psychological Association. (2010). Concise rules of APA style (6th

ed.). Washington, DC: Author.

American Psychological Association. (2010). Publication manual of the

American Psychological Association (6th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.

Bordens, K. S., & Abbott, B. B. (2014). Research design and methods: A

process approach (9th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education.

Fisher, C. B., & Fyrberg, D. (1994). Participant partners: College students

weigh the costs and benefits of deceptive research. American

Psychologist, 49, 417-427. http://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.49.5.417

Shepard, R. N., & Metzler, J. (1971, February 19). Mental rotation of three-

dimensional objects. Science, 171, 701-703. Retrieved from

http://www.cs.duke.edu/researchers/artificial_intelligence/temp/

Shepard%20Rotate.pdf

Strunk, W., Jr., & White, E. B. (1979). The elements of style (3rd ed.). New

York, NY: Macmillan.

GUIDE FOR APA STYLE REPORTS (6TH ED.) 8Table 1

The Number of Points that Are Possible for a Student to Earn for Each Section

of Each Report and the Final Project in PSY 302

______________________________________________________________________________

Section First Second Third Fourth Final Project

______________________________________________________________________________

Format 5 5 5 5 5

Abstract 5 5 5

Introduction 5 5 5 5 5

Method 5 10 5 5 5

Results 5 5 5 5 5

Discussion 5 5 5 5 5

Citations 5 5

References 5 5

Figure 5 5 5 5

Mastery 10

______________________________________________________________________________

Total 30 35 35 45 50

______________________________________________________________________________

GUIDE FOR APA STYLE REPORTS (6TH ED.) 9

Figure 1. A sample of a simple four-line diagram.

GUIDE FOR APA STYLE REPORTS (6TH ED.) 10

Figure 2. A sample of a complex 10-line diagram.

GUIDE FOR APA STYLE REPORTS (6TH ED.) 11

Appendix A

Additional Print Material Can Be Placed in an Appendix

Each appendix (for several appendices use Appendix A, Appendix B., etc.)

must have a title, which is centered below the word Appendix. Begin the text

of the appendix flush left, followed by indented paragraphs.

Additional material that would usually be printed can be included in an

appendix. Examples of materials suitable for an appendix are (a) a list of

stimulus materials (e.g., like those used in Experiment 3), (b) a detailed

description of how you made your own mirror tracer, and (c) a copy of a

questionnaire.

GUIDE FOR APA STYLE REPORTS (6TH ED.) 12

Appendix B

Making APA Style Running Heads Using Section Breaks in Microsoft Word

2010, 2013, and 2016

1. Set up the headers on the first two pages before you type or paste

anything into the file.

2. Open Microsoft Word 2010, 2013, or 2016 and begin a new blank

document.

3. Click on Insert Page Number Top of Page Plain Number 1

4. Type: Running head: PUT YOUR RUNNING HEAD IN ALL CAPITALS

5. Insert 10 spaces between the end of the running head and the page

number

6. Highlight the line including the page number

7. Click on Home

8. Change the font to the font you will use for the text and make it 12

points

9. Click on the spaces between the running head and the page number

10. Add enough spaces to push the page number to the right margin

11. Click on Header & Footer Tools (at the top of the screen) and Close it

12. Type your Title Page

13. Insert a blank paragraph, DO NOT USE A PAGE BREAK

14. Click: Layout Breaks Next Page (in Section Breaks)

15. Go to page 2 of your report

16. Click on the header area to get Header & Footer Tools, Design

GUIDE FOR APA STYLE REPORTS (6TH ED.) 1317. Click on Link to Previous (This removes the link to the header on the

previous page, which is for Section 1.)

18. Delete “Running head:” from the Header on page 2

19. Add more spaces to push the page number to the right margin but back

off two spaces if you have more than nine pages

20. Close the Header & Footer Tool

GUIDE FOR APA STYLE REPORTS (6TH ED.) 14

Appendix C

Making APA Style Running Heads Using the Different First Page Option in

Microsoft Word 2010, 2013, and 2016

1. Set up the headers on the first two pages before you type or paste

anything into the file.

2. Open Microsoft Word 2010, 2013, or 2016 and begin a new blank

document.

3. On the first page of the document, double-click the header area.

4. In Header & Footer Tools, Design, check Different First Page

5. Click on Page Number Top of Page Plain Number 1

6. Type: Running head: PUT YOUR RUNNING HEAD IN ALL CAPITALS

7. Insert several spaces between the end of the running head and the page

number

8. Highlight the line including the page number

9. Click on Home

10. Change the font to the font you will use for the text and make it 12

points

11. Click on the spaces between the running head and the page number

12. Add enough spaces to push the page number to the right margin

13. Click on Header & Footer Tools (at the top of the screen) and Close it

14. Type your Title Page

15. Insert a blank paragraph

16. Insert a page break (Ctrl-Enter)

GUIDE FOR APA STYLE REPORTS (6TH ED.) 1517. Go to page 2 of your report

18. Click on the header area to get Header & Footer Tools, Design

19. Click on Page Number Top of Page Plain Number 1

20. Type the Running head without “Running head:”

21. Insert some spaces between the end of the running head and the page

number

22. Highlight the line including the page number

23. Click on Home

24. Change the font to the same font you used on page 1; make it 12 points.

25. Click on the spaces between the running head and the page number

26. Add more spaces to push the page number to the right margin but back

off two spaces if you have more than nine pages.

27. Click on Header & Footer Tools (at the top of the screen) and Close it