***Essay Instructions***
1. Understand APA Style:
- APA (American Psychological Association) style is commonly used in social sciences, education, and psychology. It emphasizes clarity, conciseness, and logical organization.
- APA Manual: For detailed guidelines, consult the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (7th edition).
2. Title Page:
- Title: Centered, bold, and in title case (capitalize major words). Place it 3-4 lines down from the top of the page.
- Author’s Name: Your full name, written below the title.
- Institutional Affiliation: Lee College, written below your name.
- Course Information: Course number and name (e.g., PSY101: Introduction to Psychology), your instructor’s name, and the due date at the bottom of the page.
3. Formatting the Essay:
- Font: 12-point Times New Roman
- Spacing: Double-space throughout, including title page, body, and references.
- Margins: 1-inch margins on all sides.
- Page Numbers: Place page numbers in the top right corner of every page, starting with the title page.
4. In-Text Citations:
- Basic Format: (Author’s last name, year of publication). Example: (Smith, 2020).
- Direct Quotes: Include the page number. Example: (Smith, 2020, p. 23).
- Paraphrasing: Still cite the source but no page number is needed unless specific.
- Multiple Authors:
- For two authors: (Smith & Johnson, 2020).
- For three or more authors: (Smith et al., 2020).
- No Author: Use the title or a shortened version of the title if there is no author. Example: (“Global Warming,” 2020).
5. Writing the Body of the Essay:
- Introduction:
- Begin with background information on the topic.
- Clearly state the research question or thesis statement.
- Body Paragraphs:
- Each paragraph should focus on a single point, with clear topic sentences.
- Use evidence from your research (cited properly) to support your arguments.
- Provide analysis and interpretation, not just summaries of sources.
- Conclusion:
- Summarize the main points and restate the thesis considering the evidence presented.
- Do not introduce new information.
- Discuss the broader implications of your research or suggest future studies.
6. Reference Page:
- Title: The word “References” should be bold, centered at the top of the page.
- Alphabetical Order: List all sources alphabetically by the author’s last name.
- Hanging Indent: Use a hanging indent for each reference (the first line is flush left, and subsequent lines are indented by 0.5 inches).
- Format Examples:
- Example: Smith, J. (2020). Understanding human behavior. Pearson.
- Example: Johnson, R., & Lee, M. (2021). The impact of climate change on coastal ecosystems. Environmental Science, 45(3), 124-130. https://doi.org/10.1111/es.78910
- Example: Green, T. (2020, June 14). Climate change and its impact on agriculture. Science Daily. https://www.sciencedaily.com/agriculture
- Books: Author, A. A. (Year). Title of work: Capital letter also for subtitle. Publisher.
- Journal Articles: Author, A. A., Author, B. B., & Author, C. C. (Year). Title of article. Title of Periodical, volume number(issue number), pages. https://doi.org/xx.xxx/yyyy
- Websites: Author, A. A. (Year, Month Day). Title of webpage. Website Name. URL
7. Avoiding Plagiarism:
- Cite Every Source: Anytime you use someone else’s ideas, data, or words, you must give credit through proper citations.
- Paraphrase Properly: Even if you put someone else’s ideas into your own words, you still need to cite the source.
- Use Plagiarism Checkers: Tools like Turnitin or Grammarly can help ensure your essay is free of unintentional plagiarism.
8. Final Proofreading and Formatting Check:
- Check Grammar and Style: Ensure the paper follows proper grammar, punctuation, and clarity guidelines.
- Verify Citations: Double-check your in-text citations and reference list for accuracy and consistency.
- Review Formatting: Ensure the paper follows all APA formatting rules (headings, margins, font, and page numbers).