Dissertation Generator: A Comprehensive Guide

When it comes to writing student and professional papers, understanding the guidelines for each type is crucial. One of the most widely used citation styles, APA (American Psychological Association) Style, has its own set of rules for formatting a title page, headings, and references.

The first page of an APA Style paper is called the title page, which includes the paper's title, author's name, and affiliation. For student papers, this information is typically centered at the top of the page. In contrast, professional papers intended for publication include a running head, which is the paper's title in all capital letters.

APA headings are formatted differently depending on their level. Heading levels 2 to 5 are used for subheadings, while heading level 1 is used for main sections such as 'Methods' or 'Results.' These headings can be set up using Word or Google Docs, and each level has its own formatting guidelines.

For professional papers, the title page includes a running head, which is the paper's title in all capital letters. On the other hand, student papers typically have a page header that consists of just a page number in the top-right corner. Every page in an APA Style paper has a page header.

Setting up APA format from scratch can be time-consuming and confusing. Fortunately, Scribbr offers a free template for both Word and Google Docs formats, making it easy to get started. For student papers, the title page, abstract, and running head have slightly different guidelines than professional papers.

When citing references in APA Style, the author's last name is used as the primary identifier. If the author is unknown, the reference entry should be ordered by the first meaningful word of the title (ignoring articles such as 'the', 'a', or 'an'). References are then alphabetized by the first author's last name.

In conclusion, understanding APA Style guidelines is essential for writing effective student and professional papers. By following these guidelines and using a template, you can ensure that your paper meets the requirements of this widely used citation style.

Dissertation generator