student research paper apa example

APA Formatting and Style (7th ed.) for Student Papers

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APA 7th ed. Fillable Word Template and Sample Paper

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Sample Annotated Paper - APA Style 7th Edition

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APA Sample Papers

Ever wonder how to format your research paper in APA style? If so, you’re in luck! The team at EasyBib.com has put together an example paper to help guide you through your next assignment. (Actually, looking for MLA? Here’s a page on what is MLA format .)

The featured example is a research paper on the uses of biometrics to inform design decisions in the tech industry, authored by our UX Research Intern Peace Iyiewuare. Like most APA style papers, it includes an APA title page , tables, and several references and APA in-text citations to scholarly journals relevant to its topic. References are an important aspect of scientific research papers, and formatting them correctly is critical to getting a good grade.

This paper follows the formatting rules specified in the 6th edition of The Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (the APA is not directly associated with this guide) . We’ve left comments and tips throughout the document, so you’ll know the specific rules around how to format titles, spacing, and font, as well as the citations on the APA reference page .

The reference list needs special care, as it demonstrates to the reader that you have accurately portrayed your outside sources and have given credit to the appropriate parties. Be sure to check our full APA citation guide for more information on paper formatting and citing sources in APA style. There is also a guide on  APA footnotes in case that is your preferred form of citation.

Download the APA Visual Guide

When citations are done, don’t forget to finish your paper off with a proofread—EasyBib Plus’s plagiarism and grammar check can help! Got a misspelled adverb ? Missed capitalizing a proper noun ? Struggling with subject-verb agreement ? These are just a few things our checker could help you spot in your paper.

D. Complete Sample APA Paper

We’ve included a full student paper below to give you an idea of what an essay in APA format looks like, complete with a title page, paper, reference list, and index. If you plan to include an APA abstract in your paper, see the Professional Paper for an example.

If you’re looking for an APA format citation generator, we’ve got you covered. Use EasyBib.com! Our APA format machine can help you create every reference for your paper.

Below is an example of a student APA format essay. We also have PDF versions of both a student paper and a professional paper linked below.

See Student Paper                                 See Professional Paper

Using Biometrics to Evaluate Visual Design

Jane Lisa Dekker

Art Department, Northern California Valley State University

UXAD 272: Strategic Web Design

Professor Juan Liu, PhD

January 29, 2020

      A vast amount of research has been conducted regarding the importance of visual design, and its role as a mediator of user’s experience when browsing a site or interacting with an interface. In the literature, visual design is one aspect of website quality. Jones and Kim (2010) define website quality as “the perceived quality of a retail website that involves a [user’s] perceptions of the retailer’s website and comprises consumer reactions towards such attributes as information, entertainment/enjoyment, usability, transaction capabilities, and design aesthetics” (p. 632).  They further examined the impact web quality and retail brand trust has on purchase intentions. Additional research examining e-commerce sites has shown web quality has an impact on both initial and continued purchase intention (Kuan, Bock, & Vathanophas, 2008), as well as consumer satisfaction (Lin, 2007). Moreso, research on the relationship between visual design and perceived usability (Stojmenovic, Pilgrim, & Lindgaard, 2014) has revealed a positive correlation between the two. As users’ ratings of visual quality increase, their ratings of perceived usability follows a similar trend. Although this research spans various domains, the reliance on self-report measures to gauge concepts like visual design and web quality is prevalent throughout much of the literature.

Although some self-report scales are validated within the literature, there are still issues with the use of self-report questionnaires. One is the reliance on the honesty of the participant. This tends to be more of an issue in studies related to questionnaires that measure characteristics of the participant, rather than objective stimuli. More relevant to this study is the issue of introspection and memory. Surveys are often distributed after a task is completed, and its accuracy is dependent on the ability of the participant to remember their experience during the study. Multiple research studies have shown that human memory is far from static. This can

be dangerous if a researcher chooses to solely rely on self-report methods to test a hypothesis. We believe these self-report methods in tandem with biometric methods can help ensure the validity of the questionnaires, and provide information beyond the scope of self-report scales.

Research Questions

      We know from previous research that the quality of websites mediates many aspects of e-commerce, and provides insight as to how consumers view the webpages in general.  However, simply knowing a webpage is perceived as lower quality doesn’t give insight as to what aspects of a page are disliked by a user. Additionally, it’s possible that the user is misremembering aspects of the webpage or being dishonest in their assessment. Using eye tracking metrics, galvanic skin response, and facial expression measures in tandem with a scale aimed at measuring visual design quality has a couple of identifiable benefits. Using both can potentially identify patterns amongst the biometric measures and the questionnaire, which would strengthen the validity of the results. More so, the eye tracking data has the potential to identify patterns amongst websites of lower or higher quality.

If found, these patterns can be used to evaluate particular aspects of a page that are impacting the quality of a webpage. Overall, we are interested in answering two questions:

Research Question 1 : Can attitudinal changes regarding substantial website redesigns be captured using biometric measures?

Research Question 2 : How do biometric measures correlate with self-reported measures of visual appeal?

      Answering these questions has the potential to provide a method of justification for design changes, ranging from minor tweak to complete rebrands. There is not an easy way for companies to quantitatively analyze visual design decisions. A method for doing so would help companies evaluate visual designs before implementation in order to cost-justify them. To this end, we hope to demonstrate that biometric measurements can be used with questionnaires to verify and validate potential design changes a company or organization might want to implement.

      By examining data from test subjects during a brief exposure to several websites, we hoped to explore the relationship between the self-reported evaluation of visual design quality and key biometric measurements of a subject’s emotional valence and arousal. Subjects were exposed to ten pairs of websites before and after a substantial visual design change and asked to evaluate the website based on their initial impressions of the site’s visual design quality using the VisAWI-S scale, as shown in Table 1.  

During this assessment we collected GSR, facial expressions (limited by errors in initial study configuration), pupillary response, and fixation data using iMotions software coupled with a Tobii eye tracker, Shimmer GSR device, and Affdex facial expression analysis toolkit. This data was analyzed, in Table 2, to discover relationships between the independent and dependent variables, as well as relationships between certain dependent variables.  

Jones, C., & Kim, S. (2010). Influences of retail brand trust, off-line patronage, clothing involvement and website quality on online apparel shopping intention: Online apparel shopping intention. International Journal of Consumer Studies , 34 (6), 627–637. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1470-6431.2010.00871.x

Kuan, H.-H., Bock, G.-W., & Vathanophas, V. (2008). Comparing the effects of website quality on customer initial purchase and continued purchase at e-commerce websites. Behaviour & Information Technology , 27 (1), 3–16. https://doi.org/10.1080/01449290600801959

Lin, H.-F. (2007). The impact of website quality dimensions on customer satisfaction in the B2C e-commerce context. Total Quality Management & Business Excellence , 18 (4), 363–378. https://doi.org/10.1080/14783360701231302

Stojmenovic, M., Pilgrim, C., & Lindgaard, G. (2014). Perceived and objective usability and visual appeal in a website domain with a less developed mental model. Proceedings of the 26 th Australian Computer-Human Interaction Conference on Designing Futures: The Future of Design , 316–323. https://doi.org/10.1145/2686612.2686660

APA Formatting Guide

APA Formatting

• Annotated Bibliography
• Block Quotes
• et al Usage
• In-text Citations
• Multiple Authors
• Paraphrasing
• Page Numbers
• Parenthetical Citations
• Reference Page
• Sample Paper
• APA 7 Updates
• View APA Guide

Citation Examples

• Book Chapter
• Journal Article
• Magazine Article
• Newspaper Article
• Website (no author)
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APA 7th Edition: Student Papers & Professional Papers

• What's New in the 7th Edition
• Student Papers & Professional Papers
• Social Media
• Webpages and Websites
• In-Text Citations
• Additional Help
• Citing the Bible

Student & Professional Papers Are Different

The APA 7th ed. specifies distinct criteria for student papers and professional papers. Be sure to check with your professor to ensure you select using the correct format. This page gives you an overview for each type including an in-depth video on setting up your paper. 

Seventh Edition for Students

In the new edition, APA has created a student paper which is broad and flexible because students submit their papers to institutions rather than to an APA journal.

Student papers should include:

• Paper title Author
• Affiliation  
• Course name & number (PSY204)
• Instructor name
• Due date (November 4, 2020)   
• Page number
• Reference List

Student papers do not typically include a running head, author note, or an abstract, unless required by their instructor.

To see an example of the official format of a student paper, click the student sample paper link below:

For those who prefer to watch, listen, and learn this video may be helpful for learning how to set-up your student paper. 

Student Paper APA 7 Checklist

• Concise Student Paper Formatting Quick guide for formatting your student paper in accordance with the APA 7th ed. Style Guide.

Seventh Edition for Professionals

Paper elements appear in various combinations depending on the nature of the work. Author's seeking publication should refer to the journal's instructions that are different from or in addition to those specified by APA style.

Manuscripts submitted for publication by professionals should always include:

• Paper title 
• Author name
• Affiliation
• Author note 
• Running head 
• Page numbers 
• Abstract 
• Reference list 

​ Papers may also include keywords, footnotes, tables, figures, appendices, and/or supplemental materials.

To see an example of the official format of a professional paper, click the professional sample paper link below:

APA Style 7th Edition: Professional Paper Formatting

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APA 7: Sample Paper

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Optional Paper Sections

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These guidelines are adapted from the  student paper  specifications from  Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association  (7th ed.). 

• In the 7th edition, APA created a simplified version of their paper format for student papers, which omits previously required elements (sect. 2.2, p. 30). Items that APA states are not typically included in a student paper and are not, therefore, covered in this guide include: Running head, author note, and abstract.
• This guide is not exhaustive; refer to the Publication Manual for additional details and for specific details for professional papers.

Always defer to your professor or instructor’s guidelines for an assignment – it's essential that you understand their expectations and ask questions about any guidelines that are unclear or confusing. This includes whether they would like you to use the  student  or  professional  paper format.

• Margins:  1 inch on all sides
• Sans serif fonts: 11-point Calibri, 11-point Arial, or 10-point Lucida Sans Unicode
• Serif font: 12-point Times New Roman or 11-point Georgia
• Line Spacing:  Double-spaced, including title page, abstract, text, headings, block quotations, reference list, table and figure notes, and appendices. See p. 45 of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association  for exceptions.
• Indentation :  First line of each paragraph should be indented 0.5 in. Exceptions: Abstract and block quotes
• Alignment :  Left align all text.  Exceptions: headings (see section about headings.)
• Page numbers should appear in the upper right-hand corner of the header. 
• Use "View" → "Header" in Microsoft Word to set page numbering
• Formatting an APA 7th Edition Student Paper in Word (Video) This video shows you how to set-up your APA 7th edition student paper in Microsoft Word
• Formatting an APA 7th Edition Student Paper in Google Docs (Video) This video shows you how to set-up your APA 7th edition student paper in Google Docs
• Title of Paper : Centered on the page, bold.
• Author(s) : Centered on the page, underneath the title
• Author(s) Affiliation : Typically department and institution (e.g., Department of Psychology, Towson University), centered underneath author(s) name(s)
• Course Number and Name : E.g., PSYC314: Research Methods, centered underneath author affiliation
• Instructor Name : Confirm preferred name and honorific with your professor, centered underneath course number and name
• Due date : APA recommends spelling out the month, e.g., December 4, 2019, centered underneath instructor name

Note: Refer to the APA Publication Manual (7th ed) if your professor requires you to use the professional title page format. APA no longer requires elements such as the running head and author note for student papers.

The  body  of the paper "contains the authors' main contributions to the literature" ( APA Publication Manual  [7th ed], p. 39).

Components and structure of the paper vary depending on your assignment. For example, original research reports include the following sections: "Introduction," "Methods," "Results," and "Discussion."

Refer to the  APA Publication Manual  or your assignment instructions for the details about the type of information that is included in each section.

Most papers will use the following general guidelines:

• Starts on a new page after the title page or abstract
• Include the title of the paper as a Level 1 heading
• For instance, the "Methods" and "Results" section are equal, and they are both formatted as Level 1 headings. 
• If you discuss "Participants" and "Measures" in your "Methods" section, then you format each of those as Level 2 headings, and so on.
• Begin your text in a paragraph below the heading for Levels 1, 2, & 3. Begin the text of your paragraph in the same line with the headings for Levels 4 & 5.

• Starts on a new page
• The word "References" should appear centered on the page, capitalized, and in bold
• Use a hanging indent - the first line of each reference entry should be flush to the left side, all lines after the first line of each entry should be indented 0.5 inches from the left margin
• Double space all reference entries
• Alphabetize entries by the first authors' last names
• Two or more works by the same author should be ordered by publication date, with the oldest entry listed first. For additional order rules, see sections 9.44-9-49 in the  APA Manual  (7th ed.).
• Format reference entries according to type – refer to the citation examples on other pages within the APA Style Guide

Refer to the APA Publication Manual for guidelines related to formatting tables, figures, and appendices.

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APA Style: Basics

Guidelines: paper format.

The APA Style website includes a great section on Paper Format This link opens in a new window . The 7th edition of APA Style has two types of papers: student papers and professional papers. Please consult your assignment or reach out to your professor or instructor to determine which paper format you should use.

For more information see the above page or the sections linked below:

• Order of pages This link opens in a new window
• Title page This link opens in a new window
• Font This link opens in a new window
• Page header This link opens in a new window
• Line spacing This link opens in a new window
• Margins This link opens in a new window
• Paragraph alignment & indentation This link opens in a new window
• Tables setup This link opens in a new window
• Figures setup This link opens in a new window
• Headings This link opens in a new window
• Accessibility This link opens in a new window
• Numbers and Statistics Guide This link opens in a new window

Sample Papers

The APA Style website also includes Sample Papers This link opens in a new window . 

APA Style Sample Papers

• Annotated Student Sample Paper [links to PDF] This link opens in a new window
• Student Sample Paper [links to DOCX] This link opens in a new window
• Annotated Professional Sample Paper [links to PDF] This link opens in a new window
• Professional Sample Paper [links to DOCX] This link opens in a new window

SNHU OWC Sample Papers

• APA 7th Edition Sample Paper (SNHU OWC) [pdf] This link opens in a new window APA 7th Edition Sample Paper from the Academic Support Center
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• Next: APA Reference List Examples >>

Counseling: APA Style

• Articles & More
• Research Methods
• Professional Organizations

APA Style Resources

These and many other resources are provided by the official APA Style site.

• APA 7th Sample Papers | APA Style
• APA Style and Grammar Guidelines
• APA Style Blog Provides helpful answers to frequently asked questions about APA style

APA 7th edition

Interactive Tutorial | American Psychological Association

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Reference List: Textual Sources

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Copyright ©1995-2018 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use.

Basic Format for Books

Edited book, no author, edited book with an author or authors, a translation.

Note : When you cite a republished work, like the one above, in your text, it should appear with both dates: Plato (385-378/1989)

Edition Other Than the First

Article or chapter in an edited book.

Note : When you list the pages of the chapter or essay in parentheses after the book title, use "pp." before the numbers: (pp. 1-21). This abbreviation, however, does not appear before the page numbers in periodical references, except for newspapers. List any edition number in the same set of parentheses as the page numbers, separated by a comma: (2nd ed., pp. 66-72).

Multivolume Work

Articles in periodicals.

APA style dictates that authors are named with their last name followed by their initials; publication year goes between parentheses, followed by a period. The title of the article is in sentence-case, meaning only the first word and proper nouns in the title are capitalized. The periodical title is run in title case, and is followed by the volume number which, with the title, is also italicized. If a DOI has been assigned to the article that you are using, you should include this after the page numbers for the article. If no DOI has been assigned and you are accessing the periodical online, use the URL of the website from which you are retrieving the periodical.

Article in Print Journal

Note: APA 7 advises writers to include a DOI (if available), even when using the print source. The example above assumes no DOI is available.

Article in Electronic Journal

Note :  This content also appears on Reference List: Online Media .

As noted above, when citing an article in an electronic journal, include a DOI if one is associated with the article.

DOIs may not always be available. In these cases, use a URL. Many academic journals provide stable URLs that function similarly to DOIs. These are preferable to ordinary URLs copied and pasted from the browser's address bar.

Article in a Magazine

Article in a newspaper.