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Citing Sources

Setting up Your Paper

SET-UP YOUR PAPER IN APA FORMAT - MICROSOFT WORD

  1. SET THE FONT
    1. From the Home tab, in the Font group, use the drop-down menu to change to one of the fonts listed in section 2.19 of the Publication Manual, which includes Times New Roman size 12, or Calibri size 11.
  2. SET THE MARGINS
    1. From the Layout tab:
      1. In the Page Setup group, select Adjust Margins.
        the page setup section of word with a red box around the margins button
      2. Choose Normal to create 1 inch margins on all sides.
        a red arrow pointing to the normal margins button

         

  1. DOUBLE SPACING
    1. From the Home tab, in the Paragraph group, select Line and Paragraph Spacing
      a red box around the paragraph spacing button in the paragraph group tab
    2. Select 2.0, to set the document to double-spaced.
      NOTE:  This guide explains how to set-up your paper before writing it.  To change the spacing of a paragraph or portion of the text after you've written it, select the section that needs to be changed and follow the step to change only what is highlighted.
  2. INSERT PAGE NUMBERS
    1. On the Insert tab in the Header & Footer group, select Add Page Numbers
      a red box around the page number button in the header & footer group
  3. Using a PC: Choose Top of Page then Plain Number 3 from the menu
    1. Using a Mac: Choose Page Number from the menu to bring up a dialog box. Within the dialog box choose the following settings:
      1. Position: Top of page (Header)
      2. Alignment: Right
      3. Check the box in front of Show number on the first page
        the page number dialog box with position and alignment options
  4. An example of an APA Tile Page.TITLE PAGE
    1. From the beginning of the first page press the enter key 4 times.
    2. On the Home tab, select Center Text in the Paragraph group
    3. Put the following information on the title page, with each item on a separate line
      1. The title of your paper 
        1. The title should be the only item on the Title Page presented in bold text
          1. Press Ctrl (on a PC) or select ⌘ (the command button on a Mac) key along with the B or use the Bold button in Font group of the Home tab)
        2. There should be an extra space after your title, which can be done by tapping enter twice.
      2. Your first and last name
      3. Harrisburg Area Community College
      4. Course Number followed by a colon and the course name
      5. Instructor’s first and last name
      6. Due date of the Assignment
    4. After the title page information is typed, you will start your paper on a new page by going to the Insert tab and selecting Insert Page Break in the Pages group
      a red box around the page break button on the insert tab of word
    5. Before you begin typing your paper, remember to move the alignment back to left aligned by selecting Align Left from the ribbon or pressing Ctrl (on a PC) or ⌘ (on a Mac) and the letter L.
  5. REFERENCES AND HANGING INDENTS
    1. Starting your References page
      1. The References page should start on a new page, which can be done by inserting a page break at the end of your paper (as explained in step 5, part d)
      2. On the Home tab, in the Paragraph group, select the Center Text button and type the word References in bold.
      3. Press Enter to move to the next line and change the alignment back to Left align. (as explained in step 5, part e)
    2. Adding and formatting References
      1. Type your first citation, allowing it to flow naturally to the next line.
      2. At the end of your citation use the enter key to go to the next line to start the next citation.
      3. Once you are finished with all your citations, select everything below the word References
      4. You will create a hanging indent by pressing the Ctrl (on a PC) or ⌘ (on a Mac) key along with the T key on your keyboard.
        a citation with a half inch hanging indent for the 2nd line

SET-UP YOUR PAPER IN APA FORMAT – GOOGLE DRIVE

  1. LOG-IN TO YOUR GOOGLE ACCOUNT
    1. In the top right, click the menu buttona Google button with 9 dots in three rows of three dots each.
    2. Select Google DriveThe Google Drive button. A triangle of several colors.from the list.   
    3. On the left-hand side, click New The icon to click for a new document.. And choose
    4. Click Untitled Document in the top left to rename your document.   
  2. SET THE FONT
    1. In the ribbon along the top of the page, change style to one of the fonts in section 2.19 of the Publication Manual, which includes Times New Roman size 12, or Calibri size 11.
  3. SET THE MARGINS
    1. Click File
    2. Select Page Setup
    3. Make sure all the numbers in the margins boxes say 1.
      All four margins boxes have a one inside them.
  4. DOUBLE SPACING
    1. Find the line spacing icon The line spacing icon.in the ribbon. 
    2. From the drop down menu, select double.
  5. SETTING UP A HEADER
    1. On the first page of the document, double click the header area (very top near the edge of the page). 
    2. Use the right button to put your cursor on the right side of the page.
    3. Choose the Options menu that appears and click Page Numbers.
      Demonstrates where Page Numbers is located.
    4. Make sure the details match the image below and click apply.
      Page numbers section should have the Header selected. The square next to Show on first page should be in blue or checked.
  6. TITLE PAGE
    1. Click in the main part of the document to close the header.
    2. From the top of the first page press the enter key 3-4 times.
    3. In the ribbon along the top click the center button.

    4. Type the title of your paper in bold and use the enter key to add an additional space between your title and the next element like in the example below.
      Example of APA title page. Title is in bold and separated by additional information on page.
      NOTE: At the end of your paper you must create a list of resources you used in your paper. This list should begin on a new page. Your list should be in alphabetical order and use hanging indents

  7. REFERENCES AND HANGING INDENTS
    1. With your cursor on a new page, click the center button in the ribbon along the top and type References in bold.
    2. Beginning with the next line, click the left button along the top to move your cursor back over to the left of the page. Type your citations. If a citation is longer than one line just keep typing and allow it to automatically flow onto the next line.
    3. At the end of your citation use the enter key to go to the next line to start the next citation.
    4. Once you are finished with all your citations highlight all of them.
    5. Click on formatting in the menu along the top of your document.
    6. Move your mouse to the Align and Indent choice and click on Indentation Options when it appears.
      The Indentation options label is shown.
    7. In the Indentation options window go to the Special indent section and change it to Hanging.
      The hanging indent option is shown.
    8. After you click Apply your references page should look like the the example below.
      A complete references page is shown.