1. Set the Margins to One Inch

Basics

The margins of the paper should be set to 1″ (one inch) all around.

Step-by-Step Directions

1. Go to the Page Layout or Layout tab

2. Click Margins

3. Select the Normal option

2. Set the Spacing to Double

Basics

The line spacing for the paper should be set to double (2.0).

Step-by-Step Directions

1. Go to the Home tab

2. In the Paragraph box, click the icon that looks like two up/down arrows with text to the right

3. Pick 2.0

4. Alternate Method: You can also press the Control Key along with the number 2 to quickly double space.

3. Create a Title for Your Paper

Basics

Your title should summarize the main topic of your paper. Try not to be too wordy or off-topic. While there is no word limit for titles, “short but sweet” is the goal. The APA Style Blog has further information on titles: 

Five Steps to a Great Title

. Use title case for paper titles.

Example Titles

· Attitudes of College Students Towards Transportation Fees

· Effect of Red Light Cameras on Traffic Fatalities

· Juror Bias in Capital Punishment Cases

4. Add Page Numbers to the Header

Basics

Insert the page number in the right area of the header. Use the built-in page numbering system; do not attempt to type each page number manually.

Step-by-Step Directions

1. Go to the Insert tab

2. Under Header, select Edit Header (at the bottom)

3. Press Tab once or twice to go to the far right

4. Click Page Number

5. Click Current Position

6. Click Simple / Plain Number

5. Create the Title Page

Basics

On the first page you will include the following information:

· Title of Your Paper

· Your Name

· Santa Fe College

· Course Number: Course Name

· Instructor

· Due Date

This information will be centered, and will be a few lines down from the top.

Step-by-Step Directions

1. Go to the top of the first page

2. Press Enter 3-4 times times

3. Center your text

4. Type in the title of your paper, in bold.

5. Press Enter twice, in order to have one blank line between the title and the next element.

6. On the next line, type your full name

7. On the next line, type Santa Fe College

8. On the next line, type your course number, a colon, and your course name

9. On the next line, type your instructor’s name.

10. On the next line, type the due date of the paper.

Example

6. Set Up the References List

The references list should be on a new page and should be the last section of your paper.

Heading of Reference List

The heading at the top of the reference list should say References at the top (not Bibliography or Works Cited, unless your instructor tells you otherwise) and bolded.

Hanging Indent

All reference lists should have a hanging indent. An example of a hanging indent is shown below:

George, M. W. (2008). The elements of library research: What every student needs to know. Princeton University Press.

To create a hanging indent in Word, you can press the Control key along with the letter T.

+ 

Spacing

Line spacing in the reference list should be set to double (2.0).

Alphabetizing

When organizing your references list, you must alphabetize your references. Generally, you will organize by the author’s last name. Go letter by letter and ignore spaces, hyphens, punctuation etc.

If a work has no author, use the title to alphabetize. You will use the first significant word to alphabetize; this means you skip words like the, a, and an.

Example of Proper Order:

1. Alcott, L. M. (1868)…

2. Alcott, L. M. (1893)…

3. Anonymous. (1998). Beowulf…

4. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (n.d.).

5. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2017).

6. Etiquette in Florida. (n.d.).

7. Grammar Girl. (2009, May 21)…

8. Johnson, C. L., & Tuite, C. (Eds.). (2009)…

9. Johnson, S. K. (2003)…

10. Oxford English dictionary (2nd ed.). (1989)…

11. A prescription for health care. (2009). Consumer Reports…

12. Southeast Asia. (2003). In The new encyclopaedia Britannica…

For more information on creating and formatting references, go to the 

Reference Components

 page.

Source: Publication Manual, 2.12; 9.44-9.49

But What About…?

The Font?

APA does not specify a specific font or size, just that it must be legible. Their only guidelines is that the same font should be used throughout the paper. Some suggestions are 11-point Calibri, 11-point Arial, 10-point Lucida Sans Unicode, 12-point Times New Roman, and 11-point Georgia.

If your instructor has specified a font or font size, follow those guidelines.

Source: Publication Manual, 2.19

The Running Head?

Student papers do not need a running head.

Benchmark – Implementation of an Electronic Health Record Essay

You are the practice manager of a large (100) physician cardiology group, and they have decided it is time to move to a new Electronic Health Record (EHR). In an essay of 1,250 words, address the following items:

· What key features should you be looking for, and how will you integrate this into the practice?

· Keeping in mind the objections the physicians might throw at you during the monthly practice meeting, create a pitch to the managing partners for the system you think would work best for the practice. Assuming the partners approve, what is your plan to implement the new system?

· Provide timelines, deliverables, and who is responsible for what step, as well as a staff training plan.

Prepare this assignment according to the guidelines found in the 7th edition APA Style Guide that is attached. Please follow the guide and set the paper up according to 7th edition