APA Templates for Word Processors (Mac - Pages & Word, OpenOffice, Google Drive Docs)

If you need to write a paper that uses APA 6th style, consider beginning with a pre-designed template. Remember that you must use the APA manual to verify that the template is designed correctly.

You can also configure the word processor by editing the default style. Any well-designed template can save lots of time, so that you can concentrate on the document content.

• Apple iWork Pages - http://www.michaelhanscom.com/eclecticism/2010/10/28/apa-6th-edition-paper-template-for-apple-pages-iwork/
  Note: Do not worry about saving the template with the other Pages templates.  After you have saved it, for example in the Documents folder, it will be available from your pick list to open.

• Microsoft Word for the Mac - use the same website as noted for Apple iWork Pages.  

• Apache OpenOffice - http://templates.openoffice.org/en/template/apa-6th-edition-paper-template-1
  Note: There are a couple of errors on the template that are easily corrected.  First the title page does not show a course name, instructor, or due date.  It should show the title of the paper, the author name, and the institutional affiliation (APA, 2011, p. 23).
  The first paragraph of the abstract should NOT be indented.
  
  The paragraph headings need to be edited.  See page 62 of the APA manual.

• Google Drive Docs - there are many templates, but I was unable to locate one correct formatting.  One of the limitations of Google Docs is that the page header is the same for all pages. 

APA Style Guide to Electronic References

If you are writing a paper that has references to websites, you might find the Publication Manual of the America Psychological Association (APA) does not provide the information you need.  APA published an electronic book, APA Style Guide to Electronic References, to address the need.  There is a Kindle version of the eBook at Amazon.  The cost ranges from $9.26 to $11.95. The eBook includes lots of examples for Facebook, Tweets, online PowerPoint slides, and more.  You can use electronic bookmarks and search the book. 

PS - There is also a Kindle version for the Publication Manual of the America Psychological Association. 

APA Formatting the Running Head

As I review work submitted by students, I recognize that formatting a running head for APA 6th edition style is a mystery to many.  There are four main points:

• On the title page the words "Running head" are used before the colon.  The "h" in head is not capitalized.
• The running head name must be in all capital letters and not exceed 50 characters (letters and spaces).
• The page number should be flush right on the SAME line as the running head.
• The running head on the second page does not have the words "Running head:"

Since Microsoft Word is often used by nursing students in the United States, the information below addresses using Word.  If you understand the rationale for the steps, you should be able to replicate the process using other word processing software.

To format the running head on the first page:

• Click Insert in the Word Ribbon Menu
• Click Insert page number
• Select flush right and insert
• Change the formatting of the page number to flush left
• Type Running head:THE NAME OF THE PAPER RUNNING HEAD
• Click on the space at the end of the running head and use the tab key to move the page number to flush left.  If you accidentally move the page number to a second line, click Ctrl+Z to undo
• THIS IS IMPORTANT - click on the checkbox for Different First Page  (See screen shot below)

• Exit the Edit & Footer menu.

The middle of the title page includes the full title of the paper, the author(s) names, and affiliation.  Author notes are optional, depending upon the purpose of the paper.

• Right-click on the header on page two to edit the header.  The header & footer tools should appear in the menu.
• Remove the check from the checkbox for Different First Page
• Remove the words Running head from the header
• Exit the Header & Footer menu - you are done
• Go to page 3.  The edited page header without the words Running head should appear

Changing the Default Font in Word

The information below is how to set the font as Times New Roman in Word.  Changing the font from Calibri to Times New Roman can be time consuming when, in fact, most of the time you need to use the Times New Roman font or you need to write a paper that uses APA citation style. The procedure is easy and noted below.   J

On the Mac and Windows computers:

1. On the Format menu, click Font.

2. Select Times New Roman font, size 12 to use for new documents.

3. Click the Default button at the bottom left corner of the window.

When you are prompted to change the default font, click Yes.This changes the Normal template.

Word Processing, APA 6th edition, Reference Management Software

Linda has updated the textbook website for chapter 6 at http://dlthede.net/Informatics/Chap06WordProcessing/chap6.html

I completed a couple of journal article peer reviews, in addition to edits of student papers over the last couple of weeks. While I empathize with the time it takes to learn a citation style, it is relatively painless to use reference management software, such as Endnote, Zotero, as well as a host of others.  Wikipedia has a fantastic page that compares reference management software at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_reference_management_software.

The reference section is a common area for errors.  Wrong author names, titles, journal names, volume & issue numbers, page numbers, and missing doi's, are the top problems I see.  Commercial software, for example - Endnote, allows the user to search databases such as PubMed.  Endnote also allow the user to search for full-text articles, and to import files and folders with PDF documents.  If the PDF article includes metadata - Endnote uses it to create an associated citation and files the PDF in a PDF folder.The imports require little or no edits and citation and the creation of a reference list is done with mouse clicks.  Commercial software may also come with word processing templates for the various citation styles.

I created an APA template for Chapter 6 on word processing.  The template uses the latest (revised) APA 6th style and can be downloaded from the website noted above.