How to Use an APA Template
- 1). Download the APA template you wish to use. There are several links to available APA templates in the reference section of this article.
- 2). Open the word processing program and chose to open an existing file. Select your template and click "Open" or "OK."
- 3). Read through the template to get an idea of what you need to do and how it is done.
- 4). Print the template out to make sure your printer is configured correctly and to have a hard copy of the template to review as you type up the paper.
- 5). Click on each section of text and replace it with your own text using the same style as the template. The title page should have a header, page number, the title, your name and the class or university it is written for. In the paper itself, simply use the template like the title page and type over the information in the template. Follow the examples of the references used exactly. If a reference is noted incorrectly in the paper points are deducted for every mistake.
- 6). Save your paper periodically. Power outages and computer crashes can cause you to lose valuable information. The suggested time between saves is every ten minutes on the average day and every five during stormy weather. Saving your file on a flash drive or external hard drive can also save stress, if the computer crashes.
- 7). Spell check and grammar check your paper before printing it. Most word processing programs have these tools built in.
- 8). Print the paper when you are done and proof read the printed copy for errors. It may be helpful to have someone else read your work. Others can often find mistakes you have overlooked.
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