Writing Rules

  1. General Format
  • Paper Size and Margins: Use standard A4 paper size with 2.50 cm margins on all sides.
  • Font Style and Size:
    • Recommended font: Times New Roman (11-point size).
    • All text should be legible and consistent throughout the manuscript.
  • Line Spacing:
    • Body text: Before and after spacing should be set to 6 pt throughout the text.
    • Main headings (Introduction/Method/Results/Discussion/Conclusion/Recommendations/References): 12 pt before and 6 pt after.
    • Table titles: Hanging indent of 1.25 cm; table content: 9-point font size; table captions: 8-point font size.
    • Article title: 14-point font size, with 6 pt spacing before and 0 pt after.
  • Paragraph Indentation: Do not indent the beginning of paragraphs.
  • Text Alignment: Align text to both left and right margins (justified).
  • Page Numbering: Page numbers should be centered at the bottom of each page.
  1. Title Page
  • Title: The article title should be bold, justified, and no longer than 14 words. The first letter of each word should be capitalized (except for conjunctions).
  • Author Name(s): Author(s) full name(s) should appear left-aligned beneath the title.
  • Institutional Affiliation: Add a footnote to the author’s name indicating their affiliated institution.
  • Contact Information: Include the corresponding author’s email address and ORCID ID.
  1. Main Text Format

Heading Levels

APA 7 provides five levels of headings:

  1. Level 1 Heading: Bold, centered, only the first letter of major words capitalized (e.g., Methods).
  2. Level 2 Heading: Bold, left-aligned, only the first letter of major words capitalized.
  3. Level 3 Heading: Bold, italicized, left-aligned, only the first letter of major words capitalized.
  4. Level 4 Heading: Bold, indented, only the first letter of major words capitalized, ending with a period.
  5. Level 5 Heading: Bold, italicized, indented, only the first letter of major words capitalized, ending with a period.

Sections

  • Introduction: Do not include a heading titled "Introduction"; begin directly with the introductory paragraph.
  • Method: Provide a detailed explanation of the study design, procedures, and data collection methods.
  • Results: Present the findings of the research.
  • Discussion: Discuss the implications of the findings and compare them to existing literature.
  • Conclusion: Summarize the key takeaways of the study uniquely.
  • Recommendations: Offer concrete suggestions for practical applications or future research.
  1. Tables and Figures
  • Numbering: Number tables and figures consecutively (e.g., Table 1, Figure 1), and include descriptive titles.
  • Placement: Place table titles above the tables and figure captions below the figures.
  • Font Style for Tables and Figures: Use Times New Roman for all content in tables and figures.
  1. Citations and References

In-Text Citations

  • Single Author: (Author, Year) or Author (Year).
    • Example: (Smith, 2020) or Smith (2020).
  • Two Authors: (Author & Author, Year).
    • Example: (Taylor & Johnson, 2019).
  • Three or More Authors: Use the first author's surname followed by "et al.": (Author et al., Year).
    • Example: (Brown et al., 2018).
  • Direct Quotations: Include page numbers: (Author, Year, p. X).
    • Example: (Smith, 2020, p. 15).

Long Quotations (40+ Words):

  • Format as a block quote, indented, without quotation marks, and in italics.
  1. References
  • Title: Use "References" as the section title, left-aligned, and bold.
  • Order: List references alphabetically by the last name of the first author.
  • Hanging Indent: Use a hanging indent (second and subsequent lines indented 1.27 cm).

Examples of References

Book:
Author, A. A. (Year). Book title: Subtitle. Publisher.
Example: Smith, J. (2020). Research methods in psychology. McGraw-Hill.

Book Chapter:
Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Year). Chapter title. In A. Editor & B. Editor (Eds.), Book Title (pp. X-Y). Publisher.
Example: Cox, T., & Smith, R. (2018). Mental health and sports. In J. Brown (Ed.), Advances in psychology (pp. 50-72). Oxford Press.

Journal Article:
Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Year). Article title. Journal Name, Volume(Issue), Pages. https://doi.org/xx.xxx
Example: Brown, T., & Green, P. (2019). Effects of exercise on mood. Journal of Psychology, 45(3), 200-215. https://doi.org/10.1037/abc123

Website:
Author, A. A. (Year). Title. Website Name. URL
Example: American Psychological Association. (2020). APA style blog. APA. https://apastyle.apa.org

Dissertation:
Author, A. A. (Year). Thesis title (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). University Name.
Example: Clark, P. (2019). The impact of tourism on rural economies (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). Harvard University.

Conference Proceedings:
Author, A. A. (Year). Title of paper. Conference Name, City, Country. https://doi.org/xx.xxx
Example: Taylor, M. (2021). Climate change and its effect on recreation. International Conference on Environmental Studies, Paris, France. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsci.2021.07.15