APA Research Paper Example: A Section by Section Walkthrough

What Does an APA Research Paper Include?

A standard APA student research paper includes a title page, introduction, body sections, conclusion, and a references page, each with specific formatting rules.

Depending on your assignment, you may also need an abstract. In APA 7, student papers don't require one unless your instructor asks for it. The same goes for specialized sections like Method, Results, and Discussion, which appear in empirical research papers but not necessarily in a standard literature review or argumentative paper.

Here's a quick overview of what you'll typically find in a student APA research paper:

For a full overview of the formatting rules that govern each of these elements, see our APA format guide. This article focuses on showing you what each section looks like in practice.

APA Cover Page Example

In APA 7, student papers no longer require a running head, just the page number in the top right corner.

This is one of the most common errors students carry over from older editions. If you're writing a student paper (not submitting to a journal), you don't need a running head.

Here's what a student APA title page includes:

Example: 

What goes where

For the full breakdown of every title page element and its exact positioning, see our guide on APA title page format.

APA Abstract Example

An APA abstract appears on its own page, is centered and bolded at the top, and runs no longer than 250 words.

Not every student paper needs one. If your assignment sheet doesn't mention an abstract, check with your instructor before adding one. Many professors don't require it for standard course papers.

When you do need one, here's what a student abstract looks like:

Example:

Key formatting details

For full abstract formatting rules, see our APA abstract example guide.

APA Introduction Section Example

The APA introduction doesn't have a heading; the paper title serves as the heading for the first section.;

The introduction moves from broad to specific. It opens with background context, narrows to your specific topic, and closes with your research question or thesis statement. Any claims you make about existing research need APA in-text citations using the (Author, Year) format.

Example:

What this intro does

For the full rules on APA in-text citations, see our dedicated guide.

APA Body Sections Example

APA uses a five-level heading system, for most student papers, you'll only need Levels 1 and 2.

Here's what the two most common heading levels look like:

Level 3 and beyond are rarely needed for standard student papers.

Formatting rules that apply throughout the body

• Double-spaced throughout
• First line of every paragraph indented 0.5 inches
• In-text citations are required every time you reference another source
• No extra blank lines between paragraphs

Example body paragraph:

For the step by step formatting process for each body element, see our guide on APA research paper format.

APA Conclusion/Discussion Section Example

The discussion section answers "So what?"; it tells the reader why your findings matter.

If you're writing an empirical paper, this section is called "Discussion." For most student papers, it functions as a conclusion. Either way, its job is to interpret what you found, connect it back to your thesis, and suggest what comes next.

Example:

What this section must do

APA References Page Example

Every source cited in your paper must appear in your reference list, and every reference list entry must match a citation in your paper.

The references page starts on a new page. "References" is centered and bolded at the top. Every entry uses a hanging indent (the first line is flush left, continuation lines are indented 0.5 inches). The entire page is double-spaced.

Common reference entry formats:

Formatting checklist for your references page:

For the complete guide to every source type, books, websites, social media, government documents, and more, see our APA reference page guide.

Common APA Formatting Rules That Apply to the Whole Paper

APA papers are double-spaced throughout, which means the title page, body, and references page.

These rules apply from the first page to the last:

The most common formatting mistake is adding a blank line between paragraphs to make the paper look more spaced out. APA doesn't use that. The double-spacing does the work for you; just indent the first line of each paragraph and keep writing.

If you're comparing APA to other citation formats, our APA vs MLA comparison breaks down the key differences.

Conclusion 

APA format has a lot of rules, but they all follow the same logic: consistency, clarity, and proper credit. Once you've seen each section laid out with an example, it's a lot easier to replicate in your own paper.

Use this walkthrough as a reference while you write. Check your title page against the example, run your references through the formatting checklist, and make sure your headings match the correct level. Most APA errors aren't complicated; they're just easy to miss when you're deep in the writing.