Formatting guidelines for AP Research paper?

I'm in the early stages of working on my AP Research paper, and I'm a bit confused about the proper formatting. Does anyone know the specific guidelines for formatting an AP Research paper, and any helpful resources or advice? Much appreciated!

In the AP Research paper, the College Board follows the specific formatting guidelines set by the American Psychological Association (APA). Besides the APA formatting rules, there might be some extra guidelines recommended by your instructor.

Here are some general APA formatting guidelines:

1. Font: Use a legible font, typically Times New Roman or Arial with a font size of 12 pt.

2. Margins: Set margins to 1 inch on all sides (top, bottom, left, right) of the paper.

3. Line Spacing: Use double spacing throughout the paper, including the title page, abstract, main text, and references.

4. Page Header: Create a running head with a brief title (maximum 50 characters, including spaces and punctuation) in all capital letters, and put the page number in the top-right corner.

5. Title Page: Include the title, your name, and your school/institution, centered on the page.

6. Abstract: Write a concise summary of your paper (typically between 150-250 words) on a separate page, following the title page. The abstract should be self-contained, describing the purpose, methodology, and findings of your study.

7. Headings: Use headings to organize the sections of your paper. APA has a hierarchy of headings; Level 1 headings are the most important, while Level 5 are the least important. Most students will only need to use Levels 1-3.

8. In-text Citations: When quoting or paraphrasing any resources, use the author-date citation style (e.g., Smith, 2021).

9. Reference List: Arrange your sources alphabetically by the author's last name in a separate section at the end of your paper, following the proper APA citation format.

For a more comprehensive understanding of the APA formatting guidelines, you can refer to resources like Purdue University's Online Writing Lab (OWL) or the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (7th edition). Always consult with your instructor regarding any specific formatting requirements they may have, and consider using citation management tools, such as Zotero, EndNote, or Mendeley, to help manage your sources and citations more efficiently.

Ensure your content is well-organized, as the AP Research paper grading rubric focuses on various aspects, including understanding and analyzing context, argument, methodology, results, and communication. Good luck with your AP Research paper!