How to Write an Outline in APA Format

Writing a psychology paper can feel like an overwhelming task. From choosing a topic to finding sources to cite, each step in the process comes with its own challenges. Fortunately, there are strategies to simplify your paper. One of which is creating an outline using APA format.

Here we share what APA format entails and the basics of this writing style. Then we get into how to outline a research paper using the APA guidelines, giving you a solid foundation to start crafting your content.

APA Format Basics

Formatting dictates how papers are styled, including their organizational structure, page layout, and how information is presented. APA format is the official style of the American Psychological Association (APA).

Learning the basics of APA format is essential to writing effective psychology papers, whether for your school courses or if you’re working in the field and want your research published in a professional journal. Here are some general APA rules when creating both your outline and the paper itself.

Font and spacing

According to APA style, research papers should be written in a legible and widely available font. Traditionally, Times New Roman is used with a 12-point font size. However, other serif and sans fonts such as Arial or Georgian in an 11-point font size are also acceptable.

APA format also dictates that research papers be double-spaced. Each page has a 1-inch margin on each side (top, bottom, left, and right), and the page number is placed in the upper right corner of each page.

Structure

Both your psychology research paper and outline should include three main sections:

• Introduction: highlights important points and presents your hypothesis
• The body: Details of ideas and research that support your hypothesis
• The result: Briefly restates your main points and explains support for your position

Headings and sub-headings

APA format provides specific guidelines for the use of headings and subheadings. They are:

• Important topics: Use Roman numerals (I, II, III, IV)
• Subheading: Use capital letters (A, B, C, D).

Before you begin your APA format outline

Although APA format doesn’t provide specific rules for creating an outline, you can create a strong roadmap for your paper by using general APA style guidelines. Before outlining your psychology research paper using APA writing style, taking a few important steps can help set you up for maximum success.

Review your instructor’s requirements

Check out the directions for your research paper. Your instructor may have provided some guidance or explained what they want. They may even provide specific requirements for what to include in your outline or how it needs to be structured and formatted.

Some instructors require the research paper outline to use the decimal format. This structure uses Arabic decimals instead of Roman numerals or letters. In this case, an outline would have the main headings 1.0, 1.2, and 1.3, while the subheadings would be 1.2.1, 1.2.2, 1.2.3, and so on.

Consider your priorities

After evaluating your instructor’s needs, consider your own preferences for organizing your outline. Think about what makes the most sense to you, as well as what type of outline will be most helpful as you begin writing your research paper.

For example, you may choose to format your headings and subheadings as complete sentences, or you may decide that you prefer short headings that summarize the content. You can also use different methods to organize letters and numbers in your outline subheadings.

Formatting tips

When getting ready to start outlining your research paper using APA format, it’s also helpful to consider how you’ll format it. Here are some tips to help:

• Your outline should start on a new page.
• Before you start outlining, check that your word processor doesn’t automatically insert unwanted text or symbols (such as letters, numbers, or bullet points) as you type. If this happens, turn off auto-formatting.
• If your instructor requires you to explain your hypothesis in your diagram, review your assignment instructions to find out where it should be placed. They may want it presented at the top of your outline, for example, or included as a subheading.

How to Create a Research Paper Outline Using APA

Understanding the basics of APA format can make writing psychology research papers much easier. Although APA format doesn’t provide specific rules for creating an outline, you can create a solid roadmap for your paper using general APA style guidance, your instructor’s needs, and your personal organizational preferences.

Usually you won’t need to change your outline with your final paper. But that doesn’t mean you should create one. A strong paper starts with a solid outline. Developing this outline can help you organize your writing and ensure that you communicate the main points and arguments of your paper effectively. Here’s how to create a research outline using APA format.

Start your research

While it may seem like you should create an outline before starting your research, the opposite is actually true. The information you find while researching your psychology research topic will begin to reveal the information you will want to include in your paper and in your outline.

As you research, consider the main arguments you plan to make in your paper. Look for facts that support your hypothesis, keeping track of where you get these facts so you can refer to them when writing your paper. The more organized you are when you create your outline, the easier it will be to draft the paper yourself.

Prepare your outline using APA format

Once your initial research is done, you have enough information to create an outline. Begin with the main headings (noted using the Roman numerals I, II, III, etc.). If you were writing an APA format outline for a research paper supporting the use of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for anxiety, these are examples of key topics you could use.

• Introduction
• What is CBT?
• How CBT Helps Reduce Anxiety
• Research supporting CBT for anxiety
• Potential drawbacks of CBT for anxiety and coping strategies
• The result

Under each main heading, list your main points or key ideas using subheadings (as noted with A, B, C, etc.). Sticking with the same example, subheadings under “What is CBT” might include:

• Basic CBT principles
• How CBT works
• Conditions CBT can help treat. were found

You may also decide to add additional subheadings under your initial subheading to add more information or clarify important points about your hypothesis. Examples of additional subheadings (noted with 1, 2, 3, etc.) that could be included under “Basic CBT Principles” include:

• is goal oriented
• Focused on problem solving
• Self-monitoring is also included

Start writing your research paper

The reason to include this step when outlining your research paper using APA format is that you will often find that your outline changes as you dive deeper into your proposed topic. New ideas may emerge or you may decide to narrow your topic further, sometimes even changing your hypothesis entirely.

All of these factors can affect what you write about, ultimately changing your outline. When writing your paper, there are some important points to keep in mind:

• Follow the structure that your instructor explains.
• Present your strong points first.
• Support your arguments with research and examples.
• Organize your thoughts logically and in terms of strength.
• Be aware of your sources.
• Discuss current and potential countermeasures, and provide evidence that contradicts the arguments.

Update your final sketch

The final version of your outline should reflect your full draft. Not only does updating your outline at this point ensure that you’ve covered your topics in your paper, it also gives you another chance to confirm that your paper follows a logical sequence.

When reading your APA-formatted outline, consider whether it flows naturally from one topic to another. For example, you wouldn’t talk about how CBT works before discussing what CBT is. Taking this last step can give you a more solid outline, and a more solid research paper.