A Thesis in APA Format: Useful Pointers for Beginners

A Thesis in APA Format: Useful Pointers for Beginners

Probably, from the very beginning you have heard many myths about APA thesis writing. We should say that not all of them are true, and even if you face some difficulties, you will be able to manage them.

Sure, all these requirements for an APA format thesis can be annoying, they are hard to keep in mind. Yet, there are several reasons why you should stick to all formalities:

  1. All those rules for writing a thesis in APA format make the whole paper look tidy, accurate, and professional.
  2. If you decide to publish your manual, it should correspond to APA standards.

So, it is better to start learning the rules of APA thesis writing as soon as possible. You may find sample APA theses, then get a special APA style manual or use our pointers for writing an APA format thesis.

Here are general guidelines that will help you start your work on an APA thesis.

Keep track of the references

When working on a thesis in APA format, it is extremely important to keep your references in mind. Keep record of all references and be especially attentive with how they should be arranged.

Abbreviations in your APA thesis

Rules for making abbreviations in APA format theses are actually rather strict. Keep in mind the following:

  1. You have to explain an abbreviation if it appears for the first time in your APA thesis.
  2. You are not supposed to explain commonly used abbreviations.
  3. Be careful with the plural forms of abbreviations, e.g. “PhDs” instead of “PhD’s”.

Capitalization in your APA thesis

At this stage, you can memorize one important rule. In the text of your APA thesis, you may write only some specific terms in capital letters such as Roaring Twenties.

Here, you can also read general guidelines for preparing an MBA thesis project.