Papers & Essays
In this section, you’ll find resources focused on helping you write your papers and essays in APA style.
Writing an Effective Essay
Regardless of what type of paper you are assigned to write, keep the following points in mind:
- Introduction: Introduce the topic and provide a 1-2 sentence thesis statement that takes a position and forecasts the content of your paper. To add interest and relevance, present your ideas as a response to what others are saying about the topic.
- Body of the Paper: Each paragraph in the body of the essay should start with a topic sentence, which states the claim for the paragraph. The topic sentence should illustrate how the paragraph supports your thesis statement. After the topic sentence, present evidence that supports your claim in the form of research and source material. Next, follow up your evidence with analysis, which is your explanation and interpretation of the source material and how it supports your claim for the paragraph and the thesis statement overall. Finally, end with a statement that reiterates the main idea of the paragraph while preparing the reader for the next paragraph.
- Conclusion:This section is meant to reinforce the significance and purpose of your argument so that the reader understands why it’s important. This section can also present ideas for future research or suggest actions the reader should take after reading your paper.
If you have questions about the type of essay or specifics about your assignment, please consult your instructor.
Many times an abstract will not be required. Please only use this template as needed.
Please note, these templates may not be translated appropriately in some products. Please be sure the paper you submit adheres to APA formatting standards.
