How to write an abstract for an APA format paper

APA format is a type of format used for social science papers in particular and also in a few other fields. The APA format was established by the American Psychological Association and is meant as a uniform way to categorize information and published content for review.

If you are writing an APA format paper you need to first create your cover page. This lists rudimentary information such as your name and your title as well as your academic institution. Once this is done you have to tackle the abstract.

The abstract is a short paragraph that comes before your actual text. It ranges between one hundred and two hundred words. The purpose of the abstract is to provide a quick overview of everything contained in your paper. A good rule of thumb is that there should be one sentence for every section or chapter of your paper. Your abstract should be able to stand alone meaning a reader can gather from it everything that you will include in your paper just by viewing the abstract. You might consider including some keywords that relate to your text as well beneath the abstract. The abstract should be a single paragraph that is double spaced. Do not forget to include your results or findings. Many students neglect this part but it is vital that you cover everything in your paper in a shortened version including the findings and results section.

If you are looking for different topics on which to write your research paper have no fear. Many students struggle with this and thankfully there are many options out there. If you are looking for environmental topics consider the following but remember that these are broad topics that should act as guidelines for you and that the paper topic you select should be something of interest to you:

• Wildlife conservation
• Smog
• Acid rain
• Recycling
• Radioactive waste disposal
• Conservation
• Population control
• Energy
• Pollution
• Deforestation
• Marine pollution
• Landfills
• Greenhouse effect
• Nuclear energy
• Pesticides
• Alternative fuel
• Oil spills
• Global warming

If you are writing about family issues and in need of topic ideas or suggestions you can write about the following:

• Family values
• Divorce rates
• Child abuse
• Domestic abuse
• Family relationships
• Battered woman syndrome