Meal plan writing papers

Running head: ABBREVIATED TITLE OF YOUR PAPER 1

APA STYLE PAPER TEMPLATE 2

Note: The running head is an abbreviated title of the paper. The running head is located at the top of pages of a manuscript or published article to identify the article for readers. The running head should be a maximum of 50 characters, counting letters, punctuation, and spaces between words. The words "Running head" is on the cover page but not on the rest of the document. The running head title is all CAPS. Page 1 begins on the cover page. The entire document should be double-spaced, have 1" margins on all sides, and use 12-point, Times New Roman font.

The italicized information in this paper is informational. After reading the information, please delete it, and use the paper as a template for your own paper. Edit the black writing with your own information for your paper to keep the correct format. Save this Template in a file for future use and information.

Your Full Title of Your Paper

Learner's Full Name

Course Title

Assignment Title

Capella University

Month, Year

Abstract (Optional, check with your instructor)

An abstract is a brief, comprehensive summary of the contents of a paper. It allows readers to quickly review the key elements of a paper without having to read the entire document. This can be helpful for readers who are searching for specific information and may be reviewing many documents. The abstract may be one of the most important paragraphs in a paper because readers often decide if they will read the document based on information in the abstract. An abstract may not be required in some academic papers; however, it can still be an effective method of gaining the reader's attention. For example, an abstract will not be required for Capella's First Course, PSYC3002. The following sentences serve as an example of what could be composed as an abstract for this paper. The basic elements of APA Style will be reviewed including formatting of an APA Style paper, in-text citations, and a reference list. Additional information will address the components of an introduction, how to write effective paragraphs using the MEAL plan, and elements of a summary and conclusion section of a paper.

APA Style Paper Template: A Resource for Academic Writing

Please change the titles in this document to fit your paper.

APA (American Psychological Association) Style is most commonly used to cite sources within the social sciences. APA Style is used when writing papers in the psychology programs offered at Capella University. This document serves as an APA Style template for learners to use when writing their own papers, as well as a resource containing valuable information that can be used when writing academic papers. For more information on APA Style, learners can refer to the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (American Psychological Association, 2010a).

The author demonstrates in the first section of this paper, how an introduction effectively introduces the reader to the topic of the paper. In APA Style, an introduction never gets a heading. For example, this section did not begin with a heading titled "introduction", similar to the following section, which is titled "writing an effective introduction". The following section will explain in greater detail a model that can be used to effectively write an introduction in an academic paper. The remaining sections of the paper will continue to address APA Style and effective writing concepts including section headings, organizing information, the MEAL plan, the conclusion, and the reference list.

Writing an Effective Introduction

An effective introduction often consists of four main components including: (a) the position statement, thesis, or hypothesis, which describes the author's main position; (b) the purpose, which outlines the objective of the paper; (c) the background, which is general information that is needed to understand the content of the paper; and (d) the approach, which is the process or methodology the author uses to achieve the purpose of the paper. This information will help readers understand what will be discussed in the paper. It can also serve as a tool to grab the reader's attention. Authors may choose to briefly reference sources that will be identified later on in the paper as in this example (American Psychological Association, 2010a; American Psychological Association, 2010b; Walker, 2008).

In an introduction, the writer will often present something of interest to capture the reader's attention and introduce the issue. Adding an obvious statement of purpose helps the reader know what to expect, while helping the writer to focus and stay on task. For example, this paper will address several components necessary to effectively write an academic paper including (a) how to write an introduction, (b) how to write effective paragraphs using the MEAL plan, and (c) how to properly use APA style.

Level One Section Heading is Centered, Bold, Upper and Lowercase

Using section headings can be an effective method of organizing an academic paper. The section headings should not be confused with the "running head", which is a different concept described in the cover page of this document. Section headings are not required according to APA Style, however, they can significantly improve the quality of a paper. This is accomplished because section headings help both the reader and the author as will soon be discussed.

Level Two Section Heading is Flush Left, Bold, Upper and Lowercase

The heading style recommended by APA consists of five levels (American Psychological Association, 2010a, p. 62). This document contains two levels to demonstrate how headings are structured according to APA Style. Immediately before the previous paragraph, a Level 1 Section Heading was used. That section heading describes how a Level 1 Heading should be written, which is centered, bold, and using upper and lowercase letters. For another example, see the section heading "Writing an Effective Introduction" on page 3 of this document. The heading is centered, bold, and uses upper and lowercase letters (compared to all uppercase in the running head at the top of each page). If used properly, section headings can significantly contribute to the quality of a paper by helping the reader who wants to understand the information in the document, and the author who desires to effectively describe the information in the document.

Section Headings Help the Reader

Section headings serve multiple purposes including (a) helping the reader understand what is being addressed in each section, (b) readers may be more likely to maintain an interest in the paper, and (c) they can help readers choose what they want to read. For example, if the reader of this document wants to learn more about writing an effective introduction, the previous section heading clearly states that is where information can be found. When subtopics are needed to explain concepts in greater detail, different levels of headings are used according to APA Style.

Section Headings Help the Author