APA style is a set of rules and guidelines for writing and formatting academic papers, created by the American Psychological Association (APA). It’s one of the most widely used citation styles, especially in the social sciences, psychology, education, nursing, and business.

Here are the key features of APA style:

1. Paper Formatting

• Standard 8.5” x 11” paper, 1-inch margins.
• Font: usually Times New Roman 12 pt, double-spaced.
• Running head (shortened title) and page numbers in the header.
• Title page, abstract (in some cases), main text, and references.

2. In-Text Citations

Uses the author–date system.
Example:

• Paraphrase: (Smith, 2020)
• Quotation: (Smith, 2020, p. 25)

3. Reference List

• Appears at the end of the paper.
• Entries are alphabetized by the first author’s last name.
• Example (book):
  
• Smith, J. A. (2020). *Psychology in everyday life.
• Example (journal article):
• Doe, R., & Brown, L. (2019). The effects of stress on sleep. *Journal of Health Psychology, 25*(3), 233–245. [https://doi.org/xxxx](https://doi.org/xxxx)*

4. Writing Style

• Clear, concise, and unbiased language.
• Use of active voice where possible.
• Avoiding slang, contractions, or overly casual tone.