How to write a table of contents for APA formatting style We can all agree that writing styles are not a walk in the park. Some of them take a while to master and even those still have some elements you learn as you go. One of the main writing ...Read More
~Posted on
Oct 2019
How
to write a table of contents for APA formatting style
We can all agree that writing styles
are not a walk in the park. Some of them take a while to master and even those
still have some elements you learn as you go. One of the main writing styles is
APA. Most professors will give you assignments on the condition that you format
them using the APA style. If you have mastered the format, this will be easy
for you; however, the problem comes in when there are additional requirements
like adding a table of contents. A table of contents alone is not complicated;
however, combined with the APA formatting style becomes complex. This article
will answer some of the complex questions related to adding a table of contents
to your APA formatted paper.
Is a
table of contents a requirement in APA formatting style?
APA formatting style does not require a
table of contents. The only requirements in this format are the title page,
abstract, body, the reference page, and appendix. The abstract and appendix are
none essentials and are usually left out unless required. However, some
assignments may specifically ask you to add a table of contents to the
assignment to help your reader understand where each element of your assignment
is located.
When
do you add a table of contents to your work?
A table of contents should be the last
thing you add to the assignment. This is because it will incorporate everything
together. However, in case you add information to your content under its own
subheading, you will need to update the table of contents. To do this, make
sure that the format of the subheading matches the rest of the subheadings.
After this, click on the references section of your Word document, which will
open more options for you. Select the ‘Update Table’ option, and this will open
a query on whether to update the page numbers or the entire table of contents.
Select update the entire table of contents. This will indeed update the table
of contents and include everything in your work.
How
do you structure a table of contents for APA?
An APA table of contents should be in
font 12 and in Times new roman. The title TABLE OF CONTENTS should be centered.
The list of titles and page numbers should be neither bold nor underlined.
What
is the structure of a table of contents in APA formatting?
In APA, a table of contents should
include the title “Table of contents,” which should be on top of the page and
centered. It should be double spaced and should align to the left for all
entries. The sub-headings in your work should be indented by five spaces on the
table of contents section.
How
do you make a table of contents in APA style?
If you are using Microsoft office to
incorporate a table of contents in your assignment, you have to options, add
the table manually or automate the process. Microsoft avails several options to
manually create a table of contents, allowing you to decide on where to place
different things as well as the specific subtitles to appear on the table and
how they do. With an automatic table of contents; however, you only decide what
goes into the table of contents bit not on the structure since they have
already been selected for you.
What
comes first in APA formatting, the table of contents, or the abstract?
The abstract comes immediately after
the title page and just before the table of contents. Therefore, between the
abstract and the table of contents, the abstract comes first.
Is
it mandatory to include a table of contents in my APA paper?
It is not compulsory to include a table
of contents in APA assignments. However, some professors may ask you to include
it hence the need to learn how to incorporate it into your work.
How
to cite APA style with a table of contents?
The table of contents does not affect
how you cite content from various sources. However, the title references have
to reflect on the table of contents, usually appearing as the second last item
on the list just before the appendix.
Which
font do I use to format the table of contents?
The font used to format the table of
contents should be the same one that is used for the rest of the paper.
Therefore, if you are required to use times new roman, the table of contents
should be in the same font.
What
does an APA style table of contents look like?
An APA style table of contents should
have the title TABLE OF CONTENTS. It should also contain abstract, several headings
for the body and subheadings if there are any, the reference, and appendix. All
this should be listed in chronological order with page numbers appearing on the
far right side of the page.
When
is the table of contents in APA used?
A table of contents in APA is only used
when requested; otherwise, it is left out just like an appendix. The only
compulsory items in an APA formatting are the title page, the body of the
paper, and references.
Where
does the table of contents appear in a dissertation formatted using the APA
formatting?
The table of contents in your
dissertation contains the chapters and major sections of your dissertation. The
table of contents in your dissertation is placed between the abstract and the
introduction part of your dissertation.
How
do you create a Table of contents for an APA paper in word?
Once you are done with editing and
formatting your paper in APA, you need to prepare your headings so as to insert
a table of contents. To do this, go to home on your word document, highlight
the heading and select the style you wish your headings to take. You can do
this by highlighting one heading at a time, or you can highlight all the
headings then select the style. The word document generates a table of contents
based on uniformity. Once you are done with selecting the style, put the
editing cursor between the abstract and the introduction page. Go to references
then select Table of contents. This will immediately insert a table of contents
based on the chapters you put in uniform header style.
What
do you write in the table of contents for a research paper using APA style?
A research paper has several sections.
These sections include; cover/title page, abstract, introduction, statement of
the problem, limitations of the study, methodology, and literature review, the
main body of the research paper / argument, conclusion, references, and
appendix. All these sections, together with their subheadings, are included in
the table of contents for an APA research paper except the cover/ title page.
This is, however, for the automatic table of contents.
Are
tables and figures included in the table of contents for APA?
The tables and figures for a research
paper should not be included in the Table of contents. Instead, they should be
placed in a separate list just below the Table of contents named list of tables
and figures. Consequently, the title should appear ‘List of tables and figures’
on the Table of contents.