General Guidelines

When writing academic papers, regardless of what kind of paper you are writing, there are a few rules/guidelines that you would be expected to follow. These guidelines include:

• proper spelling, grammar, and punctuation
• explicit citations & bibliography
• valid arguments
• correct formatting based on citation style or requirements set by a professor (or journal when publishing)

Most guidelines you would be expected to follow as a student are often included in the class syllabus, and any citation style guidelines should be followed according to the citation style you are directed to use. 

Citation Styles & Formatting

Your professor will tell you which citation style is required for what you are writing. Generally, the Sciences use APA style. APA style is currently in its 7th edition style, however there may be some professors who will request that the 6th edition style be used instead. In addition, you will need to be mindful of any formatting guidelines set specifically by your professor. This may include details such as title page and font size. 

When writing professionally, you will need to confirm what citation style is required for journals you wish to publish in, and be aware that journals may also have their own additional guidelines to follow just like a professor would.

The APA style website has many resources that can help you to follow general guidelines and formatting rules. A few of these have been provided below, visit the APA style website for more. All links will open in a new window.