How to Write an APA Format Appendix

If you are writing a psychology paper for a class or for publication, you may be required to include an appendix in APA format.

APA format is the official writing style used by the American Psychological Association. This format dictates how academic and professional papers should be structured and formatted. 

What to Include in an APA Appendix

The APA official stylebook suggests that the appendix should include information that would be distracting or inappropriate in the text of the paper.

Some examples of information you might include in an appendix include:

• Raw data (presented in an organized, readable format)
• Extended or detailed descriptions
• Demographic details about participants or groups
• Lists of supporting research and articles that are not directly referenced in-text
• Lists that are too lengthy to include in the main text
• Large amounts of raw data
• Questionnaires that were used as part of your research
• Research surveys
• Examples of participant responses
• Correspondence (if it pertains directly to your research)
• Materials and instruments (if your research relied on special materials or instruments, you might want to include images and further information about how these items work or were used)

While the content found in the appendix is too cumbersome to include in the main text of your paper, it should still be easily presented in print format.

The body of your paper should not be dependent upon what is in the appendices. Instead, each appendix should act to supplement what is in the primary text, adding additional (but not essential) information that provides extra insight or information for the reader. 

Basic APA Appendix Rules

• Your paper may have more than one appendix
• Each item usually gets its own appendix section
• Begin each appendix on a separate page
• Each appendix must have a title
• Use title case for your title and labels (the first letter of each word should be capitalized, while remaining letters should be lower-case)
• If your paper only has one appendix, simply title it Appendix 
• If you have more than one appendix, each one should be labeled Appendix A, Appendix B, Appendix C, and so on
• Put the appendix label centered at the top of the page
• On the next line under the appendix label, place the centered title of the appendix 
• If you refer to a source in your appendix, include an in-text citation just as you would in the main body of your paper and then include the source in your main reference section
• Each appendix may contain headings, subheadings, figures, and tables 
• Each figure or table in your appendix should include a brief but explanatory title, which should be italicized 
• If you want to reference your appendix within the text of your paper, include a parenthetical note in the text. For example, you would write (See Appendix A).

Where to Include an Appendix

If your paper does require an appendix, it should be the very last pages of your finished paper. An APA format paper is usually structured in the following way:

• Title page
• Abstract
• Main text
• References
• Footnotes
• Tables
• Figures
• Appendix

Your paper may not necessarily include all of these sections, however. At a minimum, your paper may consist of a title page, abstract, main text, and reference section. Also, if your paper does not contain tables, figures, or footnotes, then the appendix would follow the references.

Does Your Paper Need an Appendix?

Some questions to ask about whether you should put information in the body of the paper or in an appendix:

• Is the material necessary for the reader to understand the research? If the answer is yes, it should be in your paper and not in an appendix.
• Would including the information interrupt the flow of the paper? If the answer is yes, then it should likely appear in the appendix.
• Would the information supplement what already appears in your paper? If yes, then it is a good candidate for including in an appendix.

Your appendix is not meant to become an information dump. While the information in your appendices is supplementary to your paper and research, it should still be useful and relevant. Only include what will help readers gain insight and understanding, not clutter or unnecessary confusion. 

Formatting Your Appendix

An APA appendix should follow the overall rules on how to format text. Such rules specify what font and font size you should use, the size of your margins, and the spacing of the text.

Some of the APA format guidelines you need to observe:

• Use a consistent font, such as 12-point Times New Roman or 11-point Calibri
• Double-space your text
• All paragraphs should be indented on the first line
• Page numbering should be continuous with the rest of your paper

A Word From Verywell

Writing a paper for class or publication requires a great deal of research, but you should pay special attention to your APA formatting. Each section of your paper, including the appendix section, needs to follow the rules and guidelines provided in the American Psychological Association’s stylebook.