A quick Guide to ASA Format and Citation

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ASA (American Sociological Association) is a writing format that is usually used by academics, scholars, and students from the field of sociology. University research papers, articles, and manuscripts, etc. submitted to the sociology department are written in this format. If you are a student of sociology then you must be aware of this format and citation style or have heard about it. Because it is necessary for you to submit all your papers in this format and if it is not used in a correct manner then your paper can be discredited.

While using this format an essay writer must be careful about the different parts of your paper that the format affects. The title page of your paper, abstract, headings, sub-headings, reference list, and the in-text citation should be according to the format. The format is very similar to the APA style which is commonly used by students. Both APA and ASA format use parenthetical references which appear in the references part of the paper at the end. If you are writing your paper in this format for the first time then you may not be well acquainted with the formatting requirements.

So, here is a quick guide that can help you write your paper in the said format:

Title page

The first thing a reader sees is the title page of the paper so you need to make sure that it is created according to the format rules. A title page in proper ASA style will make your paper look more professional and presentable.

This page usually contains information like the title of the paper, your name, the name of your institution, the address of the writer to receive feedback or communication, the names of all sponsors or contributors, and grants or contributions of the paper or research. Also, do not forget to mention the total number of words on the title page.

Abstract

You have to write the abstract of your paper on a separate page between the title page and the start of the paper. The abstract must be 150 to 200 words. If you are including this page then adding a few keywords in the abstract can be helpful for the reader in identifying the main points of the paper.

Subheadings

While writing your paper in this format, you have to use subheadings for the organization of paragraphs of the main body of the paper. The subheadings in ASA are of three levels. Do not write the subheadings in bold letters and remember that all of these are left-aligned.

• First level subheading

  All the letters should be in capitals and avoid using bold font. You should avoid beginning with a heading like Introduction.

• Second level subheading

  This level of subheading should be in italic with the first letter of each word in the heading capitalized with the exception of propositions and articles used.

• Third-level heading

  It should be italicized and you just have to capitalize the first word of the heading. You must indent it at the start of the paragraph.

Reference page

Title this page as “references”. All the references need to be double spaced and you have to place them with a hanging indent. Write in alphabetical order on the basis of the last names of authors. The first letter of each word must be in capitals except for propositions and articles.

Footnotes and Endnotes

These are used to expand the text or when you need to add information or explain it. You can use either of them in your ASA style paper but when you choose one then you must consistently use the same throughout the paper.

These were some general rules of ASA. If you are still facing challenges citing your ASA style paper then you can use an online essay writing service. Their professional academic writers can write a custom essay for you and you can also send your essay to them for editing or proofreading. By doing this you are guaranteed to receive a well-written high-quality essay.