Updated for 7th edition! Formatting APA Style in MS Word (Udemy.com)
Everything you need to know to format a Microsoft Word document and insert citations and references in APA Style.
Created by: James Harger
Last updated May 2020
What you will learn
- Setup a Word Document in APA Style (in both 6th and 7th editions).
- Set the default settings in Word so you do not have to repeat it each time you sit down to write a paper.
- Insert properly formatted citations and references using the Reference tool in Microsoft Word
- Identify and avoid plagiarism
How it compares
Against the other 503 rated Udemy courses in Teaching & Academics on CourseDuck:
- Rating4.7 out of 5higher than 74% of them
- Reviews448#252 of 504 by number of reviews
- Length2.2 hoursshorter than 67% of them
- Last updatedMay 2020earlier than 78% of them
Course Description
Learn how to set up a Microsoft Word document in APA Style, and insert properly formatted citations and references.
At the conclusion of this course, you will know...
How to Set up a Microsoft Word in APA Style
Learn how to set up your documents in APA Style, both 6th and 7th editions
See what goes on a cover page and where
Find out how to get that pesky header set up correctly for the 6th edition
Ensure the paragraph settings and spacing are correct in the body of your paper
Learn how to format the Reference page in APA Style
How to use the References Feature in Word
Find out how easy it is to insert properly formatted citations and references
Set up your sources in the Reference Library that you can use again and again
Know a few different methods of introducing a quote in your paper
Build a Reference page with a click of your mouse
Identify and Avoid Plagiarism
Learn the definition of plagiarism and why it is a matter of integrity
Understand the difference between deliberate and negligent plagiarism
Discover the 10 types of plagiarism
Understand the vocabulary of plagiarism
Use strategies to avoid plagiarism in your papers
These time-saving tips will save you time and help you make a good impression on your instructor with a professional looking paper.
Even if you have little or no experience using Microsoft Word, you will find this video series easy to follow.
Content and Overview
In Part 1, you will learn why APA Style matters and go through some of the basic rules of formatting. We will then take you step-by-step through the process of setting up your document in APA Style in both the 6th and 7th edition. Not only that, but we show you how to keep these settings so that every time you sit down to write a paper, everything is already setup. Finally, you will learn how to set up your cover page, the header of your paper, and the body of your paper and reference page.
In Part 2, you will learn why we use citations and references. We take you step-by-step through the process of setting up your sources. Then, you will learn how to insert citations into your paper with a click of the mouse. We also discuss different ways of introducing quotes and how they can affect the format of your citations. And finally, we show you how to insert your references on your reference page in one simple step that ensures your references are properly formatted every time.
In the Bonus Section, we show you how to identify plagiarism, and more importantly, how to avoid it. Look for downloads a couple of downloads to help you with formatting and evaluating your resources, too. You will also find a couple of short videos to help you with formatting blocked quotes and including quotes within a quotation.
Instructor Details
- 4.7 Rating
448 Reviews
James Harger
Jim has been teaching college students for over 10 years. He has taught 1000’s of students at three regionally accredited universities. His passion is to help adult students who are entering college for the first time or returning to college develop the skills and strategies to be a successful online college student.
Jim holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Organizational Management from Colorado Christian University, a Master of Science degree in Education with an emphasis in Postsecondary and Adult Education from Capella University, a Graduate Certificate in Theology from Denver Seminary, and a Master of Arts degree in Biblical and Theological Studies from Knox Theological Seminary.
Before committing to teaching full time, Jim worked in staff positions, which include enrollment counseling, academic advising, and director of a center for adult and graduate studies. Before his career in education, Jim traveled the world with the United States Army. His tours of duty took him all across the United States and overseas to Korea and Germany. Jim also served in the Middle East and retired with honors from the Army in 1998.
Jim lives in northern Colorado and he has three adult children. In his spare time, Jim plays golf and goes 4-wheeling in the mountains.
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Reviews
By Brad Huddleston on 5/1/2026
I am a doctoral student preparing to write my dissertation. Until this course, I have been using APA 7 formatting in a “piecemeal” fashion as I have learned along the way. This course brought everything together systematically, a format that has proven exceptionally beneficial to my preparation. Thank you, Dr. Harger!
By Maria Santos on 3/17/2024
I often go back to these videos for a quick refresher on how to format my APA 7 papers. His instructions are so simple to follow and chunked into short descriptions of each step making it easy for me to navigate to the section I need. I’ve recommended this to many people who are lost as to how to do it!
By Ashley O'Donnell on 9/20/2020
Good, basic information. Knocked it out quickly. Took it to prepare for a job interview. Wish the course was a bit longer. Could include how to write an abstract, more in-depth references and citations, other topics. Skipped the section on the 6th edition because most of it was covered in the 7th edition updates.
By Leon Atkins on 9/10/2020
This course was great. I gained relevant knowledge and learnt practical skills in how to format a document in the APA style using MS Word. I also learned how to setup and make in-text citations and the reference page. The PDF articles helped to reinforce the video lessons. The presenter was excellent with a great voice and knowledgeable on the subject matter. I hope more videos are added re the APA 7th edition. I would recommend this course to college students.
By Cecilia Ancalmo on 7/31/2020
Estoy feliz de haberme inscrito en este curso, me ha ayudado muchísimo para resolver las dudas que tenia en este tema que me han estado afectado en las notas que obtengo en mis trabajos de la maestría que estoy cursando. Gracias.
By Aisha Bala on 3/30/2020
I enjoyed the course because I do not know to use APA style format, and I am confident that this will help me a whole lot. I did not turn in my first paper because I did not know what to do. I'm never going to miss turning in another paper. Thank you sir.
By Anonymized User on 9/23/2019
A well laid out course. It would have been nice to know something about the use of sub headings in APA and also a) the correct way to cite journal articles and b) different journal articles by the same author in the same year. How do you get to store multiple journal articles by the same author in the same year using the Microsoft word reference tool?
By Javier Sotomayor C. on 4/14/2018
Very good course, it's good to know how to apply formatting and then use it within new documents. I give 4 stars since it's not clearly explained an example of how to make a good writting and how it would be a valid writting ready for approval.
By Gable Womack on 3/29/2018
Mr. Harger taught my most recent course at CTU Online, and I learned so much about APA style and how to format Microsoft Word in the future for my papers. I am so very grateful that he offered me this UDemy lecture to me for free, as well.
By Melinda Terrier on 12/17/2017
Thoroughly enjoyed the content and the engaging instructor, the detailed snapshots of Microsoft Word pointing with the green arrows where to click and why. It was a great way to review and relearn APA and I know it will help me to teach others how to set-up their APA papers. THANKS!
Quality Score
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Overall Score : 94 / 100






