Are you looking for instructions on how to format your academic paper according to ASA guidelines? You've come to the right place!

ASA stands for American Sociological Association. It provides rules that help sociologists and students write their papers in a standardized way.

In this guide, you’ll learn how to write in ASA format, one of the common citation styles. You'll understand how to format your paper, cite sources within your text, and create a reference list according to ASA style.

Keep reading to align your academic papers with ASA style requirements.

What is the ASA Format?

The ASA format, or American Sociological Association format, was created to standardize writing in sociology. It ensures clarity and consistency in presenting sociological research.

The ASA Style Guide was first published in 1997 and has since been updated to its 6th Edition to keep up with changes in the field and publishing practices.

For accurate formatting, especially with changes from the 5th to the 6th edition, This guide will steer you right.

Let’s dive into how you should format your manuscript in ASA style.

Manuscript Formatting in the ASA Style

Follow these guidelines to format your paper in ASA style:

  • Use standard letter-sized paper (8.5 x 11 inches).
  • Use 12-point Times New Roman font for all text, including footnotes and references.
  • Keep the entire document double-spaced.
  • Single-space block quotes.
  • Set margins to at least 1 inch on all sides.
  • Include a title page with the paper’s full title (under 60 characters), author(s), institution(s), and date listed vertically for multiple authors.
  • Include a header on each page with the paper’s title (in uppercase) on the left and page number on the right.
  • On the title page, only include the actual title without "Running head."
  • If required, include a separate page with a brief abstract (150-200 words) titled with the paper’s title.
  • On the abstract page, list three to five keywords to highlight the main themes of your paper.
  • Start the main text on a separate page, headed with the paper’s title.

For section headings: Use all caps for first-level headings, centered or left-justified. Use italics for second-level headings, with proper capitalization.

Refer to the table below for correctly formatted headings:

Level Format
1st LEFT ALIGNED FIRST-LEVEL HEAD
Use all caps and left-justified. Start after the introduction.
2nd Left Aligned Second-Level Head
Italicized, left-justified, and proper capitalization.
3rd   Indented Third-level head 
Italicized, indented, and capitalized only the first word.

Now that you know how to format the manuscript, let's move on to citing sources in the text using ASA format.

ASA Format In-Text Citation

In ASA format, use the author-date system for in-text citations. This means you include the author's last name and publication year in parentheses where you use the source in your text.

Basic In-Text Citation

For example:

“Sociological research often explores the dynamics of social structures (Benjamin 2010).”

Author's Name in Sentence

If the author's name is part of the sentence:

“According to Noah (2010), social structures play a crucial role in sociological research.”

Multiple Authors

When citing multiple authors:

“Recent studies have shown the impact of globalization on cultural diversity (Jones and Brown 2018; Williams 2019).”

Direct Quote with Page Number

Include page numbers for direct quotes:

“As Richards argues, 'The role of institutions in shaping society cannot be underestimated' (2010, p. 45).”

Unknown Publication Date

For sources with no publication date, use “n.d.” after the author's name:

In sociology, community networks are crucial for social integration and support (Wallace, n.d.).

Block Quotations

Use block quotations for longer passages:

“Globalization impacts local cultures significantly. As Turner (2017) argues:

Globalization brings about profound transformations in cultural landscapes. Local traditions are increasingly influenced by global forces, leading to cultural homogenization and hybridization. Balancing local identities with global trends is central in sociology today” (p. 102).

These guidelines ensure clear and consistent citations, helping readers locate your sources easily.

Footnotes and Endnotes Formatting

Footnotes and endnotes in ASA style are used sparingly for additional explanations or comments:

When to Use Footnotes or Endnotes?

Use them when you need to provide supplementary information that's relevant but could disrupt the main text.

They can also be used for citations when in-text citation isn't suitable.

For permission to use copyrighted material, include details in a footnote or endnote.

How to Format?

  • Number footnotes or endnotes sequentially using Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3, etc.).
  • Place the note number at the end of the sentence after punctuation.
  • Include detailed information about the source or additional content in the note itself.

Tips for Footnotes or Endnotes

  • When using them for citations, provide all necessary details just as in the reference list.
  • Reserve them for supplementary content, not information already clear in the text.

For example, consider:

“Urbanization impacts community dynamics and social structures1.”

Here, the footnote provides additional information about the studies mentioned, allowing readers to explore further without disrupting the paragraph.

ASA Format Reference Page

The reference page in ASA format, also known as the bibliography, follows specific formatting rules:

  • Arrange references alphabetically by the last name of the first author. If no author, use the first significant word of the title.
  • Double-space the entire reference list for clarity.
  • Use hanging indentation for each reference entry: the first line flush left and subsequent lines indented.
  • Italicize book and journal titles.
  • Capitalize the first word of the title and proper nouns, keeping the rest in lowercase.

Here are examples of ASA format for citing different sources:

For Books

Single Author:

Rivers, Angela. 2018. The Sociological Imagination. New York: ABC Publications.

Two Authors:

Mitchell, David, and Rachel Turner. 2016. Social Change in the Modern Era. Boston: XYZ Books.

For Journal Articles

Roberts, Olivia. 2020. "Gender Inequality in the Workplace." Journal of Gender Studies 15(2): 87-102.

For Articles with DOI

Anderson, Taylor. 2019. "The Role of Technology in Modern Education." Journal of Educational Technology 12(3): 45-60. DOI: 10.1234/jet.2019.1234567890.

For Web Sources

Turner, Michael. 2019. "The Impact of Social Media on Youth Culture." Sociology Online. URL: https://www.sociologyonline.com/social-media-youth-culture.

For Newspapers

Cooper, Rachel. 2017. "Rising Unemployment Rates in Urban Areas." The New York Times, July 10, A1.

For Magazines

Turner, Emma. 2021. "Environmental Activism in the 21st Century." Sociology Today, May, 34-40.

For Government Websites

U.S. Census Bureau. 2020. "Population Trends in the United States." URL: https://www.census.gov/population.

For Government Documents

Department of Health and Human Services. 2018. Report on Public Health Initiatives. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office.

Look at this sample reference page that follows the exact rules of the ASA format:

Asa format paper example

This sample reference page follows the ASA format rules precisely. To summarize, if you follow these steps, your academic writing will be clear, consistent, and professional thanks to ASA format. Whether you're citing sources or listing references, ASA format ensures everything is neat and organized. If you still find citing and listing sources challenging, you can use citation machine, which can generate perfect citations in ASA format for you!

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