How APA may differ from your university’s dissertation handbook

Authors of the APA style guide wrote the guide for writers of journal articles. In the 2020 edition, they recognized that authors of theses and dissertations have different requirements. However, your institutional style guidelines may differ from strict APA style guidelines.

Here are examples of differences between APA style and institutional style:

• APA guidelines require the page number appear in the upper-right corner throughout the entire document. However, many institutional style guides require page numbers to be centered at the bottom of the page for the front matter of the document (abstract, acknowledgments, table of contents, lists of tables, etc.) and then moved to the upper right corner for the remainder of the document. Some institutional guides require the page number to appear at bottom center for the entire document.
• Margins in APA style are set at one inch all around. However, many institutions increase the width of the left margin to allow for binding.
• APA requires double-spacing throughout the document, including figure captions, table titles, footnotes, and the list of references. The only exception is within figures and tables, which can use single-spacing to improve readability. Many institutions, on the other hand, prefer single-spacing for footnotes, figure captions, table titles, and the list of references. Entries in the list of references are often single-spaced, with one blank line between entries.
• Block quotes (40 or more words) should be double-spaced in APA style, but many institutions require block quotes to be single-spaced with one blank line above and below the text block.
• APA still allows five levels of headings, but they have been revised for the 2020 edition. Some institutions require dissertation chapter titles to be Level 1 headings. Others consider chapter titles Level 0 headings.

Institutional guidelines may deviate from APA style for a number of reasons. One common reason is simply readability: a block quote can be easier to read when it is single-spaced. Similarly, double-spaced reference lists take up much less space when they are single-spaced. In the case of the location of page numbers, some institutions require that all text, including page numbers, be placed inside the margins to meet printing and publishing requirements. Some of the differences can be attributed to institutional style preferences, for example, the formatting of title pages and headings.

Your institutional and departmental guidelines take precedence over the style guide. Refer to your institution’s dissertation handbook to learn the differences between institution style and the preferred style guide. As a rule, the guidelines of the entity that will approve or publish your writing always take precedence.

Purchase your own copy of the style guide and study it closely. In most instances, your institution, department, chairperson, and committee members have final say over style. However, not all reviewers are familiar with the nuances of APA guidelines. You may be required to cite page numbers to defend your style and format choices.

What can I expect from an APA editor?

Professional editors should always proofread and copy edit. Know the difference between the two and always choose an editor who does both.

Besides editing for grammar, spelling, punctuation, structure, and overall readability, in terms of style, an editor can:

• Check that your work complies with your institutional style guidelines and the guidelines of your institution’s preferred style manual
• Set up your Word document with appropriate heading levels (using Word styles) to generate an accurate Table of Contents
• Add numbered table titles and figure captions and generate accurate lists of tables and figures
• Set section breaks where needed to differentiate front matter from the body of your paper
• Set section breaks to separate landscape orientation pages from portrait orientation pages
• Ensure page numbers are in the correct locations and formats
• Set proper line spacing and paragraph indentation
• Remove extra spaces and tabs
• Set up customized Word styles to handle block quotations and other text artifacts according to your style guidelines
• Format figures and tables to comply with style guidelines

Should I hire an editor or do it myself?

Whether you hire an editor to help with style and formatting depends on your working style, your resource constraints, and the feedback you are receiving from the gatekeepers (i.e., advisors, chairperson, or committee).

Think about the following questions when deciding whether to engage editing yourself or hiring a professional editor:

What is your preferred working style, and what type of mindset do you have?

• Are you a hands-on person?
• Are you a detail-oriented person?
• Are you a big-picture strategist?

Some people love learning the rules because it gives them a sense of control. Others prefer to leave the details to others because that gives them a sense of freedom and allows focus on the big picture. Determine what type of person you are and whether you have the capacity or desire to learn a style guide.

How much time do you have?

• Do you have time to learn the style guidelines?
• Do you have the desire to learn about the details?
• Do you feel you are more productive by focusing your time and energy on writing or researching?

If you have time, you should study the style manual to at least have a passing familiarity with it. This is true even if you don’t have the time or inclination to study it in depth.

If you are really under a time crunch, it’s time to call a professional editor.

What kind of feedback are you getting from your advisor/chairperson/committee members?

• Is your advisory team indicating that your paper’s style and format are acceptable?
• Is your advisory team telling you to hire an editor to clean up your format?
• Is the feedback by your advisory committee in your paper primarily content-focused or grammar, syntax, and formatting focused?

Some scholars have language barriers. Others don’t possess expert writing skills. Even strong writers can benefit from an objective editor. If your committee members think you need help from an editor, get help. Don’t let a fixable problem balloon into a roadblock for getting your paper approved or on to the next stage.

Our dissertation process

Our editing service employs experts with the APA style guide. Here’s what our process looks like..

1. Email us a draft of your dissertation.
2. We will review your paper and provide an estimate of time and cost. Your writing style is a major factor in determining the time required and types of edits we will need to make. Beware of estimates from other services that give you a per-word quote without reviewing your entire dissertation.
3. If you decide to proceed with Gramlee, we will email an invoice that you can pay online using Credit Card or PayPal.
4. We will begin editing and aim to send you a revised version of the first 10,000 words in 48 hours. We want your feedback about our editing approach with your paper. Doing this early allows us to adjust our strategy if needed. This transparency also gives you a window into our editing process.
5. The senior editor will complete their edits and email you a final revised dissertation. We use the Track Changes feature in Microsoft Word so you can see every change and comment.
6. You will always have access to our editors afterwards in case you have questions.

Our editors can manage up to 10,000 words per day. Experience shows us that exceeding this threshold leads to editing fatigue and deterioration in quality. Yes, you guessed right: services that promise lightening-fast edits are in business to maximize profits over a quality final product that you will be proud of.

To get started, please email us with your paper attached. We will give you an estimate within twelve (12) hours. Please mention code APAEDIT in your email to get a 10% discount. It’s our way of saying “thank you” for reading this article.