Understanding the ASA Format: A Comprehensive Guide for All

Are you looking for guidelines to format your academic paper according to the ASA format? Look no further than this blog.

ASA stands for American Sociological Association. It is a set of guidelines that helps researchers and students in the field of sociology write their papers in a standardized way. 

In this guide, you’ll understand how to write in ASA format, one of the citation styles. Learn how to format the manuscript, cite in-text, and format the reference lists according to the ASA style. 

Continue reading to learn how you should align your academic papers with the ASA style.

What is the ASA Format?

The ASA format, short for the American Sociological Association format, has a history rooted in the need for standardized guidelines in the field of sociology. It was developed for consistency and clarity in presenting sociological research.

The ASA developed and published the first edition of the “ASA Style Guide” in 1997. This guide provided detailed instructions on various aspects of manuscript preparation, citation, and reference formatting. Since then, the ASA format has undergone revisions to adapt to changes in the field and advancements in publishing practices. Currently, the 6th Edition of the ASA format is in use.

There are several changes between 5th edition and 6th edition of the ASA format. So, you should stick to our guide to accurately format your academic documents in the latest ASA format. 

Let’s learn how to follow the ASA formatting style

Manuscript Formatting in the ASA Style

Follow these guidelines to format your paper in the ASA style: 

• Use standard letter-sized (8.5 × 11 inches) paper
• Utilize 12-point Times New Roman, or as instructed, for all text, including footnotes, references, and endnotes
• Maintain double-spacing throughout the entire document
• Single-space block quotes
• Set margins at a minimum of 1 inch on all four sides
• Include a separate title page with the full paper title (60 characters or fewer), author(s), and institution(s) of author(s), listed vertically for multiple authors and the date
• Include a header on each page, including the title page. It should include the title of your paper (in uppercase), left-justified, and the page number right-justified
• Do not use “Running head” on the title page; only include the actual title.
• Provide a separate page with a brief abstract (150-200 word) if required, headed with the paper title
• Include a list of three to five keywords on the abstract page to help the reader identify the main themes in the paper
• Commence the main text on a separate page, headed with the paper title

For using section headings: First-level headings should be in all caps, centered, or left-justified.

Second-level headings should be in italics, using both upper and lower case, centered or left-justified.

Look at the table below to see what correctly formatted headings look like:

Now that you know how to format the manuscript, let’s learn how to cite in-text using the ASA format. 

ASA Format In-Text Citation

In the ASA format citation, your text follows a straightforward approach known as the author-date system. This means that you include the author's last name and the publication year in parentheses at the relevant point in your paper.

Basic In-Text Citation

For instance, if you are mentioning a concept or idea and want to give credit to the author, include their last name and the year of publication. 

Here's an example:

Author's Name in Sentence

If the author's name is part of the sentence, you can simply include the publication year in parentheses:

Multiple Authors 

When citing multiple authors, list them in the order they appear in the source, separating each with a semicolon:

Three or More Authors 

For works with three or more authors, use “et al.” after the first author's name:

Direct Quote with Page Number

Remember to include page numbers when quoting directly from a source. For instance:

Unknown Publication Date

When the publication date of a source is unknown, use n.d. In parentheses after the author's name. Here’s an example:

Block Quotations

Block quotations are used for longer text passages, typically when quoting four or more lines of prose or three or more lines of poetry. In ASA format, block quotations should be indented and not enclosed in quotation marks. 

Here's an example:

These simple guidelines help maintain clarity and consistency in your in-text citations, ensuring your readers can easily locate the full reference in the bibliography.

Footnotes and Endnotes Formatting

In ASA style, footnotes and endnotes are used sparingly, typically for additional explanations or comments that may disrupt the flow of the main text. Here's a guide on when and how to use them, along with tips on formatting and content:

When to Use Footnotes or Endnotes?

Use footnotes or endnotes when there is a need to provide additional information or elaborations that might distract from the main text but are still relevant to the content.

Citations: Footnotes or endnotes can be used for citation purposes when the source information is not suitable for in-text citation.

Copyright Permission: If you are using copyrighted material and have received permission to reproduce it, details about this permission can be placed in a footnote or endnote.

How to Format?

• Number footnotes or endnotes consecutively throughout the paper using Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3, etc.).
• Place the footnote number at the end of the sentence or clause, following any punctuation marks.
• In the footnote or endnote itself, provide detailed information about the source or additional information. Ensure clarity and completeness in your explanations.

Tips for Footnotes or Endnotes

• When using footnotes or endnotes for citations, include all the necessary details (author, title, publication information, etc.) just as you would in the reference list.
• Do not use footnotes or endnotes for information that is already clear in the main text. Reserve them for genuinely supplementary content.

For example: Consider the following sentence:

“Sociological studies on urbanization have shown various impacts on community dynamics and social structures1.”

In this example, the footnote provides additional information about the studies mentioned in the main text. This allows readers to explore the topic further without disrupting the flow of the paragraph.                                        

ASA Format Reference Page

The bibliographical section at the end of your paper in the ASA format is called the reference page. 

To understand how to reference ASA format, here are the requirements for formatting the reference lists:

• Alphabetical Order: Arrange your reference list alphabetically by the last names of the first authors. If there is no author, use the first significant word of the title
• Double-Spacing: Ensure that your reference list is double-spaced, providing clarity and readability
• Hanging Indentation: Use a hanging indentation for each reference. This means the first line is flush left, and subsequent lines are indented
• Italicization: Italicize the titles of books and journals
• Capitalization: Capitalize the first word of the title, subtitle (if any), and proper nouns. Keep the rest in lowercase

Now, let’s take a look at ASA format examples for citing different types of sources in the reference list of your academic paper. 

For Books

Single Author:

Format: Author's Last name, First name. Year of publication. Title of Book. Place of publication: Publisher.

Example: 

Two Authors:

Format: Author1's Last name, Author1's First name, and Author2's First name Author2's Last name. Year of publication. Title of Book. Place of publication: Publisher.

Example: 

For Books without Authors

Format: Title of Encyclopedia. Year of publication. Place of publication: Publisher.

Example:

For Journal Articles

Format: Author's Last name, First name. Year of publication. “Title of Article.” Title of Journal Volume number(Issue number): Page range.

Example: 

For Articles with DOI

Format: Author's Last name, First name. Year of publication. “Title of Article.” Title of Journal Volume number(Issue number): Page range. DOI.

Example: 

For Web Sources

Format: Author's Last name, First name. Year of publication. “Title of Webpage.” Name of Website. URL.

Example: 

For Newspapers

Format: Author's Last name, First name. Year of publication. “Title of Article.” Title of Newspaper, Date, Page.

Example: 

For Magazines 

Format: Author's Last name, First name. Year of publication. “Title of Article.” Title of Magazine, Month issue, Page range.

Example:

For Government Websites

Format: Government Agency. Year of publication. “Title of Webpage.” URL.

Example:

For Government Documents

Format: Government Department. Year of publication. Title of Report. Place of publication: Government Printing Office.

Example: 

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

By following the above guidelines, you can precisely format your academic papers in strict accordance with the ASA format. Just keenly follow our guide, and you’ll have it easy, crafting a paper that fits the required format exactly. 

To wrap things up, if you stick to the steps we talked about, your academic writing will be clear, consistent, and professional, thanks to the ASA format. Whether you're putting in citations while you write or making a list of references, ASA format makes everything neat and organized.

But if you're still feeling a bit lost with citing and listing sources, we have a solution for you. Give our citation machine a shot. Our ASA format citation generator can create perfect citations for you!