MLA and APA Appendix Format: Examples and Tips on Writing

An appendix is the part of the paper that contains supplementary material. The information from an appendix in paper writing is not essential. If the readers ignore this part, they still have to get the paper’s idea.

Appendices help the readers to understand the research better. They might be useful when the data is too bulky to include it in the paper’s body.

The thing is:

If students have to use MLA title page generators in order to start off their papers, it’s no wonder they can face the trouble with the appendix writing while composing an essay, research paper, dissertation, etc. Generally, it’s due to a wide diversity of formatting styles. The most popular ones are MLA and APA appendix formats.

Don’t worry if you aren’t sure how to format an appendix! Our team created a useful study guide to make your writing process more manageable. So, look at our tips and research papers examples on APA citation style, as well as MLA.

📈 What Is an Appendix?

An appendix is a short summary of the references that are included in the paper. The information from appendices is supplemental, not elemental. It includes additional materials to help the audience comprehend the topic on a deeper level.

Appendices usually appear in books or academic papers. However, there are some differences:

An appendix in a book…	An appendix in an academic paper…
…gives additional data on the topics covered in the text. It can be various citations or resources that the reader can check to dive deeper into the subject. Usually, nonfiction books have such pages.	…is a summary ofsupplementary materials that focus on a specific issue. The author of the text created or used them for their research. Such appendices include tables, graphs, historical facts, bibliographies, case studies, etc.

The writers may include an appendix in their documents because of the following reasons:

• The additional information is too cumbersome. The data can be too massive to write it in the body of the paper. In this case, it would be rational to summarize it and include it in an appendix.
• The writer’s arguments need additional supportive details. The info in appendices might help prove the author’s position. So, sometimes an appendix functions as a tool for validating the writer’s conclusions.
• The data is too complicated and would interrupt the narrative flow. Here, an appendix is useful for summarizing the additional info effectively. It will help the readers to stay focused on the main idea of the paper.

Are you struggling because of your professor’s request to make an appendix? Don’t stress out! The following sections can assist you with writing appendices for academic papers.

👨‍🏫 How to Write an Appendix?

Numerous details should be considered while writing an appendix. Nonetheless, if you understand the basic rules, there will be no problem.

What Should Every Appendix Contain?

• A number (1, 2, 3…) or a letter (A, B, C…).
• The title.
• References for the body paragraphs.
• Page numbers.
• The linkage between the appendices and the main text.

General Formatting Rules for Appendices:

• Labeling in the following format “Appendix #” (where # is a number or a letter. For example, “Appendix 1” or “Appendix A”).
• The list of references.
• The number of pages.
• Paragraphs formatting – double spaced.
• The first paragraph is not intended.
• Footnotes (if applicable).

There is a broad range of formatting styles for appendices. They are Chicago, Harvard, Vancouver, and other styles. The requirements vary from professor to professor.

The majority of students usually face the task of making either APA or MLA appendices. For a better understanding of the difference between two styles, take a look at the following table.

APA appendix is used for	MLA appendix is used for
Any kind of APA papers (essay, research paper, thesis, dissertation, etc.)	Any kind of MLA papers (essay, research paper, thesis, dissertation, etc.)
Sociology, psychology, linguistics, criminology, economics, and other social sciences.	Cultural studies, language arts, and other humanities disciplines.

📑 APA Appendix

The APA style became one of the most popular writing styles today. It has been improving throughout the years and went through several editions. The last version was released in 2019, becoming the APA 7th edition.

APA Appendix Rules:

• There may be more than one appendix in a paper. If there is only one appendix, name it just “Appendix.” If there are more, label them “Appendix 1” or “Appendix A.”
• To link the appendix with the info from the body, use “see Appendix #” in the text.
• Develop each item in a separate appendix.
• The appendix of APA format may include graphs, charts, samples, statistical data.
• If you use a source in your appendix, insert an in-text citation following the APA style citation rules.
• Appendices should appear in the order the information is presented in the paper.

APA Format Guidelines:

• Write each appendix in APA style on a separate page.
• The first paragraph should be written without any intent.
• The rest of the paragraphs should include the intended formatting.
• Appendix label and title – centered and capitalized.
• Appendix location – the last pages of the paper (after the reference list).
• Double spacing.
• Font – Times New Roman, size – 12.

📃 MLA Appendix

The MLA style is widely used in numerous institutions. Its latest edition is the 8th one, though the 7th is still in use. The MLA appendix format is similar to the APA one. Yet, there are some differences.

MLA Appendix Rules:

• Put the appendices in the same order as the information appears in the paper.
• Link the appendices with the corresponding part of the paper. You can use “see Appendix A” or “refer to Appendix B” for these purposes.
• Label and title each appendix.
• You may include in-text citations, if necessary. Don’t forget to follow MLA citation rules.
• The appendices may contain supplementary materials such as charts, graphs, diagrams, additional facts, etc.
• Each appendix in a paper should focus on a separate issue. Don’t mix different topics in one appendix.

MLA Format Guidelines:

• Each appendix should be located on a separate page.
• The first paragraph should be without any intent; the rest should be intended.
• Use double spacing.
• Font – Times New Roman, size – 12.
• Appendix location – BEFORE the Works Cited.
• Appendix label and title – centered and capitalized.

Thank you for visiting our page! We hope our MLA and APA appendix tips helped you. Share the article if it was useful and let us know what you think in a comment section.

References

1. Style and Grammar Guidelines: APA Style, American Psychological Association
2. Using MLA Format: The MLA Style Center, Modern Language Association
3. Tables, Appendices, Footnotes and Endnotes: Purdue Online Writing Lab, College of Liberal Arts, Purdue University
4. Organizing Your Social Sciences Research Paper: Research Guides at University of Southern California
5. Definition of Appendix in a Book or Written Work: Richard Nordquist, ThoughtCo