ASA Format (American Sociological Association): A Student-Friendly Guide to Formatting & Citations

Quck Answer (Summary)

ASA format is the official style of the American Sociological Association. It requires a separate title page with running head and word count, double spacing, and structured headings. In-text citations use the author–date system with page numbers, while the References page is alphabetical with clear rules for books, journals, and online sources.

What Is ASA Format?

The ASA format (American Sociological Association style) is the standard citation and manuscript style for sociology and related fields. You’ll encounter it in ASA journals, sociology coursework, and research papers.

It uses the author–date system (similar to APA) but has its own rules for:

• Title page (separate, with running head and word count)
• Abstract (if required)
• Main text with headings
• Notes (optional)
• References (alphabetical, with unique capitalization rules)

ASA style ensures clarity, professionalism, and academic integrity. Many students are tempted to search for shortcuts like pay someone to write my essay, but learning ASA format makes the process manageable and builds long-term writing skills.

ASA Manuscript Formatting (Step-by-Step)

Title Page (separate page)

Include:

• Running head: ALL CAPS, left-aligned in header
• Page number: top right, page 1
• Full title: Centered, Title Case, no bold/quotes/underline
• Author name(s) + institutional affiliation
• Complete word count (includes text, notes, references)
• Optional title footnote: acknowledgments, funding, or contact info

Mini example:

RUNNING HEAD: EFFECTS OF SOCIAL NETWORKS

Full Title of Paper

Jane Smith

University of Chicago

Word Count: 2,452

*Thanks to Prof. Lee for guidance on women’s labor force participation study.

Abstract & Keywords (new page)

• 150–200 words, single paragraph, double-spaced
• Title repeated at top (no “Abstract” label)
• End with Keywords: (italicized), 3–5 terms in lowercase, alphabetical

Main Text

• Margins: 1″–1.25″, 12-pt Times New Roman
• Double-spaced throughout; paragraphs indented 0.5″
• Repeat full title, centered, at top of first page (no “Introduction” heading)

Headings:

• FIRST-LEVEL: ALL CAPS, left-aligned
• Second-Level: Italicized, Title Case, left-aligned
• Third-level heading. Italicized, sentence case, indented, ends with a period; text continues same line

Block Quotations:

• 40+ words
• Indented, usually single-spaced, no quotation marks
• Citation after period

Example:

Sociologists argue that networks “shape opportunities in both formal and informal markets” (Taylor 2020:43).

Notes (Footnotes/Endnotes)

• Use sparingly
• Superscript Arabic numerals in text
• Place notes at page bottom or in a NOTES section before References
• Keep brief; under 100 words

ASA In-Text Citations (With Examples)

• Basic: (Smith 2021)
• With page: (Smith 2021:14)
• Author in text: Smith (2021:14) found that…
• Two authors: (Jones and Brown 2019:77)
• Three authors: First cite: (Lee, Kim, and Patel 2022:55); later: (Lee et al. 2022)
• Four+ authors: Always (Davis et al. 2020)
• Same author, multiple years: (Taylor 2015, 2019, 2023)
• No author: (“Hyphenated Compound Words” 2024)
• Group author: (American Sociological Association 2019); later (ASA 2019)
• No date: (Doe n.d.:24)
• Multiple works: (Geraldi 1988; Harris et al. 1997; Smith 2019)
• Block quote citation: after final period

ASA References Page (separate new page)

Formatting:

• Title: REFERENCES (centered, ALL CAPS)
• Alphabetical order by author last name
• Hanging indent (0.5″)
• Double-spaced
• Titles: Italicize journals/books; put articles/chapters in “quotation marks”
• Journal articles: italicized volume number, issue in parentheses, page range
• Include retrieval date for unstable online content

Even if you use external help or think about services that offer to write my research paper (such as our service), you should still understand ASA formatting rules to ensure your references meet academic standards.

ASA Reference Templates + Examples

Book (single author)

Smith, John. 2020. Sociological Explanation of Change. New York, NY: Academic Press.

Book (multiple authors)

Bergman, Manfred, Emily Jefferson, and Lucas Rivera. 2015. Research Methods in Sociology. Los Angeles, CA: Sage.

Edited book chapter

Hargrove, Dana. 2018. “Understanding Church Growth.” In Religious Research Today, edited by Lena Ortiz, pp. 55–74. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press.

Journal article

Johnson, Sarah, and Helen Ruiz. 2018. “Women’s Labor Force Participation and Networks.” Sociology Quarterly 57(2):145–170.

Journal article (positive feedback example)

Lee, Amanda. 2019. “Positive Feedback and Social Behavior.” Journal of Social Psychology 62(3):201–215.

E-journal article (with DOI)

Park, Eli. 2022. “Apathetic College Students? Reassessing Civic Intent.” Journal of Youth Studies 25(4):233–252. https://doi.org/xxxxx

Web report

American Sociological Association. 2019. “ASA Style Guide Updates.” Retrieved August 3, 2025 (https://www.asanet.org/).

Dataset (machine-readable)

National Institutes of Health. 2021. College Mental Health Trends [machine-readable data files]. Research Triangle Park, NC: NIH Repository. Retrieved May 2, 2025 (https://…).

Archival source (national association)

National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. 1965. Official Correspondence Files. National Archives, Washington, DC.

Unpublished material

Lewis, Grace. 2020. “Church Growth in Midwestern Cities.” Master’s Thesis, Dept. of Sociology, DePaul University, Chicago, IL.

Newspaper/magazine article

Ortega, Maya. 2024. “Hyphenated Compound Words Still Confuse Writers.” Campus Chronicle, April 2. Retrieved May 1, 2025 (https://…).

ASA Headings Made Easy

• FIRST-LEVEL: METHODS
• Second-Level: Sampling Strategy
• Third-level heading. Research setting. Text continues here…

Common ASA Mistakes (and Quick Fixes)

❌ Using bold for headings → ✅ Use ALL CAPS or italics

❌ Forgetting retrieval dates → ✅ Add “Retrieved Month Day, Year (URL)”

❌ Wrong capitalization → ✅ Title Case for works; proper nouns always capitalized

❌ Missing page numbers in quotes → ✅ Always include page numbers

❌ Not alphabetizing references → ✅ Alphabetical order + hanging indent

❌ Inconsistent et al. usage → ✅ Follow ASA rules strictly

Before turning in your paper, double-check originality with our free plagiarism checker no sign up to make sure your citations are accurate and unique.

Quick Checklists & Tables

In-Text Citation Patterns

Final Submission Checklist

• Title page complete (running head, word count, footnote if any)
• Abstract (if required) with keywords
• Correct heading levels used
• Double-spaced text; block quotes formatted
• References: alphabetical, hanging indents, volumes/issues/pages included, retrieval dates for web sources
• Every in-text citation matches a References entry

ASA FAQ

1. How do I cite with page numbers in ASA?

Use Author Year:Page. Example: (Smith 2023:42).

2. Do I need a title page?

Yes, ASA requires a separate title page with running head and word count.

3. Do I include retrieval dates?

Yes, for unstable online content. Example: Retrieved May 1, 2025 (URL).

4. How are headings formatted?

First-level: ALL CAPS; Second-level: italicized Title Case; Third-level: italicized, sentence case, ending with a period.

5. Are journal volume numbers italic?

Yes. Volume is italicized; issue in parentheses; then page range.

6. How do I cite unpublished materials?

Provide as much detail as possible (author, year, title, type, institution). Example: Master’s thesis, conference paper, or unpublished manuscript.

In ASA papers, the conclusion is your chance to remind the reader of your central idea. Knowing how to restate thesis without repeating it word-for-word shows mastery of academic writing and helps end your paper on a strong, confident note.