How to Create an Appendix for a Research Paper: Basic Rules

As your career in academics progress your writing assignments will increasingly becoming more challenging. Research papers in college are quite different than the ones you were first introduced to in middle school or high school. There are a few more required sections within the document, some of which are quite confusing for students who have never even heard of those sections. One of these is the appendix, which basically allows a writer to include extra material that would otherwise confuse the reader if it were contained within the main text. Here are some basic rules for creating a standard appendix:

Start with the title of the first appendix

If you are only using one appendix you can simply title it “Appendix”; this is acceptable across most disciplines and is generally accepted as the most appropriate academic way of presentation. It should be placed on a separate page at the end of your work and shouldn’t be more than a page or two long depending on the content.

Label each one that follows if needed

If you are using more than one appendix then you should label each one simply “Appendix A,” “Appendix B,” “Appendix C” and so forth. Make sure your formatting remains the same throughout each one. Not paying attention to this small detail could lower your grade.

Insert appropriate citation within text

As you write the main text of your research paper you should enter a small note marking the point in which you relate to the appendix. After your text is completely written go back to this point and insert the appropriate labeling information. For example, “The author of this report studied a specific breed of lions greatly exposed to human interference (see Appendix B).”

How to use tables and other items as appendices

Your work can contain a number of different elements such as tables, questionnaires, or test results as appendices. These are often included and labeled in the exact same way, however, the material used needs to be copyrighted precisely if you are including it in its entirety instead of paraphrasing the information in your own words. Be sure to include the appropriate citation in the bibliography as well.

These are all just some standard rules to follow for research papers in general. You should, however, always consult with the appropriate style guide used in your discipline to learn about specific details or nuances that could give your work the winning edge upon submittal.