What are the key guidelines for students to follow when formatting their academic papers in APA format?

The key guidelines for students to follow when formatting their academic papers in APA format include using 12-point Times New Roman font, double-spacing the entire paper, including a title page with the title, author's name, and institution, and citing sources within the text using the author-date format. Additionally, students should include a reference list at the end of the paper with full citations for all sources used.