How to Write an APA Paper in Microsoft Word with PERRLA

If Microsoft Word is where you do your writing, PERRLA fits right in. The PERRLA Word Add-In installs directly inside Word – desktop or web – and handles all of your APA formatting without requiring you to change how you work.

Here’s a step-by-step walkthrough of the entire process, from installing the PERRLA Add-In to turning in a perfectly formatted paper.

Step 1: Install the PERRLA Word Add-In

We’ll get started by opening Microsoft Word and following these steps:

1. In the Word’s Home ribbon tab, select Add-ins on the far-right.
2. Select + More Add-ins.
3. Search for PERRLA in the window.
4. Click Add.

Once installed, PERRLA appears as its own tab in the Word ribbon. That’s where you’ll access every PERRLA feature as you write. The Add-In works in both the desktop version of Microsoft Word and Word for the Web, and the experience is the same in both.

The first time you use the Add-In, you’ll be prompted to sign in to your PERRLA account.

Step 2: Create your paper

With PERRLA installed, you’re ready to start a new paper.

1. In the PERRLA ribbon tab, click New Paper.
2. Choose the type of paper you need: Research Paper, Discussion Post, Reference List, or Annotated Bibliography.
3. Select your format (APA 7, MLA 9, or Turabian 9). For APA 7, you can also choose whether you’re writing a Student Research Paper or a Professional Research Paper.
4. Fill in your title page information: paper title, your name, institution, course details, and the date. Your name and institution will pre-fill from your PERRLA profile.
5. Click Create. PERRLA builds your document automatically – title page (for APA and Turabian papers), body section, margins, font styling, and all the correct formatting – and you’re ready to start writing.

Step 3: Add your references

Open the References and Citations panel from the PERRLA ribbon tab. This is where you’ll build and manage all of your references. PERRLA won’t generate your reference section until you add your first reference, so let’s take care of that.

Create a new reference

For a source you haven’t cited before, click Create a New Reference. For books, journal articles, and webpages, you can search by ISBN, DOI, or URL, and PERRLA will pull the bibliographic information automatically. For all other source types, use the All Types tab in the References and Citations panel to find the right reference format and fill in the fields manually.

Once a reference is created, PERRLA adds it to your paper’s reference section and to your PERRLA Reference Library for future use. As you add more references, PERRLA keeps the reference section alphabetized and properly formatted automatically.

Add a reference from your PERRLA library

If you’ve used PERRLA before, your references are already saved in your PERRLA Reference Library. Select the ones you need, and PERRLA adds them to your paper and builds the reference section automatically.

Step 4: Write, cite, and turn it in

With your references in place, you’re ready to write. Using PERRLA to cite as you go is a straightforward process.

1. Place your cursor where you want the citation to appear in your paper.
2. In the References and Citations panel, click Add Citation under the appropriate reference.
3. Add the citation details – page number, paragraph number, or other location if needed – and click Create. PERRLA inserts a perfectly formatted citation right where your cursor was.

Beyond citations, PERRLA can also create and format a range of other paper elements from the ribbon tab: abstracts, tables of contents, appendices, figures, tables, and heading levels. Each one is formatted automatically.

A note on content controls

While you’re working in the PERRLA Word Add-In, you’ll notice small boxes around your citations and references. These are called content controls, and they’re how PERRLA keeps track of your citations and references throughout the document, ensuring they stay properly formatted as your paper evolves. They’re a PERRLA working element, not part of your final paper.

Turning it in

Since you’re writing directly in Word, your paper is already a normal Word document. You can print, email, or upload it just like any other Word file.

If you’d like to remove the content controls before submitting, click I’m Finished in the PERRLA ribbon tab. A new side panel will open, and you’ll click Create a clean copy. This will generate a separate copy of your paper with all the content controls removed, leaving your content, formatting, citations, and references exactly as they should be. Your original PERRLA version of the paper will remain intact.

Not using PERRLA yet? Try it free for 7 days – no credit card required. Install the Add-In, create your first paper, and see how much easier APA, MLA, and Turabian formatting can be.