Footnote Mechanics Formatting Use the same font as the font used in your paper, but smaller. * Most word processing apps will do this for you, using Times New Roman 10-point font. Place the number after the closing punctuation Footnote superscript is place after the closing punctuation. If you have more than one footnote in a sentence, place the other at the end of the sentence clause it relates to (outside of the punctuation). An exception to this rule is with the use of dashes, in which case the footnote goes before the dash. Examples: Single footnote He describes this as “the complete absence of independent or inherent isolated existence” of anything at all.¹ Two footnotes Similar to Buddhists aversion of the idea of “self,” Comte-Sponville suggests,¹ “The self is a prison” and man has a spiritual duty not to “heal the ego” but to “heal ourselves of ego.”² Two footnotes with dash Detachment, or “non self,” can bring about a higher mental health, freedom, compassion, and joy¹—no wonder an ego-maniac is less inclined to behave ethically when nobody’s watching.² Use sequential numbers throughout your paper The footnotes should start at 1 and go from there. * For longer papers (like doctoral theses), footnotes may start over with each chapter. Discuss this with your editor or advisor if you’re unsure. Uses for Footnotes in APA Format Bibliographic notes Use footnotes to refer your readers to other publications where a particular topic is discussed in more detail. Example: Text “Imaginative play can pack a powerful punch on the brain and one’s understanding of his or her identity.¹” Footnote “¹See Jung’s The Collected Works of Carl Jung chapters 2 through 5 for further information about the psychological impact of imaginative play.” Add side notes Use a footnote for tangential or parenthetical comments that might interrupt the flow of your text or confuse readers. However, use this sparingly or not at all, as these asides are best put into the body of an APA format paper. Example: Text “We, as active participants, can use the power of our free-thinking minds to rework the molds life provides.²” Footnote “²As Spinoza says, “rationality” and “reason” are always in our toolbox (Laurens 103).” In-text “We as active participants can use the power of our free-thinking minds to rework the molds life provides—like Spinoza says, “rationality” and “reason” are always in our toolbox (Laurens 103). Provide definitions, explanations, or clarifications Use a footnote to explain the meaning of a particular word or phrase or to clarify a key concept. Example: Text “It is at this point that we can differentiate between the states of freedom and passive victimhood.³” Footnote “³Some recent ‘positive psychologists’ have loosely defined passive victims as people who immediately turn to self-pity when confronted with some predicament (Peters 9).” Add relevant quotes or additional commentary Footnotes can also be used to provide any compelling quotes or information that relate to your paper or any additional commentary you may have on a particular point. Example: Text “O’Malley stated that he would be “more thoughtful” about applying labels to his patients.⁴” Footnote “⁴O’Malley altered his initial statement after mentioning in an interview that his daughter had secretly tucked this article into his notebook: Papendick, M., & Bohner, G, (2017). ‘Passive victim - strong survivor’? Perceived meaning of labels applied to women who were raped, PloS one, 12(5), e0177550. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0177550.”