Transcript Slide 1

Using References Effectively:
APA Style
The Writing Centre
Rev: January 2010
In this Presentation
• About academic writing, sources, plagiarism
• Kinds of research
• General paper formatting
• In-text citations
• References list
The Writing Centre
Rev: January 2010
Academic Writing
• Presenting new perspectives
– Making a POINT
• Proving your points with research
– Giving the reader PROOF
• Relating back to the overall argument of
your paper
– Adding some explanatory COMMENTARY
Types of Sources
• Primary
– Original research, theories, or documented
experiences.
– Original work that you are writing.
– Examples: carrying out your own experiments,
conducting surveys or interviews, reviewing primary
documents such as letters and treatises, as well as
documentaries.
• Secondary
– Supports your argument based on source material
authored by other people.
– Information and arguments from other writers about a
topic or primary source.
– Examples: journal articles, books, films.
Plagiarism
• Plagiarism can be intentional:
– Buying a paper, submitting a friend’s, paying
someone to write a paper for you, piecing
together text from websites, etc.
• It can also result unintentionally from a
failure to cite your sources and/or cite
them properly (i.e. according to a style
guide)
The Writing Centre
Rev: January 2010
Avoiding Unintentional Plagiarism
• Paraphrase, quote, or summary
– Have you made the appropriate choice?
• Don’t rely too heavily on others’ work
– How much cited material is in each
paragraph/section?
– Who’s really making the point?
• Know how to use your style guide properly,
keep it with you and reference it at all stages
of research and writing!
The Writing Centre
Rev: January 2010
Citations
• Summary: provides an understanding of the
core argument of a text in your own words.
• Paraphrasing: provides an understanding of
one aspect of the text in your own words.
– Used most often.
• Quotation: uses the author’s EXACT words
to provide one idea.
– Used to put emphasis on the words of the author
or when it is difficult to write the idea equally well
in your own words.
Use a Style Guide
• These are standards for formatting your
paper and citing your sources
• Three common options:
– APA (usually the sciences & social sciences)
– MLA (usually the humanities)
– Chicago (certain disciplines like History)
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Rev: January 2010
What is APA?
• Formatting and referencing style of
the American Psychological
Association. Currently 6th Edition.
• Handout with essentials in the
Writing Centre
• Full manual located in Ryerson
Library, 2nd Floor Reserves at
BF76.7.P82 2009 and in the Book
store
The Writing Centre
Rev: January 2010
© 2009 APA
General Formatting
• Standard legal paper size 8.5” x 11”
• Typed at 12 pt. Time New Roman font and
double-spaced
• 1” margins on all sides
• Page header and number on all pages
The Writing Centre
Rev: January 2010
Page Header
• Page number in top right corner of EVERY
page. Title page starts as “1.”
• Title in top left of EVERY page:
– Title page: “Running head: TITLE OF PAPER”
– All other pages: “TITLE OF PAPER”
• Use the “Page Header” section in
Microsoft Word.
The Writing Centre
Rev: January 2010
Title Page 1/2
• Double-spaced and
in the upper half of
the page
– Full title (may take
two lines)
– Writer’s name
– Institution name
– Do not bold or
italicize anything
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Rev: January 2010
Title Page 2/2
• Some professors may require additional
information so be sure to following WHAT
YOUR PROFESSOR WANTS
–
–
–
–
Date
Professor’s name
Course name/code/section
etc.
Abstract 1/2
• Not always required, but advised
• Page 2
– First line, centered: “Abstract” (plain text)
• Do not indent first line
• In 150-250 words, detail the important
points of the paper
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Rev: January 2010
Abstract 2/2
• Should include a
concise summary
of the key
information
– research topic,
questions
– participants,
methods
– results,
conclusions
In-text Formatting: The Basics
• Begin your essay on the first line of the page
following the title (or abstract) page
• Type the title at the top centre then continue with
the introduction on the next line
– Remember: everything is double-spaced!
• Throughout the essay, subheadings may be
used
– There are five levels; see 6th Manual pp. 62-63
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Rev: January 2010
In-text Citations 1/8
• (Author, Date) or
(Author, Date, Page/Paragraph)
• Not mentioning author’s name in sentence:
– One study found that 54% of men preferred
apples to oranges (Singh, 2002).
• Emphasize the author by mentioning author’s
name in sentence:
– Singh (2002) found that 54% of men studied
preferred apples to oranges.
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Rev: January 2010
In-text Citations 2/8
• Emphasize the year/author by using
publication information in the sentence:
– In 2002, Singh found that 54% of men studied
preferred apples to oranges.
• Citing a quotation must include a page
reference:
– As Singh (2002) notes, “these results have
critical importance to understanding
cardiovascular health issues in men” (p. 45).
In-text Citations 3/8
• Modify a quotation using square brackets [ ] to
show that wording has been altered to maintain
context or conform grammar
• Citing indirect sources (quoting a quote): use
double quotations to signify all material taken
from the source being quoted and single
quotations to signify material quoted in that
source
– Miele (1993) found that “the ‘placebo effect’ which
had been verified in previous studies, disappeared
when [only the first group’s] behaviours were studied
in the manner” (p. 276).
In-text Citations 4/8
• To include a mid-sentence quote: following the
closing of the quote (…”), cite the source in
parenthesis and continue your sentence.
– only use other punctuation (eg.: ,) if your written sentence
requires it.
– In applying Blaine’s idea that “the act of understanding another
language through physical communication is exemplary of the
universality of human action” (2002, p. 32) essentially renders
the original theory as false.
• Crediting a citation from another source
– Swanson’s study (as cited in Sonière, Liu, & Schmidt,
2005) suggests that…
In-text Citations 5/8
• For block quotations (40 words or more)
–
–
–
–
begin new paragraph (for quote, and again afterwards)
indent 5 spaces for each line
do not use quotation marks
6th Manual p. 171
• To cite two sources on a single point, separate
them within the parentheses using a semi-colon.
Organize alphabetically.
– (Crandell, 1997; El-Kassem, 2004).
In-text Citations 6/8
• To cite different sources from the same author
and same year distinguish each using letters
– (Liu, 1999a) (Liu, 1999b)
• Citing a work with two authors: use both names
for all citations
– (Jolly & Ellemere, 2003).
• Interviews and personal communication are cited in
text but not on the reference list!
– (G. Berenstein, personal communication, February 10, 2007).
In-text Citations 7/8
• When citing a work with 3, 4, or 5 authors
include all names in the first citation, but only the
first author and et al. for subsequent citations
– first: (Grant, Dewey, Fern & Miller, 2008)
– subsequent: (Grant et al., 2008)
• When citing a work with 6 or more authors use
only the name of the first author and et al. for all
citations
– (Zamboni et al., 2005)
In-text Citations 8/8
• Be sure to include the page/paragraph number(s)
for direct quotes. It is strongly encouraged that a
page/paragraph number also be given for
paraphrasing or other material drawn from a specific
section of a source
– p. refers to a single page; pp. refers to more than one
– para. refers to a paragraph from a website or document that
does not have page numbers – you must count down to the
paragraph number
• If a work has no date, use n.d. in place of the year
• More on citations in 6th Manual pp. 169-179
References List 1/5
• At the top of a new page, centre the title
“References”
– No other formatting: no bold, no underline, no
numbering or bullets
• Entries should be double-spaced and have a
hanging indent (second and subsequent lines
indented by one tab)
– In Microsoft Word, highlight text then: Format 
Paragraph  Indentation  Special  Hanging
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Rev: January 2010
References List 2/5
• Order entries alphabetically by the authors’ last
names; works with no author should be organized
by the beginning letter of the first major word of the
title or group/organization author.
• Only use the last name and the initials of first and
middle names.
Mills, S. (1997). Discourse. New York: Routledge.
Said, E. (1979). Orientalism. New York: Vintage Books.
The Writing Centre
Rev: January 2010
References List 3/5
• If an author/group of authors has more
than one work, order them chronologically:
Foucault, M. (1969). The Archaeology of Knowledge. New
York: Routledge.
Foucault, M. (1978). The History of Sexuality Volume I: An
Introduction. New York: Vintage Books.
References List 4/5
• Personal communications (such as interviews)
are not included in the Reference list
• Pay attention to the capitalization and
italicization of titles (of books and chapters,
journals and articles) and to punctuation and
spacing
• Use logic to determine how to reference
complex sources, or consult the Manual
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Rev: January 2010
References List 5/5
• Ensure that all sources cited within the body of
the essay are included in the References list and
vice-versa
• When referencing electronic media (websites,
etc.), cut URLs to complete a line of text and
proceed to the next
– United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (2008). UNODC
supports UN rights declaration. Retrieved January 4, 2009,
from http://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/frontpage/unodc
-supports-un-rights-declaration.html
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Rev: January 2010
Referencing Print Sources 1/3
Book, one author
Morrison, D. R. (1998). Aid and ebb tide: A history of
CIDA and Canadian development assistance.
Waterloo, ON: Wilfrid Laurier University Press.
Two or more authors
Stolorow, R., Brandshaft, B., & Atwood, G. (1987).
Psychoanalytic treatment: An intersubjective
approach (5th ed.). Hillsdale, NJ: Analytic Press.
Note the capitalization of words within the book titles
The Writing Centre
Rev: January 2010
Referencing Print Sources 2/3
Unidentified author (use title or group name)
Southern Ontario recreational atlas. (1998). Victoria:
Phototype Composing.
– Note: In-text citations will have the appropriate title instead
of an author
Selection in an edited book
Modleski, T. (1986). Feminism and the power of
interpretation: Some critical readings. In T.
deLauretis (Ed.), Feminist studies/critical studies
(pp. 121-138). Bloomington: Indiana University
Press.
Referencing Print Sources 3/3
Article in a journal that has volume and issue
numbers (no space between)
Shutte, H. (1972). Transcultural child psychiatry. Acta
Paedopsychiatrica, 38(9), 229-231.
Article in a daily newspaper
Vardy, J. (2001, January 17). Technology creating “IT
rage” in workplace. National Post, p. C6.
• Consult the APA Format and Referencing
handout or the 6th Manual for further examples
Referencing Electronic Sources
1/3
Online periodical (no printed version)
Spillman, B. C., & Pezzin, L. E. (2000). Potential and
active family caregivers: Changing networks and
the “sandwich generation.” The Milbank
Quarterly, 78. Retrieved from http://
www.milbank.org/quarterly/7803fear.html
• Since URLs often change, APA recommends
identifying the article by a DOI (digital object
identifier)
– Rather than “Retried from…” simply use: “doi: 2426272.”
Referencing Electronic Sources 2/3
Electronic article in a journal with print version
available
Whitmeyer, J. M. (2000). Power through appointment
[Electronic version]. Social Science Research,
29, 535-555.
Non-periodical web page or web document
Smitheran, H. (2009). My life and times. Retrieved from
http://www.haroldsmitheran.com
– Note that there is no period after a URL
Referencing Electronic Sources 3/3
Electronic independent document (no author)
Electronic reference formats recommended by the
American Psychological Association. (2001,
January 10). Washington, DC: American
Psychological Association. Retrieved January 16,
2001, from http://www.apa.org/journals/
webref.html
• Consult the APA Format and Referencing
handout or the 6th Manual for further examples
The Writing Centre
• One-on-one tutorial sessions to help students
with writing and referencing during any stage of
the process.
– One 50 minute appointment per week.
– Book appointments online.
• Daily workshops on a variety of writing-related
topics.
• Useful guides and links on the website.
LIB 272B
www.ryerson.ca/writingcentre
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