Transcript APA STYLE - Academics

APA STYLE
Created by Denise Regeimbal and Amanda Rutstein, 2012
Updated by Connie Dowell, 2014
BASIC APA RESEARCH
PAPER ELEMENTS
 Structure
and content
 Clear and concise organization
 Mechanics of style
 Tables and figures
 Parenthetical citations
 References
LANGUAGE AND BIAS
APA is a style developed for scientific research. As
such, APA papers strive to achieve clarity and to
avoid bias or biased language. Try not to use
language that makes assumptions about particular
demographic groups or reinforces stereotypes.
Additionally, while you may come to conclusions
about data, avoid personal opinions not backed by
evidence or discussion of personal experiences
(unless permitted by your assignment).
GETTING STARTED
GENERAL DOCUMENT FORMATTING
 Setting
up a Word document
 Select Font/Font Size
Times New Roman
 Font Size 12


1” margins all around


Left justified with right ragged edge
Double spaced
All paper elements should be double
spaced except in-text table/figure notation
 Indent the first line of all paragraphs

TITLE PAGE ELEMENTS
 Header


Running head and paper title
Page numbers
 Title

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

page body
Paper Title
Your Name
Institution
The university pledge
APA sample title page
BASIC APA ELEMENTS OF A
RESEARCH PAPER

Abstract

Sample APA style research paper

Basic Elements of a Research Paper
Introduction
 Body of paper


In-text citations
Parenthetical
 Tables and figures
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Conclusion
 References
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Reference page format
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Order of source information for each resource
Order of all sources on reference page (alphabetized)
Hanging indent—1/2 inch
HOW TO SET UP IN WORD
The following tutorial shows the basics of setting
up your format. The examples show screenshots of
Microsoft Word 2010 on a PC.
For other versions of Word, you will still be
changing the same settings, but where you find
those settings on the user interface may be
different.
Microsoft Word defaults to Calibri 11 point font. Change it
under the Home tab, as shown below. You will need to
change both the font name and the font size.
Change the font size to 12, as shown below.
Newer versions of Word, like this one, default to the correct
margins, but should you need to change them, you will go to
page layout. New versions have this under the Page Layout
tab. Older versions may have these settings under File.
BEGIN THE RUNNING HEAD
Warning: You will need at least two pages in your document to do this
setup.
On your first page, insert a blank header under the Insert tab.
You will be taken to the Design tab.
Click the box that says “Different First Page.”
Insert your page numbers as shown below.
Choose “Top of Page” and “Plain Number 3.”
Click around on the left side of the header until you get a blinking line.
Then, type “Running head:” and the title of your paper in all caps.
Some people have trouble finding the spot to place their cursor so they can type.
It will be exactly 1 inch from the left edge of the page and slightly below the
page number.
Even though you changed the font for the body of the paper,
Word will default to Calibri 11 for the Running Head and page number.
You can highlight each and change the font to Times New Roman 12.
It is easiest to change the Running Head first, then the page number,
instead of trying to highlight both at once.
On the second page, you will repeat the process.
Insert a new page number, then type in a new header.
This time, you will type just the title of your paper in all caps.
You will also need to change the font again on this page as well.
After page two, that header will carry over to your subsequent pages.
You’re done!
HEADING LEVELS
Headings separate sections of a paper. They
make it easy to organize your ideas and
transition between them.
 Headings also make it easier for readers to follow
along.
 APA has five different heading levels, so that you
can easily identify major sections and subsections
of a paper. You would use a level one heading for
the major sections of your paper, but if a level
one section had subsections, those subsections
would be level two. Subsections of level two
sections would be level three, etc.

HEADING LEVELS IN ACTION
PARENTHETICAL CITATIONS:
PARAPHRASING

Paraphrased information is cited with the last name(s) of
the author(s) and the year of publication. Punctuation goes
after the parentheses.
 You can include your citation at the end of the sentence.


Or if you use the author’s name in the sentence, you can
place the year in parentheses next to it.


Example: Cake is an ancient dessert (Smith, 2013).
Example: According to Smith (2013), cake is an ancient
dessert.
Some professors require page or paragraph numbers for
paraphrased material, but others may think you are
quoting if you include them, so always ask!
PARENTHETICAL CITATIONS: QUOTING

Quoted material is cited with the author(s), the
year of publication and the page or paragraph
numbers of the quotation.

…end of the quote” (Smith, 2013, p. 7).


…end of the quote” (Smith, 2013, para. 7).


Or for multiple pages: (Smith, 2013, pp.7-8).
For multiple paragraphs: (Smith, 2013, para. 7-8).
Paragraph numbers are used for online
documents without page numbers.
QUOTATION RULES
Frame all quotes. That means introduce them
and explain or discuss them.
 Block quotes:
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Any quote longer than 40 words (or at the professor’s
discretion)
Indent each line of the quote.
For quotes that stretch over more than one
paragraph, further indent the first line of the new
paragraph (as shown on the next slide).
Omit quotation marks.
Though the APA book shows examples in single
space, it instructs readers to double space their block
quotes.
BLOCK QUOTE EXAMPLE
Introduction to block quote:
The first line of text begins here.
This line starts a new paragraph within the block
quote. The paragraph continues onto the next line and so
forth. Note the indentation showing the start of a new
paragraph. After you have finished your quote, you will
return to typing flush left (Smith, 2013, p. 7).
The paragraph picks up here.
CHANGES IN QUOTATIONS
You can alter capitalization of the first word or
punctuation marks within quotes to make them
work in your sentence. You don’t need to indicate
that you have changed anything.
 If you omit part of the quote, use ellipses (…) to
show something is missing.
 If you must change or insert a word for clarity, do
so within brackets. If you add emphasis (italics),
use [emphasis added].
 To indicate that an unusual spelling or
grammatical issue in a quote is original (and not
your mistake) use [sic] after the error.

EXAMPLE
“This quote has been changed quite a bit… but the
writer of the paper has been careful to indicate
where changes have been made… [The writer] has
also only made changes needed for clarity and to
eliminate unnecessary passages. It is important
not to twist the meaning of the origenal [sic] author
when altering a quote” (McAuthorman, 2014, p.34).
MULTIPLE AUTHORS, ONE SOURCE

Authors are cited in the order in which they
appear on the document you are citing.
(Smith & Young, 2013).
 (Smith, Young, & Blunt, 2013).


When using authors’ names in a sentence, do not
use “&.” Spell out “and.”


Jones and Rivers (2012) describe…
For citations with more than two authors, use all
names the first time you cite. In subsequent
citations use only the first author, then “et al.”

(Smith, et al., 2013)
MULTIPLE SOURCES

Sometimes you may paraphrase information that
is echoed in multiple sources. Use a single set of
parentheses and separate citations with a
semicolon. Order them alphabetically.

(Blunt, 2005; Smith, 2013; Young, 2001).
SECONDARY SOURCE CITATIONS

It is best to see the original source if possible, but
sometimes you may need to cite ideas that were
cited in one of your sources, though you could not
read the original work. Do not include secondary
sources on your reference page, but do give credit
in the text and cite the source you did see like
this:
Jones’ research (as cited in Young, 2012)…
 In the example above, Young is the source the writer
saw. He or she did not see Jones’ work. Young would
go on the reference page. Jones would not.

PERSONAL COMMUNICATIONS
Interviews, phone conversations, emails and
other forms of private communication are cited in
the text, but do not appear on the reference page.
 Using the name in a sentence:



J. Smith (personal communication, September 20,
2012) stated that…
At the end of a sentence:

(J. Smith, personal communication, September 20,
2012)
SOME COMMON REFERENCE TYPES

Book:
Smith, J. & Young, K. L. (2012). Book title. Location: Publisher.

Chapter in an Edited Book:
Young, K. L. (2002). Chapter title. In J. Smith (Ed.), Book title.
(pp. 7-22). Location: Publisher.
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Ebook:
Smith, J. & Young, K. L. (2012). Book title. Retrieved from
http://www.example.com

Journal Article:
Blunt, R. S. & Young, K. L. (2005). Title of the article. Name of the
Journal, 7(2), 29-38. doi: xxxxxxx
WHAT’S A DOI?
A DOI (digital object identifier) is a number used
to index journal articles (and some other
documents) so that researchers can easily locate
them and buy copies or access supplemental
material.
 The DOI may appear with other publication
information on the first or last page of a journal
article or in an upper or lower corner. You may
also find the DOI with the abstract when you find
a journal through a database.
 If a journal article has no DOI, and it is available
online, end the reference with “Retrieved from”
and the URL of the journal’s home page.

WHAT ABOUT A WEBSITE?
APA does not provide reference examples for
simple websites. You can construct references for
individual pages using principles of APA citation.
The following are commonly used constructions,
but ALWAYS check with your professor to find
out his or her preferred style!
Author, A. (2013). Title of page. Retrieved from
http://www.exampleurl.com/
Author, A. (2013). Title of page. Retrieved from
http://www.exampleurl.com/
 Again, these are NOT official APA examples.
There are NO APA examples for websites.

MISSING INFORMATION

If you don’t have a date on a document, use “n.d.”
in the reference and for in text citations.

(Smith, n.d., p. 7).
If there is no author listed for a document put the
title first, then the date, then the rest of the
reference information. For in-text citations, use
the first few words of the title in place of the
author: (“The great depression,” 2003).
 Keep in mind, however, that authors are not
always individual people. Corporations,
organizations, or government entities can be
authors of material produced on behalf of the
organization as a whole.

FINDING INFORMATION FROM A JOURNAL
ARTICLE LISTING IN A DATABASE
We’ll need to fix
capitals on the title.
We don’t
need this
last part.
We just need the
year, not the
season.
AND THE DOI
IN THE CITATION

Example:
Blunt, R. S. & Young, K. L. (2005). Title of the article. Name of the
Journal, 7(2), 29-38. doi: xxxxxxx

Our Citation:
Grise-Owens, E. & Crum, K. (2012). Teaching writing as a
professional practice skill: A curricular example. Journal of
Social Work Education, 46(3), 517-536.
doi: 10.5175/jswe.2012.201000030
Notice, the volume number goes in italics with the issue number in
normal type and in parentheses next to it: 46(3)
Also note, the page numbers have no special abbreviation, no p., pp.,
pg. or otherwise, just numbers: 517-535.
USING DATABASE GENERATED CITATIONS
Notice the difference between the citation generated below and
the one on the previous page. Automatic citation generators
cannot fix the capitalization for you.
WORKING FROM A PDF OR PRINTED
COPY: TITLE AND AUTHORS
THE REST OF THE INFORMATION
MAKING A HANGING INDENT
Highlight your reference and open the paragraph dialog
box.
UNDER INDENT, SELECT HANGING, THEN
CLICK “OK”
NOW THE TEXT HAS A HANGING INDENT
EXTRAS FOR APA IN GENERAL
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Follow the professor’s specific instructions, even if they are
different from APA rules.
Whole numbers under 10 are spelled out while whole
numbers 10 and up are numerical.
Article titles are not framed with quotation marks in the
reference list.
PDFs of documents can be cited just like paper copies.
Do not cite Wikipedia… just don’t.
WRITING CENTER INFORMATION
Fredericksburg Campus Writing Center
(540) 654-1036
Located in Trinkle 107A
Monday-Thursday 10-5 and Friday 10-3
Stafford Campus Writing Center
(540) 286-8109
Located in the lobby of the South Building
Monday-Thursday 3-8; Friday 3-7
Online-only hours Monday-Thursday, Saturday 912; Sunday 6-9
*Handouts regarding APA Style guidelines and punctuation
rules are available at both the Fredericksburg and Stafford
Writing Centers
WHERE TO GO FOR ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION

Sixth Edition of APA Publication Manual
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Stafford Writing Center website
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Fredericksburg Writing Center website
APA website
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Stafford Writing Center website
Fredericksburg Writing Center website
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Purchase highly recommended
APA website
The Purdue Online Writing Lab (Purdue Owl)

Purdue Owl