APA STYLE
APA STYLE
American Psychological Association (APA) style is a widely accepted style of documentation, particularly in the social sciences. APA style refers not only to how one should format references and in-text citations, but also specifies how to organize and lay out entire documents: the order of headings, the arrangement of tables, figures, footnotes, and appendices, as well as other manuscript and documentation features.
DOCUMENT GUIDELINES
General
______Margins: The margins must be 25 MM (one inch) on all sides (top, bottom, left, right).
______Font Size and Type: The font must be 12-pt. Times New Roman or Courier. (I’ve always used Ariel, and have received no complaints.)
______Spacing: The document must be double-spaced throughout the whole paper.
______Alignment: Left (NOT justified!)
______Paragraphs: The paragraphs must be indented 5-7 spaces on the first line (about 7mm).
______Paging: The page number must appears 25mm (one inch) from the right edge of the paper in the header of every page, beginning with the title page.
______Page Header: An abbreviated version of the paper's title must appear five spaces to the left of the page number on every page, beginning with the title page. Use “headline” style (This means that the first letter of each important word should be capitalized. Example: The World in Focus).
Body
______Paging: The body of the paper begins on page 2 (page 3 if an abstract is included).
______Subsections of the body of the paper DO NOT begin on new pages.
______Title: The title of the paper is centered above the introductory text. Use “headline” style.
______Introduction: The introduction begins on the line following the paper title; the introduction is not labeled.
______Headings: Center main headings. Use “headline” style.
Subheadings: Use italicized font and left align. Use “headline” style.
Sub-subheadings: Use italicized font and align left. Use “sentence” style. End with a
period.
EXAMPLE:
Learning APA Style
Citing Books
Citing Articles in Periodicals
Articles in a magazine.
Articles in a newspaper.
References
______The References section begins on a new page.
______Heading: References (centered on the first line)
______Format: The references begin on the line following the References heading. References must be double spaced with a hanging indent.
Reference List (GENERAL)
Your reference list should appear at the end of your paper. It provides the information necessary for a reader to locate and retrieve any source you cite in the body of the paper. Each source you cite in the paper must appear in your reference list; likewise, each entry in the reference list must be cited in your text.
Your references should begin on a new page separate from the text of the essay; label this page References (with no quotation marks, underlining, etc.), centered at the top of the page. It should be double-spaced just like the rest of your essay.
BOOKS: For the titles of books, use italics and "sentence-style" capitalization. This means that for a title only the first word, all proper nouns, and the first word after an internal colon are to be capitalized.
Example: How to make money in French and German stocks: Your personal guide
MAGAZINES AND JOURNALS: Use italics and "headline" style capitalization. This means that the first letter of each important word should be capitalized.
Example: The World in Focus
ARTICLES: For the titles of magazine and journal articles, do not use underlining, italics, or quotation marks. Use "sentence-style" capitalization.
Example: Jobs in jeopardy: How to survive in today's climate
No: Jobs in jeopardy: How to survive in today's climate
No:Jobs in jeopardy: How to survive in today's climate
No: “Jobs in jeopardy: How to survive in today's climate”
FORMAT: All references must be double spaced and have a hanging indent, i.e. the second and all following lines in a reference must be indented 5-7 spaces in from the first line. Example:
Gibbons, A. (1991). Bananas at 12:00 o’clock: Chimp-language wars. Journal of Contemporary Animal Ethics, 251, 261-262.
Reference List: Books
Basic Format for Books
Author, A. A. (Year of publication). Title of work: Capital letter also for subtitle. Location: Publisher.
Note: For "Location," you should always list the city, but you should also include the state if the city is unfamiliar or if the city could be confused with one in another state.
Calfee, R. C., & Valencia, R. R. (1991). APA guide to preparing manuscripts for journal publication. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
Article or Chapter in an Edited Book
Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Year of publication). Title of chapter. In A. Editor & B. Editor (Eds.), Title of book (pp. of chapter). Location: Publisher.
O'Neil, J. M., & Egan, J. (1992). Men's and women's gender role journeys: Metaphor for healing, transition, and transformation. In B. R. Wainrib (Ed.), Gender issues across the life cycle (pp. 107-123). New York: Springer.
Note: When you list the pages of the chapter or essay in parentheses after the book title, use "pp." before the numbers: (pp. 1-21). This abbreviation, however, does not appear before the page numbers in periodical references (except for newspapers).
Edition Other Than the First
Helfer, M. E., Keme, R. S., & Drugman, R. D. (1997). The battered child (5th ed.). Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
A Translation
Laplace, P. S. (1951). A philosophical essay on probabilities. (F. W. Truscott & F. L. Emory, Trans.). New York: Dover. (Original work published 1814).
Note: When you cite a republished work in your text (like the one above) it should appear with both dates: Laplace (1814/1951).
Multivolume Work
Wiener, P. (Ed.). (1973). Dictionary of the history of ideas (Vols. 1-4). New York: Scribner's.
EXERCISE: Write correct references for three or four books.
Reference List: Articles in Periodicals
Basic Form
APA style dictates that authors are named last name followed by initials; publication year goes between parentheses, followed by a period. The title of the article is in sentence-case, meaning only the first word and proper nouns in the title are capitalized. The periodical title is run in title case, and is followed by the volume number which, with the title, is also italicized.
Author, A. A., Author, B. B., & Author, C. C. (Year). Title of article. Title of Periodical, volume number(issue number), pages.
Article in Journal Paginated by Issue
“Paginated by issue” means that the pages in every new issue of the journal start at “1”; therefore, the issue number gets indicated in parentheses after the volume. The parentheses and issue number are not italicized or underlined.
Scruton, R. (1996). The eclipse of listening. The New Criterion, 15(30), 5-13.
Article in Journal Paginated by Volume
“Paginated by volume” means that page numbers run across multiple issues. That is, Issue #1 may have 135 pages in it, numbered 1 to 135. Issue #2 will continue where Issue #1 left off, and begin numbers its pages at 136 to, say, 312. Then the pages in Issue #3 might be numbered 313-450. Etc.
Harlow, H. F. (1983). Fundamentals for preparing psychology journal articles. Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology, 55, 893-896.
Article in a Magazine
Henry, W. A., III. (1990, April 9). Making the grade in today's schools. Time, 135, 28-31.
Article in a Newspaper
Unlike other periodicals, p. or pp. precedes page numbers for a newspaper reference in APA style. Single pages take p., e.g., p. B2; multiple pages take pp., e.g., pp. B2, B4 or pp. C1, C3-C4.
Schultz, S. (2005, December 28). Calls made to strengthen state energy policies. The Country Today, (New York, NY), pp. 1A, 2A.
Review
Baumeister, R. F. (1993). Exposing the self-knowledge myth [Review of the book The self-knower: A hero under control ]. Contemporary Psychology, 38, 466-467.
EXERCISE: Write correct references for three or four periodicals.
Reference List: Other Print Sources
An Entry in An Encyclopedia
Bergmann, P. G. (1993). Relativity. In The new encyclopedia britannica (Vol. 26, pp. 501-508). Chicago: Encyclopedia Britannica.
Secondary Work Discussed in an Original Source
In the text, both the secondary source and the original source are mentioned. For example, you may have read an article by Curtis (below). In that article, a study by Seidenberg was mentioned. You want to talk about that study in your paper. So: in your text, mention Seidenberg’s study and then cite Curtis:
In Seidenberg’s study (as cited in Curtis, 1993), ...
List only Curtis in the references:
Curtis, B. (1993). Models of reading aloud: Dual-route and parallel-distributed-processing approaches. Psychological Review, 100, 589-608.
Reference List: Electronic Sources
For an excellent overview of on-line citation and referencing conventions, see
Web Pages
List as much of the following information as possible (you sometimes have to hunt around to find the information; don't be lazy! If there is no author, begin with the subject.
Author, A. A. OR subject. (Date of publication). Title of document. Retrieved month day, year (only if the text may potentially change over time), from address
The Amish, the Mennonites, and the Plain People. (n.d.). Retrieved May 30, 2000 from Pennsylvania Dutch Country Welcome Center Web site:
NOTE: When an Internet document is more than one Web page, provide a URL that links to the home page or entry page for the document. Also, if there isn't a date available for the document use (n.d.) for no date.
Article From an Online Periodical
Note: In 2007, the APA released several additions/modifications for documentation of electronic sources in the APA Style Guide to Electronic References. These changes are reflected in the entries below.
Online articles follow the same guidelines for printed articles. Include all information the online host makes available, including an issue number in parentheses. Provide a retrieval date only if the information is likely to be updated or changed at a later date (as in the case of blogs and wikis). Since many online periodicals appear in their "final" form, a retrieval date is not necessary.
Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Date of publication). Title of article. Title of Online Periodical, volume number(issue number if available). Retrieved month day, year, (if necessary) from
Bernstein, M. (2002). 10 tips on writing the living Web. A List Apart: For People Who Make Websites, 149. Retrieved May 2, 2006, from
NOTE: no period is required after the URL
BOOK CHAPTER, ESSAY, or ARTICLE when no author is credited (online version)
Russians. (1998). Worldmark encyclopedia of cultures and daily life. Retrieved January 9, 2003 from Discovering Collection database.
Article From an Online Periodical
Online scholarly journal articles require a URL but do not require a retrieval date. Provide a retrieval date only if the information is likely to be updated or changed at a later date (as in the case of blogs and wikis). Since most journal articles appear in their "final" form, a retrieval date is not needed.
Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Date of publication). Title of article. Title of Journal, volume number. Retrieved month day, year, from
Kenneth, I. A. (2000). A Buddhist response to the nature of human rights. Journal of Buddhist Ethics, 8. Retrieved February 20, 2001, from
Outbreak news. (2001, February 23). Weekly Epidemiological Record, 76, 57-64. Retrieved February 28, 2001, from
If the article appears as a printed version as well, the URL is not required. Use "Electronic version" in brackets after the article's title.
Whitmeyer, J.M. (2000). Power through appointment [Electronic version]. Social Science Research, 29, 535-555.
Abstract
If you only cite an abstract but the full text of the article is also available, cite the online abstract as other online citations, adding "[Abstract]" after the article or source name. If only the abstract is available, write "Abstract retrieved from" and provide the database name or URL.
Paterson, P. (2008). How well do young offenders with Asperger Syndrome cope in custody?: Two prison case studies [Abstract]. British Journal of Learning Disabilities, 36(1), 54-58. Retrieved from EBSCO Host database.
Bossong, G. Ergativity in Basque. Linguistics, 22(3), 341-392. Abstract retrieved from Linguistics Abstracts Online.
Newspaper Article
Author, A. A. (Year, Month Day). Title of article. Title of Newspaper. Retrieved from
Parker-Pope, T. (2008, May 6). Psychiatry handbook linked to drug industry. The New York Times. Retrieved from
Chapter/Section of a Web document or Online Book Chapter
Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Date of publication). Title of article. In Title of book or larger document (chapter or section number). Retrieved month day, year, from
Peckinpaugh, J. (2003). Change in the Nineties. In J.S. Bough and G.B. DuBois (Eds.), A century of growth in America. Retrieved from
NOTE: Use a chapter or section identifier and provide a URL that links directly to the chapter section, not the home page of the Web site.
Online Forum or Discussion Board Posting
Include the title of the message, and the URL of the newsgroup or discussion board. Please note that titles for items in online communities (e.g. blogs, newsgroups, forums) are not italicized. If the author's name is not available, provide the screen name. Place identifiers like post or message numbers, if available, in brackets. If available, provide the URL where the message is archived (e.g. "Message posted to..., archived at...").
Frook, B. D. (1999, July 23). New inventions in the cyberworld of toylandia [Msg 25]. Message posted to
Blog (Weblog) and Video Blog Post
Include the title of the message and the URL. Please note that titles for items in online communities (e.g. blogs, newsgroups, forums) are not italicized. If the author’s name is not available, provide the screen name.
Dean, J. (2008, May 7). When the self emerges: Is that me in the mirror? Message posted to
the1sttransport. (2004, September 26). Psychology Video Blog #3 [Video File]. Video posted to
Wikis
Please note that the APA Style Guide to Electronic References warns writers that wikis (like Wikipedia, for example) are collaborative projects which cannot guarantee the verifiability or expertise of their entries.
OLPC Peru/Arahuay. (n.d.). Retrieved May 1, 2008, from the OLPC Wiki:
Online Encyclopedias and Dictionaries
Often encyclopedias and dictionaries do not provide bylines (authors' names). When no byline is present, move the entry name to the front of the citation. Provide publication dates if present or specify (n.d.) if no date is present in the entry. Because updates and modifications are not normally specified, provide the retrieval date in the citation. When listing the URL, give only the home or index root as opposed to the URL for the entry.
Feminism. (n.d.) In Encyclopædia Britannica online. Retrieved March 16, 2008, from
Online Lecture Notes and Presentation Slides
When citing online lecture notes, be sure to provide the file format in brackets after the lecture title (e.g. PowerPoint slides, Word document).
Hallam, A. Duality in consumer theory [PDF document]. Retrieved from Lecture Notes Online Web site:
Roberts, K. F. (1998). Federal regulations of chemicals in the environment [PowerPoint slides]. Retrieved from
E-mails are not included in the list of references, though you parenthetically cite them in your main text: (E. Robbins, personal communication, January 4, 2001). See IN-TEXT CITATIONS, below.
EXERCISE: Write references for three or four web pages.
IN TEXT CITATIONS
APA in-text style uses the (author, year, page number) method of citation. The first citation of any work must include the author, year and page number (if applicable) of the work unless it is mentioned in the text containing the citation. Subsequent citations to the same work need not include the year as long as the work can easily be distinguished from other works cited in the paper.
A. A typical citation of an entire work consists of the author's name and the year of publication.
Example: Charlotte and Emily Bronte were polar opposites, not only in their personalities but in their sources of inspiration for writing (Taylor, 1990).
Use the last name in both first and subsequent citations, except when there is more than one author with the same last name. In that case, use the last name and the first initial.
B. If the author is named in the text, only the year is cited.
Example: According to Irene Taylor (1990), the personalities of Charlotte. . .
C. If both the name of the author and the date are used in the text, parenthetical reference is not necessary.
Example: In a 1989 article, Gould explains Darwin's most successful. . .
D. Specific citations of pages or chapters follow the year.
Example: Emily Bronte "expressed increasing hostility for the world of human relationships, whether sexual or social" (Taylor, 1988, p. 11).
E. When the reference is to a work by two authors, cite both names each time the reference appears.
Example: Sexual-selection theory often has been used to explore patterns of various insect mating (Alcock & Thornhill, 1983) . . . Alcock and Thornhill (1983) also demonstrate. . .
F. When the reference is to a work by three to five authors, cite all the authors the first time the reference appears. In a subsequent reference, use the first author's last name followed by et al. (Meaning "and others." Note that “et” does not have a period after it but “al.” does.)
Example of a subsequent reference: Patterns of byzantine intrigue have long plagued the internal politics of community college administration in Texas (Douglas et al., 1997)
G. When the reference is to a work by six or more authors, use only the first author's name followed et al. in the first and all subsequent reference. The only exceptions to this rule are when some confusion might result because of similar names or the same author being cited. In that case, cite enough authors so that the distinction is clear.
H. When the reference is to a work by a corporate author, use the name of the organization as the author.
Example: Retired officers retain access to all of the university's educational and recreational facilities (Columbia University, 1987, p. 54).
I. Personal letters, telephone calls, and other material that cannot be retrieved are not listed in References but are cited in the text.
Example: Jesse Moore (telephone conversation, April 17, 1989) confirmed that the ideas. . .
J. Parenthetical references may mention more than one work, particularly when ideas have been summarized after drawing from several sources. Multiple citations should be arranged as follows.
Examples:
1. List two or more works by the same author in order of the date of publication: (Gould, 1987, 1989)
2. Differentiate works by the same author and with the same publication date by adding an identifying letter to each date: (Bloom, 1987a, 1987b)