TABLE OF CONTENTS
APA Basics3
What To Cite3
Where To Cite3
General Rules For APA4
Reliable Web Sources6
Figures And Tables6
In-Text Citations Basics7
Sample In-Text Citations: Books, Print or E-Books
Book With 1 Author7
Book With 2 Authors7
Book With Multiple Authors7
Book: Edited Volume/Collection of Articles (Anthology)8
Indirect Source8
Groups, Government Or Organisation As Author8
Website8
Dictionary Or Encyclopedia8
Sample In-Text Citations: Magazines, Newspapers and Journals
Article: Print Magazine9
Article: Online Magazine9
Article: Print Newspaper9
Article: Online Newspaper (Digital Edition)9
Article: Print Journal or Journal Retrieved From Online (Data Base) 9
Sample In-Text Citations: Class Notes9
references: the basics10
Sample References Entries:
Print Book With 1 Author12
E-Books12
Book With 2 Authors12
Book With Multiple Authors12
Book: Edited Volume/Collection of Articles (Anthology)13
Indirect Source13
Groups, Government Or Organisation As Author13
Websites13
Dictionary Or Encyclopedia13
Article: Print Magazine14
Article: Online Magazine14
Article: Print Newspaper14
Article: Online Newspaper (Digital Edition)14
Article: Print Journal14
Article: Journal Retrieved from Online Data Base14
Sample References List16
apa BAsics
For some classes at Alexander College, particularly social sciences such as psychology and sociology, instructors will ask you to use APA (American Psychological Association) style for citations and bibliographic information (sources page).
Citations are an important part of successful academic writing.
◦They let readers know that your arguments and claims are backed by reliable research sources.
◦They also provide your readers information that may be useful for their own research
◦When writing citations and references, the goal is to provide enough information so that your readers can find the same sources.
This is a Quick Guide to APA citations and references.
◦It contains information on the basic formatting elements for APA Style papers
◦It contains sample in-text citations and references entries for the resources most commonly used by students in the sciences and social sciences at Alexander College.
◦Failure to correctly cite your sources will result in a ‘0’ for your papers and an academic alert.
◦For more complete information, check out these websites – they are the sources for the information in this booklet:
- an online-tutorial to walk you through how to do APA style citations.
◦This guide also explains how to cite tables, charts, illustrations and other visual elements in your papers.
What to Cite
You must include citations for:
◦Specific words — these should be in quotation marks.
◦Summarizing (paraphrasing) the ideas of another writer.
◦General ideas or concepts of another writer.
◦Or a particular line of argument, even if you are adding to that line of argument.
Where to Cite
◦You must put your citations in two places in your paper.
◦First, you must cite your source in the body of your essay.
◦The information, called ‘in-text citations’ is placed inside brackets.
The basic format is (author’s LASTname, publication year).
- E.g.: (Smith, 2014).
Direct quotes must also include the page number.
- E.g.: (Smith, 2014, p. 45)
◦Second, your sources are listed in the References list at the end of your paper.
◦For more information about References entries, see page 10.
If your Instructor gives specific instructions for format or citations, follow his or her guidelines.
Formatting Rules for apa Style
◦TheMerriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionaryis the standard spelling reference for APA journals and books.
Running Head:
◦This appears at the top of every page, including your title page
◦In the top, right margin, insert the page number and then type the title of your paper
◦Note: the running head cannot exceed 50 characters, so you may have to abbreviate your title.
Title Page:
◦Your title should be centred in the top half of the page
◦It should be typed in upper and lower case letters, not all caps
◦APA titles can take up more than one line, but generally shouldn’t be more than 12 words long
◦Type your name below the title
◦Type Alexander College below your name
Do NOT include the course name, date or your instructor’s name unless your instructor asks you to include that information.
Abstract
◦The Abstract appears on the first page immediately following your title page.
◦An abstract is a concise summary of your research.
◦i.e., it is the short answer to the question, “what is your paper about?”
◦Your abstract should contain your research topic, key research questions, the participants and methods of research (if applicable), results, data analysis, and conclusions.
◦You may also include possible implications of your research or areas that could/should be the subject of further study.
◦The abstract is a single, double-spaced paragraph of approximately 150-250 words, depending on your instructor’s guidelines.
◦The word “Abstract” should be centred at the top of the page in regular 12 pt. type
◦No bold-faced or italic type; not all caps.
Paper Formatting
◦Use an easy to read typeface in 12 point font size.
◦APA recommends Times New Roman Font
◦Paper should be “Letter” (8.5”x11”), NOT A4
◦Margins should be set at 1 inch (2.54 cm) on all sides.
◦All pages should have a running header, as instructed above
◦Double-space throughout the body of your essay.
Using Your Sources
◦Italicize or underline the titles of books, edited collections, movies, television series, documentaries, or albums referred to in the body of your essay.
◦Put “quotation marks” around the titles of journal articles, articles from edited collections, television series episodes, and song titles referred to in the body of your essay.
◦The period follows the in-text citation, except in the case of extended quotations.
◦E.g.:The implications of this study are that, “despite public perception, the crime rate in Canada is actually on the decline” (Smith, 2014, p. 45).
◦Extended quotations are direct quotations of 40 words or more.
◦They are set out in an indented block as follows:
Start the quote on a new line, indented ½ inch (1.27 cm) from the left margin
Omit the quotation marks
The citation follows the final period of the paragraph.
Like the body of your essay, extended or block quotes are also double-spaced
Example of Extended Quote:
According to Covey (1989) “principles are not values” (p. 35). It is only by our valuing of the right principles that we have truth. Covey further argues, “Principles are the territory. Values are maps” (p.35). It is the consistency between our values and principles that makes for effective living:
The more closely our maps or paradigms are aligned with these principles or natural laws, the more accurate and functional they will be. Correct maps will infinitely impact our personal and interpersonal effectiveness far more than any amount of effort expended on changing our attitudes or behaviors. (Covey,1989, p. 35)
◦For additional help, see a sample APA formatted paper on the Purdue OWL website:
Reliable Web Sources
◦We recommend using the Alexander College database to access online materials.
◦These sources will include stable URLs and correctly formatted citations.
◦If you have not used the AC database, it may be more difficult to track your citation.
◦Often material only appears online for a limited time, and may not be there when you need to refer to it again.
◦We recommend printing the material so that you have a hard copy to refer to.
◦Use complete URLs or the Digital Object Indicator (DOI), if available, whenever citing online sources.
◦Include the date of the last revision (if available).
◦APA does not require you to include your access date.
Figures And Tables
◦Figuresare graphs, charts, diagrams, illustrations or photographs.
◦Tablespresent data in rows and columns.
◦The key points of information in your tables and figures must be referred to and explained in the body of your essay.
◦Tables and figures should be placed immediately after the paragraph in which they are mentioned.
◦All entries must be numbered in order, with separate numbers for tables and figures. (Table 1, 2, 3 etc., Figure 1, 2, 3 etc.)
◦When referring to tables and figures in your essay, use these numbers.
Example: Table 1 indicates the change in …
◦Each table should have a number and short description flush left above the table.
◦Every figure must have a number and caption flush left below the figure.
◦If the tables or figures are from another source, that source must be cited.
◦Do this by writing Source: followed by the same information that you would include in an in-text citation, minus the brackets.
◦A full citation must also appear in your References list.
Table 1. Summary of Remediation Process Participation / SSchool Term / Students Referred / Remediation Completed / Percentage
Summer 2013 / 20 / 14 / 70%
Fall 2013 / 18 / 13 / 72%
Winter 2014 / 26 / 15 / 54%
Spring 2014 / 32 / 18 / 56%
Summer 2014 / 13 / 7 / 54%
Source: Alexander College Writing & Learning Centre, Vancouver, B.C., Figure 1.Lindsey bat Joseph, Co-ordinator
June 2014. Source: Angharad Williams, personal photograph.
In-text citations: the Basics
Basic Format for an In-Text Citation:
◦In-text citations, as the name implies, appear in the body of your essay.
◦The general APA format is (author’s LASTname, publication year)
E.g.:(Smith, 2014).
◦Direct quotes must be placed in “quotation marks” and include the page number.
◦E.g.:The implications of this study are that, “despite public perception, the crime rate in Canada is actually on the decline” (Smith, 2014, p. 45).
◦Note: Some instructors may require you to include the page number even if you are only summarizing or paraphrasing sources.
Your instructor is always the final authority on how sources are to be cited.
Sample In-text citations: Books
In-Text Citation: Book with 1 Author, online or print
◦Summary or Paraphrase: (Covey, 1989)
◦Direct Quote: (Covey, 1989, p. 35)
In-Text Citation: Book with 2 Authors, online or print
◦When a work has two authors, cite both names every time.
◦Use an ampersand (&) in your in-text citations.
◦Summary or Paraphrase: (White & Haines, 2008)
◦Direct Quote: (White & Haines, 2008, p. 35)
◦Use the word andin the body of your essay.
- Example:As Smith and Jones (2012) argue ...
In-Text Citation: Book with Multiple Authors, online or print
◦Summary or Paraphrase:(Adler, Mueller, & Laufer, 2007)
◦Direct Quote:(Adler, Mueller, & Laufer, 2007, p.99)
◦When a work has 3, 4 or 5 authors, name all authors the first time the reference occurs.
Example:As has been shown (Adler, Mueller, and Laufer ,2007) this type of testing …
◦In the first subsequent citation use only the first author, followed by "et al." and a year.
Example:As Adler et al. (2007) further argue …
◦If you mention the same work again within one paragraph, omit the year.
Example: Adler et al. also note that …
In-Text Citation: Edited Volume/Collection (Anthology)
◦An edited volume or collection (often called an anthology) is a collection of stories, articles, plays, poems etc. by different authors.
◦Usually an edited volume has an editor or a compiler.
◦Articles are cited by their individual author, sothe same rules apply for in-text citations as for books noted above.
◦Example:(Anagnost, 1989) or (Anagnost, 1989, p. 211).
In-Text Citation: Indirect Source
◦Sometimes you may end up quoting an author who is quoting someone else.
•In APA, this is quite common as a study you might be using as a research source will also make reference to studies conducted by other researchers.
- Cite your source – the book, article, etc. you are working from
- Also note that it is a quotation, not a direct source.
◦Example:Seidenberg and McLellan’s (2014) study showed ….(as cited in Coltheart, Curtis, Atkins and Haller, 1993)
In-Text Citation: Groups, Government or Organization as Author
◦Sometimes a book will be published by a government department or by some other organisation.
•The individual writers who produced the book are not listed on the cover.
•In these cases, use the name of the agency, organisation, or government who published the book.
◦Example:
•Summary or Paraphrase: (Vanier Institute of the Family, 2000)
•Direct Quote: (Vanier Institute of the Family, 2000, p. 40)
In-Text Citation: Websites
◦Use the author’s last name, if there is an author listed
◦If no author is listed, then use the title of the section of the website, not the title of the website, you are quoting from
•The heading may be shortened if necessary.
•Example:Commander Hadfield’s assignment, which started on December 19, 2012, is expected to last until May 14, 2013 (“Around the Mission”).
In-Text Citation: Dictionary or Encyclopedia
◦For these references, list the entry’s name in the brackets, along with the publication year.
•Example, we looked up the word ‘hunker’ in the dictionary:
While the word “hunker” originally meant "to crouch" or "to squat," its extended meaning is "to settle in or dig in for a sustained period" usually refers to taking shelter or waiting through something unpleasant or difficult (Hunker, 2006).
Magazines, Newspapers & Journals
In-Text Citation:Article from Print Magazine or Newspaper
◦In-text citations for print newspapers and magazines are cited exactly the same way as books were cited above.
•Include the author or authors’ last name(s), the publication year, and the page number if it is a direct quote.
- Summary or Paraphrase: (Teitel, 2012), (Hutchinson, 2012).
- Direct Quote: (Teitel, 2012, p. 68), (Hutchinson, 2012, p.A1)
In-Text Citation: Article fromOnline Magazine or Newspaper
◦Since page numbers seldom appear in the online versions of print magazines, include the author or authors’ last name(s) and the publication year in the in-text citation.
•Example: (Teitel, 2012), (Hutchinson, 2012).
In-Text Citation:Article
from Print Journal or Retrieved from Online (Data Base)
◦Citing from print or online journals is handled the same way as newspapers and magazines.
•Include the author or authors’ last name(s), the publication year, and the page number if it is a direct quote.
- Summary or Paraphrase: (Thackeray, 2012).
- Direct Quote: (Thackeray, 2012, p. 542)
In-Text Citation: Class Notes
◦Unpublished, unrecoverable personal communications, such as personal class notes are not included in the reference list because they do not provide recoverable data.
◦Cite in-text only.
◦APA recommends making a reference to the lecture in the body of your essay.
◦For example:
In a lecture in a Sociology 210 class on July 8, 2014 Dr. Elic Chan noted ….
The college administrator agreed that many students were “accidentally plagiarising” because they lacked a clear understanding of how to cite sources correctly (J. Crandall, personal communication, July 28, 2014).
Remember that your instructor is the final authority.
If there is a specific way/he she wishes sources to be cited then follow your instructor’s guidelines.
references: The Basics
◦The References list is the complete list of all the sources used in your paper.
•It is placed on separate pages at the end of the paper.
◦Centre the title (References) and space down twice before starting the entries.
•All the texts in the References list should be double-spaced.
•On paragraph settings, set the text to “hanging” by ½ inch (1.27cm) so that the second and subsequent lines in your entries are indented. (see examples below)
Listing Authors:
◦Authors' names are inverted (last name first); followed by their initials, regardless of how they are listed on the source.
◦Example: on a book cover the author may be listed as James Arthur Jones.
In References the name will appear as: Jones, J.A.
◦Sources are listed in alphabetical order starting with the last name of the first author of each work.
◦For multiple articles by the same author, or authors listed in the same order, list the entries in chronological order, from earliest to most recent.
- Example:
- Smith, J. (1995) …
- Smith, J. (2001) …
◦Use an ampersand (&) to indicate more than one author
◦Note in APA style, all authors’ names are inverted in the References list.
Example: White, R. & Haines, F.
◦ Give the last name and initials for all authors up to seven authors.
◦If there are more than seven authors, list the first six authors followed by an ellipses and then conclude with the name and initials of the last author.
Example: a book has been written by Albus Percival Wolfric Brian Dumbledore, Severus Snape, Minerva McGonagall, Horace Slughorn, Pomona Sprout, Sybill Trelawney, Poppy Pomfrey, Gilderoy Lockhart, and FiliusFlitwick.
- In References, their names would appear as: Dumbledore, A.P.W.B., Snape, S., McGonagall, M., Slughorn, H., Sprout, P., Trelawney, S., … & Flitwick, F.
Listing Your Sources:
◦Titles of Journals, Books, Magazines and Newspapers are italicized.
◦When referring to books, articles, or Web pages, capitalize only:
◦The first word of a title and subtitle
◦The first word after a colon or a dash in the title, and proper nouns.
◦Do not capitalize the second word in a hyphenated compound word
◦For Journal Titles, use the same punctuation and capitalization that is used by the journal in its title.
◦Do not italicize, underline, or put quotes around the titles of individual journal articles or essays in edited collections.
“Parts” of a Standard Journal Entry