The American Psychological Association (APA) style is a widely used citation and reference format in various fields, including psychology, education, economics, business, and social sciences. This guide provides an overview of APA format, 7th edition, including information about referencing, various citation formats with examples for each source type, and other helpful information.
Plagiarism is the act of taking another individual's work and using it as your own, without acknowledging the original author. It can be illegal and have serious ramifications. Thankfully, plagiarism can be prevented by including citations and references in your research project.
Including APA citations and references in your research projects is a crucial component of the research process. When you include citations, you're being a responsible researcher, showing readers that you found valuable information from other sources and acknowledging the original authors and their work.
There are instances when you could attempt to include in-text and full references in the appropriate places but still accidentally plagiarize. Common mistakes include:
The American Psychological Association created the APA style to form a standardized way for researchers in science fields to document their sources. The style was first developed in 1929 and has undergone several updates, with the latest being the 7th edition, released in 2020.
The format for references varies, but most use the general format: Author's Last name, First initial. (Date published). Title. URL. Researchers must look up the proper format for the source they're attempting to cite.
An APA in-text citation is included in research projects in three instances:
In-text citations are found near a direct quote, paraphrased information, or next to a mention of another source.
Different sources have different citation formats, including:
Including APA citations and references in your research projects is essential to avoid plagiarism and show that you're a responsible researcher. By following the guidelines outlined in this guide, you can ensure that your research projects are properly formatted and free of plagiarism. For more information, visit the Citation Machine homepage or check out the APA style guide.
