Mastering APA Style: Your Comprehensive Guide to Citations and Formatting
The American Psychological Association (APA) style is a widely used standard for formatting academic papers and citing sources, especially in the social and behavioral sciences. Whether you're a student, researcher, or professional, understanding APA style is crucial for clear and credible communication. This comprehensive guide provides you with everything you need to know about APA 7th edition, from the basics of in-text citations and reference lists to formatting your paper and understanding recent changes.
What is APA Style?
APA stands for the American Psychological Association, a professional organization for psychologists. The APA style, outlined in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, provides guidelines for:
- Structure: Organizing your paper logically.
- Grammar: Using clear and concise language.
- Citations: Crediting sources properly in-text and in a reference list.
While the APA is focused on psychology, the APA style is adopted across many different social and behavioral science disciplines. Other citation styles include MLA Style and Chicago Style.
Why is Citation Important?
Citing sources is essential for several reasons:
- Giving Credit: Acknowledging the work of others who have contributed to your research.
- Preventing Plagiarism: Avoiding academic dishonesty by clearly distinguishing your ideas from those of others. Learn more About Plagiarism and Grammar.
- Enhancing Credibility: Providing a trail of evidence that supports your arguments.
- Facilitating Further Research: Allowing readers to easily find and explore the sources you used. Credit your work using the Credit Work Page.
Two Key Types of Citations in APA Style
APA style uses two main types of citations:
- In-Text Citations: These brief citations appear within the body of your paper, providing immediate credit to the source of information.
- References: A complete list of all sources cited in your paper, located at the end of your document.
In-Text Citations: Giving Credit Within Your Paper
In-text citations are used when you directly quote or paraphrase information from a source. They typically include the author's last name and the year of publication.
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Direct Quotes: When using the exact words of a source, enclose the quote in quotation marks and include the author, year, and page number.
- Example: Smith (2014) states that, "the Museum Effect is concerned with how individuals look at a work of art, but only in the context of looking at that work along with a number of other works" (p. 82).
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Paraphrasing: When expressing someone else's ideas in your own words, include the author and year. Page numbers are optional, but helpful for guiding the reader in longer works.
- Example: Smith (2014) explores how museums have an effect on how people view art.
Formatting In-Text Citations:
- Author in Text: When the author's name is part of your sentence, place the year in parentheses immediately after the name.
- Parenthetical Citation: When the author's name is not part of your sentence, enclose the author and year in parentheses at the end of the sentence.
- Two Authors: Always include both names in every citation (e.g., Franks & Beans, 2019).
- Three or more Authors: Include the first author's name followed by "et al." (e.g., Gilley et al., 2015).
Creating a Robust Reference List
The reference list provides complete information for all sources cited in your paper, allowing readers to locate them.
Formatting Your Reference List:
- Title: Begin the reference list on a new page titled "References" (centered and bolded).
- Order: List references in alphabetical order by the first author's last name.
- Hanging Indent: Use a hanging indent for each entry (the first line is flush left, and subsequent lines are indented half an inch).
- Double-Spacing: Double-space the entire reference list.
- Missing Author: If a source has no author, alphabetize by the first significant word in the title.
Key Components of an APA Citation
While specific formats vary depending on the source type, most APA citations include the following elements:
- Author: Last name, First initial. Middle initial.
- Date: Year of publication (and month and day for periodicals).
- Title: Of the work, with specific capitalization rules (more on this below).
- Source Information: Publisher (for books), journal title, volume, issue, and page numbers (for articles), or URL.
Structuring Different Source Types in APA
APA style specifies different citation formats for various source types. Here’s a breakdown:
Books
- Format: Author, A. A. (Year). Title of book. Publisher.
- Example: Finney, J. (1970). Time and again. Simon and Schuster.
Edited Books
- Format: Editor, F. M. (Ed.). (Year published). Title of edited book. Publisher.
- Chapter in an edited book: Chapter author's Last name, F. M. (Year published). Title of chapter. In F. M. Last name of Editor (Ed.), Title of book (p. x or pp. x-x). Publisher.
E-books
- Format: Author, A. A. (Year). Title of book. DOI or URL
- E-book from a database: Sayre, R. K., Devercelli, A. E., Neuman, M. J., & Wodon, Q. (2015). Investment in early childhood development: Review of the world bank's recent experience. https://doi.org/10.1596/978-1-4648-0403-8
Websites
Journal Articles
- Format: Author, A. A. (Year). Title of article. Title of Journal, Volume(Issue), Page range. DOI or URL
- Journal Article Online: Spreer, P., & Rauschnabel, P. A. (2016). Selling with technology: Understanding the resistance to mobile sales assistant use in retailing. Journal of Personal Selling & Sales Management, 36(3), 240-263. https://doi.org/10.1080/08853134.2016.1208100
Newspaper Articles
- Print: Author, A. A. (Year, Month Day). Title of article. Newspaper Title, pp. xx-xx.
- Online: Author, A. A. (Year, Month Day). Title of article. Title of Newspaper. URL
Magazines
- Print: Author, A. A. (Year, Month). Title of article. Magazine Title, Volume(Issue), page range.
- Online: Author, A. A. (Year, Month). Title of article. Magazine Title, Volume(Issue). URL
Blogs
- Format: Author, A. A. (Year, Month Day). Title of blog post. Title of Blog. URL
Films
- Format: Producer, A. A. (Producer), & Director, B. B. (Director). (Year). Title of motion picture [Motion picture]. Studio.
Images
- Print: Creator, A. A. (Year). Title of image [Format]. Publisher/Museum.
- Online: Photographer, F. (Year of Publication). Title of photograph [Photograph]. Publisher. URL
Social Media
- General: Last name, F. M. or Group Name who posted the content [@Username]. (Year, Month Day posted). First 20 words of the post [Format]. Social Media Site Name. URL
Formatting Your APA Paper
Adhering to APA style guidelines for paper formatting ensures a consistent and professional presentation.
Key elements of APA paper formatting:
- Font: Times New Roman, 12 point.
- Spacing: Double-spaced throughout, including headings and the reference list.
- Margins: 1-inch margins on all sides.
- Page Numbers: Number pages consecutively, starting with the title page.
- Running Head: This is only required for professional papers.
Order of Pages in an APA Paper:
- Title Page
- Abstract (Page 2)
- Body of Paper (Starts on Page 3)
- References
- Tables (If applicable)
- Figures (If applicable)
- Appendices (If applicable)
Title Page
The title page should include the following:
- Page number in the upper right corner
- Title of the paper (centered, bolded, and in title case)
- Author's name (centered)
- Affiliation (centered; usually the name of your school or institution)
- Course name
- Instructor's name
- Date the paper is due
Heading Levels
APA style uses five levels of headings to organize your paper. Each level has a specific format. Here's an overview:
- Level 1: Centered, Bold, Title Case
- Level 2: Left-Aligned, Bold, Title Case
- Level 3: Left-Aligned, Bold Italic, Title Case
- Level 4: Indented, Bold, Title Case, Ends with a period.
- Level 5: Indented, Bold Italic, Title Case, Ends with a period.
Tables and Figures
Tables and figures are used to present data in a clear and concise manner. APA style provides guidelines for their formatting:
- Numbering: Number tables and figures consecutively (e.g., Table 1, Figure 1).
- Title: Give each table and figure a brief but descriptive title.
- Notes: Include notes below the table or figure to explain the contents or provide additional information.
- In-Text Reference: Refer to each table and figure in the text of your paper.
Navigating Changes from APA 6th to 7th Edition
The APA Manual underwent a revision in 2020 with the release of the 7th edition. Here are some key changes to be aware of.
- DOI as URL: Present DOIs as URLs (e.g., https://doi.org/10.xxxx/xxxxx).
- E-book Formats: No longer specify the format of e-books (e.g., Kindle).
- Publisher Location: No longer include the location of the publisher for books.
- "Et al." in In-text Citations: Use "et al." for sources with three or more authors in all in-text citations.
- "Retrieved from": Omit "Retrieved from" before URLs.
Resources for APA Style
Several resources can help you master APA style:
- Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.): The official guide to APA style.
- Online Citation Generators: Tools like the BibMe APA citation generator can help you create citations quickly and easily.
- Online Guides and Tutorials: Many websites and universities offer helpful guides and tutorials on APA style such as this APA help guide.
- APA Style Website: The official APA Style website offers articles, tutorials, and other resources.
Conclusion
Mastering APA style requires attention to detail and a commitment to academic rigor. By understanding the principles of citation and formatting, you can ensure that your papers are clear, credible, and professional. Use this comprehensive guide as a starting point, and don't hesitate to consult the official Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association for further guidance.
