Apa Style Guide

American Psychological Association (APA) APA Style Manual 6th Edition Quick Reference Writing-Style Handbook Strayer University March 1, 2010 Table of Contents INTRODUCTION4 CHAPTER 1 Basic Form and Appearance5 Margins5 Spacing5 Font Styles5 Page Numbers5 Page Headers6 Title Page6 Headings8 Numbers9 Lists10 Abbreviations10 Tables and Figures10 CHAPTER 2SUPPORTING DOCUENTATION FOR ACADEMIC PAPERS13 In–Text Citation13 Direct Quotations14 Works with no Author or with an Anonymous Author15 Work by Two Authors16 Work by Multiple Authors, five or more16 Paraphrasing17 Do Not Plagiarize18 Using Block Quotations19 Reference List: Basic Rules20 References within the Reference List20 Reference Examples for Periodicals 20 Reference Examples for Non-Periodicals21 Electronic Sources22 Examples for Internet Sources22 Miscellaneous Sources 24 CHAPTER 3 ADDITIONAL RESOURCES26 APA Writing Style Quick Reference Introduction This writing-style handbook is intended to provide basic examples of APA style, modeled after the 6th edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (2010). The intent is not to provide detailed instructions relative to every question that may arise. The quick reference is to help students become familiar with the APA style of writing academic papers in a university setting. The key is getting students to not fear writing assignments. Writing is like reading. Students need a lot of practice to help them master the skill. Chapter 1 BASIC FORM AND APPEARANCE Setting up the paper: Margins Set up all margins, using 1-inch margins on all sides of each page. Justify the left side of the page, leave the right side ragged. Spacing The first line of each paragraph should be indented five spaces. The text, throughout the paper, must be doubled-spaced. Use one or two spaces between sentences and one space between words. Be consistent throughout paper. Font Styles The text, throughout the paper, must be written in the same font: Use Time New Roman. Use 12-point size. For emphasis, italics may be used; do not use bold, underlining, or all-capital letters. Page Numbers Insert page numbers in the upper right-hand corner, 1† inside the margin of the paper and ? † from top of page (see Example 1). When inserting the page numbers, do not use the abbreviation P. or p. or the word page. All pages will be numbered in sequence, starting with the title page (page 1) and ending with the reference list. Page Headers Typically, the running head is required only for publication. Check with your instructor regarding the preference for using a running head. The words Running head, only appear on the title page. Use no more than the first 50 characters of the title, left justified of the page number, located in the page header of the paper, and located ? † from the top of the page and 1† from the right edge of the paper. Running-Page Header and Page Number Running head: TITLE OF PAPER1| Title Page A title page is included. When creating a title page, the following information must be centered on the page: Running head and page number Full title of the paper Author’s Name Strayer University Instructor Course (MKT500) Date Complete Title Page with Page Header and Running head Running head: APA QUICK REFERENCE 1 APA Quick Reference Writing-Style HandbookAuthorStrayer UniversityInstructorCourseDate| Headings To organize a paper using headings, establish a hierarchy of sections throughout the paper. This hierarchy functions as an outline, revealing the paper’s organizations. Add an extra space above headings, to set off new topics. Center-section headings contain no caps or underlining. Bold must be used. There are 5-heading levels, in APA, to separate and classify paper sections. The 6th edition of the APA manual revises and simplifies previous heading guidelines. Regardless of the number of levels, always use the headings in order, beginning with level one. The format of each level is illustrated below: APA Headings| Level| Format| 1| Centered, Boldface, Uppercase, and Lowercase Headings| 2| Left-aligned, Boldface, Uppercase, and Lowercase Heading| 3| Indented, boldface, and lowercase heading with period. | 4| Indented, boldface, italicized, and lowercase heading with period. Paraphrased: Passage rewritten to express the idea of the author, but in your own words: For many employees with health problems, often making the decision of whether or not to change jobs is based on the need to maintain the same health insurance coverage and not on the prospect of a better career opportunity (Baker, 2003) ** Three or more consecutive words directly from a source is considered a direct quote and must be cited as a direct quote. Citing Personal Communications: For letters, memos, e-mail, interviews:S. U. Varnes (personal communication, May 12, 2001). *Do not list on Reference page. | Using Block Quotations Block Quotes are identified as a freestanding quote with more than 40 words. Indent the Quote only five spaces from the left margin. Do not use quotation marks. * See the example for formatting block quotations. Note that the end punctuation, for a block quotation, follows the quotation, not the citation. * End the quotation with a period. Block Quotation Author’s name not given within sentence used to introduce quote: When we compare adult students who return to college after being in the workplace we find Adult students are often more dedicated to achieving their college education than many traditional students. Most adult students who make the choice to return to college are accustomed to prioritizing their tasks. These individuals have experienced the demands of juggling their responsibilities and are more willing and able to take the initiative to succeed in their academic career (Smith, 2002, p. 121). Many adults who have excelled in their professional lives know how to apply themselves in their new academic life. Author’s name used to introduce quote: Smith (2002) points out that adult student are often more dedicated to achieving their college education than many traditional students. Most adult students who make the choice to return to college are accustomed to prioritizing their tasks. These individuals have experienced the demands of juggling their responsibilities and are more willing and able to take the initiative to succeed in their academic career (p. 121). Many adults who have excelled in their professional lives know how to apply themselves in their new academic life. Reference List: Basic Rules and Format 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 centered at the top of the page. (Do NOT underline, or use quotation marks for the title. ) All text should be double-spaced just like the rest of your essay. Your references must be in alphabetical order and reverse indented when the references are more than one line. References within the Reference Page Reference Examples for Periodicals Magazine Article, No Author [article title. (year, month day). magazine name, volume (issue #, if applicable), page number(s). ] Duke Power understates earnings. (2003, May 1). Newsweek, 5(1), 23-24| Magazine Article, One Author [author last name, first initial. (year, month day). article title, magazine name, volume (issue number, if applicable), page number(s),] Smith, J. (2003, May 1). Duke Power understates earnings. Newsweek, 5(1), 23-24| Magazine Article, Multiple Authors If a magazine or journal article has more than two authors, identify all authors by name. Do not use et al.