Understanding APA

1
Understanding APA

• Dr. Butch Beach
• Georgia Law Enforcement Command College
• Columbus State University
• bbeach_at_columbusstate.edu
• 706.568.1154

2
What is APA?

• APA stands for American Psychological
  Association. It is a documentation style used for
  organizing research papers, manuscripts, essays,
  and other writing assignments in scientific,
  academic or professional settings.

3

• The Publication Manual of the American
  Psychological Association 6th Edition is the
  resource for information on this writing style.
  This text also includes a review of grammar,
  punctuation, spelling, capitalization, citations,
  tables and references including online sources.

4
Basic Guide

• Pagination All pages are numbered beginning
  with the title page. Numbers are put in the upper
  right hand corner. The manuscript page header
  (first 2 or 3 words of the title) appears 5
  spaces to the left of the page number on every
  page.
• Margins One inch on all sides.
• Font 12 pt- Times Roman

5

• Spacing
• Double space throughout the paper without
  exception. Paragraphs are indented 5-7 spaces.
• Alignment
• Flush left, uneven right margin.
• Order of Pages
• Title page, Abstract, Body, References,
  Appendixes, Footnotes, Tables, Figure Captions,
  Figures

6
Title Page

• Numbered as page 1.
• Contains the title, authors name, and
  affiliation. It may also include the faculty
  members name and the date.
• Running Head A short title, no more than 50
  characters, typed flush left, all uppercase
  following the words Running head ____

7
Sample Title Page

• Individual Differences
  1
• Running head INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES IN BIMODAL
• Individual Differences in Bimodal Processes
• Complete Lee Dunn
• Columbus State University

8
Abstract

• An abstract is a short summary of the main points
  contained in the paper or study.
• Generally an abstract is only required for major
  research papers or manuscripts.
• Abstract is required for this course.
• The Abstract should be written after the paper is
  finished.

9
Body

• The title of the paper (in upper and lower case
  letters) is centered on the first line below the
  page header on the first page of the body of the
  paper.

10
Example

• My Life
  2
• My Life Story
• I was born in a small town in middle
  Georgia on a hot and sultry May morning. My Dad
  was a native of Columbus and my Mother was from a
  small county in southwest Georgia.

11
Headings

• Headings are used to organize the paper and
  follow a complex set of rules. Most papers
  require only 3 levels of headings. Only three
  will be used, if necessary, to complete this
  assignment.

12
Three Level Headings

• Level A Centered And Set In Upper and Lower Case
• Level B Left Margin, Set in Upper and Lower Case
• Level C indented and set in Upper and Lower
  Case with a period at end.

13
Text Citations

• Source material must be documented in the body of
  the paper by citing author and date of the
  source. Ideas and words of others must be
  acknowledged. Failure to give credit for words is
  known as plagiarism.
• Citations within a sentence
• Wirth and Mitchell (1994) found that.

14

• When the authors are not part of the sentence,
  authors and dates appear in parentheses,
  separated by a semicolon as below.
• Reviews of research on religion and health
  have concluded that at least some behavior is
  related to a higher level of physical health
  (Gartner, Larson, Allen, 1991 Koenig, 1990
  Levin, 1991).

15

• When a source has 2 authors both are always
  cited.
• When a source has 3 or more authors, all authors
  are included the first time and thereafter the
  first authors name is given followed by et al.
  
• When a source has 6 or more authors, the first
  authors name and et al. is used each time
  (including the first time).
• Payne et al. (1991) showed that

16
Personal Communication

• To cite a personal communication (as in letters,
  emails, telephone interviews) include initials,
  name and date. It is not included in the
  reference section.
• A.K. Smith (personal communication, March 5,
  2003) claimed that

17
Quotations

• When a quotation is used always include the
  author, year, and page number with the quotation.
• A quotation of fewer than 40 words is
  incorporated into the paper.

18
Example

• Patients receiving prayer had less congestive
  heart failure, required less diuretic and
  antibiotic therapy, fewer episodes of pneumonia,
  and were less frequently intubated and
  ventilated (Byrd, 1998, p. 829).

19

• A quotation that is more than 40 words should
  appear in a block format with each line indented
  5 spaces from the left margin (in the same
  position as a new paragraph).

20
Example of a Block Quotation

• Joness 1993 study found the following
• Students often had difficulty using
• APA style, especially citing sources.
• This difficulty could be attributed to
• the fact that many students failed to
• purchase the text (p. 234).

21
References

• The word References is centered on the first
  line below the page header.
• The reference list appears at the end of your
  paper.
• Each source you cite in the paper MUST appear in
  your reference list and likewise each entry on
  your reference list MUST be cited in the text of
  your paper.

22
References Continued

• References are alphabetized using the surname of
  the first author.
• If you have more than one article by the same
  author (s) list them in order by the year of the
  publication starting with the earliest.
• A hanging indent is used. This means the first
  line is flush left and the second line is
  indented (seven spaces or ½ inch).

23
References Continued

• References are double spaced.
• When referencing material obtained by searching a
  database follow the format appropriate to the
  work retrieved and add a statement that gives the
  date of retrieval and the proper name of the
  database. See APA Manual p. 268 for further
  information regarding electronic sources.

24
Reference Samples

• Journal
• Murzynski, J., Degelman, D. (1996). Body
• language of women and judgments of
• vulnerability to sexual assault. Journal
• of Applied Social Psychology, 26, 1617-
• 1628.

25
Book

• Paloutzian, R. F. (1996). Invitation to the
• psychology of religion. (2nd ed.).
• Boston Allyn and Bacon.
• For further examples see APA Manual.

26
Important Tips

• Avoid abbreviations. If you do use one explain it
  the first time it occurs. American Psychological
  Association (APA).
• Use commas before and in lists, and for
  seriation within a sentence as in, three choices
  are (a) yes, (b) no, and (c) maybe.

27

• Spell out numbers which are below 10 and use
  numerals for numbers 10 and above or numerals
  grouped with 10 or above (for example, from 5 to
  12 hours of sleep).
• If a heading ends up at the bottom of a page go
  to the next page.

28

• Avoid biased language
• Do not use and/or. Write it out. For example,
  Monday, Tuesday or both.
• Remember that APA is an exact format and should
  be followed closely.

29
Additional Resources

• APA Style Essentials
• http//www.vanguard.edu/faculty/ddegelman/index.cf
  m?doc_id796
• There is also computer software available
  (Reference Point Software and others) which can
  format papers using APA style.
• Always make sure if you use a text or a website
  for assistance with APA format, that it is
  updated and is using the 6th edition.

30

• httpowl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/research/r_ap
  a.html
• www.rivier.edu (go to support services, writing
  center, online resources, APA format