Chapter 13 - Final Study Guide
APA Formatting and Style Guide
Purdue OWL staff
Brought to you in cooperation with the Purdue Online Writing Lab
Welcome to “APA Formatting and Style Guide.” This Power Point Presentation is designed to introduce your students to the basics of APA formatting and style. You might want to supplement the presentation with more detailed information posted on the Purdue OWL: https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa7_style/apa_formatting_and_style_guide/general_format.html
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The American Psychological Association (APA) citation style is the most commonly used format for manuscripts in the social sciences.
APA regulates:
Stylistics
In-text citations
References
What is APA Style?
Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 7th ed., contains detailed guidelines for formatting a paper in APA style. APA style is most commonly used for formatting papers in the social sciences—business, economics, psychology, sociology, nursing, etc. Updates to APA are posted on the APA website www.apastyle.org.
APA format provides writers with a format for cross-referencing their sources—from their parenthetical references to their reference page. This cross-referencing system allows readers to locate the publication information of source material. This is of great value for researchers who may want to locate your sources for their own research projects. The proper use of APA style also shows the credibility of writers; such writers show accountability to their source material. Most importantly, use of APA style can protect writers from plagiarism—the purposeful or accidental use of source material by other writers without giving appropriate credit.
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First-person pronouns rather than third-person
: “We conducted an experiment…”
: “The authors conducted an experiment….”
Point of View
This slide introduces the basics of APA stylistics related to the point of view in an APA paper, which encourages a writer to use personal pronouns. The explanation is provided with examples.
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Active voice when stressing the actions of the research
: “We asked participants questions.”
: “The participants have been asked questions by the researchers.”
Voice
Passive voice when stressing the recipient or object of the action
: “The tests were inconclusive.”
: “We found the tests inconclusive.”
This slide introduces the basics of APA stylistics related to the voice in an APA paper, which encourages a writer to use the active voice. The explanation is provided with examples.
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Language in an APA paper should be:
Clear: be specific in descriptions and explanations
Concise: condense information when you can
Plain: use simple, descriptive adjectives and minimize figurative language
Language
This slide explains the language qualities the APA recommends for academic papers.
Clarity and conciseness are the major concerns when reporting research in APA. It is not easy to balance clarity (which requires accuracy) and conciseness (which requires packing information). To achieve clarity, a writer should avoid vague wording and be specific in descriptions and explanations. To achieve conciseness, a writer should condense information. Because APA format is widely used in science-related papers, the language of APA format is plain and simple. A writer should avoid using metaphors and minimize the use of figurative language, which is typical for creative writing.
This slide can be supplemented by the “Concision” handout from the OWL: https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/academic_writing/conciseness/index.html
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Quantitative Articles:
Report quantitative research, which uses empirical and numerical information often analyzed through statistical means.
Includes:
Title Page
Abstract
Introduction
Method
Results
Discussion
Types of APA Papers
This slide introduces one of the most common APA-style papers: the quantitative article.
Quantitative articles report quantitative research, which uses empirical and numerical information often analyzed through statistical means. Refer to the slides on tables and figures for more information on formatting statistics.
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Qualitative Articles:
Report qualitative research, which uses scientific practices to learn more about human experiences that cannot be numerically quantified.
Includes:
Title Page
Abstract
Introduction
Method
Findings/Results
Discussion
Types of APA Papers
This slide introduces one of the most common APA-style papers: the qualitative article.
Qualitative articles report qualitative research, which uses scientific practices to learn more about human experiences that cannot be numerically quantified.
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The Literature Review:
Summarizes scientific literature on a particular research topic
While the APA Publication Manual does not require a specific order for a literature review, a good literature review typically contains the following components:
Introduction
Thesis statement
Summary and synthesis of sources
List of References
Types of APA Papers
This slide introduces one of the most common APA-style papers: the literature review.
A literature review paper, which is the summary of what the scientific literature in the discipline field says about the topic of research, is the genre students likely encounter in their academic studies. The paper includes the introduction, thesis statement, summary and synthesis of sources, and a reference list.
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If your essay is not quantitative, qualitative, or a literature review:
Consult the instructor
Consult the APA Publication Manual
Types of APA Papers
The general format, which is introduced in the following six slides, regulates formatting papers of any genre students may encounter in their academic studies. For students, consulting the instructor about the specific requirement is the safest policy. For authors of manuscripts prepared for submission to a scientific journal, consulting Publication Manual is a must.
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Your essay should:
Be typed
Double-spaced
Have 1” margins
Use 10-12pt. Standard font (ex. Times New Roman)
Be printed on standard-sized paper (8.5”x 11”)
General APA Format
This slide presents the general format of an APA formatted paper: An essay should be typed and double-spaced on the standard-sized paper (8.5”x11”) with 1” margins on all sides. Times New Roman or similar font in 10-12 pt. size should be used.
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Every page of your essay should include:
The page number in the upper right
If it is a professional paper: A page header (shortened title, all caps) in the upper left-hand corner.
Student papers do not require running headers.
General APA Format
This slide presents the general format an APA-style header. The document should include a page header indicating a shortened title of the essay and a page number in the upper right-hand of every page (including the title page).
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Your essay should
include four major
sections:
References
Main Body
Abstract
Title page
General APA Format
This slide introduces four required part of an APA paper: a title page, abstract, main body (essay itself), and a reference list. An abstract page and list of references are titled as Abstract and References, respectively.
It is important to remind students that each page should have a page header with a shortened version of the title and page number.
This slide can be supplemented by the “General Format” section from the OWL https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa7_style/apa_formatting_and_style_guide/general_format.html
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Note that APA 7 has slightly different formatting rules for professional and student papers. Professional papers are those intended for academic/commercial publication, while student papers are those written for credit in a course.
Most of these differences extend to the title page and the running header.
On the next few slides, we’ve noted these differences where appropriate.
Note re: Formatting
This slide informs readers that APA 7 distinguishes between professional and student papers in terms of paper formatting. It notes that most of the differences extend only to the title page and the running header and explains that these differences will be illustrated in the following few slides.
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Title:
(in the upper half of the page, centered)
name (no title or degree) + academic department, course, instructor, and date.
Page header:
Student papers contain no running head. Simply insert a page number flush right.
Title Page – Student Paper
This slide provides a visual example for the proper placement of the page header and the full title on the cover page of a student paper. Student papers require no headers other than a page number (flush right). Type the complete title in the upper half of the page bolded and centered. Below the title, type your name and your affiliation (university, etc.)
This slide can be supplemented by the “General Format” page from the OWL: https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa7_style/apa_formatting_and_style_guide/general_format.html
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Title:
(in the upper half of the page, centered)
name (no title or degree) + affiliation (university, etc.)
Page header:
(use Insert Page Header)
Type short form of title flush left in all capitals + page number flush right.
Title Page – Professional Paper
This slide provides a visual example for the proper placement of the page header and the full title on the cover page of a professional paper. Type a shortened form of the paper’s title in all capitals in the page header flush left with the page number flush right. Type the complete title in the upper half of the page bolded and centered. Below the title, type your name and your affiliation (university, etc.)
This slide can be supplemented by the “General Format” page from the OWL: https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa7_style/apa_formatting_and_style_guide/general_format.html
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Author Note:
this may contain the following items, each on a separate line: - Links to ORCID iDs
Any affiliation changes
Any special disclosures or acknowledgments
Contact info for the corresponding author
Omit any items that are irrelevant.
Title Page – Professional Paper
This slide provides a visual example for the proper placement of the author note on the cover page of a professional paper. Label the note with the words “Author Note,” bolded and centered. Following this, you may provide any or all of the following:
Links to ORCID iDs
Affiliation changes
Any special disclosures or acknowledgments
Contact info for the corresponding author
Omit any items that are irrelevant.
This slide can be supplemented by the “General Format” page from the OWL: https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa7_style/apa_formatting_and_style_guide/general_format.html
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Page header continues on all pages for professional papers only. Student papers contain only the page number.
Abstract: centered and bolded at the top of the page.
Write a 150- to 250- word summary of your paper in an accurate, and concise manner.
Abstract Page
Follow the abstract with a short list of keywords.
This slide provides a visual example of an abstract page, which consists of a page header, a heading (labeled Abstract), and a brief summary of the paper accurately presenting its contents. Professional papers should contain a running head in the header (flush left) and a page number (flush right). Student papers should contain only the page number.
Type the heading –Abstract– centered at the top of the page. Below, type the paragraph of the paper summary (between 150 and 250 words) in block format—without indentation.
The abstract should contain the research topic, research questions, participants, methods, results, data analysis, and conclusions. It may also include possible implications of your research and future work you see connected with your findings. A short list of keywords (labeled with “Keywords” in italics, written in line with the text) should follow the abstract. These are terms and concepts that might help readers find your work via a search engine.
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Number the first text page as page number 3
Center and bold the (full) title of the paper at the top of the page
Type the text double-spaced with all sections following each other without a break
Identify the sources you use in the paper with either narrative citations or parenthetical, in-text citations
Format tables and figures
Main Body (Text)
This slide provides the basic reminders about formatting the text:
Make sure that the first text page is page number 3 (page #1 is a title page, page #2 is an abstract page).
Start with typing the essay title centered and bolded at the top of the page.
Type the text double-space with all sections following each other without a break. Do not use blank space between paragraphs.
Create in-text citations to identify the sources used in the paper.
Format tables and figures.
The following slides introduce APA formatting of references, in-text citations, and tables and figures.
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Center the title (References) at the top of the page. Bold this title.
Double-space reference entries
Flush left the first line of the entry and indent subsequent lines
Order entries alphabetically by the surname of the first author of each work
Reference Page
This slide explains the format and purpose of a references page.
The facilitator may stress that each source referenced within the paper should also appear on the reference page, which appears at the end of the paper.
To create a references page,
center and bold the heading—References—at the top of the page;
double-space reference entries;
flush left the first line of the entry and indent subsequent lines. To use “hanging” feature of “Indent and Space” tab, go to “Paragraph” ”Indentation” choose “Hanging” in the ”Special” box.
Order entries alphabetically by the author’s surnames. If a source is anonymous, use its title as an author’s surname.
Note: Unlike MLA, APA is only interested in what they call “recoverable data”—that is, data which other people can find. For example, personal communications such as letters, memos, emails, interviews, and telephone conversations should not be included in the reference list since they are not recoverable by other researchers.
For specific information about entries in the reference list, go to https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa7_style/apa_formatting_and_style_guide/reference_list_basic_rules.html
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Invert authors’ names (last name first followed by initials)
EX:“Smith, J.Q.”
Capitalize only the first letter of 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 first letter of the second word in a hyphenated compound word.
EX: The perfectly formatted paper: How the Purdue OWL saved my essay.
References: Basics
This slide provides basic rules related to creating references entries.
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Capitalize all major words in journal titles
Italicize titles of longer works such as books and journals
Do not italicize, underline, or put quotes around the titles of shorter works such as journal articles or essays in edited collections
References: Basics
This slide provides basic rules related to creating references entries.
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APA is a complex system of citation. When compiling the reference list, the strategy below might be useful:
Identify the type of source:
Is it a book? A journal article? A webpage?
Find a sample citation for this type of source
Check a textbook or the OWL APA Guide: https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa7_style/apa_formatting_and_style_guide/general_format.html
“Mirror” the sample
Make sure that the entries are listed in alphabetical order and that the subsequent lines are indented (Recall References: Basics)
Making the Reference List
APA is a complex system of citation that can be time-consuming to learn and difficult to recall when needed. To help students handle the requirements of APA format, this slide introduces a strategy of surviving APA.
The facilitator should stress the importance of correct identification of a type of source: e.g., Is it an article from a newspaper or from a scholarly journal? Hard copy or electronic version?
When the source type is identified correctly, it’s fairly easy to find a sample of a similar reference in the APA chapter of a composition book or in an online APA resource. The APA guide on the OWL website is particularly easy to browse since its links are organized by types of sources—scroll down to the box of links https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa7_style/apa_formatting_and_style_guide/reference_list_basic_rules.html
After a sample is found, all it takes is to mirror it precisely and arrange entries in the alphabetical order.
Note: Many electronic library databases, (e.g. Proquest), have a citation feature. The useful strategy is to save and import into a references list citation entries (make sure you choose APA format) while doing a literature search. You can always delete later reference entries of the sources you’re not going to use in the paper.
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In-text citations help readers locate the cited source in the References section of the paper. In-text citations follow either a parenthetical format or a narrative format.
A parenthetical citation includes both the author’s last name and year of publication, separated by a comma, in parentheses at the end of the sentence.
EX: Research suggests that the Purdue OWL is a good resource for students (Atkins, 2018).
A narrative citation includes the author’s name directly in the sentence, with the year of publication directly following the author’s last name. EX: Atkins (2018) suggests that the Purdue OWL is a good resource for students.
In-text Citation: Basics
This slide explains the basics of in-text citations, both narrative and parenthetical.
In-text citations help establish credibility of the writer, show respect to someone else’s intellectual property (and consequently, avoid plagiarism). More practically, in-text citations help readers locate the cited source in the references page. Thus, keep the in-text citation brief and make sure that the information provided in the body of the paper should be just enough so that a reader could easily cross-reference the citation with its matching entry on the reference page; i.e., the body of the paper and the in-text citation together contains the author’s name and the year of publication.
This slide can be supplemented by the “In-Text Citations: The Basics” resource from the OWL: https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa7_style/apa_formatting_and_style_guide/in_text_citations_the_basics.html
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If the source you’re citing includes page numbers, add that information to your citation. For a parenthetical citation, the page number follows the year of publication, separated by a comma, and with a lowercase p and a period before the number (p.) EX: Research suggests that the Purdue OWL is a good resource for students (Atkins, 2018, p. 12).
For a narrative citation, the page number comes at the end of the sentence, once again preceded by a lowercase p and a period (p.) EX: Atkins (2018) suggests that the Purdue OWL is a good resource for students (p. 12).
In-text Citation:
Page Numbers
This slide explains the basics of in-text citations.
To avoid plagiarism, also provide a page number (in p.3 / pp.3-5 format) for close paraphrases and quotations.
This slide can be supplemented by the “In-Text Citations: The Basics” resource from the OWL: https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa7_style/apa_formatting_and_style_guide/in_text_citations_the_basics.html
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When quoting:
Introduce the quotation with a signal phrase
If using the parenthetical citation, include the author, date of publication, and page number at the end of the quotation.
EX: As scientific knowledge advances, “the application of CRISPR technology to improve human health is being explored across public and private sectors”(Hong, 2018, p. 503).
If using the narrative-style citation, include the author’s last name in the signal phrase, with the page number at the end of the quote.
EX: Hong (2018) stated that “the application of CRISPR technology to improve human health is being explored across public and private sectors” (p. 503).
In-Text Citation:
Quotations
This slide provides explanation and examples of in-text citations with quotations.
This slide can be supplemented by the “In-Text Citations: The Basics” resource from the OWL: https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa7_style/apa_formatting_and_style_guide/in_text_citations_the_basics.html
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Follow the same guidelines for parenthetical and narrative citations when summarizing or paraphrasing a longer chunk of text.
Parenthetical citation: EX: In one study that consisted of 467 young adults, it was found that social media use may not directly affect mental health; rather, it depends on how young adults use social media (Berryman, Ferguson, & Negy, 2018).
Narrative citation:
EX: Berryman, Ferguson, and Negy (2018) sampled 467 young adults about their social media use and mental health and found that social media use may not directly affect mental health; rather, it depends on how young adults use social media.
In-Text Citation:
Summary or Paraphrase
This slide provides information on how to properly construct in-text citations for summaries and paraphrases.
This slide can be supplemented by the “In-Text Citations: The Basics” resource from the OWL: https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa7_style/apa_formatting_and_style_guide/in_text_citations_the_basics.html
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Introduce quotations with signal phrases, e.g.:
According to Reynolds (2019), “….” (p. 3).
Reynolds (2019) argued that“……” (p. 3).
Use signal verbs such as:
acknowledged, contended, maintained,
responded, reported, argued, concluded, etc.
Use the past tense or the present perfect tense of verbs in signal phrases when they discuss past events.
In-Text Citation:
Signal Words
Acquiring a rich repertoire of signal words and phrases is the key to success in representing others’ ideas in academic writing. This slide provides a few examples of those and notes that APA requires the past or present perfect tense of verbs in signal phrases.
Facilitators might want to supplement this slide with relevant content from a composition textbook that demonstrates the use of signal words.
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When the parenthetical citation includes two or more works:
Order them in the same way they appear in the reference list—the author’s name, the year of publication—separated by a semi-colon.
EX: Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet (Adams, 2018; Collins, 2017).
In-Text Citation:
Two or More Works
This slide explains specific cases of in-text citations. It might be supplemented with the “Author/Authors” section from the OWL: https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa7_style/apa_formatting_and_style_guide/in_text_citations_author_authors.html
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When citing a work with two authors:
In the narrative citation, use “and” in between the authors’ names
EX: According to scientists Depietri and McPhearson (2018), “Understanding the occurrence and impacts of historical climatic hazards is critical to better interpret current hazard trends” (p. 96).
In the parenthetical citation, use “&” between names
EX: When examining potential climate threats, “Understanding the occurrence and impacts of historical climatic hazards is critical to better interpret current hazard trends” (Depietri & McPhearson, 2018, p. 96).
In-Text Citation:
Works with Two Authors
This slide explains specific cases of in-text citations. It might be supplemented with the “Author/Authors” section from the OWL: https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa7_style/apa_formatting_and_style_guide/in_text_citations_author_authors.html
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When citing a work with three or more authors:
list the name of the first author plus “et al.” in every citation.
EX: Lin et al. (2019) examined how weather conditions affect the popularity of the bikesharing program in Beijing.
EX: One study looked at how weather conditions affected the popularity of bikesharing programs, specifically the Beijing Public Bikesharing Program (Lin et al., 2019).
In-Text Citation:
Works with 3+ Authors
This slide explains specific cases of in-text citations. It might be supplemented with the “Author/Authors” section from the OWL: https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa7_style/apa_formatting_and_style_guide/in_text_citations_author_authors.html
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When citing a work with an unknown author:
Use the source’s full title in the narrative citation.
Cite the first word of the title followed by the year of publication in the parenthetical citation.
EX: According to “Here’s How Gardening Benefits Your Health” (2018)
EX: (“Here’s,” 2018)
Titles:
Articles and Chapters = “ ”
Books and Reports = italicize
In-Text Citation:
Unknown Author
This slide explains specific cases of in-text citations. It might be supplemented with the “Author/Authors” section from the OWL: https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa7_style/apa_formatting_and_style_guide/in_text_citations_author_authors.html
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When citing a group author:
Mention the organization the first time you cite the source in either the narrative citation or the parenthetical citation.
If you first mention the group in a narrative citation, list the abbreviation before the year of publication in parentheses, separated by a comma.
EX: “The data collected by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA, 2019) confirmed…”
If you first mention the group in a parenthetical citation, list the abbreviation in square brackets, followed by a comma and the year of publication.
EX: (Food and Drug Administration [FDA], 2019).
In-Text Citation:
Group Authors
This slide explains specific cases of in-text citations. It might be supplemented with the “Author/Authors” section from the OWL: https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa7_style/apa_formatting_and_style_guide/in_text_citations_author_authors.html
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When citing authors with the same last names:
Use first initials with the last names.
EX: (B. Davis, 2018; Y. Davis, 2020)
When citing two or more works by the same author and published in the same year:
Use lower-case letters (a, b, c) after the year of publication to order the references.
EX: Chen’s (2018a) study of bird migration…
In-Text Citation:
Same Last Name/Author
This slide explains specific cases of in-text citations. It might be supplemented with the “Author/Authors” section from the OWL: https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa7_style/apa_formatting_and_style_guide/in_text_citations_author_authors.html
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When citing personal communication (interviews, letters, e-mails, etc.):
Include the communicator’s name, the fact that it was personal communication, and the date of the communication.
Narrative citation:
EX: B. E. Anderson (personal communication, January 8, 2020) also claimed that many of her students had difficulties with APA style.
Parenthetical citation:
EX: One teacher mentioned that many of her students had difficulties with APA style (Anderson, personal communication, January 8, 2020).
Do not include personal communication in the reference list.
In-Text Citation:
Personal Communication
This slide explains specific cases of in-text citations. It might be supplemented with the “Author/Authors” section from the OWL: https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa7_style/apa_formatting_and_style_guide/in_text_citations_author_authors.html
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When citing a text with no page numbers: parenthetical citation
Use any of the following four methods
List the heading or section name
EX: One scientist noted that “A cup full of kale can help your body out in a number of ways” (London, 2019, Health benefits of kale section).
List an abbreviated heading or section name in quotation marks (if the heading is too long)
EX: One scientist noted that “A cup full of kale can help your body out in a number of ways” (London, 2019, “Health benefits” section).
List the paragraph number
EX: One scientist noted that “A cup full of kale can help your body out in a number of ways” (London, 2019, para. 2).
List the heading or section name and the paragraph number
EX: One scientist noted that “A cup full of kale can help your body out in a number of ways” (London, 2019, Health benefits of kale section, para. 2).
In-Text Citation:
No Page Numbers
This slide explains specific cases of in-text citations. It might be supplemented with the “Author/Authors” section from the OWL: https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa7_style/apa_formatting_and_style_guide/in_text_citations_author_authors.html
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When citing a text with no page numbers: narrative citation
Use any of the following four methods
List the heading or section name
EX: Scientist Jaclyn London (2019, Health benefits of kale section) noted that “A cup full of kale can help your body out in a number of ways.”
List an abbreviated heading or section name in quotation marks (if the heading is too long)
EX: Scientist Jaclyn London (2019, “Health benefits” section) noted that “A cup full of kale can help your body out in a number of ways.”
List the paragraph number
EX: Scientist Jaclyn London (2019, para. 2) noted that “A cup full of kale can help your body out in a number of ways.”
List the heading or section name and the paragraph number
EX: Scientist Jaclyn London (2019, Health benefits of kale section, para. 2) noted that “A cup full of kale can help your body out in a number of ways.”
In-Text Citation:
No Page Numbers
This slide explains specific cases of in-text citations. It might be supplemented with the “Author/Authors” section from the OWL: https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa7_style/apa_formatting_and_style_guide/in_text_citations_author_authors.html
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APA uses a system of five heading levels (taken directly from the APA Publication Manual, 7th edition):
Headings
| APA Headings | |
| Level | Format |
| 1 | Centered, Bold, Title Case Headings Text begins a new paragraph |
| 2 | Flush Left, Bold, Title Case Heading Text begins as a new paragraph |
| 3 | Flush Left, Bold Italic, Title Case Heading Text begins as a new paragraph |
| 4 | Indented, Bold, Title Case Heading, Ending with a Period. Text begins on the same line and continues as a regular paragraph. |
| 5 | Indented, Bold Italic, Title Case Heading, Ending with a Period. Text begins on the same line and continues as a regular paragraph. |
This slide explains a system of five heading levels in APA. It might be supplemented by the section “APA Headings and Seriation” from the OWL: https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa7_style/apa_formatting_and_style_guide/apa_headings_and_seriation.html
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Here is an example of the five-level heading system:
Headings
This slide includes a visual example of the five-level heading system.
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Label tables with an Arabic numeral and provide a brief but clear title. The label and title appear on separate lines above the table, flush-left and single-spaced.
Cite a source in a note below the table.
Table 1
Top 3 NBA Season Leaders 2019
Note: This data was collected on December 31st, 2019. Retrieved from https://stats.nba.com/teams/
Tables
| Team | Points Per Game |
| Milwaukee Bucks | 119.8 |
| Houston Rockets | 119.1 |
| Dallas Mavericks | 116.8 |
Tables are a common and often required feature of an APA format (consider, the quantitative article, for example). This slide provides visual guidelines to formatting tables in APA.
The facilitator should point that a table format consists of four elements:
The table label—e.g., Table 1
The title in italics, both appearing on separate lines above the table, flush-left and single-spaced
The table
The citation of the source below the table in the form of Note (see the example on the slide).
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Label figures with an Arabic numeral and provide a brief but clear title. The label and title appear on separate lines above the figure, flush-left and single-spaced.
You might provide an additional title centered above the figure.
Cite the source in a note below the figure.
Figure 1.
US Primary Energy Consumption by Energy Source, 2018
Figures
Although figures in an APA paper are formatted in a manner which is similar to that of formatting tables, there a few differences.
In particular, the order is the following:
You might provide an additional title centered above the figure.
The figure
The label and title (in italics) on the same line below the figure, flush-left: Figure 1. US Primary Energy Consumption by Energy Source, 2018
A citation of the source below the table in the form of Note (see the example on the slide).
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The Purdue OWL: http://owl.purdue.edu
The Purdue Writing Lab @ Heavilon Hall 226
Composition textbooks
Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 7th ed.
APA’s website: http://www.apastyle.org
Additional Resources
There are many rules for following APA format, and the facilitator should stress that it is nearly impossible to memorize them all. Students’ best course of action is to utilize the official APA handbook or the APA section in an updated composition textbook as guides for properly using the documentation format. Since the American Psychological Association, a professional group of behavioral and social science professors and instructors, periodically updates the guide, students should be certain that they are using the most current information possible.
There are other resources for finding current information on APA documentation style. The APA web site offers some limited information about recent format changes, especially regarding the documentation of electronic sources. The Purdue University Writing Lab has a page on APA formatting and documentation style on its website: https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa7_style/apa_formatting_and_style_guide/general_format.html
For quick questions on APA format, students can also call the Writing Lab Grammar Hotline at 494-3723.
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The End
APA Formatting and Style Guide
Brought to you in cooperation with the Purdue Online Writing Lab
Writer and Designer: Jennifer Liethen Kunka
Contributors: Muriel Harris, Karen Bishop, Bryan Kopp, Matthew Mooney, David Neyhart, and Andrew Kunka
Revising Author: Ghada M. Gherwash and Joshua M. Paiz, 2014 Elizabeth Angeli, 2011; Elena Lawrick, 2008; Arielle McKee, 2014; Katie McMorris, 2019; Katie McMorris, 2020
Developed with resources courtesy of the Purdue University Writing Lab
Grant funding courtesy of the Multimedia Instructional Development Center at Purdue University
© Copyright Purdue University, 2000, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2019, 2020
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