Lessons Learned About Writing Style
Shannon Leveille
Liberty University
PSYC 255
Professor Sosin
06/06/2023
APA Formatting Concepts
Just like in most professions, it also applies in Psychology, the ability for us to be able to quickly
get the information we need when we need it can be crucial. So when we properlyformat our research
results by using the standards provided to us by the American Psychological Association (APA), it helps
assure that the findings are offered in a reliable manner and can be easily understood by others.
Therefore, telling us that by learning the proper APA formatting can help us make a smooth transition
from student writer to professional writer in the psychology field.
Formatting a Personal Communication
When personal communication is done in the interest of research, it can be in a few different
forms. Emails, letters, text messages, and interviews can all be personal communications that could
possibly be included in a manuscript. Even though personal communications is not included in the
reference portion of a APA paper, it still needs to be cited within the text of the manuscript in order to
properly credit the information to its source. The following format should be used when citing personal
communications; C.C Communicator (personal communication, month, day, year) (American
Psychological Association, 2017). Additional information on the formatting of personal communication
can be found on page 169 of the APA Publication Manual.
Using Different Levels of Headings
The utilization of different levels of headings can be helpful for numerous reasons. Mainly
because it will help the reader find the information they are looking for without having to search the
whole paper. Also the different levels of headings will allow the writer to better organize and place their
findings (American Psychological Association, 2017). Headings also will tell the importance of the
information which will help readers better understand the stuff that is presented (American
Psychological Association).
What is DOI and Why is it Important
The DOI system was designed to provide a way of identifying and managing digital information
(American Psychological Association, 2017). By assigning a digital object identifier (Crawford, 2019) to
journal articles, it helps the article to be tracked and referenced even if the article moves from its
originally published digital location. Since readers should be able to independently find information
within a manuscript, it makes this a important tool for them to be able to access.
Using the Jerry Falwell Library for Research Success
One of the best resources that we have available at Liberty University is the Jerry Falwell Library. Having
this is helpful no matter what kind of research you may be doing. You can find many different resources
throughout the library, including books (digital, audio, and print), media files, and journal articles. It also
offers links to databases that can further one’s research. Also, something that is not guaranteed from
searching on the internet, is the assurance you get knowing that the information attained in the library is
scholarly and reputable.
Finding Additional Resources
One of the most important things one must remember when looking for resources outside of the Jerry
Falwell Library is to make sure the that the resources being used are scholarly resources. There are a few
different ways to locate scholarly resources. First, there are databases available specifically to the field of
psychology that will help locate scholarly resources. PsycINFO and PsycARTICLES are two of these
databases. Another way is to go to your local library and see what resources you can find there. Lastly,
you can ask a Professor, and maybe they can point you in a direction that you haven’t thought of yet.
Formatting Other Resources
There will be other resources that you will come across when researching and writing papers, so you
need to know how to properly format them. Here are a few ways to format the most common ones:
An Edited Book. When using reference material from an edited book, the format for references is:
Editor, A.A. (ED.). (Year). Title of Work. Location: Publisher. (American Psychological Association, 2017).
A Textbook. Textbooks are provided in physical or digital format and the formatting for referencing
them are slightly different.For physical it should be: Author, A.A. (Year). Title of Work. Location: Publisher
(American Psychological Association, 2017). Then for digital it should be: Author, A.A. (Year). Title of
Work. Retrieved from http://www.xxxxx (American Psychological Association, 2017).
An Unpublished Manuscript. Sometimes we will get information that may be very helpful to us , but
our resource hasn’t been published for whatever reason. It still needs to be properly referenced as
follows: Author, A.A. (Year). Title of Manuscript. Unpublished Manuscript. (American Psychological
Association, 2017).
The APA Publication Manual. Even though there have been several revisions done to the American
Psychological Association Publication Manual, the latest version is the one that should be used and
referenced as follows: American Psychological Association (2019). Publication Manual of the American
Psychological Association (6th ed.). Washington, D.C: American Psychological Association. (American
Psychological Association, 2017).
Scholarly Journal Articles. While researchers can find very valuable information on topics that have
been previously researched in journal articles, finding information in articles that have a digital object
identifier (DOI) helps them ensure that the reader can easily find the information as well. When
referencing these articles it is formatted as follows: Author, A. (Year). Article Title. Journal Name, Volume
(Issue), pp. XX-XX.doi:XX-XXX
Conclusion
It doesn’t matter if it is a paper for a psychology class or a thesis paper, we must always have detail
and consistancy that stays within the guidelines of the APA format presented to us by the American
Psychological Association (APA). If we can do this then we will always present our writing in professional
manner.
References
American Psychological Associations. (2017). Publication Manual of the American Psychological
Association(6th ed.). Washington, D.C : American Psychological Association.
Crawford, R. (2019). Information to Research: Less Fright, More Insight (Custom 3rd ed.) [Liberty
University Online Bookshelf]. Retrieved from https://libertyonline.vitalsource.com
