APA Format Basics

Place, Melissa. “APA Format Basics”  The 2006 Proceedings [28-29 April 2006]. Eds. Sherry Southard & Melissa Place. Springfield, MO: Missouri State University, Spring 2007. The author gives permission for instructors to use these resources in their classes for educational purposes, as long as they give credit.

General Formatting Rules

Double space throughout the paper Use 1 inch margins all around Use 12 point, serif font (Times New Roman) Include a short version of title and a page

number in top right corner of every page Organize main sections with headings

The Title PageShort Title Here 1

Full Paper Title Goes Here:

A Review of the Literature

Your Name

English 1200, Section 151

Professor Sharer

April 14, 2006

Short title and page number in the top right corner—continue throughout paper

Full Paper Title, Centered

Your nameCourse Number and Section NumberInstructor’s nameDate (All Centered)

HeadingsShort Title Here 2

Full Paper Title Goes Here:

A Review of the Literature

This is the introductory section of the paper. This is the introductory section of the paper. This is the introductory section of the paper. This is the introductory section of the paper. This is the introductory section of the paper.

This is the introductory section of the paper. This is the introductory section of the paper. This is the introductory section of the paper. This is the introductory section of the paper. This is the

Main Section Heading

This is the first paragraph in this section of the paper. This is the first paragraph in this section of the paper. This is the first paragraph in this section of the paper.

Full paper title is centered at the top of the first page of text (page 2 of the paper)

Section headings are centered. No extra line spaces are added.

Short title and page number in the top right corner

Citations

Basic format for direct quotation

Basic format for summary or paraphrase

Citing sources with multiple authors

Basic format for direct quotation

If you name the author in the sentence, put the publication date in parentheses directly after the author’s last name…

Kirby (2004) found that indeed “the seven African American men suggest that their economic status is associated with the structural context of rural Caswell County, which perpetuates social deprivation” (p. 1).

…and put the page number with “p.” for page in parentheses after the quotation.

Sample quotation from Palmquist, M. (2006). The Bedford Researcher. 2nd edition. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins Press.

Basic format for direct quotation

If you do not name the author in the sentence, put the author’s last name, the publication date, and the page number in parentheses.

“The seven African American men suggest that their economic status is associated with the structural context of rural Caswell County, which perpetuates social deprivation” (Kirby, 2004, p. 1).

Sample quotation adapted from Palmquist, M. (2006). The Bedford Researcher. 2nd edition. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins Press.

Block quotation

If a quote is over 40 words, put it in a “block” indented 5 spaces from the margin. Do not use quotes. Since the author and publication date are in the signal phrase, put just the page number after the quote.

Kirby (2004) stated the following, to illustrate longer block quotes in the text:

This is an example of a longer quote of more than 40 words. Each line of a block quote is indented 1/2" from the left margin, but continues all the way to the right margin. The entire block quote is double-spaced. (p. 17)

Signal phrase is a complete sentence ending with a colon.

Format for summary/paraphrase

If you name the author in the sentence, put the publication date in parentheses directly after the author’s last name…

Kirby (2004) found that the policy makers for the Caswell County local government were not receptive to the needs of the African American men in her study (p.1).

…and put the page number in parentheses at the end of the sentence, if you are paraphrasing or summarizing information from a certain page.

Sample quotation from Palmquist, M. (2006). The Bedford Researcher. 2nd edition. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins Press.

Format for summary/paraphrase

Recent studies have suggested that local government fails to serve African Americans’ needs adequately (Kirby, 2004, p. 4).

If you do not name the author in the sentence, put the author’s last name, the publication date, and the page number in parentheses.

Sample quotation from Palmquist, M. (2006). The Bedford Researcher. 2nd edition. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins Press.

Citing source with 2 authors

List both authors’ last names every time you mention them in the text. Use “and” to separate their names in a sentence.

Inman and George (2004) have suggested that kids often vocalize their belief that voting is important while they are still unable to name the governor or a congressperson from their state.

Sample quotation from Palmquist, M. (2006). The Bedford Researcher. 2nd edition. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins Press.

Citing source with 2 authors

Kids often vocalize their belief that voting is important while they are still unable to name the governor or a congressperson from their state (Inman & George, 2004).

But use “&” to separate their names in a parenthetical citation.

Sample quotation adapted from Palmquist, M. (2006). The Bedford Researcher. 2nd edition. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins Press.

Citing source with 3-5 authors

In an influential article, Terrace, Petitto, Sanders, and Beaver (1979) argued that the apes in language experiments were not using language spontaneously.

The first time you cite the source, include all of the authors’ names.

Quotation from sample student paper Apes and Language at http://bcs.bedfordstmartins.com/bedhandbook7e/ch07/ch07_main.asp

Citing source with 3-5 authors

In subsequent references to the source, use the last name of the first author followed by the abbreviation “et al.” (Latin for “and others”).

According to Terrace et al. (1979), Nim’s series of 16 signs is a case in point: “give orange me give eat orange…” (p. 895).

Quotation from sample student paper Apes and Language at http://bcs.bedfordstmartins.com/bedhandbook7e/ch07/ch07_main.asp

Sources with more than 5 authors

Boyle et al. (2004) theorized that children…

In ALL references to the source, give the first author’s last name followed by “et al.”

The Reference List

Begins on a new page

Has a centered heading called “References”

Is alphabetized by authors’ last names

Is double-spaced, just like the rest of the paper

Should have first line of each entry flush left; second line of entry is indented five spaces

Formatting References

A Book

One chapter from a book

Electronic sources

A Book

Roose, N. J. (2005). If only: How to turn regret into opportunity. New York: Broadway Books.

Author last name followed by comma and first initials

Year of Publication

Title of book, italicized. Not every word in the title is capitalized.

City of PublicationPublisher

A Book

Girdano, D. A., Dusek, D. E., & Everly, G. S. (2005). Controlling stress and tension. San Francisco: Pearson/Benjamin.

For two or more authors, use “&” before last author’s name.

One Chapter from a Book

O'Neil, J. M., & Egan, J. (1992). Men's and women's gender role journeys: Metaphor for healing, transition, and transformation. In B. R. Wainrib (Ed.), Gender issues across the life cycle (pp. 107-123). New York: Springer.

Title of the chapter—NOT italicized and every word is not capitalized

Following the name of the chapter, list the book’s editor(s), first initials then last name, followed by the abbreviation “Ed.” or “Eds.”

Title of the book, in italics

Page numbers for the chapter you’re citing

Year of Publication

Authors of the chapter

Publication city and Publisher

Electronic Sources

Article obtained through a database

Online article originally published in a print periodical

Article in an online periodical

Nonperiodical Web Document

Online Article Originally Published in a Print Periodical

Wong, W., & Scott, J. D. (2004). Anchored signaling complexes. Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology 5, 959. Retrieved December 7, 2004, from http://www.nature.com/cgi-taf/DynaPage.taf?file=/nrm/journal/v5/n12/full/nrm1527_fs.html

The title of the article, not italicized, not every word capitalized

Name of the periodical, in italics, with every major word capitalized!Volume number is also in italics,

followed by the article number (not italicized)

Date you retrieved the article onlineExact URL where you found the article after “from”

Authors of the articleDate of Publication

Brent, D. (1997). Rhetorics of the Web: Implications for teachers of literacy. Kairos: A Journal for Teachers of Writing in Webbed Environments, 2(1). Retrieved July 18, 2000, from http://english.ttu.edu/kairos/2.1/features/brent/bridge.html

Article in an Online PeriodicalThe title of the article, not italicized, not every word capitalized

Name of the periodical, in italics, with every major word capitalized!Volume number is also in italics,

followed by the issue number—if the periodical has a volume and issue number

Date you retrieved the article onlineExact URL where you found the article

Nonperiodical Web Document

Grayson, C. E. (2004, October). What is bipolar depression? Retrieved December 7, 2004, from http://my.webmd.com/content/article/60/67149.htm?z=4249_00000_0000_tn_01

Date of online publication---include the year and month, if available

Title of the document, IS IN ITALICS not every word capitalized.

Date you retrieved the document

Exact URL

Person or organization that authored the document

When in doubt, consult your APA handbook