What is APA format and who cares anyway?

APA Publication Manual 5th Edition!

Barbara Mitchell, CCACC, 2001

Updated to 5th Edition

Disclaimer This powerpoint presentation (95-97) has been

updated to the new American Psychological Association Publication Manual, 5th edition, released in July 2001.

The APAStyle website contains a list of the enhancements and changes from APA 4th ed. As always consult your professorThe APA Style web page- where you can

purchase a copy of the APA Publication Manual. Purchase a copy from the APA, your bookstore, or online.Please address all corrections to

profbarb@hotmail.com

APA Format is a standardized way of presenting research

resultsConsistent Indexed (of sorts)

AlphabeticalChronological Identifiable

Find more at www.apastyle.org

Outline of Presentation

General Format of PaperEach major section In-text ReferencingReference SectionSample Grading SheetAn asterick (*) indicates professor

choice

General Requirements

White paper 12 point black type One-inch margin all around (minimum *) Page Header is a brief title with the

number of the page at the top right hand corner (in a word processing header)

double spaced (quote exceptions allowed *)

Encyclopedias (paper, cd-rom, web) are prohibited! Seek the original source! *

Major Sections

Title Page Abstract page (< 120 words) Title again over start of body of

paperSubheadings allowed

Body of paper References Appendixes Author note, footnotes, tables, figure

captions, figures follow main paper

Perhaps the most important chapter in the manual is the chapter on student papers!

Title Page – TOP!Brief descriptor+ 5-7 spaces+ Number

Causes of Stress 1

Running Head(CAPS):+ Second Descriptor

app 2” from top edge of paper

Running head: PHYSICAL COMPONENTS OF STRESS

The running head identifies the article for the reader. Fifty characters max. Appears only on the title page

Put in word processor “header”. Select “insert

page number to autocount the pages

Title Page - middle

Full title of PaperYour Name

Your Institution

Centered on Paper

Title Page – bottom*

Name of Class

Class TimeSemester

Instructor Name

Centered on Paper at bottom of page

Title Page - Full Layout

1 Page Header

Running Head

Title, subtitle, Author, Institution

Preferred CCACC data:Class name, date, professor

Page 2 - Abstract

An abstract is a summary of the problem (issue), findings, and recommendations made throughout the entire paper.

Abstracts are available of EbscoHost and at ERIC Inf. On the web.

Format

Abstract - Format

Abstract

The causes of stress are as many and varied as the people who experience the symptomsof stress. Stress is one of the leading reasonsthat people seek medical help. In 1997, over41% of physician visits were related to stress (Winsome, 1998). Blah, Blah, Blah.

•The problem or topic• The purpose• The findings• The sources used•The conclusion

Body of Paper - Content

Thesis - main ideaProblem StatementsPresentation of Evidence, Use of research to support ideas -

data - enough and accurateArgumentAnalysis Summary and conclusion

Body of Paper - Content

Organization - structuredOutline apparent through paper In-text referencing

(Author’s Last Name, year of publication)

Correct written grammarSpell-checked!

References

Alphabetical by last name(letter by letter)

Chronological within author(earliest is first)

If same year, add = a,b,c to citation Anonymous only used if signed as such Web based journal articles & books

require full citation plus the web address and other identifying information.

References

References

Able, C. (1991). XXXXXXXAble, C. (1995a). YYYYYYYAble, C. (1995b). ZZZZZZZZ

Two Main Types of References

Periodical References JournalsMagazinesNewspaper

Non-Periodical ReferencesBooksReportsBrochures

5th Edition Change: Writing a Reference

Published StyleFirst line is backspaced (5-7) spaces Second and consecutive lines are

indented 5 spaces from the left margin In Word, Type the reference, then select

‘hanging indent”. It should automatically move the second line in. (customize by putting hanging indent on the task bar)

Book titles and Journal names are italicized.

Writing A Reference

PUBLISHED STYLEAnderson, J. (1999). The bell curve.

Boston: West Publishing.

Margin

1. Author Lastname, First Initial. (period!)

Things to Note: Only the initial of the author’s first and second

name... Only an “&” ampersand is used with multiple

authors in the reference section. If used as part of a sentence the word ‘and’ is used.

Edition is abbreviated ed. Editor is abbreviated Ed.

2. Date

Parentheses placed around the date, a period at the end.

(1999).YEAR, MONTH, DAY format is used

Ex. A magazine in the reference section: (2000, July 23).

3. Book Name / Article Title Only the first letter is Capitalized First letter of subtitle is Capitalized Book & Journal titles are italicized

but the (3rd. ed.) is not. Books always use a period. Journals are followed with a comma, vol,

nnn-nnn(page numbers). See details later…

4. Book - City of Publisher

City:If City is not well know, then add a comma and the State (and Country if needed).

State uses standard postal abbreviations (PA, WI, OH):

5: Book - Publisher

The name of the Publisher and a period.

Author, M. (1999). This is the book title. Johnstown, PA: Wilson Publishers.

4. Journal Article

Journals are followed with a comma, volume (Number), pages.

The words Volume & Number are never used.

Ex. - each issue starts with page 1 Monitor on Psychology, 32 (7), 17.

Ex. – each issue continues the paging from the beginning of the volumeAmerican Psychologist, 56, 585-586.

Only use p. or pp. when a periodical does not have a volume number - ref: http://www.apastyle.org/faqs.html#6

Italicize!Red text is italicized

Documents from the Internet

Many different documents are available JournalsNewspapersBooksGovernment reportBrochuregarbage

On the Net II

APA Minimums: Document title, a date, a source location

(URL), and the author(s). Steps:

1. Determine the type of web page. 2. Find the title, the date, the author, the

publisher. 3. Hint: If you can’t find the above

information you must question the source !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

4. Hint: back up through the URL to find the needed information:

http:/www.publishername.com/~author/date/title.html

On the Net III

An article published on the web:Healthy Eating. (1999, July 17).

Barriers to closing the diet gap. Retrieved July 22, 2001 from http://www.eatright.org/ articles/july01/dietgap.html

NOTE: No period after the URL!

On the Net IV

Electronic copy of a journal on the net:Whitcome, R., List, T., Wilson, K. & rogers, J.

(2001). A snitch in time: A review of the proximity of a Crimestopper reporter to the perpetrator. Journal of Criminal Behavior, 66, 222-243. Retrieved September 4, 2001 from Ebscohost database [Masterfile] at http://www.ebscohost.com

Note that the article includes the printed page numbers

On the Net V

A message posted to a list (even though you get it in email form):

Russet, P. (1998, October 12). TLRT: Messaging across the internet [Message AAHESGIT #119]. Message posted to http://www.cren.net:8080/guest/archives/AAHESGIT/log0110/

Great Article - but no author, no date (help!) APA writes:

GVU's 8th WWW user survey. (n.d.). Retrieved August 8, 2000, from http://www.cc.gatech.edu/gvu/usersurveys/survey1997-10/

Above retrieved October 24, 2001 from http://www.apastyle.org/elecsource.html#78

On the Net VI

An abstract retrieved from the web, a summary, a review:

Retrieved from… becomes:Abstract retrieved from…Summary retrieved from…Review retrieved from…. etc.

Finding the Author!

A URL can often yield up the author of the article if you do a little searching:

http://psyche.cs.monash.edu.au/v2/psyche-2-10-cytowic.html

The Article is titled:Synesthesia: Phenomenology and neuropsychology.A review of current knowledge. Back up through the directories – each directory

on the computer is separated with a slash. The Author’s name, the date it was published to the web, and the web publisher can be found on the pages in the directory above the directory that holds your article.

Sample Grading Sheet Title Page – Complete - 5 pts. Abstract – Accurate & Comprehensive – 5

pts. Layout – meets requirements – 10 pts. In-Text citation – accurate – 10 pts. Grammar – 10 pts. Thesis and Problem statements – 10 pts Argument and Analysis – 10 pts Data Support & Accuracy - 10 pts. Structure (Outline apparent) – 10 pts References - 10 pts. Research Defense – 10 points.

Post Note

If you are serious about getting APA format down to a science (sorry!) you should purchase you very own copy of the 5th edition of the APA Publication Manual. It will serve you well over the next 4-7 years.

• Do not get confused by looking at the edition date of another English or research reference book that contains a summary of the elements of the APA publication manual. Often these books have APA 4th or worse APA 3rd edition information. Look for this black & red book…