APA Style 6th Edition

Kate Behan, MSW, PhD

1

Why?

• To avoid plagiarism -- credibility

• Accountability

• Readers find sources easily

• Organize paper

2

Parts of the Paper

• Four main sections:

1. Title page

2. Abstract (should include keywords, if

required)

3. Main Body

4. References

3

General Formatting

• Set margins at 1” all around

• Left justification

• 12 pt. font

• Double space EVERYTHING

– Title page, block quotes, reference list,

abstract (if required)

• Page number on each page including

the title page

• Paragraph indentations are 5-7 spaces

4

Title Page

• Information Needed:

– Running Head

– Page Number

– Title

– Name

– Institutional Affiliation

5

6

Running head: SHORT TITLE ALL CAPS IN HEADER 1

Full Title of Paper: Title Case, Centered Left to Right

Name of Author

Author’s Affiliation

.

Abstract

7

Literature Review Papers

• Literature review type papers contain:

• Title page

• Introduction

• Main Body

• List of references

8

Introduction

• Type title of manuscript at top center

– Use title capitalization

– Opens the body of the paper as a

summarization of relevant arguments, data,

and information

– Is 1-2 paragraphs in length

– Presents the specific problem under study

– Describes the research statement

– Is never labeled because it is clearly

identified by its position in the paper 9

Headings

• APA Style uses a heading system to

organize and separate paper sections

• 5 section headings but student papers

rarely go beyond 2 or 3 headings

• Headings are hierarchal – always start

with heading level one

10

Headings

11

Level of heading Format

1 Centered, Boldface, Upper and Lowercase Heading

2

Flush Left, Boldface, Uppercase and Lowercase

Heading

3

Indented, boldface, lowercase paragraph ending

with a period.

12

First level

Second

level

Third level

First level

Paraphrasing

• The overwhelming majority of your

paper will be paraphrasing others’

ideas

• Book reviews will focus on summarizing

13

In-text Citations

• As compared to the culture of Western countries,

Eastern tradition generally emphasizes the welfare of

the collective over the individual (Kong, 1996). Notice

the period is outside the parentheses.

• Kong (1996) indicated that when compared to the

culture of Western countries, Eastern traditions

generally emphasize the welfare of the collective over

the individual.

• According to Kong (1996), compared to the culture of

Western countries, Eastern traditions generally

emphasize the welfare of the collective over the

individual.

14

Multiple Authors

• For 1-2 authors, cite both names every

time.

• For 3-5 authors, cite all authors the

first time; use just the first last name

with “et al.” in subsequent citations.

• For 6 or more, cite only the first author

with “et al.” every time.

15

And or &????

• & = Ampersand

– If citing two or more authors within the narrative of

your text, then you use the word “and”

– If parenthetically citing after the narrative at the

end of the sentence use &

Examples:

• Braun and Clark (2006) contended there are

six phases in thematic analysis.

• There are six phases in thematic analysis

(Braun & Clark, 2006). Notice the period is

outside the parentheses.

16

Quotations

• Use minimally!!!

• Quotes of 40 words or more (more than 5

lines) are indented and double-spaced

• Example of a short quote:

17

The American Psychological Association (1996) stated,

“No one theory adequately accounts for all family

violence and abuse” (p. 17).

18

Also problematic is that prior cognitive function testing and baseline data

typically do not exist. Selzter and Luchterhand (1994) stated:

Unfortunately, many persons with Down syndrome who are 45 or

older…have not had previous cognitive testing, and if they have, the

specific test scores need for comparison of past and present performance

are unavailable. Because many persons with Down syndrome show “floor

effects” when tested with a standardized instrument, the test scores often

do not show decrements in cognitive functioning over time (pp. 125 –

126).

Example of a long quote -- notice no quotation

marks:

Reference Page(s)

• Starts on a new page with a heading

stating ‘References’ in bold

– Not ‘Works Cited’

• List your sources by first last name

alphabetically listed on the article,

book, etc.

• Use a hanging indent if your reference

is more than one line of text

19

Reference Page(s)

• Within a reference, list the authors in

the same order they are listed in the

article (do not alphabetize)

• Journal titles are in title case while

journal articles and books are in in

sentence case

• The titles of journals and books are in

italics

• Do not rely on library database citation

programs as they are usually incorrect!

20

21

PERIODICALS

22

23

Single author

Heise, L. L. (1998). Violence against women: An integrated,

ecological framework. Violence Against Women, 4(3), 262.

doi:10.1177/1077801298004003002

Two authors

Little, L., & Kantor, G. K. (2002). Using ecological theory to

understand intimate partner violence and child

maltreatment. Journal of Community Health Nursing,

19(3), 133-145. doi: 10.1207/153276502760242332

Three to six

Authors

Dankoski, M. E., Keiley, M. K., Thomas, V., Choice, P., Lloyd, S.

A., & Seery, B. L. (2006). Affect regulation and the cycle of

violence against women: New directions for

understanding the process. Journal of Family Violence,

21(5), 327-339. doi:10.1007/s10896-006-9028-0

Seven or more

authors

Burger, J., Gochfeld, M., Jeitner, C., Burke, S., Stamm, T.,

Snigaroff, R., ... Weston, J. (2007). Mercury levels and

potential risk from subsistence foods from the Aleutians.

Science of The Total Environment, 384, 93-105.

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2007.05.004

24

Proquest

Heise, L. L. (1998). Violence against women: An integrated,

ecological framework. Violence Against Women, 4(3), 262-

290. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.er.lib.k-

state.edu/docview/221464884?accountid=11789

PsycINFO

Little, L., & Kantor, G. K. (2002). Using ecological theory to

understand intimate partner violence and child

maltreatment. Journal of Community Health Nursing,

19(3), 133-145.

doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1207/153276502760242332

Academic

Search Premier

Dankoski, M. E., Keiley, M. K., Thomas, V., Choice, P., Lloyd,

S. A., & Seery, B. L. (2006). Affect Regulation and the

Cycle of Violence Against Women: New Directions for

Understanding the Process. Journal Of Family Violence,

21(5), 327-339. doi:10.1007/s10896-006-9028-0

Incorrect Database Citations

Missing

doi

ONLINE

PERIODICALS

25

Online Periodical

26

Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Date of publication). Title of article. Title

of Online Periodical, volume number (issue number if available).

Retrieved from http://www.someaddress.com/full/url/

Bernstein, M. (2002). 10 tips on writing the living Web. A List Apart: For

People Who Make Websites, 149. Retrieved from

ttp://www.alistapart.com/articles/writeliving

BOOKS

27

28

Single author

Austin, J. H. (1998). Zen and the brain: Toward an

understanding of meditation and consciousness.

Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.

Multiple

authors

Calarco, M., & Atterton, P. (2009). Animal philosophy:

Essential readings in continental thought. New York:

Continuum.

Edited Book

Ickes, W. (Ed.). (1998). Empathic accuracy. New York:

Guilford Press.

Group or

corporate

author

World Bank. (2004). Gender and development in the

Middle East and North Africa: Women in the public

sphere. Washington, DC: Author.

Article from a

reference book

Herrmann, R. K. (2002). Linking theory to evidence in

international relations. In W. Carlsnaes, T. Risse, & B.

A. Simmons (Eds.), Handbook of international

relations (pp. 119-136). London: Sage.

Chapter or essay

in book

Chen, J. Q. (2003). Intelligence: Multiple intelligences. In

J. Guthrie (Ed.), Encyclopedia of education (pp. 1198-

1201). New York: Macmillan.