AVOIDING PLAGIARISM:
APA STYLE
T H E B A S I C S O F D O C U M E N TAT I O N
A N D
I N T E G R AT I N G S O U R C E S
Overview: What is APA? What is it used for? Elements of an APA Paper
Sources: Using Research in Your Writing Elements of Good Research & Writing
In-text Citations & References Quoting, Paraphrasing, Summarizing
References: A Closer Look General Rules Workshop
Today’s Goals
Learn: APA Basics
Overview: What is APA? What is it used for? Elements of an APA Paper
APA = American Psychological Association
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
APA = American Psychological Association
The book that has all the APA rules: Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association 6th Edition, 2009 For more info: http://www.apa.org/ or http://apastyle.apa.org (concise rules)
Where to find it: Library Writing Center Purdue University’s Online Writing Lab (OWL) http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/
Depending on how your professor modifiesAPA style for your course, your essay will include four major sections:
References
Main Body
Abstract
Title page
Your essay should:
• be typed,
• double-spaced,
• have 1” margins,
• use 10-12pt. Standard font
(ex: Times New Roman)
Tit le page
• Number ing begins : 1
• Only the t i t l e page inc ludes the phrase “Running head:”
• The t i t l e should s t i l l be in the upper l e f t corner o f every page
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Every page of your essay should:
• Include a page header, or running head, (Title, all caps) in the upper left-hand corner and
• the page number in the upper right
Abstract page
• Brie f summary (150-200 words) o f the s tudy (your paper) that conta ins
• an intro (purpose), • methods, • results, • discussion
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Every page of your essay should:
• Include a page header, or running head, (Title, all caps) in the upper left-hand corner and
• the page number in the upper right
Sources: Using Research in Your Writing
Elements of Good Research & Writing In-text Citations & References Quoting, Paraphrasing, Summarizing
References & In-text Citations
References:
• Give the full publication information of your sources
• Appear at the end of the paper, alphabetized by the last name of author(s)
In-text Citations:
• Help readers locate the cited source in the references section of the paper
Reference l ist— not ice the running head i s s t i l l v i s ib le
as i s the page number
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Elements of Good Research & Writing
Think about structuring each paragraph/section your research paper using three parts:
The CLAIM the paragraph’s or section’s main idea, and it refers back
to the thesis (the main idea of your paper). EVIDENCE
information you find in your research that supports your claim.
Last, the DISCUSSION explains how the evidence given is relevant to the claim.
Simply presenting the evidence is never enough.
Tip: Always explain how the source can be used to support the claim as well as how it helps develop the overall purpose of the paper. It is better to have one or two sources that are thoroughly explained than to have three or four sources which have no content or explanation.
In-text Citations
Whenever you use a source, use parenthesis to include:
• Author’s last name• Date of Publication• For exact quotes & close paraphrases,
provide author’s name, date of publication, page (p.) or paragraph (para.) numbers
Why Source Integration
Quotations, paraphrases, and summaries– provide support for claims or add credibility to your
writing – refer to work that leads up to the work you are now
doing – give examples of several points of view on a subject – call attention to a position that you wish to agree or
disagree with – highlight a particularly striking phrase, sentence, or
passage by quoting the original – distance yourself from the original by quoting it in
order to cue readers that the words are not your own
p. 169-171 APA 6eQuoting, paraphrasing, and summarizing. (2004). Purdue University Online Writing Lab.
Quoting from Sources
Quotations must be identical to the original and
use a narrow segment of the source must match the source document word for word must be attributed to the original author
When to use a quotation
when the actual words are so integral to the discussion that
they cannot be replaced when the author’s words are so precisely and accurately stated that they cannot be paraphrased
EX: Stenberg and Lee (2002) agree that teacher learning is an “intellectual and ongoing process” (p. 327). p. 170-174 APA 6eQuoting, paraphrasing, and summarizing. (2004). Purdue University Online Writing Lab.
Paraphrasing Sources
Paraphrasing involves putting a passage from source material into your own words. Attribute paraphrases to their original sources.
– Paraphrases are usually shorter than, but may be the same length as the original passage.
– Paraphrases take a more focused segment of the source and condense it slightly.
EX: Lortie’s (1975) research reveals that classroom experiences as well as interactions among peers and colleagues contribute to teacher learning (p. 79).
p. 170 - 174 APA 6Quoting, paraphrasing, and summarizing. (2004). Purdue University Online Writing Lab.
Summarizing Sources
Summarize any ideas or text that you believe are important. If you have properly summarized, you will condense the main idea or text of several pages (or even
the entire source!) into a brief overview save many paragraphs or pages of unnecessary text. When
using in-text citations for summaries, you must How-tos: always cite the author and publication year page numbers not required if there is no author listed, cite the article name using the
main words of the title and placing quotation marks “ ” around them
EX: Studies show that throughout colleges and universities teachers are often hired from one area of study to teach a different area of study (Carpini, 2004; Wilson, 1998).
“Rich Man, Poor Man” by Mortimer Zuckerman, published in U.S. News & World Report, June 12, 2006, Vol. 140, Issue 22, pages 71-72
Well, the primary reason is that over the past 25 years, globalization and technology have increased the rewards for intellectual skills, vastly increasing the value of a college degree. Education and family background are replacing the old barriers of class based on race and gender. The income gap between college graduates and those without university degrees doubled between 1979 and 1997. In the 1930s and 1940s, only half of all American chief executives had college degrees. Now virtually all do, and three quarters of them also hold advanced degrees, such as an M.B.A.
p. 169-171 APA 6eQuoting, paraphrasing, and summarizing. (2004). Purdue University Online Writing Lab.
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Two ways to quote directly from a source:The value of a college degree has increased dramatically in the past century: “[t]he income gap between college graduates and those without university degrees doubled between 1979 and 1997. In the 1930s and 1940s, only half of all American chief executives had college degrees. Now virtually all do” (Zuckerman, 2006, p. 71).
The value of a college degree has increased dramatically in the past century. Zuckerman (2006) states that “the income gap between college graduates and those without university degrees doubled between 1979 and 1997. In the 1930s and 1940s, only half of all American chief executives had college degrees. Now virtually all do” (p. 71).
—The income gap between college graduates and those without university degrees doubled between 1979 and 1997. In the 1930s and 1940s, only half of all American chief executives had college degrees. Now virtually all do.
Incorporating Long Quotations
Long/Block Quotations Over 40 words Indented ½ inch from the left margin (i.e., the same place you
would begin a new paragraph)
Zuckerman (2006) states that that value of a college degree has increased dramatically in the past century:
[O]ver the past 25 years, globalization and technology have increased the rewards for intellectual skills, vastly
increasing the value of a college degree. Education and family background are replacing the old barriers of class based on race and gender. The income gap between college graduates and those without university degrees doubled between 1979 and 1997. In the 1930s and 1940s, only half of all American chief executives had college degrees. Now virtually all do, and three quarters of them also hold advanced degrees, such as an M.B.A. (p. 71)
p. 169-171 APA 6eQuoting, paraphrasing, and summarizing. (2004). Purdue University Online Writing Lab.
References: A Closer Look
References General Rules Workshop
References: General Rules
1. Every source you have cited in the text of your paper needs to be listed at the end of the paper in the reference list.
2. Arrange the list alphabetically by author’s last name, or if no author, the title of the article. If the source has multiple authors, do not rearrange the order they are listed in the publication.
3. List authors by full last name, but use only initials for first and middle names (or leave off the middle initial).
Zuckerman, M. (2006, June 12). Rich man, poor man.
U.S. News & World Report, 140(22), 71-72.
References: General Rules
4. Capitalize the first word in the title and subtitle.
– Capitalize any proper nouns. – Do not capitalize any other words in the
title.
5. If part of the format, always include the state or province with the city name, even if it is well known, like Boston (must be Boston, MA).
Books in Print Form: One Author
One Author (This book is by David Meerman Scott)
Scott, D.M. (2005). Cashing in with content: Howinnovative marketers use digital information to turn browsers into buyers. Medford, NJ: InformationToday/Cyberage Books.
Note that the book’s title is italicized.
Books in Print Form: Two Authors
Two Authors (This book is by Joseph R. Strayer and Dana Carleton Munro, listed in that order)
Reverse both names and use “&” between them…
Strayer, J.R., & Munro, D.C. (1942). The Middle Ages: 395-1500. New York, NY: Appleton-Century.
Note that the Middle Ages is capitalized because it is a proper noun.
More than Two Authors
3 to 7 – List them all with commas in between and “&” before last one. Keep them all in reverse order (last name, first initial. middle initial.):
Smith, J., Owens, B., Little, C., & Williams, J.
More than 7 – List the first 6, then use … then the last author’s name: you will still see 7 names listed [Let’s say we had 9 authors]
Smith, J., Owens, B., Little, C., Williams, J., Toms, R., Hope, B., . . . Omega, A.
E-books
Robert, M., & Racine, B. (2001). E-strategy pure and
simple: Connecting your Internet strategy to
your business strategy. Retrieved from
http://www.ebscohost.com
Notice there is no period at the end of the URL and that the URL is not an active link. If the only way to get to this item is to purchase it, use Available from, not Retrieved from
Article from Periodical: Print Journal
Howell, R.A. (2004). Turn your budgeting process
upside down. Harvard Business Review, 82(7/8),
21-22.
Note: 82 = Volume is italicized 7/8 = Issue is not italicized
Note: Title of the article is NOT italicized but Title of the journal is
Article from a Database (from the library)
APA no longer requires you to list what database, the URL, or when it was accessed for articles retrieved from databases. You are to treat them as if you got the information from the print source. However, if your professor wants it included, here is how to do it both ways:
Best:Williamson, E., Farnam, T.W., & Mullins, B. (2009). Finance lobby cut spending as feds targeting Wall Street. Business Finance Journal, 120-122.
Optional:
Williamson, E., Farnam, T.W., & Mullins, B. (2009). Finance lobby cut spending as feds targeting Wall Street. Business Finance Journal, 120-122. Retrieved from ABI/Inform Complete.
Please note: do not put Retrieved from http://www...... Do not put the URL or the vendor, use the database’s name.
Websites
ONeal, D.M., & ONeal, H.L. (1982). DIY cargo trailer conversion. Retrieved from http://www.fake.org
Note: Don’t put a period after the URL If no date, use n.d. “DIY cargo trailer conversion” is the title of the
document or page you are using, not the entire website’s title.
The URL should be for the Website’s homepage if it includes more than one page. “DIY…” might have been the third page, but the URL is for the homepage.
DOI: Digital Object Identifier
APA suggests that you use the DOI for an online article if available.
Brownlie, D. (2007). Toward effective poster
presentations: An annotated bibliography.
European Journal of Marketing, 41, 1245-
1283.
doi: 10.1108/03090560710821161
Note: There is no period after the DOI and DOI is written as ‘doi’
Example One
Smith, J.Q. (2015). When the rooster
crows. New York, NY: New World
Books, Inc.
Example Two
Snape, S. & Malfoy, D. (2013). The
great Tennessee fault of northern
Alabama. Journal of Geological
Science, 40(2), 20-25.
Example Three
Prior, J.C. (2014). Fossils in Iowa.
Retrieved from
http://www.iihr.uiowa.edu/igs/ fossils-
in-iowa/