Writing StylesBy:Jihan Zayed, Ph. D.Qassim Private Colleges, KSA

Why do you have to do this?Because learning to write means mastering a uniform writing style in a manner that will be understood by most readers.

Common Academic Writing Styles:  MLA, used in English and the

humanities; APA, used in psychology and the

social sciences; Chicago, used in history and some

humanities; andCSE, used in biology and other

sciences. 

The APA Writing Style

What is APA? The American Psychological

Association (APA) publication manual is the most commonly used format for research papers in the social sciences.

APA regulates:• Stylistics• In-text citations• References

page marginstype styles and fontsspacingindentationheadersquotationscitations of sourcesreferences

Major areas we are going to cover in our workshop:

General Format Your research paper should:

• be typed and double-spaced to be printed on standard-sized paper (8.5”x11”),

• use 1”margins on all sides,• use 10-12 pt. Times New Roman, and• include a page header (title) in the upper

left-hand of every page and a page number in the upper right-hand side of every page

General Format Your research

paper should include four major sections:

References

Main Body

Abstract

Title page

Title Page

(In the upper half of the page, centered: paper title, writer’s name, instructor’s name, university and date)

Page header

Abstract Page

Write a 150- to 250- word summary of your paper in an accurate, concise, and specific manner.

Page header: do NOT include “Running head:”

Abstract: centered, at the top of the page

Include main keywords of your research.

Main Body (Text)• Number the first text page as page number 3.

• Type and center the title of the paper at the top of the page.

• Type the text double-spaced with all sections following each other without a break.

• Identify the sources you use in the paper in parenthetical, in-text citations.

APA In-Text Citations • Reference in the text:• According to Davies (2005), varieties of …

• OR, you may write like this:• In a study of varieties of modern English (Davies, 2000) …

• References at the end of your paper:• Davies, D. (2005). Varieties of modern English. UK: Pearson Education Limited.

One Work by Two authors• Always cite both names every time the reference

occurs in text.• Use the word "and" between the authors' names

within the text, Use "&" in the parentheses.• Example: Reference in the text:• Boud and Knights (1994). confirmed that … OR, you

may write like this:• In a study of … (Boud & Knights, 1994). • Example: References (at the end of your paper)• Boud, D. and Knights, S. (1994). Designing courses

to promote reflective practice. Research• and Development in Higher Education, 16: 229-234.

Works with three through five authors:• List the last names of all authors the first time you cite them.

• If you are citing the paper of 3 or more authors for a second or more time, list last name of first author, followed by “et al.,” and the date.

• For example, (Kirk, Spock, McCoy, & Scott, 1966, p. 1701)   [for the first time you cite it]

• (Kirk et al., 1966, p. 1701)   [for all other times you cite it]

Sources with six authors or more:• (Picard et al., 1987, p. 1701d)   [for every time you cite it, but include up to seven authors in the full reference. If there are more, include the first six, followed by an ellipse (...) followed by the last of the names.]

Article in an internet-only journal• Ellis, G. (1998). Developing metacognitive

awareness: The missing dimension [Online]. British Council. Retrieved on 29 Aug 2004 02:56:37 GMT from http://www.pt.britishcouncil.org/journal/j1004ge.htm.

Journal Article: paginated by issue: online and hardcopy

Devine, P. G., & Sherman, S. J. (1992). Intuitive versus rational judgment and the role of stereotyping in the human condition: Kirk or Spock? Psychological Inquiry, 3(2), 153-159. http://dx.doi.org/10.1207/s15327965pli0302_13

Book Article or Chapter James, N. E. (1988). Two sides of

paradise: The Eden myth according to Kirk and Spock. In D. Palumbo (Ed.), Spectrum of the fantastic (pp. 219-223). Westport, CT: Greenwood.

Encyclopedia Article Sturgeon, T. (1995). Science

fiction. In L. T. Lorimer et al. (Eds.), The encyclopedia Americana (Vol. 24, pp. 390-392). Danbury, CT: Grolier.

ERIC Document Fuss-Reineck, M. (1993). Sibling

communication in Star trek: The next generation: Conflicts between brothers. Retrieved from ERIC database. (ED364932)

Company and Industry Reports:

[Include the URL of the database's homepage instead of the complete link.]Industry custom report: Advertising agencies. (2013, February 25). Retrieved from Hoover's website: http://subscriber.hoovers.com/H/home/index.html

[You have the option of using the database's name as the author instead of the publisher.] Hoover's Inc. (2013, February 25). Industry custom report: Advertising agencies. Retrieved from http://subscriber.hoovers.com/H/home/index.html

Internet Video Crusade2267. (2006, November

02). For the uniform: One fan's obsession with Star trek, part 1 [Video file]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ul5q4PTME-M

PowerPoint Presentation Oard, D. W. (2001). Bringing Star

trek to life: Computers that speak and listen [PowerPoint presentation]. Retrieved from University of Maryland TerpConnect website: http://terpconnect.umd.edu/~oard/papers/cpsp118t.ppt

Levels of Headings Research papers use from 1 to 5

levels of headings, as shown:

Quotations Quotation marks that close a quote

come before the parenthetical reference. Commas and periods come after parenthetical references, for example, “Quote” (Bayer, 2008, p. 4).

However, exclamation marks and question marks that end a quote come before the closing quotation mark. In these cases, a comma or a period is required after the parenthetical reference: “Quote?” (Bayer, 2008, p. 2).

Block quotations (quotations of more than 40 words)

are indented on the left 0.5 inches, double-spaced, and without quotation marks.

The necessary citation information is given outside the punctuation that ends the borrowed material. For example:

APA Tables Label tables with an Arabic numeral

and provide a title. The label and the title appear on separate lines above the table, flush-left and single-spaced.

Cite a source in a note below the table.Table 13t Values of the EG and the CG in Phonology

Source: Zayed, J. (2010). The effectiveness of reflection in developing students' oracy in English at the faculties of tourism and hospitality ( Unpublished doctoral dissertation), Mansoura University, Faculty of Education, Egypt.

APA Figures Label figures with an Arabic numeral and provide a title. The label and

the title appear on the same line below the figure, flush-left . You might provide an additional title centered above the figure. Cite the source below the label and the title.

Source: Zayed, J. (2010). The effectiveness of reflection in developing students' oracy in English at the faculties of tourism and hospitality ( Unpublished doctoral dissertation), Mansoura University, Faculty of Education, Egypt.

References Page• Center the title (References)

at the top of the page. Do not bold it.

• Double-space reference entries

• Flush left the first line of the entry and indent subsequent lines.

• Order entries alphabetically by the author’s surnames.

• Every source cited in your paper must appear on the reference list, and every entry in your reference list must be cited in your paper.