APA FORMAT QUICK REFERENCE6TH EDITIONSusanne Kaesbauer and Dr. Jennifer Ann MorrowThe University of Tennessee

Overview

APA is the official style of writing of the American Psychological Association (APA) Used to present findings and arguments in

a coherent and concise manner APA used mainly in social sciences APA dictates the structure of the writing

Easier to write and read Critical thinking

Required for publications

General Document Guidelines Do not use first person, instead use third

person or passive voice You cannot prove a theory or hypothesis in one

study Avoid the words “proves” and “proof” Use confirm/support or disconfirm/does not

support Instead use “the results support the hypothesis”

Avoid slang terms Use terms “participants” for humans and

“subjects” for animals

General Document Guidelines Use the terms “respondents” or

“interviewees” when applicable Format to have one inch margins on

each side Use 12pt Times New Roman Font

Maintain the same font throughout the paper. You may use a smaller size (no less than 10pt) within text of tables and figures

Double space the entire paper (incl. title, abstract, appendix, references, footnotes, tables)

General Document Guidelines Use one space after commas, colons,

and semicolons Use two spaces after end of sentence

punctuation marks Left-align everything except title page

and select headers Indent paragraphs 5-7 spaces. Do not

add additional spacing between paragraphs or sections of the paper unless noted in APA guide

General Document Guidelines Page numbering starts on title page Page order: Title Page, Abstract, Body

(Introduction, Method, Results, Discussion), References, Appendices

Refer to the APA manual!!! Use Google if you don’t own the manual

Use spell check and have others proofread your paper

Avoid plagiarism

Use of Numbers

Use numerals for numbers 10 and above Use numerals when preceding units of

measurement (ex: 20mg, 46cm) Write out the number when beginning a

sentence with it Use numerals for statistical functions,

percentages, ratios, percentiles (ex: the 11th percentile)

Use commas to separate groups if three digits

Abbreviations

Use sparingly and only if they make the paper easier to read

Write it out completely the first time followed by the abbreviation in parentheses Ex: A two-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA)

was used to test hypothesis one Write out units of measurement, unless

preceded by numbers

Title Page

Running head: Abbreviates the title and reappears on every page of the manuscript. Set up a left-aligned

header and capitalize the word “Running” but not “head” and then use uppercase for the entire abbreviated title

Use the header function to create this

Running head: WRITING APA STYLE 1

Jennifer Ann Morrow, Ph.D.

University of Tennessee

Title Page

Page Numbers: Appear on every page of the research paper starting on the title page In the header

created for the running head, insert right-aligned page numbering starting with the number 1 on the same line as the running head

Running head: WRITING APA STYLE 1

Jennifer Ann Morrow, Ph.D.

University of Tennessee

Title Page

Byline: Name of author/authors and their institutional affiliation. The order of the authors on the title page must be how you want it to appear on publications Author name(s) appear

centered under the title in the upper half of the page. Use First name, followed by middle initial, followed by last name

Author(s) affiliation(s) appear centered under the author name on the upper half of the page. Use the affiliation where the research was conducted

Running head: WRITING APA STYLE 1

Jennifer Ann Morrow, Ph.D.

University of Tennessee

Abstract

Abstract: Place the abstract on a new page

after the title page Write “Abstract” in upper and

lowercase letters centered on first line of the page

Type the abstract as one paragraph without paragraph indentations. The paragraph should be left aligned

Keywords: Write 3-5 key words under the

abstract. Example: “Keywords: attrition,

learning, comprehension” Indent and italicize the word

“Keyword:” followed by colon in uppercase and lowercase letters in the line under the abstract paragraph. Next list the keywords separated by commas in lowercase letters

Introduction

Begin the introduction section on a new page. This should be page three of your research paper

At the top of the page type and center the full title, as it appears on the title page, in uppercase and lowercase letters

Begin the first paragraph in the next line using left-alignment and indent it and each following paragraph of the introduction section

When adding sub-headers to your introduction section, use upper and lowercase letters, bold, left align and indent the second level header. Start the following text on a new line and indent it

Use past tense for the literature review

Levels of Heading

For additional headings, make sure they are consistent with the levels of heading

Method

The method section does not begin on a new page. Simply write “Method” in bold uppercase and lowercase letters on the next line and center it. The following text will begin on the next line

The second level headings (Participants, Materials, Procedure) are each on the following lines, flushed left, bolded and written in uppercase and lowercase letters. The following text will begin on the next line

Third level headings (used for specific measures) will be left-aligned, bolded, indented have only the first letter capitalized and end with a period. The following text will begin after the period

Parts of the Method Section Participants Materials Procedure Design Analyses

Note: It is called “Method” and not “Methods”

Results

The results section does not start on a new page. Place the heading “Results” centered and bolded in upper-and lowercase letters on the next line and start your first paragraph on the next line

Pay attention to italicize the correct statistical symbols when reporting statistics

Use superscripts and subscripts

N, M, F, p, df, f… Overview:

Don’t include raw data Don’t discuss

implications Report all findings Refer to all

tables/figures Remind reader of

hypotheses Include preliminary

analyses as the first paragraph

Discussion

The discussion section does not start on a new page. Place the heading “Discussion” centered and bolded in upper-and lowercase letters on the next line and start your first paragraph on the next line

Overview: Give meaning to the

results and related to the context

State whether hypotheses were supported or not supported

Address limitations, and future research

Discuss implications of findings

Refer back to the literature

References

The reference page starts on a new page. Center “References” in uppercase and lowercase letters

Double space and format all references with a hanging indent

Overview: Include DOI when

possible Make sure all in-

text citations in the introduction and discussion section appear on the reference page

References – Journal Articles

General Form:Author, A. A., Author, B. B., & Author, C. C.

(Year). Title of article. Title of Journal, xx(xx), xxx-xxx.

One AuthorWilliams, J. H. (2008). Employee

engagement: Improving participation in safety. Professional Safety, 53(12), 40-45.

References – Journal Articles

Two to Seven Authors [List all authors]Keller, T. E., Cusick, G. R., & Courtney, M. E. (2007).

Approaching the transition to adulthood: Distinctive profiles of adolescents aging out of the child welfare system. Social Services Review, 81, 453-484.

Eight or More Authors [List the first six authors, ... and the last author]

Wolchik, S. A., West, S. G., Sandler, I. N., Tein, J.-Y., Coatsworth, D., Lengua, L.,...Griffin, W. A. (2000). An experimental evaluation oftheory-based mother and mother-child programs for children of divorce. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 68, 843-849.

References - Books

General FormAuthor, A. A. (Year). Title of work. Location:

Publisher.One AuthorAlexie, S. (1992). The business of fancy

dancing: Stories and poems. Brooklyn, NY: Hang Loose Press.

References - Books

Corporate Author with an Edition and Published by the Corporate Author

American Psychiatric Association. (1994). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (4th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.

Anonymous AuthorDorland’s illustrated medical dictionary

(31st ed.). (2007). Philadelphia, PA: Saunders.

References - Books

Chapter in a BookBooth-LaForce, C., & Kerns, K. A. (2009).

Child-parent attachment relationships, peer relationships, and peer-group functioning. In K. H. Rubin, W. M. Bukowski, & B. Laursen (Eds.), Handbook of peer interactions, relationships, and groups (pp. 490-507). New York, NY: Guilford Press.

References – ERIC DocumentShyyan, V., Thurlow, M., & Liu, K. (2005).

Student perceptions of instructional strategies: Voices of English language learners with disabilities. Minneapolis, MN: National Center on Educational Outcomes, University of Minnesota. Retrieved from the ERIC database. (ED495903)

References - Databases

General Format Author, A. A., Author, B. B., & Author, C. C.

(Year). Title of article. Name of Journal, xx, xxx-xxx. doi:xxxxxxxxxx

Article Retrieved from an Online Database

Senior, B., & Swailes, S. (2007). Inside management teams: Developing a teamwork survey instrument. British Journal of Management, 18, 138-153. doi:10.1111/j.1467-8551.2006.00507.x

References - Databases

Article from an Online MagazineLodewijkx, H. F. M. (2001, May 23).

Individual-group continuity in cooperation and competition under varying communication conditions. Current Issues in Social Psychology, 6(12), 166-182. Retrieved fromhttp://www.uiowa.edu/~grpproc/crisp/crisp.6.12.htm

References – Other Online ContentGeneral FormAuthor, A. A. (Year). Title of work. Retrieved

from web addressOnline Report from a

Nongovernmental OrganizationKenney, G. M., Cook, A., & Pelletier, J.

(2009). Prospects for reducing uninsured rates among children: How much can premium assistance programs help? Retrieved from Urban Institute website: http://www.urban.org/url.cfm?ID=411823

References – Other Online ContentOnline Report with No Author

Identified and No DateGVU's 10th WWW user survey. (n.d.).

Retrieved from http://www.cc.gatech.edu/user_surveys/survey-1998-10/

Entire Website (in-text is sufficient)Kidpsych is an excellent website for young

children (http://www.kidpsych.org).

In-text Citations

Indirect Quotation with Parenthetical Citation Libraries historically highly value intellectual

freedom and patron confidentiality (LaRue, 2007). Indirect Quotation with Author as Part of the

Narrative LaRue (2007) identified intellectual freedom and

patron confidentiality as two key values held historically by libraries.

Direct Quotation with Parenthetical Citation Darwin used the metaphor of the tree of life "to

express the other form of interconnectedness–genealogical rather than ecological” (Gould & Brown, 1991, p. 14).

In-text Citations

Direct Quotation with Author as Part of the Narrative Gould and Brown (1991) explained that

Darwin used the metaphor of the tree of life "to express the other form of interconnectedness–genealogical rather than ecological” (p. 14).

References & In-text Citations of Secondary Sources

Seidenberg and McClelland’s study (as cited in Coltheart, Curtis, Atkins, & Haller, 1993) provided a glimpse into the world…

Cite the original study in your reference page

Appendices Singular is “Appendix” and Plural

is “Appendices” Each Appendix begins on a new

page For only one appendix, title the

first line of the page “Appendix” and center it. Do not bold this heading

For more than one appendix, title each first line of each appendix “Appendix A”, “Appendix B” and so on. This title should be centered. Do not bold this heading

Appendices may contain subheadings that should be formatted according to the levels of heading on page 62 of the APA Version 6 manual

Appendices should appear in the order in which they were referred to in the body of the research paper

Tables and figures must be numbered in the order in which they were discussed in the text of the research paper

Must be double spaced Remember, appendices often

include: Informed consent forms Letters to participants Survey instruments Interview/focus group protocols Data observation sheets SPSS output of analyses

conducted Tables and figures

Presentation References

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/

http://www2.yk.psu.edu/learncenter/apa-july-09.pdf

http://www.calstatela.edu/library/guides/3apa.pdf

http://www.vanguard.edu/faculty/ddegelman/detail.aspx?doc_id=796

APA Manual, Version 6, 2nd Printing APA Format Made Easy Presentation by

Cady Block