A note of the new edition of the APA style guide
NOTE: A NEW 7th edition of the APA manual was recently released. Ask your professor if they are using 6th ed. or 7th ed. for your projects and papers. There are differences. Thank you.
APA Style 7th edition links
- 7th edition grammar and style guidelines for APA"APA Style provides a foundation for effective scholarly communication because it helps writers present their ideas in a clear, concise, and inclusive manner. When style works best, ideas flow logically, sources are credited appropriately, and papers are organized predictably. People are described using language that affirms their worth and dignity. Authors plan for ethical compliance and report critical details of their research protocol to allow readers to evaluate findings and other researchers to potentially replicate the studies. Tables and figures present information in an engaging, readable manner."
- 7th edition reference examples"More than 100 reference examples and their corresponding in-text citations are presented in the Publication Manual. Examples of the most common kinds of works that writers cite are provided on this page for your ease of use. Note that print and electronic works have the same foundation; look for the type of work (e.g., journal article, webpage) to determine the format to follow."
- Paraphrasing in 7th ed. APA style"When you paraphrase, cite the original work using either the narrative or parenthetical citation format.
Although it is not required to provide a page or paragraph number in the citation, you may include one (in addition to the author and year) when it would help interested readers locate the relevant passage within a long or complex work (e.g., a book)."
Paraphrasing is covered in Sections 8.23 and 8.24 of the APA Publication Manual, Seventh Edition - Tables and Figures in 7th edition APA"A table usually shows numerical values (e.g., means and standard deviations) and/or textual information (e.g., lists of stimulus words, responses from participants) arranged in columns and rows. A figure may be a chart, graph, photograph, drawing, plot, infographic, or any other illustration that is not a table.
The goal of any table or figure is to help readers understand your work. The best tables and figures are also attractive and accessible to all users. The APA Style guidelines for tables and figures help ensure your visual displays are formatted clearly and consistently, thus contributing to the goal of effective communication." - APA Style Blog (Great for odd questions you may have)"The APA Style Blog is the official *companion* to the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, Seventh Edition. ... including reference citations of every sort, grammar and usage, the publication process, and social media." [website]
Bibliography versus References
Bibliography Versus Reference List
In APA Style, include a reference list rather than a bibliography with your paper.
What’s the difference? A reference list consists of all sources cited in the text of a paper, listed alphabetically by author’s surname. A bibliography, however, may include resources that were consulted but not cited in the text as well as an annotated description of each one. Bibliographies may be organized chronologically, or by subject, rather than alphabetically.
If you have been given an assignment that asks for a bibliography, consult your instructor for more specifics about the required format.
https://youtu.be/nBO1jfQy-a8?t=667 For how to format a References page in your paper - video instructions
Links of all sorts
- Ensuring that your language is free of bias. Here the American Psychological Association provide guidelines for talking about disability with inclusivity and respect."Disability is a broad term that is defined in both legal and scientific ways and encompasses physical, psychological, intellectual, and socioemotional impairments (World Health Organization, 2001, 2011). The members of some groups of people with disabilities — effectively subcultures within the larger culture of disability — have particular ways of referring to themselves that they would prefer others to adopt. When you use the disability language choices made by groups of disabled individuals, you honor their preferences."
- APA 7th Edition video 13:40 minute.This video on youtube by the Florida Gateway College really goes over it all nicely.
- APA Style Bias Free Language GuidelinesSAU Professors encourage reading this.
Books in the SAU Library
Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA STYLE) by Call Number: Library First Floor Reserves BF76.7 .P83 2020ISBN: 9781433832161Publication Date: 2020"The Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, Seventh Edition is the official source for APA Style. With millions of copies sold worldwide in multiple languages, it is the style manual of choice for writers, researchers, editors, students, and educators in the social and behavioral sciences, natural sciences, nursing, communications, education, business, engineering, and other fields. Known for its authoritative, easy-to-use reference and citation system, the Publication Manual also offers guidance on choosing the headings, tables, figures, language, and tone that will result in powerful, concise, and elegant scholarly communication. It guides users through the scholarly writing process-from the ethics of authorship to reporting research through publication. The seventh edition is an indispensable resource for students and professionals to achieve excellence in writing and make a impact with their work." -
OLD 6th Ed. of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association by Call Number: Library First Floor Reference REF BF76.7 .P83 2010ISBN: 9781433805592Publication Date: 2009Check with your professor if you can use this older edition of the manual.
APA Reference Formatting 7th edition step-by-step
A Common Question
One of the most common APA Style questions is “How do I cite a work I found online?”
This blog post explains that there is actually a better question to ask that will help you easily create correct APA Style references.
Retrieval method versus reference type
The question of “How do I cite a work I found online?” focuses on the method of retrieval. It is akin to asking, “How do I cite a work I found at the library?” or “How do I cite a work I borrowed from my friend?”
However, to know how to cite a work in APA Style, you must first know what kind of work it is. What did you find online? What did you find at the library? What did you borrow from your friend?
Reference formats in APA Style depend on the reference type, not the method of retrieval. Thus, the better question is “What kind of work is this?” By identifying the type of work, you will know what reference format to follow in the Publication Manual or Concise Guide to APA Style.
For example, if the work is a report, follow the report format. If the work is an ebook, follow the book format. If the work is a journal article, follow the journal article format.
For the source element, there are minor differences between print and online works. Both print and online works will include source information, such as the publisher name for a book or report. Then, in general, online works additionally include electronic retrieval information that may not be present for print works, such as DOIs and URLs and database information.
~APA Style Blog at https://apastyle.apa.org/blog/citing-online-works ~
print handout of reference examples (7th ed)
- 7th ed Reference examples (eight pages)Includes Journal articles, book, web sites, youtube, and more! Suitable to print out.
The old 6th edition for APA
- old 6th edition APA Formatting and Style Guide from Middlebury College Library
- old Purdue OWL video playlist for 6th ed. APA StyleNOTE: Most of these instructions are based on the 6th edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association. A 7th edition was recently released. These instructions will be updated before the spring semester begins.
- Archive of the old 6th ed. APA Style Blog"We know that editors, instructors, and students need time to learn the new style and begin applying it. With that in mind, we’ll be keeping an archive of the sixth edition APA Style blog"
- Old 6th ed. video of doing a Running Head, Section Headings and more - Youtube.....using Microsoft Word.