APA

Formatting

1” margins Times New Roman font Double-spaced Running head in all caps at top left of every

page Page number at top right of every page

Writing Style

Scientific writing does not have to lack style or be dull Present findings directly, but in a way that conveys

involvement in the problem Address differing positions of researchers in a

professional, non-combative way Use specific and concise language Avoid poetic or figurative language Vary sentence length and complexity to add interest

Writing Style, cont’d

Maintain continuity and smoothness of expression with punctuation, transitions, consistent verb tense Use third person, unless otherwise specified Use active voice as much as possible

Be precise and clear Don’t add words for the sake of length Don’t repeat yourself for emphasis Avoid colloquialisms, which weaken meaning Avoid overusing jargon

Guidelines for Reducing Bias

Describe at the appropriate level of specificity When in doubt, be more specific rather than less Avoid terms that are loaded with innuendo, such

as “at risk,” unless you are defining your use of the term.

Be specific and sensitive when describing or discussing age, racial groups, sexual orientation, marital status, disabilities, etc.

Guidelines for Reducing Bias, cont’d

Be sensitive to labels Respect preferences – call people what they

prefer to be called Remember that preferences can change over time

and that individuals within groups may disagree Avoid labeling whenever possible

Labels can cause participants in a study to lose their individuality and/or personhood

Guidelines for Reducing Bias, cont’d

Acknowledge participation Write about people in a way that acknowledges

their participation and is consistent with the traditions of the field

Accepted terms include “participants” and “subjects”

Avoid the term “failed,” because it can imply a personal shortcoming rather than a research result

Essential Parts

Title Page Abstract Main Body References

Title Page

Running head Running head: TITLE OR SHORTENED TITLE The words “Running head:” only appear on the title

page. Subsequent pages will only include the title Page number Centered on top half of the page:

Title of Paper Name Institution Name

Abstract

Running head and page number in header “Abstract” centered on first line, first line of

paragraph will not be indented 150-250 words, double-spaced Brief, comprehensive summary of paper Not an introduction to the paper Will not contain citations

Main Body

Title centered on top of first page Headings Citations

Headings

Used to separate sections of the paper and establish information hierarchy

Use in order, beginning with Level 1 Level 1

Centered, Boldface, Uppercase and Lowercase Heading

Level 2 Left-aligned, Boldface, Uppercase and

Lowercase Heading

Headings

Level 3 Indented, boldface, lowercase heading with

a period. Level 4

Indented, boldface, italicized, lowercase heading with a period.

Level 5 Indented, italicized, lowercase heading with a

period.

In-Text Citations

Used whenever directly quoting or paraphrasing from another author’s work

When paraphrasing, use author, date format: (Author last name, year)

A citation for a direct quote should also include a page number: (Author, year, p. #)

Quotations 40 words or longer should be placed in a freestanding block

If no author is given, used a shortened version of the title in the citation

In-Text Citations

If the publication date is unknown, use “n.d.” in its place

For works with two authors, list both and use an ampersand: (Smith & Jones, 2010)

For works with 3 or more authors, list all in the first citation: (Smith, Jones, & Brown, 2010), in subsequent citations, list the first author and “et al.”: (Smith et al., 2010)

Classical works such as the Bible are only cited in-text. Include the reference and version used: (1 Cor. 13:1, Revised Standard Version)

References

Include running head and page number Center “References” at the top of the page Every line after the first line of a reference

entry should be indented one-half inch from the margin

References are listed in alphabetical order by author name

Authors are listed last name first, followed by first and middle initials

References

All titles except journal titles have only the first word capitalized Always capitalize proper nouns Capitalize the first word after a colon

Article titles do not use quotation marks, underlines, or italics

Book titles should be italicized

Reference List

Book

Author, A. A. (Publication Year). Title of work: Subtitle. Location: Publisher. Separate multiple authors with commas

Up to 7 authors For more than 7, follow with ellipsis (…), skip to last author, list

final author Use an ampersand (&) instead of the word “and”

Article in a periodical

Author, A. A. (Year). Title of article. Title of Periodical, volume # (issue #), page #s.

Reference List, cont’d

Article from an online periodical (with DOI) The digital object identifier (DOI) is a reference

number assigned to online periodical content Searchable in online databases (like an ISBN)

Author, A. A. (Date). Title of article. Title of Online Periodical, volume # (issue #), pp-pp. doi:xx.xxxx

Reference List, cont’d

Article from an online periodical (without DOI)

Author, A. A. (Date). Title of article. Title of Online Periodical, volume # (issue #), pp-pp. Retrieved from http://www.fullurl.com

A web site

Author, A. A. (Date). Title of document. Retrieved from http://www.fullurl.com

APA Resources

PowerPoint presentation http://www.liberty.edu/index.cfm?PID=12268

APA Manual Purdue’s Online Writing Lab

http://owl.english.purdue.edu

The Writing Centers

Undergraduate Writing Center Office hours: M-F, 8 am – 5 pm undergradwriting@liberty.edu (434) 592-3174

Graduate Writing Center Office hours: M-F, 9 am – 5 pm graduatewriting@liberty.edu (434) 592-4727