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By Kate Cottle

A style of formatting papers

Consistency

A way to level the playing field

A way to note sources

Sources are any outside information that you


use in your projects
Noting sources is a two step process
In-text citation: within the body of the paper
References page: a list at the end of your sources

is just one type of


style. You may worked
with MLA or Chicago
Style in other settings.
We use APA here
because it is the style
used in social sciences
and nursing.

http://www.bakeru.edu/images/stories/1_Academics/2_Library/citation/apa_6th_ed.gif

There are three main aspects to APA

Manuscript Style

Editorial Style

Formatting choices
MUGs (Mechanics, Usage and Grammar)

Sourcing: noting where you got your


information
In-text citations
References

This is how the paper looks.

Margins: 1 inch
Spacing: double spaced
Paragraphs begin with indents
Font: 12 point, serif font (Times New Roman)
Header:
In the upper margin of the page
On the left, a shortened version of the title.
On the right, a page number.

MUGs

Mechanics
Punctuation
Capitalization
Numbers

Usage
Active Voice
Agreement

Grammar (actually mechanics and usage)


http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_eIARuH0x4Y/SjAbAWf5ptI/AAAAAAAAAz4/p7ZxgSDsl1E/s400/punctuation+lite.gif

Word Choice

http://http://cf.ltkcdn.net/freelance-writing/images/std/32118-425x282-Academic_writing.jpg

Noun Clusters
Jargon
Colloquialisms
Specificity
Biased
Language

When you write research papers, you have


to both use and acknowledge outside
information.
All outside sources must noted, whether you
have incorporated the information as a
quote, a paraphrase, or a summary.
All sources that have in-text citations should
also have an entry on the References page.

Sourcing is a two-part process.

In-text citations are short entries of authors


name (or a shortened version of the title if not
author), date of publication, and a page or
paragraph number.
The references page contains the longer, more
informative entries that a person could use to
find your source.

Both kinds of entries have consistent


information that would allow someone to
find that material.

The entry will consist of four parts

Parentheses
Authors name
Date of publication
Page number or paragraph number (if a quote
rather than a paraphrase or summary)

(Sparrow, 2005, p. 187)

These go in your sentence as close as


possible to the end of the outside material,
but still where the reference fits in best.

If your quote/ paraphrase ends at the end of the


sentence, that is where the citation will go.
Many people have discussed the topic, but the ultimate authority
said, Aaaarrrr, they be landlubbers (Sparrow, 2005, p. 187).

If your quote/ paraphrase ends at the middle of


the sentence, that is where the citation will go
or you can split it so it flows better.
Sparrow (2005) wrote, Aaaarrrr, they be landlubbers, in
opposition to many experts (p. 187).

Once you have cited something in the body


of your paper, it must go into your
References page.
This page is double spaced and each entry
has a hanging indent

A hanging indent means that the first line of the


entry is on the left margin and every entry after
that is a half inch in.

This page is alphabetized by author.

If no author, then listed alphabetically by title.

There are many variations of entries, based


on the source.
To determine what information is necessary,
first think about what type of source you are
looking at.

Book?
Newspaper?
Online journal article?

Once you have determined what your


source is, look in the APA Style Manual for
the information that you will need.
Most often this includes:

Author name
Data of publication
Name of article
Name of book/ journal/ newspaper
Website or database

APA Style Manual, 6th Edition

Make sure it is the revision: the second printing

Purdue OWL
Pocket Guide to APA Style by Robert Perrin
APA the Easy Way by Peggy M. Houghton,
Timothy J. Houghton, Michele M. Pratt
Guide to Graduate Writing
Student Success Center Writing Resources

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