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Psychology

APA Style

APA Basics

All citation styles are based on similar information - that is, whatever information a reader would need to find your original source. In APA Style, this typically follows the pattern

► Author name ► Publication Year ► Title of the Specific Work ► Information About the Source of the Work

Where citation styles tend to differ is the formatting of these pieces of information in relation to each other and the punctuation used. While we provide samples from a few of the most popularly cited source types, always refer to the APA Publication Manual for your specific situation.

Note: The APA 7th Edition has simplified much of the source information - that bit after the author, date, and title. Database names and URLs are rarely included because those tend not to tell the reader much about how to find the reference. Similarly, the location where print materials were created is no longer included. Find out more about the changes in the APA Style Blog!

Periodicals

Author, A. A., Author, B. B., & Author, C. C. (Year). Title in sentence case: Only capitalize first words and proper nouns. Source Name, Vol(Iss), pp. doi or non-database URL.
Taylor, N. (2018). Youth information-seeking behavior and online government information. Journal of Documentation, 74(3), 509-525.   https://doi.org/10.1108/JD-06-2017-0093.

Books

Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Year). Title of book in sentence case. Publisher Name. doi or URL if available.
Aspray, W., & Hayes, B. (2011). Everyday information: The evolution of information seeking in America. MIT Press.
 
Chapter of a Book
Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Year of publication). Title of chapter. In E. E. Editor & F. F. Editor (Eds.), Title of work: Capital letter also for subtitle (pp. pages of chapter). Publisher. DOI (if available)
Armstrong, D. (2019). Malory and character. In M. G. Leitch & C. J. Rushton (Eds.), A new companion to Malory (pp. 144-163). D. S. Brewer.
 
Edition Other Than the First

Author, A. A. (Year of publication). Title of work: Capital letter also for subtitle (# edition). Publisher. DOI (if available)

Belcher, W. (2019). Writing your journal article in twelve weeks: A guide to academic publishing success (2nd ed.). University of Chicago Press.

 

Websites

*Note - only use this format if your source doesn't match any other source type listed in the Manual.

Group Author. (Yeah, Month Day). Title of a particular webpage in italics and sentence case. Name of Website (unless it's the same as the group author). url.
Bologna, C. (2018, June 27). The secret to a long, happy healthy life? Think age-positive. CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2019/01/03/health/respect-toward-elderly-leads-to-long-life-intl/index.html.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (n.d.). High blood pressure. https://www.cdc.gov/bloodpressure/index.html.

10 Writing Tips

Writing Tip #1 Read and understand all assignment requirements before you start writing
Writing Tip #2 Start your writing process early to allow time for research, drafting, and revision
Writing Tip #3 Unless your assignment allows for a personal or reflective tone, avoid using first-person pronouns like
Writing Tip #4 Adhere to the specified citation style (APA, MLA, Chicago, etc.) required by your instructor
Writing Tip #5 Create a clear and concise thesis statement that outlines the main points of your paper
Writing Tip #6 Conduct thorough research using reputable sources to support your argument
Writing Tip #9 Carefully edit and proofread your work for grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors
Writing Tip #10 Cite your sources accurately and consistently to avoid plagiarism
Writing Tip #8 Ensure that your ideas flow logically from one paragraph to the next
Writing Tip #7 Organize your paper with a clear introduction, main body, conclusion, and reference section

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