Putting it all together Essentials to using APA

The Pieces of the Puzzle The Acronyms Terminology Formatting The Importance of Citation

Acronyms MLA APA ASA AMA Kaplan University uses APA format for research writing. APA

Terminology Before we discuss some specifics concerning the structure of APA format,

Terminology there are some very important terms you must know. title page internal citation parenthetical signal phrase reference page

Terminology Separate from the rest of your paper, your title page should include the title, author name and course information. Like your paper, it should be double spaced. title page internal citation parenthetical signal phrase reference page

Terminology A sample title page header essay titleauthor course information

Terminology Also separate from the rest of your paper, your reference page should include, in APA format, a list of all the resources used in the paper. It will be the very last page. title page internal citation parenthetical signal phrase reference page

internal citation Terminology Internal citation refers to citation information placed inside the body, or text, of your essay. title page internal citation parenthetical signal phrase reference page

Terminology Parenthetical citation refers to the idea that citation information is enclosed in parentheses. title page internal citation parenthetical signal phrase reference page parenthetical citation

Terminology The signal phrase provides some information about your source outside of the citation reference. title page internal citation parenthetical signal phrase reference page signal phrase

Formatting Now, let’s talk a little about formatting.

Reference page entry Formatting Formatting refers to the pieces of information that must be included in internal citations and reference page entries. internal citation

Formatting Internal parenthetical citation is really rather simple.

Formatting Primarily, it involves the use of 3 pieces of information. SOURCE ID: By author’s last name WHEN: Year of publication WHERE: Page number

Formatting Author last name, Publication year, Page number. SOURCE ID: By author’s last name WHEN: Year of publication WHERE: Page number (Bass, 2005, pg. 26)

Formatting Here’s the good news – APA format dictates the use of page numbers only when you have included a direct quotation. “Death is not a period that ends the sentence of life, but a comma that punctuates it to more lofty significance.” (A Testament of Hope, 1991, p. 222)

Formatting Questions come into play with different circumstances… ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? What if there’s more than one author? What if I can’t find a page number? What if there is no publication date? What if it’s a website? What if I can’t find the author's name?

Formatting You still need the three pieces of information, you simply make appropriate substitutions. SOURCE ID: By author’s last name WHEN: Year of publication WHERE: Page number

Formatting But remember, different circumstances will require different format substitutions… ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Can I use information from a message board? What if I use a telephone interview? What if the source doesn’t have a title? What if I find useful information in an ? What if I use a TV show?

Formatting If the signal phrase includes information normally found in the internal citation, signal phrase

Formatting then you do not repeat the information in the internal citation information immediately following. internal citation

Formatting YOU MUST REMEMBER: These 3 pieces of information refer to very basic internal citation format, only. SOURCE ID WHEN WHERE

Formatting So it is a good idea to find good online resources, or purchase your own personal APA citation guide, to consult when more complex situations arise. SOURCE ID WHEN WHERE

Formatting A word about punctuation: The period comes AFTER the citation for paraphrased or summarized material.

Formatting A word about punctuation: The period comes BEFORE the citation for material that is directly quoted from the source.

Formatting A word about using direct quotes: Direct quotes, especially those of more than 40 words in length, should be used SPARINGLY. Remember – your evidence should be used to support your ORIGINAL ideas. Using more quoted material than original material takes the work out of the realm of authenticity.

Formatting Finally, let’s talk briefly about the information included in a reference page entry.

Formatting Again, different circumstances will dictate the use of additional resources or your own personal guide. ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? What if there’s more than one author? Where do I break a website address? What if this is a second edition? What if it is a source within a source? What if I decide to use a personal interview?

Formatting This is a simple overview of the information that would be included in a basic entry. You will find it is similar to the information needed in an internal citation. SOURCE ID WHEN WHERE

Formatting You begin with the author’s name, last name, first initial. SOURCE ID Bass, M. Please note: a period will follow each piece of information in your reference page list.

Formatting You will then provide the publication date, in parentheses. WHEN Bass, M. (2005, October 23). If this article is in a magazine, you will also include the month and day, AFTER the year.

Formatting Now, we include another source ID – the title. SOURCE ID Bass, M. (2005, October 23). The art of APA citation. Please note: APA uses SENTENCE STYLE capitalization for article titles. Only the first word, acronyms, and proper nouns are capitalized. The title is neither italicized or in quotation marks. It is written like a sentence.

Formatting You will then include information on the periodical itself, including the location of the information. Please note: the title of the magazine or book will be in italics. If there is a volume number, it too will be italicized. The page number information is not. Bass, M. (2005, October 23). The art of APA citation. Literature Today, 24, 138.

Formatting And there you have it… the basic building blocks of a reference page entry. Remember – It is best to consult online sources or a personal reference guide for this information because the types of circumstances for reference page entries will vary GREATLY. Bass, M. (2005, October 23). The art of APA citation. Literature Today, 24, 138.

Parting Words… Before we go…a few style guidelines concerning your actual reference page. References Bass, M. (2005, October 23). The art of APA citation. Literature Today, 24, 138. The title should be two spaces above the first entry and centered aligned.

Parting Words… Concerning the alignment of your entries… Bass, M. (2005, October 23). The art of APA citation. Literature Today, 24, 138. Your entries should be LEFT ALIGNED and double spaced. The first line should rest on the margin. All following lines should be indented. This is called a hanging indent.

Parting Words… Concerning list order: Bass, M. (2005, October 23). The art of APA citation. Literature Today, 24, 138. Dennison, C. (2002). APA citation at its best. Chronicle of Writing, 19, 24. Entries should be listed in alphabetical order, by author last name.

Parting Words… Concerning punctuation: Bass, M. (2005). The art of APA citation. Literature Today, 24, 138. Dennison, C. (2002). APA citation at its best. Chronicle of Writing, 19, 24. Remember - Each information section is followed by a PERIOD, not a comma.

Congratulations! You have completed a crash course on the basics of APA citation.