1. An Introduction to APA Formatting & Style (6th Ed.)
CSUDH
Promoting Excellence in Graduate Studies
Est. 2010
An Introduction to APA Formatting & Style (6th Ed.)
apastyle.org (2015)

2. Disclaimer
All workshops and workshop materials are the sole property of PEGS and cannot be published, copied, or disseminated without prior written approval from PEGS and are for student and faculty use only. This presentation is NOT comprehensive but does address common concerns. See the APA manual or a writer’s guide for further details. (

3. An Introduction to APA Formatting & Style (6th Ed.)
Fields/ Disciplines
Most social sciences
Business*
Nursing
CHECK citation guidelines for YOUR discipline or publishing journal!!!!
What is APA Style?
(2015)
Content organization
Writing style
Citing references
How to prepare a manuscript for publication
“APA citation style refers to the rules and conventions established by the American Psychological Association for documenting sources used in a research paper. APA style requires both in-text citations and a reference list. For every in-text citation there should be a full citation in the reference list and vice versa.” – Retrieved from July 7th, 2015.
“APA Style establishes standards of written communication concerning:
the organization of content
writing style
citing references
and how to prepare a manuscript for publication in certain disciplines.” Retrieved from July 7th, 2015.
Encountered in most social sciences, [PROMPT STUDENTS FOR SOCIAL SCIENCE EXAMPLES], such as psychology, linguistics, sociology, economics criminology
Business can use other formats like Chicago or Harvard ( Retrieved July 7th, 2015

4. An Introduction to APA Formatting & Style (6th Ed.)
Term Papers
Research Reports
Empirical Studies
Literature Reviews
Theoretical Articles
Methodological Articles
Case Studies
List obtained from “Basics of APA Style ( 2015

5. APA 6th Ed.: Formatting the Research Paper
APA Style 6th Ed.: Formatting the Research Paper
APA 6th Ed.: Formatting the Research Paper
Basic Components:
Title Page
Abstract
Main Body
Introduction
Method
Results
Discussion/ Conclusion
References
Appendices (*if applicable*)
NOTE:
These are the basic components according to the APA, however check with your professor, subject and journal to make sure that you adhere to the appropriate or required formats.

6. APA Style 6th Ed.: Formatting the Research Paper
Title Page
Running Head (page header, upper left)
Short Title, all caps
Author’s Name & Institutional Affiliation
Centered
Page No. (header, right
Authors Note*
In accordance with APA guidelines, your title page will always be pg. “1”, however some submissions, for example a thesis, will require that you not number this page. You can then start the abstract or introduction page as pg. “2” accordingly. Always check with your professor or publisher.
Author’s Note is OPTIONAL, or conditional upon publication guidelines and requirements.
(2015)

7. APA Style 6th Ed.: Formatting the Research Paper
Abstract
Abstract
(Content is double spaced
Keywords
Words
Descriptive vs. Informative; (Critical Abstract)
General Elements*:
Reasons for Writing
Problem
Methodology
Results
Implications
Abstract is normally only required for publication (including publishing a thesis by the university), unless instructed ot required by your professor, (
“When do people write abstracts?
when submitting articles to journals, especially online journals
when applying for research grants
when writing a book proposal
when completing the Ph.D. dissertation or M.A. thesis
when writing a proposal for a conference paper
when writing a proposal for a book chapter …
There are two types of abstracts: descriptive and informative. They have different aims, so as a consequence they have different components and styles. There is also a third type called critical, but it is rarely used. …
Descriptive abstracts
A descriptive abstract indicates the type of information found in the work. It makes no judgments about the work, nor does it provide results or conclusions of the research. It does incorporate key words found in the text and may include the purpose, methods, and scope of the research. Essentially, the descriptive abstract describes the work being abstracted. Some people consider it an outline of the work, rather than a summary. Descriptive abstracts are usually very short—100 words or less.
Informative abstracts
The majority of abstracts are informative. While they still do not critique or evaluate a work, they do more than describe it. A good informative abstract acts as a surrogate for the work itself. That is, the writer presents and explains all the main arguments and the important results and evidence in the complete article/paper/book. An informative abstract includes the information that can be found in a descriptive abstract (purpose, methods, scope) but also includes the results and conclusions of the research and the recommendations of the author. The length varies according to discipline, but an informative abstract is rarely more than 10% of the length of the entire work. In the case of a longer work, it may be much less. …
Which type should I use?
Your best bet in this case is to ask your instructor or refer to the instructions provided by the publisher. You can also make a guess based on the length allowed; i.e., words = descriptive; 250+ words = informative.” ( Retrieved July 7th, 2015
General Elements:
Reasons for writing: Why is your research important?
Problem: What are you attempting to solve or address?
Methodology: Models, frameworks, approaches or evidence used.
Results: Are there specific findings? If not, you may discuss the findings in general or broad terms.
Implications: How does this work add to the existing body of knowledge in this or these subject(s)/area(s)? Where is there further research to be done? (adopted from
“How not to write an abstract:
Do not refer extensively to other works.
Do not add information not contained in the original work.
Do not define terms.” ( Retrieved July 7th, 2015
*adopted from

8. APA Style 6th Ed.: Formatting the Research Paper
Introduction
Header (on all following pages)
Follows Title page or Abstract (pg. 2 or 3)
Complete Title of Research Paper*
All following text in Main Body is double spaced
Type sections without a page break; bolded
The Running Header which we established on the title page will follow through every page of the paper, including the Works Cited page or References List.
The assumption is that the page following your abstract or title page is the introduction. There is no need for a formal heading, or title. HOWEVER, it is recommended that you may retype the complete Title of your paper at top, centered, and NOT bolded or italicized, (12 pt font). This is optional, and may be contingent upon publication or submission guidelines. [CHECK APA FOR THIS]
If you are writing a general research paper or assignment for class, like a literature review etc., your headings and subheadings or what we refer to here as “sections” should be written through without any page breaks. However, when submitting publications, or term assignments, guidelines and requirements may differ., for example writing a chapter thesis. Here sections, will be divided into chapters.
(2015)

9. APA Style 6th Ed.: Formatting the Research Paper
Main Body:
Methods
Results
Discussion/ Conclusion
Center, or left align all sections and subheadings in bold, 12 pt. font.
These sections/subheadings depend on your assignment, or publication guidelines
See handout for more information
It depends on what type of paper you are submitting. The most common types of APA papers are the literature review and the experimental report. See the APA 6th Ed. Manual or the Purdue OWL site for examples and guides. You can also find more information on the PEGS website [????]
Students will be given a handout to accompany the workshop. This handout will include a chart with the corresponding ALA heading levels and respective format guidelines.
(2015)

10. APA Style 6th Ed.: Formatting the Research Paper
References
Begin on new page
References as title, centered
Alphabetical order according to first author’s last name.
If more than one:
DO NOT CHANGE the
order of the
authors
Double space entries
Each entry includes a hanging indent (1/2 inch from margin)
“References” as a title should be centered, but not bolded.
ALL citations should be completely listed in the References page with the exception of personal communications and classical works (
(2015)

11. APA Style 6th Ed.: Formatting the Research Paper
Appendices (Figures & Tables)
OPTIONAL, or only used when applicable depending on assignment or project
All figures, tables, charts, (etc.) referenced in the text go here.
Title(s) centered, with identifying capital letter
According to Purdue OWL ( (Retrieved July 8th, 2015):
“Begin each appendix on a new page., with the word appendix in the top center. Use an identifying capital letter (e.g., Appendix A, Appendix B, etc.) if you have more than one appendix.”
“If an appendix consists entirely of a table or figure, the title of the table or figure should serve as the title of the appendix.”
“Label tables and figures in the appendix as you would in the text of your manuscript, using the letter A before the number to clarify that the table or figure belongs to the appendix.”
If you are including paragraphs, “The first paragraph of the appendix should flush with the left margin. Additional paragraphs should be indented.”
(2015)

12. APA Style 6th Ed.: References & Citations
Important because…
References amplify, complement, support, and contribute to our work.
Citations acknowledge sources, and if you cite properly, you avoid PLAGIARISM. 

13. APA Style 6th Ed.: References & Citations
In Text Citations Vs References List
Summary or Paraphrase
Direct Quotations
Short & Long
Personal Communication(s)
Single/ Multiple, or NO Author(s)
Two or More Works together
Electronic Sources
Indirect Sources
Introductions, Prefaces, Forewords & Afterwords
“Cite the work of those individuals whose ideas, theories, or findings have directly influenced your work, even if you are paraphrasing or describing someone else’s idea (Chapter 6).
To avoid plagiarism, take careful notes as you research to keep track of all sources and collect the information you need to cite them properly” (
(2015)

14. APA Style 6th Ed.: References & Citations
In Text Citations
Summary or Paraphrase
Author-date citation system (author’s last name and year of publication)
As Wickerbacher (2000) suggested, teenagers experience . . .
Page number is encouraged, but NOT required.
Use Signal Phrases:
“Examples of signal phrases
In the study by Smith (2011), members of street gangs tend to . . .
As Wickerbacher (2000) suggested, teenagers experience . . .
Patterson and Quixote (2009) observed that monkeys favor . . .” (PEGS CSUDH Intro to APA Style and Formatting, original workshop)
If signal phrase is not used, but paraphrase and reference is still made, provide Author’s last name and publication date in parenthesis at the end of the sentence, before the period.
The only way you will not use the Author-date system in parenthesis is if you explicitly state the date and the author within the sentence.
- Example used by APA in Basics of APA Style Tutorial (apastyle.org)
“ In 2003, Kessler’s study of epidemiological samples showed that…”
“If you refer to the title of a source within your paper, capitalize all words that are four letters long or greater within the title of a source: Permanence and Change. Exceptions apply to short words that are verbs, nouns, pronouns, adjectives, and adverbs: Writing New Media, There Is Nothing Left to Lose.(Note: in your References list, only the first word of a title will be capitalized: Writing new media.)
When capitalizing titles, capitalize both words in a hyphenated compound word: Natural-Born Cyborgs.
Capitalize the first word after a dash or colon: "Defining Film Rhetoric: The Case of Hitchcock's Vertigo.“
Italicize or underline the titles of longer works such as books, edited collections, movies, television series, documentaries, or albums: The Closing of the American Mind; The Wizard of Oz; Friends.
Put quotation marks around the titles of shorter works such as journal articles, articles from edited collections, television series episodes, and song titles: "Multimedia Narration: Constructing Possible Worlds"; "The One Where Chandler Can't Cry.” “ (
(2015)

15. APA Style 6th Ed.: References & Citations
Summary or Paraphrase with multiple authors
3 – 5 Authors:
Initial citation:
(Kernis, Cornell, Sun, Berry, & Harlow, 1993)
Subsequent citation(s): (Kernis et al., 1993)
6 Authors or more Authors:
Initial AND Subsequent citation(s): Harris et al. (2001) argued...
(Harris et al., 2001)
Examples adopted from (2015)

16. APA Style 6th Ed.: References & Citations
Summarizing or Paraphrasing ideas/content of two or more works together
Alphabetical order as in References:
Several studies (Miller, 1999; Shafranske & Mahoney, 1998) suggest that…
Kernis, M. H., Cornell, D. P., Sun, C. R., Berry, A.,
Harlow, T., & Bach, J. S. (1993). There's more to self-
esteem than whether it is high or low: The importance of
stability of self-esteem. Journal of Personality and
Social Psychology, 65,
“When you need to cite two or more works together, arrange the in text, citations alphabetically in the same order in which they appear in the reference list (6.16)”
(Retrieved July 8th, 2015).
Each work cited should remain within the same parenthesis, separated by a semicolon.
“If the work does not have an author, cite the source by its title in the signal phrase or use the first word or two in the parentheses. Titles of books and reports are italicized or underlined; titles of articles, chapters, and web pages are in quotation marks” ( (Retrieved July 8, 2015).
Examples adopted from (2015) and (2015) respectively.

17. APA Style 6th Ed.: References & Citations
Summarizing or Paraphrasing when NO or Anonymous Author, or organization as author
Cite Title:
A similar study was done of students learning to format research papers ("Using APA," 2001).
Anonymous:
Anonymous (2001)
“If the work does not have an author, cite the source by its title in the signal phrase or use the first word or two in the parentheses. Titles of books and reports are italicized or underlined; titles of articles, chapters, and web pages are in quotation marks […]
In the rare case the "Anonymous" is used for the author, treat it as the author's name (Anonymous, 2001). In the reference list, use the name Anonymous as the author.” ( (Retrieved July 8, 2015).
Organization:
According to the American Psychological Association (2000),...
Examples adopted from (2015) respectively.

18. APA Style 6th Ed.: References & Citations
In Text Citations
Electronic Sources
Author-date style: Kenneth (2000) explained...
Personal Communication
Cite In-Text ONLY, not in References:
A. P. Smith also claimed that many of her students had difficulties with APA style (personal communication, November 3, 2002).
“Personal Communication: For interviews, letters, s, and other person-to-person communication, cite the communicator's name, the fact that it was personal communication, and the date of the communication. Do not include personal communication in the reference list.”
Examples adopted from (2015) respectively.

19. APA Style 6th Ed.: References & Citations
Indirect Sources
Johnson argued that...(as cited in Smith, 2003, p. 102).
Introductions, Prefaces & Afterwords
(Funk & Kolln, 1992)
“If you use a source that was cited in another source, name the original source in your signal phrase. List the secondary source in your reference list and include the secondary source in the parentheses.
Note: When citing material in parentheses, set off the citation with a comma, as above. Also, try to locate the original material and cite the original source” ( (Retrieved July 9, 2015).
“When citing an Introduction, Preface, Foreword, or Afterwords in-text, cite the appropriate author and year as usual” ( (Retrieved July 9, 2015).
Examples adopted from (2015) respectively.

20. APA Style 6th Ed.: References & Citations
(a) Short & (b) Long Quotations
Jones (1998) found "students often had difficulty using APA style" (p. 199); what implications does this have for teachers?
Jones's (1998) study found the following:  Students often had difficulty using APA style, especially when it was their first time citing  sources. This difficulty could be attributed to the  fact that many students failed to purchase a style  manual or to ask their teacher for help. (p. 199)
“If you are directly quoting from a work, you will need to include the author, year of publication, and the page number for the reference (preceded by "p.").
[…]
Place direct quotations that are 40 words, or longer, in a free-standing block of typewritten lines, and omit quotation marks. Start the quotation on a new line, indented 1/2 inch from the left margin, i.e., in the same place you would begin a new paragraph. Type the entire quotation on the new margin, and indent the first line of any subsequent paragraph within the quotation 1/2 inch from the new margin. Maintain double-spacing throughout. The parenthetical citation should come after the closing punctuation mark.” ( (Retrieved July 9, 2015.).
Examples adopted from (2015) respectively.

21. APA Style 6th Ed.: References & Citations
References List
Image adopted and edited from (2015) “The Basics of APA Style” Video Tutorial

22. Questions. Contact PEGS or Visit Us.  pegs4grads. org PEGS@csudh
Questions??? Contact PEGS or Visit Us!  pegs4grads.org (310)

23. References apastyle.org (2015)