1. APA Basics A Tutorial Prepared by Cheryl Kashuba, Writing Specialist
Marywood University Writing Center
2018

2. About This Tutorial
The slides that follow highlight some of the basic elements of APA style
All information comes from the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 6th edition
Section numbers (for example, 2.01) and page numbers (for example, p. 23) refer to specific sections and pages of the APA manual
For further information beyond what is stated in this tutorial, please consult the relevant pages of the manual itself

3. Part 1: The Title Page, slides 4-17:
Table of Contents
Part 1: The Title Page, slides 4-17:
The title page itself: slides 4-10
Choosing a title: slide 7
Sample title page: slide 10
Formatting the running head: slides 11-17
Part 2: Managing Sources - slides 18-55:
In-text citations: slides 18-39
References page: slide 40-55

4. Part 1: The Title Page: What should the title page include?
For papers assigned by a professor for a class, the title page should include 4 elements:
Running head
Title
Author byline (i.e., your name)
Institutional affiliation (i.e., your university)

5. If you are publishing your article:
Also include an author note
APA manual section 2.03:
“An author note appears with each printed article to identify each author’s department affiliation, provide acknowledgements, state any disclaimers or perceived conflict of interest, and provide a point of contact for the interested reader. (Students should note that an author note is usually not a requirement for theses and dissertations)” (p. 24).
Section 2.03 (pp ) of the manual tells you how to arrange the information in an author’s note.

6. Sample title page:
This is what a title page looks like. The slides that follow take you step-by-step through the set up of a title page.

7. How do I choose a title for my paper?
APA manual section 2.01:
“A title should summarize the main idea of the manuscript simply and, if possible, with style” (p. 23).
“It should be a concise statement of the main topic and should identify the variables or theoretical issues under investigation and the relationships between them” (p. 23).
“The recommended length for a title is no more than 12 words” (p.23).
Example:
Effectiveness of Music Therapy for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

8. How should my title look on the title page?
APA manual section 2.01:
“typed in uppercase and lowercase letters” (p. 23)
“centered between the left and right margins” (p. 23)
“positioned in the upper half of the page” (p. 23)
Note: Do Not
bold face
italicize
Underline
*See slide 10 for an example.

9. The title page should also include:
Author byline (i.e., your name)
Your institutional affiliation (i.e., your university)

10. Sample title page:
Note: The first letter of each word in the title is capitalized, with the exception of small words such as articles (for example, the words an or the) and prepositions (for example, the words of and in)

11. What is the running head?
The running head is a shorter version of the title of your paper used as a header on the top of each page of your paper
If the title, is:
Effectiveness of Music Therapy for Children
with Autism Spectrum Disorders
Then the running head might look like this:
EFFECTIVENESS OF MUSIC THERAPY FOR CHILDREN

12. Where does the running head go?
The running head appears in the top margin of your paper
But it looks different on the title page from the way it looks on the other pages of your paper, as follows:
On the title page of your document, the running head needs to include the words Running head, like this:
Running head: EFFECTIVENESS OF MUSIC THERAPY FOR CHILDREN WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS
The words Running head do not appear on each of the other pages of your document and should look like this:
EFFECTIVENESS OF MUSIC THERAPY FOR CHILDREN

13. A breakdown of how the running head should look on the title page:
Sample title page:
In the sample title page to the left:
The running head appears in the top margin of the paper
The word Running is capitalized The word head is not capitalized
The phrase Running head is followed by a mark of punctuation known as a colon, which looks like this :
The running head itself is in all caps

14. How to set up the running head on your title page:
In Microsoft Word 2016:
1. Double click anywhere in the top margin of your title page. The top margin is the very top of the paper, above
the area where the text of your paper appears.
The header will open, and a Design tab will appear on the right side of the Ribbon. The insertion point will
appear in the header or footer.

15. (Title page running head continued)
In the design tab, check the box that says Different First Page. This will allow you to type the running head in the correct format for the title page.

16. (Title page running head continued)
Type the desired information into the header or footer; for example: Running head: EFFECTIVENESS OF MUSIC THERAPY FOR
CHILDREN WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS
5. When you're finished, click Close Header and Footer.
Alternatively, you can press the Esc key. The header or footer text
will appear.
Move your cursor to the area where you will type the body of your
paper. Double click. This takes you out of the header section of
the document and allows you to start typing your paper
in the main section of the document.

17. How to set up the running head in the body of your paper:
First, use the instructions in the previous slides to format the running head on your title page. Note: It is essential to follow the instructions for choosing Different First Page from the menu in the Design tab
Next, go to page 2 of your document. You will see the running head already there.
Double click anywhere in the top margin.
Delete the words Running head.
The words Running head will remain in the header on your title page but will not appear in the header on any other pages of your document.

18. Part 2: Managing the Sources: In-text citations:
What are in-text citations?
In-text citations acknowledge that you have taken information or ideas from a source (i.e., a journal article, book, or some other source)
You must include a citation for any information or ideas that you take from a source, whether you quote directly or not
For the in-text citation, include the author or authors and the date of publication in parentheses
Citations for printed material (such as a printed book or printed journal article) also include page numbers
The in-text citation comes immediately after the information that you have taken from the source
APA calls for different forms depending on the number of authors of a given source
*The following slides cover the basics of how to do in-text citations

19. How do I cite sources? APA manual section 6.10:
“References in APA publications are cited in text with an author-date system” (p. 174).
They “are listed alphabetically in the reference list” (p. 174).
Why should I cite sources?
Each in-text citation “briefly identifies the source for readers” (p. 174).
Including a reference list “enables them [readers] to locate the source of information in the alphabetical reference list at the end” of your paper (p. 174).

20. In-text citations: direct quote:
If you quote directly from a source, then the in-text citation should look like this:
“Musical improvisation is also commonly used to help with communication. Some children with ASD are nonverbal, so it is important to find ways for them to communicate nonverbally” (Crane, 2016).
Note that the citation comes after the quotation marks.
Also note that the citation contains the name of the author, followed by a comma, followed by the date of publication, like this: (Crane, 2016)
Note that the period comes after the citation

21. Direct quote that is 40 or more words:
APA Manual section 6.03:
The APA manual states:
If the quotation comprises 40 or more words, display it in a freestanding block of text and omit the quotation marks. Start such a block quotation on a new line and indent the block about a half inch from the left margin (in the same position as a new paragraph). If there are additional paragraphs within the quotation, indent the first line of each an additional half inch. Double-space the entire quotation. At the end of a block quotation, cite the quoted source and the page or paragraph number in parentheses after the final punctuation mark. (p. 171)
*Note: The above text is a direct quote from the manual. Since it is more than 40 words, it has been blocked.
Also note, however, that the quoted text would need to be double spaced.
Also note the placement of the period at the end of the sentence.
See the next slide for another example of a blocked quote.

22. Example of a direct quote of 40 or more words:
The example below shows how a blocked quote looks on the page of a document.

23. Citations that include page numbers:
If your source is printed material, then your citation must include a page number.

24. Paraphrase:
One alternative to quoting a source directly is to paraphrase the source
To paraphrase, change the wording of the sentence into your own words
Also change the structure of the sentence
*See the next slide for further information and examples.

25. The original passage from the journal article:
“Musical improvisation is also commonly used to help with communication. Some children with ASD are nonverbal, so it is important to find ways for them to communicate nonverbally” (Crane, 2016).
A proper paraphrase keeps the meaning but changes both the wording and the sentence structure of the original. For example:
Musical improvisation can be an effective way to help nonverbal children with ASD to communicate (Crane, 2016).
NOTE: You must cite the source when you paraphrase.
A problematic paraphrase keeps the sentence structure of the original and simply changes a few words. For example:
Musical improvisation is also frequently used to assist communication. Some children with ASD are nonverbal, so the therapist needs to find ways for them to communicate nonverbally (Crane, 2016).
NOTE: This paraphrase is problematic because, technically, it is plagiarism!!!
That is true even though the source is cited.

26. Combination paraphrase and direct quote:
Another option to using a direct quote is using a combination of a paraphrase and a direct quote.
The original passage from the journal article:
“Musical improvisation is also commonly used to help with communication. Some children with ASD are nonverbal, so it is important to find ways for them to communicate nonverbally” (Crane, 2016).
Direct quote with a paraphrase:
“Some children with ASD are nonverbal, so it is important to find ways for them to communicate nonverbally.” Musical improvisation is one method that can be used, according to Crane (2016).

27. Citing a work with 2 authors:
APA manual section 6.12:
“When a work has two authors, cite both names every time the reference occurs in text” (p. 175).
Example:
Social and affective behaviors typical in children 7 to 9 months old are largely absent in autistic children (Wimpory & Chadwick, 1995).
Note: The symbol & is used between the names of the two authors. OR
Wimpory and Chadwick (1995) found that social and affective behaviors typical in children 7 to 9 months old are largely absent in autistic children.
Note: The symbol & is not used between the names of the two authors when those names appear in the sentence. Instead, the word and is used.
Also note the placement of the date of publication.

28. Citing a work with 3, 4, or 5 authors:
APA manual section 6.12:
“When a work has three, four, or five authors, cite all authors the first time the reference occurs; in subsequent citations, include only the surname of the first author, followed by et al.” (p. 175).
Example of the first reference with these authors:
Concerns over the type of results attained from traditional randomized clinical trials have, in recent years, led to an increase in pragmatic trials, the goal of which is “to produce data that informs health care decision making in actual clinical settings” (Broder-Fingert, Feinberg, & Silverstein, 2017). 

29. If I use that source again…
Example: The criteria used to determine the eligibility of participants in pragmatic trials should mimic the diversity that is present in community-based practice (Broder-Fingert et al., 2017). OR Broder-Fingert et al. (2017) explain that “participant eligibility criteria for a pragmatic trial should mimic the diversity of community-based practice.”

30. Citing a work with 6 or more authors:
APA manual section 6.12:
“When a work has six or more authors, cite only the surname of the first author followed by et al. (not italicized and with a period after al) and the year for the first and subsequent citations” (p. 175).
Example:
A recent study focused on facilitating development in children’s social communicative skills by having a music therapist measure the children’s attention, behaviors, and interests (Bieleninik et al., 2017). OR
A recent study by Bieleninik et al. (2017) focused on facilitating development in children’s social communicative skills by having a music therapist measure the children’s attention, behaviors, and interests.

31. Works with no identified author:
APA manual section 6.15:
“When a work has no identified author, cite in text the first few words of the reference list entry (usually the title) and the year. Use double quotation marks around the title of an article, a chapter, or a web page and italicize the title of a periodical, a book, a brochure, or a report” (p. 176).
Example:
One universal treatment plan does not work for every child. Advocates advise parents that a child’s treatment plan should evaluate “strengths as well as challenges” (“Autism therapies,” n.d.).

32. Groups as authors:
If an agency or other group is responsible for writing the material from the source, then that agency or group serves as the author, and that agency or group is called a group author. This situation is common on websites.
APA manual section 6.13:
“The names of groups that serve as authors (e.g., corporations, associations, government agencies, and study groups) are usually spelled out each time they appear in a text citation. The names of some group authors are spelled out in the first citation and abbreviated thereafter. In deciding whether to abbreviate the name of a group author, use the general rule that you need to give enough information in the text citation for the reader to locate the entry in the reference list without difficulty. If the name is long and cumbersome and if the abbreviation is familiar or readily understandable, you may abbreviate the name in the second and subsequent citations. If the name is short or the abbreviation would not be readily understandable, write out the name each time it occurs” (p. 176).
*See the next slide for an example.

33. Groups as authors:
In the following case, the group author is the United States Department of Justice. Example: Federally-funded schools are required to provide each child, regardless of ability, with equal access to the school and to any activities or programs that it offers. “All children deserve access to educational services, and making sure that schools are fully accessible to children with disabilities is a necessary part of integrating individuals with disabilities into all aspects of American life,” according to Thomas E. Perez, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division (United States Department of Justice, 2011).

34. Works with no date: APA manual section 6.28:
“If no date is available, write n.d. in parentheses” (p. 185).
Example:
One universal treatment plan does not work for every child. Advocates advise parents that a child’s treatment plan should evaluate “strengths as well as challenges” (“Autism therapies,” n.d.).

35. “as cited in”: Using secondary sources:
When you are reading source material such as a book or an article from a scholarly journal, you will find many sources cited within that article. Those are called secondary sources.
APA manual section 6.17:
“Use secondary sources sparingly, for instance, when the original work is out of print, unavailable through usual sources, or not available in English. Give the secondary source in the reference list; in text, name the original work and give a citation for the secondary source ” (p. 178).
See the next slide for an example.

36. “as cited in”: Using secondary sources:
Example: Earlier studies found that infants between seven and nine months old typically showed a range of social and affective behaviors that were not present in children with autism spectrum disorder (as cited in Lord, 1984).

37. Keep in mind the following:
The in-text citations and the references page work hand-in-hand. That means:
“Each reference cited in text must appear in the reference list, and each entry in the reference list must be cited in text” (p. 174).
“Make sure that each source referenced appears in both places” (p. 174).
And make sure “that the text citation and reference list entry are identical in spelling of author names and year” (p. 174).
“two kinds of material are cited only in the text:”
“references to classical works such as the Bible and the Qur’an, whose sections are standardized across editions”
“and references to personal communications” (p. 174).
*See the next two slides for examples of these exceptions.

38. First exception: classical works:
Example 1: The Qur’an 5:3 specifies some dietary restrictions, such as forbidding Muslims to eat "the flesh of swine." Example 2: The Bible enumerates these virtues: “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love” (1 Cor. 13:1 New International Version).

39. Second exception: personal communications:
Example: The parents stated that their child was “routinely prevented from participating” in school activities because of her disability (personal communication, March 30, 2018).

40. Managing the Sources: Reference list:
What is the reference list?
The reference list is a list of the sources you have cited throughout your paper
The reference list appears on a separate page at the end of your paper
Each item on your reference list should, generally, contain the following:
Author(s)’s name(s)
Date of publication
Title of the work
*The following slides show you in detail how to set up your references page and how to format sources on your reference list.

41. Sample References Page:
Here is a sample references page.

42. References: Alphabetize the entries on your references page according to the last name of the first author:

43. If the source has no author, then put the title in the first position and alphabetize using the title.

44. A further note about alphabetizing:
*Note: For this slide and the slides that follow, the instructions are included in the comments inserted on the pages.

45. How to format the authors’ names:

46. Groups as authors:

47. Groups as authors, continued:

48. How to format the title of the article in a scholarly journal:

49. How to format the title of a scholarly journal:

50. The volume, issue, and page numbers of a journal:

51. The digital object identifier (doi):

52. When to use “Retrieved from”:

53. When a source provides no publication date:

54. How to format an article or chapter from a book:
Author
Date of publication
Title of article or chapter

55. How to format an article or chapter from a book:
Editors of the book
Title of the book
Page numbers on which the article or chapter falls within the book
City and state where the book was published
Name of the publishing company