APA STYLE GUIDE
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APA
At the top of every page include a page header. The page header consists of the title of your paper left
justified and the page number right justified.
Every page including the reference list should be typed, double-spaced on standard-sized paper (8.5" x
11") with 1" margins on all sides. The preferred typeface for APA publications is 12 pt. Times New
Roman.
Your paper should consist of four sections: the title page, abstract, main section, and references list.
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Title Page: The title page should take up the full first page of your paper. Please use our title
page creatorto format your title page. Please note that on the title page, your page header/running
head is preceded by the words "Running head:" and should look like this:
Running head: TITLE OF YOUR PAPER
Pages after the title page do not include the words "Running head:" and should have a running
head that looks like this :
TITLE OF YOUR PAPER
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Abstract: An abstract is a brief summary of your paper that immediately follows your title page.
According to APA format, your abstract should be no more than 150 to 250 words, although this
can vary depending upon the specific publication or instructor requirements.
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Main body: This is the actual paper itself. This section will include in-text citations
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References: This section includes a list of all references used in the paper.
Headings
Level One Heading (centered, bold, upper and lowercase)
Level Two Heading (flush left, bold, upper and lowercase)
Level three heading. (indented, bold, upper and lower case, text follows immediately after
the period)
Level four heading. (indented, bold, italicized, lowercase except first letter and proper
nouns, ends with a period, text follows immediately after the period)
Level five heading. (indented, italicized, lowercase except first letter and proper nouns, ends
with a period, text follows immediately after the period
Sample Paper Using Three Levels of Division:
My Bicycle Trip to Pennsylvania (title)
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The paper begins with an introductory paragraph, which does not need the label
“Introduction.” It should inform the reader of the paper’s main objective.
1. Preparing for the Trip (level 1, centered, bold, upper/lowercase)
There were many steps I should have taken to prepare for my bicycle trip, but back in 1979 I
was a free spirit and pretty much just set off on my adventure. This section will explore ways in
which I was successful in preparation, as well as indicating some ways I wish I had prepared better.
The subsections will go into detail.
1.2 Routing the Trip (level 2, flush left,bold, upper/lowercase)
This section could go on for several paragraphs, but because this is an incomplete paper, it is
only two sentences. Note there is no blank line between chapter headings.
1.2.1 Maps are helpful. (level 3, indented, bold, italicized, only first word is capitalized, ends
with a period, text follows after the period) Actually, I only knew that my final destination was
Pennsylvania. I picked up maps from gas stations after I crossed state lines.
1.2.2 Bed and breakfast (B & B) reservations. (this is my second level 3 heading) The joy of
bed and breakfasts and youth hostels is that you do not have to make reservations. It was, however,
quite helpful to have a booklet listing youth hostels across America. This section could have separate
paragraphs about the differences between B & Bs and youth hostels.
2. Setting Off! (level 1, centered, bold, upper/lowercase)
This section will describe my emotions when I said goodbye to my parents, how they took a
photo of me, how in retrospect I was brave to set off without knowing where I was going besides the
final destination, four states away (I took a ferry across Lake Michigan). I will include several level 4
headings to help the reader understand the organization of my paper. Since it is a personal piece, I
will try to balance action with emotion.
2.1 Saying Goodbye to Friends (level 2, flush left, bold, upper/lowercase)
See the outline on the next page for how my headings would be organized. Space limitations
make this sample incomplete but there should be at least two headings for each level.
3. Conclusion (level 1, centered, bold, upper and lowercase)
The conclusion reiterates the main points of the paper. It should not be too long or too
detailed. It sums up what the author hoped the reader would learn from reading the paper. Sometimes
the conclusion adds a few words about the future. This paper might end with words about how I look
forward to my next bicycle trip—which I do!
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Citing Resources Using APA (American Psychological Association) Style
This guide is based on the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 6th ed. For
additional examples, please refer to the APA Manual, 6th ed., available in the reference collection in the
Xavier University Library (Call number: BF76.7.P83). Notes: For in-text direct quotes, add page
numbers: e.g., (Schultz, 2001, p. 27); For information about in-text citations see Table 6.1, pg. 177 of
APA Manual, 6th ed.
Print Resources
Book (one author) Reference:
Schultz, J. R. (2000). Cleft palate and craniofacial anomalies: Effect on speech and resonance (2nd
ed.). San Diego, CA: Singular.
Parenthetical Citation:
(Schultz, 2000) one author - first and subsequent referrals
Book (two to seven authors):
Reference:
Barrett, J. J., & Haley, W. W. (2001). Care, cure and healing: The management of the older cancer
patient. New York: Springer.
Parenthetical Citation:
(Barrett & Haley, 2001) two authors - first and subsequent referrals
(Barrett, Haley, & Peters, 2001) three to five authors - first referral
(Barrett et al., 2001) three to five authors – subsequent referrals
(Barrett et al., 2001) six or more authors – first and subsequent referrals
Book (more than seven authors):
Reference (include the first six authors, insert three ellipses, and add the last author’s name):
Barrett, J. J., Smith, A., Jones, B., Corbet, C., Collier, D., Haley, W. W., . . . Palmer, N. E. (2001).
Care, cure and healing: The management of the older cancer patient. New York: Springer.
Parenthetical Citation:
(Barrett et al., 2001) six or more authors – first and subsequent referrals
Book Chapter Reference:
Finch, M., & Welker, L. (2003). Informed organizational improvisation: A metaphor and method for
understanding, anticipating and performatively constructing the organization’s precrisis
environment. In D. Millar & R. Heath (Eds.), Responding to crisis: A rhetorical approach to
crisis communication (2nd ed., pp.189-200). Mahwak, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
Parenthetical Citation:
(Finch & Welker, 2003) two authors – first and subsequent referrals
Encyclopedia Article Reference:
Hearit, K. (2005). College and University Public Relations. In A. Hurd (Ed.), Encyclopedia of public
relations (Vol. 1, p. 147-150). Modeno, CA: Sage.
Parenthetical Citation:
(Hearit, 2005) one editor - first and subsequent referrals
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Journal Article with DOI Number (one author) Reference:
Belcastro, S. M. (2004). To include more students, don’t focus on contests, prepare for
mathematics! Mathematics Teacher, 97, 84-86. Doi:10.1080/14622200410001676305
Parenthetical Citation:
(Belcastro, 2004) one author - first and subsequent referrals
Journal Article without DOI Number(two to six authors)
Reference:
Anderson, M. C., & Bertaux, N. E. (2001). An emerging tradition of educational achievement:
African American women in college and the professions. Equity and Excellence in Education,
35, 1621. Retrieved from http://www.tandfonline.com Parenthetical
Citation:
(Anderson & Bertaux, 2001) two authors – first and subsequent referrals
(Anderson, Bertaux, & Cagel, 2001) three to five authors – first referral
(Anderson et al., 2001) three to five authors – subsequent referrals
(Anderson et al., 2001) six or more authors – first and subsequent referrals
Journal Article (more than seven authors)
Reference (include the first six authors, insert three ellipses, and add the last author’s name):
Anderson, M. C., Smith, A., Jones, B., Corbett, C., Collier, D., Bertaux, N. E., . . . Palmer, N. E.
(2001). An emerging tradition of educational achievement: African American women in college and
the professions. Equity and Excellence in Education, 35, 16-21. Retrieved from
http://www.tandfonline.com Parenthetical Citation:
(Anderson et al., 2004) six or more authors – first and subsequent referrals
Journal Article Where Journal Paginated by Issue Reference:
Belcastro, S. M. (2004). To include more students, don’t focus on contests, prepare for mathematics!
Mathematics Teacher, 97(5), 84-86.
Parenthetical Citation:
(Belcastro, 2004)
Magazine Article (one author) Reference:
Hosenbal, M. (2006, January 16). Operation: exposed? Newsweek, 147, 10-11.
Parenthetical Citation:
(Hosenbal, 2006)
Magazine Article (article signed as or says is anonymous)
Reference:
Anonymous. (2006, January 16). Living longer, living better. Newsweek, 147, 50-51.
Parenthetical Citation:
“Living longer, living better,” 2006)
Newspaper Article (no author) Reference:
Gathering up the dust from creation. (2006, January 14). Cincinnati Enquirer, p. B8.
Parenthetical Citation:
(“Gathering up the dust,” 2006)
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Electronic Resources
Internet Webpage with Organizational Author Reference:
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). (2009, June). NIDA infofacts: MDMA (ectasy). Retrieved
August 20, 2009, from NIDA Web site: http://www.nida.nih.gov/infofacts/ecstasy.html
Parenthetical Citation:
(National Institute on Drug Abuse [NIDA], 2009)
(NIDA, 2009) subsequent referrals
Specific Internet Document Reference:
Kilborn, M. C. (2000, October 12). Electronic reference formats recommended by the American
Psychological Association. Retrieved January 20, 2006, from American
Psychological Association Web site: http://www.apa.org/journals/jwebref.html Parenthetical
Citation:
(Kilborn, 2000)
(Kilborn, 2000) subsequent referrals
Internet Webpage with No Author or Date Reference:
Best practices. (n.d.). Retrieved September 14, 2009, from Social Studies Central Web site:
http://www.socialstudiescentral.com/?q=content/best-practices
Parenthetical Citation:
(“Best practices,” 2009)
Article in an Online Journal with a PDF file Reference:
Whitmeyer, J.M. (2000). Power through appointment [Electronic version]. Social Science Research,
29, 535-555.
Parenthetical Citation:
(Whitmeyer, 2000)
Article in an Online Journal with a DOI Reference:
Dacey, C. M., Nelson, W. M., & Stoeckel, J. (1999). Reliability, criterion-related validity and
qualitative comments of the Fourth Edition of the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale with a young
adult population with intellectual disability. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research 43, 179-184.
doi:10.1046/j.1365-2788.1999.00187.x Parenthetical Citation:
(Dacey, Nelson, & Stoeckel, 1999) three to five authors - first referral (Dacey et
al., 1999) three to five authors - subsequent referrals
Article in an Online Journal without a DOI Reference:
Kenneth, I. A. (2000). A Buddhist response to the nature of human rights. Journal of Buddhist
Ethics, 8. Retrieved from http://www.buddhistethics.org/ Parenthetical Citation:
(Kenneth, 2000)
Electronic Version of a Print Book Reference:
McDonald, L. (2005). Florence Nightingale on women, medicine, midwifery and prostitution
[ebrary Reader version]. Retrieved from http://site.ebrary.com Parenthetical Citation:
(McDonald, 2005)
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Print Article
Author: Last name +initial(s). (Date of publication). Article title. Journal Title, volume number (issue
number), page numbers.
Shaw, R. (2018). A case for recognizing the rights of animals as workers. Journal of Animal Ethics, 8(2),
p. 182-198.
Print book
Author: Last name +initial(s). (Date of publication). Book title. City of publication, state: Publisher.
Masson, J. (1995). When elephants weep: The emotional lives of animals. New York, NY: Dell
Publishing.
Ebook from a database
Author: Last name + initial(s). (Date of publication). Book Title. Retrieved from DOI or permalink if
available; otherwise, shortened URL of database
Waldau, P. (2010). Animal rights: what everyone needs to know. Retrieved from
http://libproxy.xu.edu:2048/ login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com
/login.aspx?direct=true&db=cat01903a&AN=xav.b2734623&site=eds
live&scope=site
Scholarly article from a database
Author: last name + initial(s). (Date of publication). Article title. Journal Title, volume number (issue
number), page numbers. Retrieved from DOI
Schabram, K., & Maitlis, S. (2017). Negotiating the challenges of a calling: Emotion and enacted sensemaking in animal shelter work. Academy of Management Journal, 60(2), 584-609. Retrieved
from doi:10.5465/amj.2013.0665
Newspaper article from a database
Author: Last name +initial(s). (Date of publication). Article title. Newspaper Title, page numbers.
Retrieved from DOI or permalink if available; otherwise, shortened URL of database
Kingsley, P., & Novak, B. (2018, April 3). Leader in Hungary sees economic miracle. Is it a mirage?
The New York Times, p. A4. Retrieved from
http://libproxy.xu.edu:2048/login?=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?dir ect=true&d
b=edsgbc& AN=edsg cl.533374039&site=eds-live&scope=site
Periodical article from a database
Author: Last name +initial(s). (Date of publication). Article title. Periodical Title, page numbers.
Retrieved from DOI or permalink if available; otherwise, shortened URL of database
Low, T. (2018, May/June). Shifting boundaries. Australian Geographic, pp. 84-91. Retrieved from
libproxy.xu.edu
Newspaper article from the web
Author: Last name +initial(s). (Date of publication). Article title. Newspaper Title. Retrieved from URL
for home page
Gorman, J. (2018, April 3). Hot springs lower stress in Japan’s popular bathing monkeys. The New York
Times. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/
Short document from a website
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Author or organization. (Date of publication). Document title. Retrieved from URL for home page
Orian, A. (2011, June 5). The declaration of animal rights. Retrieved from The Declaration of Animal
Rights website: http://declarationofar.org/textSign.php
Entire website w/ organization as author
*** do not include in reference page, rather give the URL (shortened) in the in-text citations of your
paper
Online video
Author or organization. (Date of publication). Video title [video file]. URL for video or name of website:
URL
A Plus (2017, September 30). Colorado animal shelter celebrates when all dogs adopted before
Christmas [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eO7KlQ18OO8
Writing In-Text Citations in APA Style
When you use others' ideas in your paper, you should credit them with an in-text citation. Several
different systems of citation are in use in various academic communities (such as footnotes and
endnotes), but APA Style uses a kind of parenthetical referencing called the author–date system.
Basic In-Text Citation Style
As the name author–date system implies, APA Style in-text citations include the author and date,
either both inside parentheses and with the author names in running text and the date in parentheses.
Here are two examples:
 After the intervention, children increased in the number of books read per week (Smith &
Wexwood, 2010).
 Smith and Wexwood (2010) reported that after the intervention, children increased in the number
of books read per week.
The "and" in Smith and Wexwood is written as an ampersand (&) inside parentheses and as the
word and outside of parentheses, as shown in the examples above.
Quick Guide
Examples: (choose depending if author and/or date is mentioned in text)
Quotation:
 "The bones were very fragile" (Cole, 2011, p. 13).
 Cole (2011) found that "The bones were very fragile" (p. 33).
 In 2011, Cole found that "The bones were very fragile" (p. 33).
Paraphrase:
 The bones broke easily because they were porous (Cole, 2011).
 Cole (2011) discovered that the bones broke easily.
 In 2011, Cole found that the bones were easily broken (p. 33).
Note: APA style encourages the inclusion of page numbers for paraphrases, but it is not mandatory.
Include page or paragraph numbers if it will help reader find the information.
Authors
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No authors: Use the title in place of author. Shorten title if needed. Use double quotation marks for title
of an article, a chapter, or a web page. Use italics for title of a periodical, a book, a brochure or a report.
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the observations found ("Arctic Voyage," 2014)
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the book Vitamin Discoveries (2013)
Two or more authors: Within the text use the word and. If the authors' names are within parentheses
use the & symbol.
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Cole and Dough (1998) argued ...
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...if they were left to their own devices.(Cole & Dough, 1998)
Three to five authors: Include all authors' last names the first time the citation is used. If you use the
same citation again within the same paragraph, use only the first last name followed by 'et al'. If you
used the citation again omit the year.
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First time: Cole, Dough and Ferris (1998) explained...
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Second time: Cole et al. (1998) proved ...
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Third time: Cole et al. demonstrated...
Six or more authors: Include only the last name of the first author followed by "et al."
(Wasserstein et al., 2010)
Groups
Spell out the name in full the first time and abbreviate subsequent times only if abbreviation is well
known.
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First time: American Psychological Association (1998) explained...
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Second time: APA (1998) proved ...
Quotations
When quoting always provide author, year and specific page citation or paragraph number for no
paginated material.
If the quotation is less than 40 words incorporate it into the text and enclose the quotation with quotation
marks. Cite the source immediately after the close of the quotation marks.
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If the authors are named in the text, they do not have to be used in the citation.
In fact, "a neurosis is characterized by anxiety" (Kristen & Warb, 2012, p. 157).
"A neurosis is characterized by anxiety," according to Kristen and Warb's (2012, p. 157) longitudinal
study.
Block Quotation
If the quotation is over 40 words, you must indent the entire quotation and start the quotation on a new
line. No quotation marks are required. Cite the quoted source after the final punctuation mark.
Alberta is occasionally divided into two regions, Northern Alberta and Southern Alberta. The majority
of Alberta's population is located in large urban cities, mostly located in the South. Alberta is Canada's
most populous province of all three Canadian Prairie provinces. Edmonton is the Capital of Alberta.
(Hern, 1996, p. 22)
Writing Paraphrases
What is paraphrasing?
Paraphrasing is clearly restating in your own words the ideas or thoughts of another person. A
paraphrase differs from a summary in scope. A summary usually conveys all of the main ideas of a
text, while a paraphrase can convey the just main point or a small bit of the text, like a single
paragraph or sentence.
Why do we need to paraphrase?
When writing, we include source material as evidence for our arguments, or we include it in order to
challenge it. Paraphrasing source material can show that you’ve understood the information (because
you are conveying it accurately), and this enhances your own credibility as a writer.
Paraphrasing also helps you integrate source information without using too many direct quotations.
See our handout on quotations for more on this.
Characteristics of a good paraphrase
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It includes only the author’s ideas.
It is accurate and fair.
It is entirely in your own words.
It is properly cited.
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How do we paraphrase?
Read and Understand
First, read the source material carefully so that you understand it. Identify its main claims and pieces
of evidence. (TIP: When taking notes on a source, be sure to write them in your own words in order
to avoid plagiarism later. Always write down where you got the information, including page
numbers.)
Strategies for Paraphrasing
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Imagine that you are explaining the material to a friend who doesn’t understand it well.
Break down complex ideas into smaller pieces.
Identify relationships between the pieces, e.g., cause/effect or contrast. Write the paraphrase
using words that signal the relationship, e.g., because, therefore, however.
Put the information in a new order.
Change the expression from active to passive voice, or passive to active.
Use different vocabulary. Consult a thesaurus if necessary, then consult a dictionary to make sure
the new words are synonymous.
Transform words into different parts of speech, e.g., decision–>decide.
Be clear that the ideas presented are clearly attributed to the author. (TIP: Check a manual for
acceptable citation styles.)
Example
Original Text
(Seidlhofer, Barbara. “Section 1: The global spread of English.” Controversies in Applied
Linguistics. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2003. Print.)
“The global spread of English is not only an issue for teachers and learners of English. The
unprecedented spread of one language and the extent of its use as a global lingua franca in many
walks of life raises as many questions and concerns as does economic and cultural globalization. A
fact which must certainly not be overlooked is that talk about ‘the global spread of English’ does not
mean that having access to English in order to gain access to knowledge is a commodity available to
all who desire it, nor that English as an international means of communication is welcome wherever
it is available – far from it.” (Seidlhofer 7)
✓ Acceptable Paraphrase
The worldwide use of English concerns people outside of language classrooms. The issues raised by
the global use of English as a lingua franca are as numerous as the issues raised by the globalization
of cultures and economies. In discussions of English as a global language, people should note that
English language instruction may not be available to everyone who wants it, and in places where
English can be spoken, it may not be the most welcome language for international communication.
(Seidlhofer 7)
✗ Unacceptable Paraphrase
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The spreading of English worldwide is not only an issue for people who teach and learn English. The
spread of this one language is unprecedented, and its position as a global lingua franca by many
different types of people creates many issues and problems as does economic and cultural
globalization. An important fact is that although people talk about English spreading globally, this
does not mean that using English to get more knowledge is something available to all who desire it.
It also doesn’t mean that English as an international means of communication is always welcome.
(Seidlhofer 7)
This paraphrase is unacceptable because the expressions are too similar to the original texts in
sentence structure and vocabulary.
Marketers Say Automation is a Key Focus but Many Lack Skills
While digital transformation is at the top of the agenda for most marketers, many feel they are not
receiving the right training or support from employers to equip them with skills for the future.
Marketers are optimistic about automation and the benefits it can bring to the workplace, and are
often further ahead in their automation journey than other professionals. But there is a growing
knowledge gap and many feel unsupported in their efforts to upskill.According to a new study from
recruiting firm Hays, 79% of marketers say digital transformation is a primary or secondary focus for
their organisation and 55% believe automation will allow people to add greater human value to an
organisation in the future.
However, 40% of employers say they lack the skills to enable them to make the best of
automation technology and 53% cite a lack of skills from current staff as the biggest barrier to the
implementation of automation.While only 15% of marketing employers have hired a change manager,
team or agency – below the UK average of 28% – 41% say they are planning to. This suggests a
considerable swing in the future towards preparing teams for the changes automation will bring.“To
ensure customers and clients are always contacted with personalised and relevant offers, you need
marketing automation technology,” says Clare Kemsley, a director at Hays Marketing. “And more
importantly, people with the skills and passion to use it.”
When it comes to the technical skills most lacking, 46% of marketing employers say they require
digital project management skills to make automation a success, while 57% cite strategic marketing
skills and 70% data analytics.Many soft skills are needed in current teams too, including critical thinking
(58%), communication and interpersonal skills (50%) and flexibility and adaptability (46%).Yet
marketers aren’t receiving the training they need. While 63% say they are developing the technical skills
needed themselves, only 34% are being supported by their employer. Likewise, 65% are trying to
improve their soft skills but only 27% are receiving any kind of formal training or support.
This is a potential source of contention, as 62% of respondents believe the responsibility for
developing a professional’s skills around automation should lie with their employer.On the benefits of
automation, 79% of marketers say they are aware or very aware of what it can offer the workplace, and
33% of employers think their teams’ administrative tasks have decreased because of
automation.Improved productivity is deemed to be the top benefit (31%), followed by increased process
efficiencies (28%) and cost savings (14%).
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The areas within marketing already seeing the most investment in automation include scheduling
communications (59%), social media and community management (51%) and content personalization
(37%).Key job areas which marketing employers believe will benefit most from automation include
customer satisfaction insights (51%), market reporting (51%) and market research (51%).
By Ellen Hammett 23 Aug 2019.
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