APA Quick Reference Guide
Paper Formatting Checklist
Your paper must have:
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Normal 1” margins
Recommended font is size 12 Times New Roman
Double-spaced text
Start the first page of the paper body text (writing) with the paper title: centered and bolded
Title Page Setup Checklist
Your title page must have (centered and double-spaced):
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Title of your paper (bolded) followed by 3 spaces
Your name
Liberty University
Reference List Setup Checklist
Your references page must have:
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References typed out in the top, centered, and bolded. Do not underline or italicize.
All sources should be double-spaced and have a hanging indention for each line after the
first.
All sources should be listed alphabetically.
All sources listed in the reference list should be cited within the body of the paper
The Bible is now added to the reference list: Reference entry: King James Bible. (2017).
King James Bible Online. https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/ (Original work
published 1769)
To add a hanging indention to an entry, right-click on the paragraph/text, click on Paragraph,
then use the Special drop-down menu to select the line indention type.
In-Text Citation Requirement Checklist
Your in-text citations must have:
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The author(s) surname(s) of the first 1-3 authors or the first several words of the title (if
there are no listed authors). If there are 3+ authors, list the first author followed by et al.
Example: (Brown et al., 2013).
The publication date for the source. If there is no stated publication date, then use n.d.
Example: (Wilson, n.d., p. 2).
Include in-text citations for the Bible: Narrative citation: King James Bible (1769/2017)
Parenthetical citation: (King James Bible, 1769/2017, Song of Solomon 8:6)
Remember to include both in-text citations and reference list citations.
Updated 12/2/2020
Reference Examples for Common AIU Sources
Source Type
Reference Example
In-Text Citation
Example
(Author(s) last
name(s), Year).
Course eTextbook
Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Year). Title
of book in italics. Publisher Name.
https://bookshelf.vitalsource.com/
Bible
King James Bible. (2017). King James Bible
Online. https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/
(Original work published 1769)
King James Bible
(1769/2017) or
(King James Bible
1769/2017, Song of
Solomon 8:6)
Personal
Communication
Citations of personal communications such
as an interview, email, telephone call,
postcard, text message, or letter, online
chat, etc. should not appear on an APA
reference list. However, you must
provide an in-text citation to these
communications
when used in your writing
Creator/author name. (Year). Title of
document in italics [PowerPoint].
Course code:
https://hyperlinkthattakesyoudirectlytoit
Creator/author name. (Year). Title of
document in italics [PDF]. Liberty
University, Course Code:
https://hyperlinktodocument
Author, A. A. (Year). Title of article. URL of
Website
Title of article. (Year). https://www.URL of
Website
As Dr. G. Drobek noted
in the interview, "Ethical
decisions made in
business rival the
importance of financial
decisions"
(December 5, 2013).
Author last name, A. A. (Year). Title of
article: Subtitle if available. Journal
Title in Italics, Volume number in
italics (Issue number if
available),pages.
https://www.xxx.org/xxxxxx
(Author(s) last
name(s), Year,).
PowerPoint
document
from class
PDF document
from class
Website article
Website article
with no author or
date
Library
journal article
with DOI
Updated 12/2/2020
(Author or
instructor’s name,
year, Year).
(Author or
instructor’s name,
year).
(Author(s) last name(s),
Year).
(First few words of
article title, Year).
Newspaper article
Author last name, A. A. (Year, Month Day).
Title of article: Subtitle if available.
Title of Newspaper in Italics, pages.
URL of newspaper homepage.
Print book
Author, A. A. (Year). Title of book in italics.
Publisher Name.
eBook from library Author, A. A. (Year). Title of book in italics.
database
Publisher. URL of publisher home page
(Author(s) last
name(s), Year).
(Author(s) last name(s),
Year, ).
(Author(s) last name(s),
Year,).
Reminders:
 No direct quotes unless quoting from the Bible or your assignment specifically asks for
them. You should be paraphrasing.
 Do not include ‘Retrieved from’ this is no longer used.
 Do not inlcude city and state in the reference list for books.
 Use bold headings to organize every assignment including discussions
 EVERYTHING must be cited
 Remove extra spacing before and after paragraphs
 No personal pronouns unless the assignment specifically requires them
 Every paragraph should have a citation, even if you are talking about the same source.
 You must include an in-text citation anytime you refer to the Bible
Updated 12/2/2020