APA formatting notes for ACP
All papers should follow this format:
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Set 1-inch margins on all sides (set under page setup)
Set left-justification rather than full justification
Set line-spacing to double-spaced, first-line indented half an inch (set under paragraph
format)
Use 12-Point Times New Roman font
Title page with Running head and page numbers in header, title, name, course, date and
instructor name.
Use section headings to organize the paper. Headings should be on a separate line, either
left-justified or centered. Do not use bold or underline.
The references page should include the full citation for each source cited in the paper,
except for personal communications, and no sources that are not cited.
The title of the references page is "References," not "Works Cited" or "Bibliography."
Reference format is double-spaced with hanging indention (set with paragraph format).
APA notes
 Quotations over 40 words should be indented on both sides by half an inch
 All quotation should be introduced: Do not merely drop in a quote.
 Use author's first name when mentioned the first time, but only the last name afterwards.
 Use quoted and paraphrased material to support your thoughts, analysis and reasoning.
Less than 20% of the paper should be quoted or paraphrased.
 Paraphrased material (in your own words) should be significantly different in sentence
structure and wording except for key, technical terms.
 See sample citations below for in text and reference page format.
An excellent resource for particular APA listings is the OWL at Purdue:
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/
See also:
http://www.calstatela.edu/library/guides/3apa.pdf
http://libguides.richmond.edu/data/files2/53522/apa6th.pdf
http://www.aug.edu/elcse/ELCSE_APA_Guidelines.pdf
http://www.docstyles.com/library/apalite.pdf
 OWL Sample APA style paper with notes on formatting and citations:
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/media/pdf/20090212013008_560.pdf
Mechanics and proofreading
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Run spell check and grammar check (set under language for formal writing)
Do not use contractions (don't, it's, etc.) Use formal writing tone
Avoid use of second person ("you" --too informal, conversational tone)
Read each sentence aloud to analyze for clarity and content
Avoid absolute language (always, never, all, none)
An "A" paper will meet at least 90% of the following criteria:
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Follows the instructions in the syllabus.
Contains creative, insightful thought and analysis that adds value to the profession
Has a strong thesis or clear point to make, stated clearly in the introduction, presented as
the writer's opinion to be supported in the paper
States thesis as an opinion to be shown valid by the discussion, not a fact
Has a "road map" of points to make, stated clearly in the introduction
Has a well-developed section for each point, with examples, illustration, source material,
information, analysis, reasoning and insight.
Incorporates and synergizes class material, class discussions, personal experience,
research and philosophy.
Acknowledges biases, blind spots, and strengths
Defines key terms and concepts in context of the discussion
Contains fewer than 5 APA errors (format, in-text & reference page citations)
Contains fewer than 5 mechanical errors (grammar, spelling, punctuation)
B+ papers are good papers and satisfy approximately 85% of the above characteristics
B papers are solid papers and satisfy approximately 80% of the above characteristics;
B- papers are adequate papers and satisfy approximately 75% of the above characteristics
C papers are seriously lacking several areas listed above. If you receive a “C” on a paper you
will be expected to rewrite it and resubmit it within a month or you will get an “F” for the
course.
Sample APA citations
Basics of In-Text Citations
In-text citations include the author's (authors') last name, the year of publication, and if quoted
directly, the page (paper) or paragraph number (digital) of the material.
Personal communication (email, telephone, and interview) should be cited only in the text, not
on the references page.
A. P. Smith also claimed that many of her students had difficulties with APA style (personal
communication, November 3, 2002).
Short Quotation (up to 40 words – print source)
According to Jones (1998), "Students often had difficulty using APA style, especially when it
was their first time" (p. 199).
Jones (1998) found "students often had difficulty using APA style" (p. 199); what implications
does this have for teachers?
(Digital source)
According to Smith (1997), "This part is just made up" (Mind over Matter section, para. 6).
Long quotation (over 40 words, blocked by indenting both sides half an inch, no quotes)
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)
Paraphrase
According to Jones (1998), APA style is a difficult citation format for first-time learners.
Quote or paraphrase from a secondary source
Jones concluded that librarians are one of the more trusted professions in the United States (as
cited in Goff, 2004, p.4).
Author Variations
Two Authors
When there are two authors, you should always include both authors' last names when making
your in-text citation.
Smith and Johnson (2005, p.4) emphasized one definition of a library by referring to it as the
sacred space of the university.
Some authors have explored the idea of the library as the sacred space of the university (Smith
and Johnson, 2005, p. 4).
Three - Five Authors
Identify all the authors of the work in the signal phrase or parentheses for the first citation. In
subsequent citations, simply list the first author's name followed by the phrase "et al." in the
signal phrase or parentheses. Note that "et" is not followed by a period.
In a 2003 study, Marks, Goff, and Garcia concluded, "Library marketing is one of the most
important activities in which librarians should engage" (p.4).
Marks, et al. (2003) emphasized this importance stating "Relationships with the university
community outside of the library is one of the key aspects of a library's marketing strategy" (p.7).
Six or more Authors
If there are six or more authors, simply use the name the last name of the first author followed by
the phrase "et al."
In their 2002 study Poitras, et al. surveyed over 200 students finding the majority of them never
used the library in their undergraduate studies (p. 342).
One study concluded that a majority of students never used the library during their undergraduate
studies (Poitras, et al., 2002, p.342).
Unknown Author
If the author is unknown, use the title of the work in the signal phrase or give the first word or
two of the title in the parenthetical citation. Remember to italicize the titles of books and use
quotations around article/chapter titles.
One 2003 guide, "Using the GGU Library" stated that students had access to over 40 different
databases.
"GGU students have access to over 40 different databases" ("Using the GGU Library," 2003).
Organization as author
If the author is an organization or government agency, use the name of the organization in your
signal phrase or parenthetical citation. If the organization has a familiar abbreviation, you can
name it in brackets the first time you make a citation and use it in all subsequent citations.
According to the American Library Association (2004), "Library use increased 12% from 20002003.
Some studies have shown that library use increased from 2000 - 2003 (American Library
Association , 2004).
In their study, the ALA (2004) concluded that funding must be increased for all types of
libraries.
Authors with the same last name
If your reference list includes authors with the same last name, use their initials to differentiate
between the two.
J. Smith (2005) argued that libraries are the cornerstone of a democracy.
Two or more works in the same parentheses
If your citation refers to two or more works, list the authors in your parenthetical citation
according to their order in the reference list, separated by semi-colons.
Research has shown that students who frequent the library perform better on tests and written
work (Goff et. al., 2004; Smith, 2003).
Electronic Documents / Articles from a database
If possible, cite electronic documents just as you would cite non-electronic documents. However,
electronic documents may have some unique features. Below are some of the more typical
issues.
Unknown Author
If no author is listed, use the title of the document in the signal phrase or parenthetical citation.
Be wary of unsigned material.
The Librarian's Index to the Internet has been deemed a reliable source to find information
("Reliable Sources," 2004).
Unknown Date
If there is no date listed or the date is simply unknown, use the abbreviation "n.d." to indicate no
date. Be wary of undated material.
Successfully conducting research is as much an art form as it is a process (Marzluft, n.d.).
Unknown Page Numbers
Many electronic sources lack actual page numbers. Some electronic documents have numbered
paragraphs. If this is the case, use the paragraph number in place of page numbers by using the
abbreviation "para." If there are no paragraph numbers, use section headings and count up to the
paragraph to which you are referring.
On his website, Jones (2005) stated "good research is the foundation of good writing" (para. 4).
Johnson's research showed that many businesses turn to the public libraries for help in obtaining
professional articles (Public Libraries Section, para. 9).
Non-Print Resources
Examples of citations for movies, TV, and musical recordings are listed on the OWL site:
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/11/
Movie, Video, Television Program
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If the item is a motion picture, use that as the medium no matter if it is viewed on screen,
VHS or DVD.
If the item is a training video or other type of video, use videocassette as the medium.
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If the item is a television broadcast, use that phrase as the medium. If it is one
item/segment from a television series, use the phrase "television series episode" as the
medium and follow with information on the entire series.
Producer & director (function). (Date). Title of work . Country of Origin: Movie Studio.
Example #1 (Motion picture)
Judge, M. (writer and director) & Rothenburg, M. (producer). (1999). Office Space [motion
picture]. USA: 20th Century Fox.
Example #2 (Video)
Carter, J. (Writer) and Dunlap, S. (Director). (2004). Achieving success using GGU's library
[videocassette]. (GGU University Library Productions, 536 Mission Street, San
Francisco, CA 94105).
Example #3 (Television Broadcast)
Fischer, B. (Executive Producer). (2006, February 5). Meet the Press [Television broadcast].
Washington, DC: NBC News.
Example #4 (Segment on a television series)
Young, R. (Writer, Producer, & Director) & Smith, H. (Writer). (2004). Is Wal-Mart good for
America? [television series episode]. In M. Sullivan (executive producer), Frontline.
Boston, MA: WGBH.
Reference page Citation
Note that there are many different kinds of sources, and on ly the most common are listed here. If
you don't see a source listing that is exactly like yours, try the linked files, try the OWL at
Purdue or Ask a Librarian: http://www.sherman.edu/library-resource/default.asp
Basic Book Style
Author, A. A. (Year of publication). Title of book: Capital letter also for subtitle. Location:
Publisher.
Jones, A.B. (1998). Students and APA: It will never work. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster.
Basic Periodical (Magazine/Journal) Style
Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (year). Title of article. Title of periodical, volume(issue), pages.
Lick, D. W., & Smith, C. S. (200l). Leading change: Creating the future for education
technology. Syllabus, 15(5), 22-24.
Article from a Database
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When citing an article from a database, follow the same form for a paper article; after the
basic information, write the word "Retrieved," the date of retrieval, and the title of the
database.
The second example is from a journal where each issue starts with page 1.
Author. (Date). Title of article. Journal title, Volume, page numbers. Retrieved date of retrieval
from name of database.
Caufield, J. (2005). Where did Google get its value?. Portal: Libraries and the Academy, 5, 555573. Retrieved January 28, 2005 from Proquest Database.
Abram, S. (2005). Competing with Google in a special library. Information Outlook, 9(11), 4647. Retrieved February 28, 2005 from Business Source Premier Database.
E-Book
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an e-book follows the same pattern as a non-electronic book, except you must add the
phrase after the title as well as the retrieval date and database.
Author. (Date). Title of Book [electronic version]. Place of publication: Publisher. Retrieved date
of retrieval from name of database.
Blackwell, E. (2004). How to write a business plan [electronic version]. London: Kogan Page.
Retrieved January 28, 2005 from Ebrary database.
Website
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When your citation ends in a url, do not include a period at the end of the citation.
Author. (date). Title of website. Retrieved date of retrieval, from website url
American Marketing Association. (2006). Marketing Power. Retrieved January 26, 2006 from
http://www.marketingpower.com
Web page/ Article from a website
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This is similar to an article/chapter in a book, except that you write the title of the Web
page as the article title and include the word "In" with the full site name.
The url should be the url that will take someone directly to the article, not the home page
of the website.
When your citation ends in a url, do not include a period at the end of the citation.
Author. (date). Title of Web page or article. In Name of website. Retrieved date of retrieval, from
website url
Copeland, M. (2006, January 30). The Starbucks of cell phones. In CNN Money. Retrieved
February 6, 2006, from
http://money.cnn.com/2006/01/30/technology/launchpad0130/index.htm
Electronic Mailing List (LISTSERV, NewsGroup, etc...)
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If there is no archive, do not cite in the Reference List. Instead, treat as a personal
communication and cite in the text.
When your citation ends in a url, do not include a period at the end of the citation.
Author or user name. (date of posting). Subject line or Thread title. Message posted to title of list
or newsgroup, archived at url of archive
Marks, S. (2005, October 24). Best business websites for statistics. Message posted to Bus-Lib
electronic mailing list, archived at http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/buslib-l.html
Annual Report retrieved online
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Follow the same guidelines for the Paper version of an Annual Report or filing, except
add the electronic information at the end of the citation.
When your citation ends in a url, do not include a period at the end of the citation.
Name of company. (date of report). Form or filing title. Retrieved date of retrieval from title of
database or Web address.
Microsoft. (2005, September 25). Form 10-Q. Retrieved February 25, 2006 from
http://www.microsoft.com/msft/sec.mspx
Microsoft. (2005, September 25). Form 10-Q. Retrieved February 25, 2006 from CoreReference
database.
Report or Profile from a Database
Name. (date of report). Title of report. Retrieved date of retrieval from Mintel Market Research
Reports database.
Datamonitor. (2008, August 22). Google Inc. Retrieved October 28, 2008 from Business Source
Complete database.
Bokhari, Z. (2008, October 16). Computers: Software. Retrieved October 28, 2008 from
Standard & Poor's NetAdvantage database.