APA Review
&
Formatting References
Ginger Lejeune
2014
Order of Manuscript Pages
 Title
page (numbered 1)
 Abstract (numbered 2)
 Text (start on separate page)
 References (start on separate page)
 Tables (start each on separate page)
 Figures (start each on separate page;
include caption on page with figure)
 Appendices (start each on separate page)
Avoiding Plagiarism
“Whether paraphrasing, quoting an author directly, or
describing an idea that influenced your work, you must
credit the source” (APA Manual, 2010, p. 170).

Direct quotations are NOT the only borrowed
material that must be cited in your paper.

The source of any idea, theory, or research
that you paraphrase or summarize in your
paper must also be cited.
APA In-Text Citations
 Author’s
last name
 If
author is unknown, use title of work
(shortened form if title is long)
 Year of
publication
 For
direct quotations, add page number
(optional for material not directly quoted)
Example: (Carter, 2010, p. 263)
NOTE: If you use the author’s name or the date elsewhere
in the text itself, omit from the in-text parentheses.
Examples of Various Options for
APA In-Text Citations
One study found that “students often had difficulty using
APA style, especially when it was their first time”
(Johnson, 2009, p. 27).
According to Johnson (2009), “students often had difficulty
using APA style, especially when it was their first time” (p.
27).
In 2009, a study by Johnson showed that APA is a
challenging citation format for first-time learners.
Students using APA style for the first time often find
the citation format challenging (Johnson, 2009).
Examples of In-Text Citations:
Special Cases

No author, use title:
(Human Sleep, 2012)
(“Insomnia,” 2008)

No date, use n.d.: (Hobson, n.d.)

Two authors: (McLaughlin & Miracle, 2010)

Secondary sources: Hitler’s letters (as cited in Hoza, 2013)

No page numbers, use paragraph or chapter number:
(Bendick, 2004, para. 7)
(Tacy, 1997, Chapter 22)
How the In-Text Citations &
the References Page Work Together

In-text citations briefly identify the source &
direct the reader to the References page.

The References page at the end of your paper
includes the full bibliographic information for
each source cited in the text.

Every in-text citation should refer to an entry
in the References, and every work listed in the
References should be cited in the paper.
APA References Page Format

The References page comes immediately after
the main text of your paper
 Title of page is References (don’t forget the
running head & page number)
 Use double spacing throughout
 List sources in alphabetical order by author’s
last name (use title if author is unknown)
 Print, online sources, etc. are all mixed together
 Use hanging indent: 1st line of each entry is
flush left & subsequent lines are indented
APA Reference Entries:
General Elements

Author(s) by surname, initial(s)

Year of publication (for periodicals,
include month & day if given)

Title (for periodicals, include article &
publication titles)

Location: Publisher (for books)

Volume #, issue #, page #s
(for periodicals)
Remember: correct punctuation matters!
Reference Examples: Books
Brinkley, T. R. (2012). Addiction to texting: A study
of cell phone dependency. New York, NY:
Random House Publishing Company.
Reynolds, M., Neil, J. T., & Burton, A. A. (1998).
Research standards in modern child psychology.
London, England: Taylor & Francis.
VandenBos, G. R. (Ed.). (2007). APA dictionary of
psychology. Washington, DC: American
Psychological Association.
Reference Examples: Periodicals
Alban-Jones, K. E. & Miller, O. J. (2009, July). Emotional
intelligence and self-esteem in teens: Effects of early
parenting styles. Modern Psychology, 42, 31-36.
Dickerson, W. H. (2004, September 27). Mental illness affects
social status. The Washington Post, pp. A2, A5.
Rush, A., Danvers, T. R., & Spike, M. L. (1999, May). Science vs.
dogma: Psychologists defend research techniques. Journal
of Applied Psychology, 39(4), 123-126, 137.
Reference Examples: Online Sources
Clayton, P. (2010, August). Children, adolescents, and the effects
of social media. Monitor on Psychology, 42(6). Retrieved
from http://www.apa.org/monitor/
Marshall, J. (2014). Competition in high school peer groups.
Retrieved from http://www.jmarshall.com/competition.htm
Tucker, M. (2011, September 9). Real ghost girl caught on
hidden video camera. [Video file]. Retrieved from
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ntGCbxD8748
Reminders Regarding References

Don’t rely on your memory: always check
a reliable source to verify the format &
punctuation of each entry in your list of
References.

When in doubt, use the library’s copy of
the APA Manual to answer questions.

Proofread your References carefully.
Then proofread again.
More Help with the APA Style

Publication Manual of the American
Psychological Association, 6th edition

APA Style Online (includes a tutorial)

Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL)

Cornell University Library APA Guide
NOTE: All of the examples used in this presentation were either
made up or borrowed from one of the above sources.
This is called “fair use” for educational purposes.