APA Style |
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To write in APA style you will need to follow the APA style rules as outlined in the 6th edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association. Click on each of the following to view a summary of some of these style rules:
Abbreviations |
(APA, 2012, pp. 106-111) |
Sometimes it may be appropriate to use abbreviations in your writing. [show | hide]
The first time you use a term you wish to abbreviate, write the abbreviation in brackets immediately after the term. Thereafter, the abbreviation may be used.
For example, writing Ministry of Health (MOH) allows you to refer to the Ministry of Health as MOH in the remainder of the assignment.
Do not use too many abbreviations and only abbreviate if the term is used four or more times. |
Standard abbreviations found in Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary (2005) that are not labelled abbr, may be used without explanation, for example, IQ, HIV.
The following standard Latin abbreviations may be used within brackets (APA, 2012, p.108).
cf. |
compare |
e.g., |
for example, |
, etc. |
, and so forth |
i.e., |
that is, |
viz., |
namely, |
vs. |
versus, against |
A list of common abbreviations for units of measurement can be found in the APA manual on page 109.
Appendices |
(APA, 2012, pp. 38-40) |
Additional information, such as survey results or data sheets which support your assignment, may sometimes be appended. [show | hide]
Sometimes you need to add additional information such as survey results or data into your assignment. These should go in an appendix.
Brackets |
(APA, 2012, pp. 93-94) |
Round or square brackets are appropriate in specific circumstances. [show | hide]
Use round brackets (also called parentheses) for: |
Use square brackets [ ] for: |
references and citations, for example, (APA, 2012, p. 93); |
clarification of reference information within the reference list, for example, [brochure]; |
introduction of abbreviations, for example, Ministry of Education (MOE); |
non quoted words within a quote, for example “Nearly always [governance] is misunderstood”; |
parenthetical phrases that clarify information within a sentence or set off an independent element, for example, (refer to Appendix C); |
phrases or words within a phrase that is already encased in round brackets, for example (key values include service and responsbility [tautua], and love and commitment [alofa], and respect [fa’aaloalo]); and |
a list within a sentence, for example (a), (b), (c); |
display of limits of a confidence interval, for example, 95% CLs [-7.2, 4.3], [9.2, 12.4], and [-1.2, -0.5]. |
mathematical expressions and statistical values, for example, (p = .031). |
Bullet points and numbered lists |
(APA, 2012, pp: 63-65) |
Although not usually used in essays, bullet points and numbered lists may be used in other assignments, such as reports. [show | hide]
Bullet points:
To bullet point complete paragraphs or sentences
Punctuate and capitalise as you usually would without a bullet point (i.e., the first word of the bullet point will have a capital, and each sentence, including the final sentence, will end with a full stop).
To bullet point within a sentence
Punctuate as you usually would without a bullet point (i.e., separate bulleted items with commas at the end of each point, or with a semicolon as appropriate - refer to guides on semi-colons and commas).
Numbered Lists:
When each item in a list is a separate paragraph
Within a paragraph or sentence
Italics |
(APA, 2012, pp. 104-105) |
Certain aspects, such as book titles, are to be written in Italics.[show | hide]
Use italics for:
Headings |
(APA, 2012, p. 62) |
APA specifies heading styles for up to five levels of headings.[show | hide]
Heading format, according to the APA, is as follows:
Level 1 Heading
(centred, bold, title case)
Level 2 Heading
(left aligned, bold, title case)
Level 3 heading.
(indented, bold, sentence case, full stop)
Level 4 heading.
(indented, bold, italicised, sentence case, full stop)
Level 5 heading.
(indented, italicised, sentence style case, full stop)
Numbers |
(APA, 2012, pp. 111-114) |
The context and size of the number determines if the number is to be presented as a numeral or as a word.[show | hide]
Use numerals when numbers: |
Use words when numbers: |
are 10 and above (e.g., 19 years old); |
are less than 10; |
are in an abstract, or graphical display, such as a table or chart; |
begin a sentence, title, or heading (try to avoid beginning a sentence with a number); |
are in a unit of measurement (e.g., a 10-mg dose); |
are common fractions (e.g., half); |
relate to mathematics or statistics (e.g., 46%, divided by 2); |
are universally used (e.g., the Five Pillars of Islam); |
represent exact time, date, score and points on a scale, or sum of money (e.g., 3:30 p.m., 7- year olds, $51.80); |
approximate numbers of days, months, and years (e.g., about twenty years ago); |
identify a particular place in a numbered series, including parts of books and tables (e.g., row 6, chapter 11); and |
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are part of a range and one of them is less than ten (e.g. 5 - 25) |
Quotation Marks |
(APA, 2012, pp. 91-92) |
Double quotation marks are used more frequently in APA style than single quotation marks. [show | hide]
Use double quotation marks for
Use single quotation marks when including a quotation in your assignment where the author has already encased a phrase in double quotation marks. Mark this phrase with single quotation marks in your assignment, and only use double quotation marks as you normally would, around the entire quotation.
Exception: Where the quotation is 40 or more words double quotation marks are not required. Retain the use of double quotation marks as used by the author.
The following link provides examples of how to place punctuation marks in relation to quotation marks.
http://blog.apastyle.org/apastyle/2011/08/punctuating-around-quotation-marks.html
American Psychological Association. (2010). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (6th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.
Lee, C. (2012). Punctuation around quotation marks. Retrieved from http://blog.apastyle.org/apastyle/2011/08/punctuating-around-quotation-marks.html
Schwartz, B. M., Landrum, R. E., & Gurung, R. A. R. (2012). An easy guide to APA style. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE.