APA format is one of several different writing formats used for publications,
papers, essays, and books today. This particular style is established by the
American Psychological Association, and used by professionals in psychology and
many other sciences. APA style for documentation is widely used in the behavioral
and social sciences, including psychology, sociology, economics, education,
nursing, social work, and criminal justice. APA style prescribes a set of
requirements for the formatting of a research paper. While the manual gives
specific rules and examples, there may be a need at times for interpretation of the
guidelines. Consultation with your professor about the specifics of APA style is
always recommended.
Below are the following 3 concepts found from the video:
1. Citations are necessary parts of APA style, as they show readers where your
ideas and research came from. Let's take a look. Within the main body of your
paper, you will need to refer to any other publications you used in composing your
argument or conducting your research with a citation. You will note these citations
using an author-date-page method, in which you list the author's last name, the year
of the publication, and the page number of the information you're referencing.
These are all separated by commas, and are placed within parenthesis following
your text. The page number is preceded by lower case 'p' with a period after it. If
you state the author's name in your text, you only have to include the year of
publication and the page number. There are special cases that may cause this
format to change slightly, such as if there are several different authors of one work,
or if the author is unknown. For these special cases, be sure to access the APA
website or purchase the guide.
2. Paraphrasing is rewriting a passage in your own words. The vocabulary is often
simpler than the original, and the sentence structure should change. Paraphrasing is
different from summarizing as it usually relates to shorter excerpts of text, and
focuses on one idea or point. Use paraphrasing to present another author’s ideas in
your own words. A summary is an overview of the main points and key themes of
a text. Summarizing incorporates all of the author’s main ideas rather than focusing
on one aspect. Use summaries to present all the key ideas on a topic, in your own
words. Examples and details are usually not included. A quotation is an exact copy
of another writer’s words; this may be simply a phrase or a longer passage. Use
quotes to strengthen, support, or add evidence to points made, or to introduce a
particular author’s position on a topic. Do not use quotes to make the points for
you. You need to demonstrate that you understand a reading, and that you can
integrate the quote into your work.
3. According to APA Style, the first word after the colon is capitalized only if it
begins a complete sentence. Your reference page should immediately follow your
paper’s text. Any source that you use in your paper should appear in an
alphabetized list on this page. Entries are in alphabetical order by authors’ last
name, or by title for sources without authors. Author’s first name is always reduced
to initials. Entries should be double-spaced and have a period at the end. In article
titles, only capitalize the first word and proper nouns.