Automating the process of APA formatting using MSWord © Karen Conerly 2013

Why Must I Follow a Format?  When editors or instructors need to read numerous papers, it is easier if they are in a standard format  Documentation allows others to see the path you have taken in researching and writing your paper  Formatting increases your credibility as a researcher and writer © Karen Conerly 2013

What Format to Use  Whatever format is specified by instructor  American Psychological Association (APA) Often used by Social Sciences: Psychology, Sociology, Anthropology  Modern Language Association (MLA) Often used for English, Literature, Humanities  Other formats may be specified or modifications to these may be made by instructor © Karen Conerly 2013

What is APA Format?  The American Psychological Association (APA) has developed this widely used version of the author – year style  Social science, psychology, sociology, political science instructors prefer a style that emphasizes author and year of publication  APA style makes it easier to tell if the cited sources are current © Karen Conerly 2013

Basic Format and Layout APA or MLA  1-inch margins  point font ( Times New Roman or Arial)  Double-spaced  Paragraph indentation is ½ inch, using the Tab key, not the space key  All primary headings within the paper are bold. © Karen Conerly 2013

Why use MS Word to Format?  Easier than memorizing the format rules  Faster in creating your Works Cited or Bibliography page  More accurate  Concentrate on content, not formatting © Karen Conerly 2013

APA Format  All you ever wanted to know about APA format, as well as examples and tutorials from:  American Psychological Association   Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL) © Karen Conerly 2013

Sample of APA Cover Page © Karen Conerly 2013

Cover Page in APA Format has three parts:  Running Head: TITLE OF YOUR PAPER  Page Number (without the word page or p.)  Centered Title, Author, Organization, and possibly other information, as required by instructor © Karen Conerly 2013

Running Head and Page Number: Using Ms Word  How to place the Running Head: Title and Page Number into the heading of every page:  Click on Insert  Go to Header  Click on “Edit Header”  Type the words Running Head:  Depress the Caps Lock Key  Type the name of your paper in all CAPS  Hit the TAB key until cursor is in the far right upper corner  Click on Insert – Page Number  Choose “Current Position” (this is very important)  Choose a plain “1” (it will advance page number for each page) © Karen Conerly 2013

The Body of the Paper  Type your paper, remembering to add in- text citations where needed  Do NOT use contractions (such as don’t, can’t, etc.) Indent new paragraphs. Use correct punctuation, grammar, and quotation marks  In a quotation, if there is a misspelled word or grammar error, use [sic] next to it to show you know the correct spelling or grammar © Karen Conerly 2013

In-Text Citations (APA)  When using ideas, information, or words from a source, APA in-text citation format requires you to identify:  Author of the source  Year of publication  (Robertson, 2012) for example © Karen Conerly 2013

APA Citations: In-text Parenthetical Citation  In APA format, these are your research sources’ author and year of publication in parentheses  An example:  Cultural bound syndromes are defined by the American Psychological Association (APA) as “recurrent, locality” specific patterns of aberrant behavior and troubling experience that may or may not be linked to a particular DSM-IV diagnostic category (Flaskerud, 2009).  Microsoft Word can automate this process and prepare the entire Works Cited page at the same time. © Karen Conerly 2013

Placing In-Text APA Citations  While in MS Word: Click on References Click on Insert Citation Click on Add New Source Choose the type of source from the list Fill in all the information you can Use na for information you cannot find If reusing the same source multiple times, click on the author’s name in the list MS Word provides © Karen Conerly 2013

Editing the APA In-Text Citation  If you need to edit the parenthetical in- text citation there are two ways: Click on the author’s name till you get a box Click on the arrow to the right of the box Click on “convert citation to static text” Then you are able to retype the information OR…  Click on Manage Sources on the upper part of the screen, select the source and click Edit. © Karen Conerly 2013

Works Cited  After you have written all of your paper, create a new blank page  This page will hold the detailed information required for each source you used and cited  Make sure you inserted an in-text citation for each of your sources listed in Works Cited or Bibliography and each in-text citation has an entry in the Works Cited or Bibliography list © Karen Conerly 2013

Placing the Works Cited Page  Place your cursor on a new blank page  Click on References – Bibliography  Double-click on Works Cited  Word will insert your sources in alphabetical order with correct punctuation © Karen Conerly 2013

Have Others Read It  Ask other people to review your paper Find out if they understand it Ask them to notice any errors  Take it to the Writing Lab in Holt 201 Get an appointment: Make it a few days before the paper is due © Karen Conerly 2013