1. Herzing University October 2013
APA Formatting Basics
Herzing University
October 2013

2. Objectives At the end of this presentation you will be able to:
Define APA
Define APA Style formatting
Apply the basic rules for an APA formatted Paper
Identify and apply the format for a Title page
Identify an in text citation
Identify the different reference list items.

3. What is APA Style Formatting?
APA stands for American Psychological Association
APA style originated in 1929, to set up simple procedures or style rules to make it easier to read scientific research papers
The focus is uniformed usage of
Headings
Punctuation and abbreviations
Presentation numbers and statistics
Tables and figures
Citation of references
(American Psychological Association, 2013)

4. Why is using APA Style Formatting Important
It provides a style of writing that is easier to understand
Provides guidelines on font type, font size and general paper format
APA style helps the writer/author write for their audience - by picking the right word choice and voice
It protects against plagiarism
What is plagiarism?
Plagiarism is when an author/writer takes the words of another author/writer and presents them as their own.
If they are not your words then do not write them down like they are your words, give credit to the original author/writer of the words.

5. Basic Rules for APA Paper Formatting
Double-space throughout the paper.
Number all pages – including the title page in the Header. See example below.
Use a 1” margin throughout the paper.
Use Times New Roman typeface in 12-point font size.
All sources listed on the References list must also be cited in the text of the paper.

6. This is how the title page should look like
Title Page Example
This is how the title page should look like
This should not be more than 50 Characters
Title of the paper – no more than 12 words on 1 or 2 lines
Your Name – Do not include any titles or degrees
Name of University

7. Definition of an In text citation
In-text citations are placed in the body of your paper. The citation is positioned where you used the information.(See example)
The in text citation indicates that you located the information from within another source
In text citations are used to allow readers to locate the full citation for the work you cited on your reference list
(Huwe, January 18, 2013, p. 1)

8. Example of using in text citation to avoid plagiarism
Here is original text
Alexander’s greatest single achievement was his emancipation of some forty million Russian serfs, a deed which won him the title of “Tsar Liberator.”
See the examples on the next slide

9. What not to do and what to do
Do not place it in your paper without a citation, if you do it considered plagiarism
Alexander’s greatest single achievement was his emancipation of some forty million Russian serfs, a deed which won him the title of “Tsar Liberator.”
Still plagiarism(Did not use all of your own words)
Alexander’s largest achievement was his freeing of roughly forty million Russian serfs, an action which won him the name “Tsar Liberator” (Rollins, 2003).
Not plagiarism(Use of your own words)
Alexander, nicknamed the “Tsar Liberator,” won much acclaim for his freeing of about forty million Russian serfs (Rollins, 2003).
(Davis, n.d., p. 14)

10. Additional examples of in text citations
Direct quote in text citation This new technology was first introduced 20 years ago according to a Forbes article dated March 4, 2013 “the CDC reported in December that 73 percent of physicians now use electronic health records, up from about a third two years ago” (Tullman, 2013). Use of the author’ s name in the in text citation Further, research by Wehr and Wippich (2004) found that use of unusual type can result in a more detailed memory of the material read.

11. Definition of a Reference List or Page
Reference list or page provides detailed information about sources used in the paper and it provides the reader the ability to locate the source.
The reference list or page appears at the end of a paper.

12. Reference List Basic Format
All lines after the first line should have ½ inch(5 spaces) from the left margin
The author’s last name is first, then the initial of first and middle(if applicable)
The list should be in alphabetical order according to the last name of the author

13. Examples of references for a reference list
Single Author
Last name first, followed by author initials.
Berndt, T. J. (2002). Friendship quality and social development. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 11, 7-10.
Two Authors
List by their last names and initials. Use the ampersand instead of "and."
Wegener, D. T., & Petty, R. E. (1994). Mood management across affective states: The hedonic contingency hypothesis. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 66, (Purdue Owl, 2013)

14. Reference list examples (cont’d)
Three to Seven Authors
List by last names and initials; commas separate author names, while the last author name is preceded again by ampersand.
Kernis, M. H., Cornell, D. P., Sun, C. R., Berry, A., Harlow, T., & Bach, J. S. (1993). There's more to self-esteem than whether it is high or low: The importance of stability of self-esteem. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 65, (Purdue Owl, 2013)

15. Actual Reference Page

16. Points to Remember
APA formatting is important in helping an author/writer select the right style and word choice for their writing
Helps authors/writers avoid plagiarism
Provides direction and guidelines on to give credit where credit is due
Always verify with your instructor how they want you to apply APA guidelines. Also check the course syllabus.

17. Points to Remember APA Tip Sheet APA Formatting Packet
The Library tab on Blackboard has the following resources:
APA Tip Sheet
APA Formatting Packet
Herzing APA Handbook
APA Sample Paper
Citing Electronic Articles
Citing eBooks

18. References
American Psychological Association. (2013). What is APA Style? APA Style. Retrieved September 05, 2013, from
Davis, J. (n.d.). APA formatitng guidelines [PDF]. Herzing University Online Library, Milwaukee, WI.
Huwe, B. (2013, January 18). Herzing University library source citation and style tip sheet [PDF]. Herzing University Online Library, Milwaukee, WI.
Purdue Owl. (2013). Welcome to the Purdue OWL. Purdue OWL: APA Formatting and Style Guide. Retrieved from