Carmichael Library
How Do I...
APA Style
APA style was developed by the American Psychological Association. This format for research papers and citations is commonly used in education and the behavioral sciences.
The library keeps the most recent edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association in the Reference Collection under this call number:
REF BF76.7 .P83 2001
The American Psychological Association provides a web site on using APA Style.
There are two parts to each citation. The in-text citation identifies the source that is referenced within the text. The reference list provides the complete citation and is included at the end of the paper.
Check with your professor to find out what citation style is required for each assignment and to determine the professor's specific style requirements.
For more information see section 3.94-3.103 in the Publication Manual.
The in-text citation provides a brief reference to the article that refers the reader to the complete citation in the reference list. The author's last name and the article's publication year are included in parentheses.
(Williams, 1999)
If the author's name is mentioned in the text, include only the date in the parentheses.
Williams (1999) stated that academic programs...
Two authors: use both names every time they are referred to in the text. Use the ampersand (&) in the reference but spell out "and" in the text.
(Williams & Smith, 2001)
Williams and Smith (2001) described the disorder...
Three to five authors: Cite all authors the first time the article is referenced; use only the first author's last name followed by et. al for subsequent references.
First reference:
(Williams, Smith, Parker & Ferguson, 1998)
Subsequent references:
(Williams, et al.)
Six or more authors: Use et al. for all references.
If the reference is to an exact quotation, the page number must be included along with the author and the publication year. The page number can either be included with the in-text citation or it can be given in parentheses at the end of the quotation.
"Alabama's reading incentive program is one of the most effective in the nation" (MacDonald, 2004, p. 456).
MacDonald (2004) concluded, "Alabama's reading incentive program is one of the
most effective in the nation" (p. 456).
Check the Publication Manual for additional examples. The APA's online style guide gives examples for citing electronic resources.
For more detailed information on formatting the reference list, consult section 4.01-4.14 of the Publication Manual.
Book
Germinario, V., & Cram, H. (1998). Change for public education: practical approaches for the 21st Century. Lancaster, PA: Technomic Publishing Company.
Articles
Boling, E. C. (2003). The transformation of instruction through technology. Action in Teacher Education 24(4), 64. Retrieved January 12, 2005, from EBSCOhost Academic Search Elite database.
Web page
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (2005). Speech, language, and swallowing. Retrieved December 14, 2004, from http://www.asha.org/public/speech.
Check the Publication Manual for additional examples. The APA's online style guide gives examples for citing electronic resources.
Other APA Resources
Williams College guide to APA style
Purdue University's Online Writing Lab (OWL)
The Harbert Writing Center offers free consultation for University of Montevallo students.
