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An EasyGuide to APA Style
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An EasyGuide to APA Style

Fourth Edition


August 2020 | 296 pages | SAGE Publications, Inc
Winner of the 2022 Textbook Excellence Award from the Textbook & Academic Authors Association (TAA)

This clear and concise book demystifies the process of writing in APA style and format.


Fully updated with content from the Seventh Edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, An EasyGuide to APA Style, Fourth Edition identifies common APA style and formatting mistakes, how to avoid them, and helps students become better writers and communicators of psychological science. Written in a conversational style to make the task of learning how to write more enjoyable, this guide helps students navigate the maze of rules in the APA Publication Manual and become proficient in learning the fine points of APA style. Providing detailed examples and complete sample student papers that conform to APA format, the authors illustrate not only how to write using APA style, but also what writing in APA style really looks like when papers are complete.
 
Preface
 
About the Authors
 
Section I. Overview
 
Chapter 1: APA Style Versus Format: Why It Matters to Your Audience and Why It Should Matter to You
What Is the Difference Between APA Style and APA Format?

 
Why APA Style Anyway? Wasn’t MLA Good Enough?

 
In the Long Run, Attention to Detail Matters (Including APA Style and Format)

 
Write for Your Specific Audience: Term Papers Versus Formal Research Papers

 
 
Chapter 2: Your Visual Table of Contents QuickFinder
The Sample Paper With Content and Page Numbers

 
 
Section II. Writing With (APA) Style: Big-Picture Items
 
Chapter 3: General Writing Tips Specific to APA Style: General Bare-Bones Fundamentals
Clear and Succinct Writing: Using Your Scholarly Voice

 
Commonly Confused Words in Psychology and Beyond

 
Subject–Verb Agreement

 
Active Voice Versus Passive Voice in APA Style

 
Some (But Not Too Much) First-Person Usage

 
Avoiding Anthropomorphism

 
 
Chapter 4: A Quick Grammar Summary for APA-Style Writing
Parts of a Sentence

 
Parts of Speech

 
Common Grammar Mistakes to Avoid

 
 
Chapter 5: Plagiarism and How to Avoid It: Thou Shalt Not Steal (or Be Lazy)
But I Didn’t Know. . . .

 
It Sounds Like a Bad Word

 
Quoting: More Than Just a Copy and Paste

 
Paraphrasing: In Your Own Words

 
An Author’s License (Yours): Modifying Source Material

 
But I Can Freely Use My Own Work, Right?

 
How About This for a Plagiarism Awareness Exercise?

 
 
Chapter 6: Avoiding Biased Language
The Fundamental Lesson: View People as Individuals First

 
Specific Recommendations for Reducing Bias: Nonsexist Language and Other Areas

 
Sexual Orientation

 
Racial and Ethnic Identity

 
Disabilities

 
Occupations

 
Gender and Pronouns: With an Indefinite Recommendation

 
 
Section III. Writing With (APA) Style: Getting Down to Business
 
Chapter 7: Writing Your Introduction: Tying the Story All Together
What to Include in Your Introduction

 
Formatting Your Introduction

 
Getting Your Introduction Started

 
Using an Outline: Organizing Your Literature Review

 
Common Mistakes to Avoid in Your Introduction

 
Outline for the Sample Introduction

 
 
Chapter 8: Citing Sources in Text: Whodunit (or Said It)?
A Good Rule of Thumb

 
Ready, Cite, GO

 
In-Text Citation Basics

 
Some Curveballs

 
 
Chapter 9: A Step-by-Step Playbook of Your Method: How, What, When, Who, and Where?
Where in the Flow of Pages Do You Place the Method Section?

 
Where in the Method Section Does This Information Go?

 
Subjects/Participants

 
Materials and Apparatus

 
Procedure

 
Formatting Your Method Section

 
 
Chapter 10: Writing About Statistics and Associated Fun: How Did It All Turn Out?
Let Us Talk Statistics

 
Basics and Beyond

 
Formatting Your Results Paragraph

 
Including Effect Size and Power

 
 
Chapter 11: Writing Your Discussion: It’s a Wrap
Formatting Your Discussion Section

 
What to Include in Your Discussion Section

 
Getting Your Discussion Section Started

 
Organizing Your Discussion Section

 
Common Mistakes to Avoid in Your Discussion Section

 
Outline for the Sample Discussion Section Included

 
Sample Paper

 
 
Chapter 12: Everybody Needs References
A Helpful Note

 
Creating Your References Section

 
Using Abbreviations

 
The Basics

 
Basic References Section Formatting Rules

 
Some Not-So-Basic Rules You Might Need

 
 
Section IV. Presenting Your Work in APA Format
 
Chapter 13: The Numbers Game: How to Write Numbers (and When the Rules Change)
When You Use Numerals

 
When You Use Words

 
Using Both Numerals and Words

 
How to Use Decimal Points

 
Additional Rules for Including Numbers in Your Paper

 
Metrication

 
When Do You Use Abbreviations?

 
 
Chapter 14: Formatting: Organizing, Headings, and Making Your Work Look Good to Print
What Goes Where?

 
What Your Paper Should Look Like

 
Headings

 
Spelling Matters: Spelling and Capitalization Rules

 
Final Touches

 
 
Chapter 15: Table That Motion: The Special Challenges of Tables and Figures
What Is What

 
Getting the Details Just Right

 
A Note on “Notes”

 
Figuring It Out

 
Get Legendary (and Use Captions)

 
Where to Place Tables and Figures

 
But I Am Doing a Literature Review: Could I Use a Table or Figure?

 
Do Not Forget

 
 
Chapter 16: Make Microsoft Word 2016 Work for You: APA Formatting
Word 2016 Tabs and Drop-Down Menus

 
Setting the Margins

 
Line Spacing and Spacing Between Paragraphs

 
Page Numbering

 
Tabs, Centering, and the Ruler

 
References and the Hanging Indent

 
Preparing a Table (Rows, Columns, Lines, Centering)

 
Fonts and Font Variations (Italics, Bold, Superscript)

 
Page Breaks, Orphans, and Widows

 
Spellchecker and Grammar Checker

 
Developing Good Habits: Autosaving, File Naming, File Storage, Frequent Backups

 
 
Section V. Some Nitty-Gritty Details
 
Chapter 17: Making a List, No Apps Required: Enumeration and Seriation
Why Bother?

 
Keeping Order at the Section Level

 
Order Within Paragraphs or Sentences

 
On a Related Note

 
 
Chapter 18: Abbreviations, Signs, Symbols, and Punctuation: The Details Can Matter: Emoji This!
OMG: To Abbreviate or Not?

 
Blinding You With Science and Latin

 
Punctuation

 
 
Section VI. In Closing: Important Considerations
 
Chapter 19: Using Rubrics: Knowing What It Means to Write a Good Paper
Follow Rubrics When Provided

 
Example Rubrics

 
 
Chapter 20: Proofreading the Entire Paper: Get It Right!
Sample Page of APA Text for Practicing Proofreading

 
 
Chapter 21: Complete Sample of an Experimental (Research) Student Paper: Samples, Anyone?
Sample Student Paper

 
Sample Manuscript Title Page

 
 
Chapter 22: How to Avoid the Most Common Mistakes: All Together Now
APA Style and Format Quiz

 
APA Style and Format Quiz: Answers

 
Be Aware of Professors’ Pet Peeves

 
 
Appendix A: Error List for Chapter 20
 
Appendix B: APA Style and Format Checklist
 
References
 
Index

A little too fussy for my students. They did not like the presentation.

Miss Sam Shepley
Vocational Education, Ashton Sixth Form College
September 27, 2024

The book is a supplemental text for the research and statistics course I teach

Dr Dessalegn Negeri Guyo
School Of Professional Studies, Bowie State University
February 4, 2021

Excellent source for students! Not adopted yet, but I may in the fall.

Dr Giesela Grumbach
Health Admin Social Work Div, Governors State University
November 12, 2020