2. Characteristics of
an APA
APA (American Psychological Association) referenceinclude:-
1. Author(s) name
TheAPA reference should include the last name and initials of the author(s) or the name of the organization
responsible for the
work.
If there are multiple authors, list them in the order they appear in the source, using an ampersand (&) to
separate the last two authors.
2. Publication year
The APA reference should include the year of publication in parentheses. It indicates the year the work was published
or made available to the public.
Example of a basic APA reference for abook:
Smith, J. D. (2019). The Psychology of Human Behavior.
In this example, "Smith, J. D." is the author's name, and "(2019)" represents the publicationyear.
3. Where are references
located in an
assignment?
The references are typically located at the end of the document on a separate
page titled "References.“It allows readers to find and access the sources you used
to support your arguments and research.
The "References" page should be arranged in alphabetical order by the authors'
last names. If there is no specific author, the reference should be alphabetized by the
first significant word of the title (excluding articles like "A," "An," or "The").
4. References can be written as
Book:
Smith, J. D. (2019). The Psychology of Human Behavior.
Journal Article:
Johnson, A. B., & Williams, C. D. (2021). Effects of Exercise on Mental Health. Journal
of Health Psychology, 25(3), 154-167.
Website:
National Institute of Mental Health. (2022). Understanding Mental Disorders.
https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/index.shtml
Keep in mind that the actual format and details of each reference type (e.g., book,
journal article, website, etc.) might differ slightly in terms of the information required,
but they should all be consistent with APA style guidelines.
5. Image reference
Figure 1. Man exercising. Adapted from "Yoga: Stretching Out," by A. N. Green, and L. O. Brown,
2006, May 8, Sports Digest, 15, p. 22. Copyright 2006 by Sports Digest Inc.
6. What do in text
citations look
like?
• In-Text Citation:
• When referencing a single author: (Smith, 2020)
• When referencing two authors: (Johnson & Williams,2021)
• When referencing a work with three or more authors: (Miller et al., 2019)
• When referencing a source with no author: ("Title of the Article," 2018)
• When referencing a specific page or page range: (Anderson, 2015, p.25)
• When referencing multiple sources: (Smith, 2020; Johnson & Williams, 2021; Anderson,2015)
Formatting:
APA formatting includes the following elements:
• Title page: Centered, bold, and in title case (the first letter of major wordscapitalized).
• Author's name: Centered below the title, written as First Name Initial. LastName.
• Institutional affiliation: Centered below the author's name, indicating the university or organization.
7. Headings/Subheadings:
There are 5 types of heading h1-h5.
Headings and subheadings are commonly used in academic documents such as
research papers, essays, dissertations, and reports to create a clear and organized
structure.
Page numbers: Page
numbers should be placed in the top right corner of each page, including the title
page. The running head
Font and size:
APA recommends using a serif font like Times New Roman or Courier New with a
font size of 12 points same font must be used.
Line spacing:
The text should be double-spaced throughout the paper, including the title page,
main text, quotations, references, footnotes, and figure captions.
Text justification :
Text must be center align
8. Hanging text
The purpose of a hanging indent is to make the references list easier to read and to distinguish
between different entries. In most citation styles, the hanging indent is typically set at 0.5 inches
Example of a list of names in alphabeticalorder:
Adams, John
• Brown, Lisa
• Johnson, Mark
• Smith, Amanda
• Wilson, Emily
Hyperlinks vs. URLs:
• When using hyperlinks, the actual URL is hidden behind the link's text.
• Example: Tolearn more about artificial intelligence, click here.
• URLs (Uniform Resource Locators): URLs are the web addresses used to specify the location of resources(such
as web pages,, images, files etc.) on theinternet
Spacing- use proper spacing between words.
9. Workable Solutions For APA
Problems
INTEXT CITATION
FORMAT SOLUTIONS
• Utilize APA style manuals and
internet resources for specific
instructions and examples.
• Practice and double-check
citations to minimizeerrors.
• Seek advicefrom peers or
teachers to clarify any
uncertainties.
REFERENCE LIST
SOLUTIONS
Use citation management
software or referencingtools
to simplify the process and
ensure accurate reference
lists.
Cross-reference the official
APArules when in doubt.
Pay close attention to the
specific criteria for citing
each type of source.
FORMATTING
HEADINGS AND
SUBHEADINGS
SOLUTIONS
• Utilize word processing
programs with built-in APA style
templates for formatting
headers and subheadings.
• Understand the hierarchy and
characteristics of each
heading level.
• Find tutorials or online
resources on APA style for
additional guidance andhelp.
10. THREE SUGGESTED
READING WITH APA FORMAT
Author(s): Long, H., & Cooper, C.
Title: Enhancing college students' academic writing skills: A systematic review
of instructional interventions.
Journal: Journal of Writing Research
Year: 2018
Author(s): Johnson, L., & Williams, R.
Title: Teaching APA style writing: Best practices for instructors.
Journal: Journal of Educational Psychology Review
Year: 2019
Author(s): Peterson, A., & Baker, E.
Title: The impact of peer feedback on college students' APA writing proficiency.
Journal: Teaching in Higher Education
Year: 2021
