APA Style

1
APA Style

• Beyond Citations

2
Organizing the Manuscript

• Consider desired length of manuscript
• Use an outline
• Utilize headings within the manuscript (3.31)

3
Report of empirical studies

• Reports of original research
• Introduction
• Methods
• Results
• Discussion

4
Title page

• Title
• Author
• Affiliation
• Running head
• Header and page number

5
Abstract

• Left-justified
• 100-150 words (APA suggests no more than 120)
• Accurate
• Self-contained
• Concise and specific
• nonevaluative

6
Abstract

• Problem under investigation
• Describe participants
• Method
• Findings
• Conclusions

7
Introduction

• Develop the background
• Why is the problem important
• Literature review
• Purpose and rationale

8
Methods

• Participants
• Instrumentation
• Data analysis

9
Results

• Demographics
• Statistical presentation
• Statistical significance
• Practical significance

10
Discussion

• Importance/relevance of findings
• Limitations
• Implications for counseling

11
References

• Majority should be peer-reviewed publications
• Identify all authors of 6 or less in references

12
Appendix

• Tables
• Figures

13
Tips

• Avoid bias in language (2.13-2.16)
• e.g. he/she, children with depression
• Active voice (2.06)
• Always report about past research in past tense
  (2.06)
• Economy of expression(2.03)
• Avoid jargon (2.04)
• Be precise with word choice (2.04)

14
Tips

• Be careful about using pronouns (2.04)
• Avoid editorial we (2.04)
• Use proper grammar (2.04)
• Review seriation (3.33)
• (a)., (b), (c).
• Parallel construction (2.11)