Did you know APA style is more than a reference page and an understanding of internal citations?
It’s an editorial style guide developed by the American Psychological Association (APA) and is the standard for classes here at TCC as well as in fields like nursing and the social sciences.
A style guide? What is that?!
It’s a way to ensure all documentation is written in a uniform manner so it’s consistent. It dictates nuances like whether the numerical date should be written before the month or after the month, and whether a comma separates an author’s last name from the year of publication or a page number. It also provides guidelines for attributing your work.
Most companies use style guides so that all their branding and documentation looks the same. Similarly, you’ll find that all scholarly articles pertaining to the social sciences will use APA Style.
There are a multitude of different style guides that exist. You may have used the Modern Language Association’s (MLA) style guide for English papers in high school. It has its own unique set of guidelines. APA style is different, so don’t get hung up on the shift! There are lots of details to pay attention to, but there are also lots of resources and guides to help you along the way.
You’ll become more familiar with APA rules for formatting and citation as you progress throughout your college career. It’s not something you need to memorize. There are plenty of guides to help you remember the rules, so focus on your writing, then be meticulous with double-checking formatting and citations.
Some helpful materials and resources are as follows:
Download this sample paper, then use the format to help you get started! You can simply plug in your information so that you have the title page, heading, page numbering system and more ready to go!
This document serves as a quick reference for some of the important rules regarding formatting and citing.
Purdue University Online Writing Lab’s (OWL) APA Style Guide
The Purdue OWL provides one of the most in-depth APA resources out there! Access the various tabs on the left-hand column of the guide to find answers to any questions that may arise.
Formatting an APA Title Page & Header Tutorial
In this short video, Professor Tippey guides you through the process of setting up an APA title page and header.
APA: Introducing the 7th edition
This short video from the APA walks viewers through changes and additions to the most recent 7th edition of the manual.
Follow instructions to create your free account, and learn about what RefWorks can do! It’s a free tool that will help you export citations as you browse and read. You’ll find it very helpful!
