Which of the following is an example of a low-level rule of APA style in reference formatting?

• A. Citing sources in alphabetical order by author last name
• B. Reporting statistical results in the results section
• C. Using double-spacing throughout the reference list
• D. Including a running head on every page

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that APA style rules can be categorized into high-level and low-level rules. High-level rules often relate to the overall structure and organization of a paper, while low-level rules focus on specific formatting details.
2. Identify the nature of each option: 'Citing sources in alphabetical order by author last name' is about the order of references, which is a structural guideline and thus a higher-level rule.
3. 'Reporting statistical results in the results section' pertains to content placement and reporting standards, which is also a high-level rule related to the organization of the paper.
4. 'Using double-spacing throughout the reference list' is a formatting detail that affects the appearance of the reference list, making it a low-level rule focused on specific formatting.
5. 'Including a running head on every page' is a formatting requirement for the entire document, which is more of a high-level formatting rule affecting the whole paper rather than just the reference list.