APA Formatting - References: Videos & Practice Problems

Understanding APA formatting is essential for writing research papers in psychology. In-text citations require the author's last name and publication date, using either parenthetical or narrative formats. For works with three or more authors, use "et al." in citations. End-of-text references should include the author's name, publication date, title, journal name in italics, volume and issue numbers, page numbers, and the DOI or URL. Always verify generated references for accuracy to ensure proper citation and adherence to academic standards.

APA Formatting - References

When writing research papers in psychology, adhering to APA formatting is essential, especially when citing journal articles. Proper citations are necessary whenever you paraphrase or reference someone else's work, even if the information seems obvious. In-text citations can be categorized into two formats: parenthetical and narrative citations.

A parenthetical citation includes the author's last name and the publication date in parentheses at the end of the sentence. For example, you might write, "Culture seems to play a role in shaping behavior (Smith, 2020)." In contrast, a narrative citation integrates the reference into the sentence structure, such as, "Smith (2020) found that culture plays a role in shaping behavior." Both formats are acceptable, and you can use a combination of them throughout your paper.

For works with three or more authors, APA allows you to use "et al." to simplify citations. For instance, "Jones, Dawson, and Clark (2007)" can be shortened to "Jones et al. (2007)." This abbreviation is applicable in both parenthetical and narrative citations.

Moving on to end-of-text references, it is advisable to use citation generation tools, but always verify their accuracy. An end-of-text reference should begin with the authors' last names followed by their initials, and if available, the middle initial. The publication date should be enclosed in parentheses. The title of the paper follows, formatted in lowercase except for the first word and any proper nouns. The journal name should be italicized, followed by the volume number and issue number, which are typically found on the first page of the article. Page numbers should also be included, along with the URL or DOI (Digital Object Identifier) of the article, which is usually located at the top of the page.

In summary, understanding the structure and components of APA citations is crucial for academic writing in psychology. By mastering both in-text and end-of-text references, you can ensure that your research papers are well-organized and properly credited.

APA Formatting - References Example 1

When writing a research paper, it's essential to properly cite your sources in APA format. For a study conducted by Kent, Lee, Johnson, and Garcia in 2018, which found a significant association between parental involvement and children's academic success, you can use both parenthetical and narrative citations.

In a parenthetical citation, you would summarize the findings and include the citation at the end. For example: Parental involvement seems to be associated with children's academic success (Kent et al., 2018). Here, "et al." is used because there are more than three authors, simplifying the citation.

For a narrative citation, which integrates the authors' names into the text, you could write: Kent and colleagues (2018) found that parental involvement was associated with children's academic success. Alternatively, you could also use Kent et al. (2018) in this context, both of which are acceptable according to APA standards.

It's important to note that while significant p-values are often reported in research findings, they are typically not required in the narrative unless specifically requested by your professor. The assumption is that significant results are implied when discussing the findings.

Here’s what students ask on this topic:

How do you format in-text citations in APA style?

In APA style, in-text citations can be formatted in two ways: parenthetical and narrative. In a parenthetical citation, the author's last name and the publication date are placed in parentheses at the end of the sentence, e.g., (Smith, 2020). In a narrative citation, the author's name is incorporated into the sentence, followed by the publication date in parentheses, e.g., Smith (2020) found that... For works with three or more authors, use 'et al.' after the first author's name, e.g., (Jones et al., 2007).

What information is included in an APA end-of-text reference?

An APA end-of-text reference includes the following components in this order: the author's last name and initials, the publication date in parentheses, the title of the paper in sentence case, the journal name in italics, the volume number in italics, the issue number in parentheses, the page numbers, and the DOI or URL. For example: Smith, J. A. (2020). The impact of culture on behavior. Journal of Psychology, 15(2), 123-145. https://doi.org/10.1234/abc123

When should you use 'et al.' in APA citations?

In APA citations, 'et al.' is used when a work has three or more authors. Instead of listing all authors' names, you list the first author's last name followed by 'et al.' and the publication date. For example, instead of writing Jones, Dawson, and Clark (2007), you would write Jones et al. (2007). This can be used in both parenthetical and narrative citations.

How do you format the title of a paper in an APA reference list?

In an APA reference list, the title of a paper should be in sentence case, meaning only the first word of the title, the first word after a colon, and any proper nouns are capitalized. The title is not italicized or placed in quotation marks. For example: The impact of culture on behavior: A comprehensive study.

What is the correct format for a journal name in an APA reference?

In an APA reference, the journal name should be in italics and title case, meaning the first letter of each major word is capitalized. For example: Journal of Psychology. This helps distinguish the journal name from other elements in the reference.