APA Quick Guide

Library & Writing Center, Spring 2020 Page 1 of 4

APA 7

: New Edition!

Quick Guide

A collaboration of the Metropolitan State University

Library and CAE Writing Center

Resources

Online: APA Style Website (https://apastyle.apa.org/)

APA Style Blog (https://apastyle.apa.org/blog/)

Book: The Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association 7th edition (2020)

In-text Citation

Quotes and Paraphrases from Retrievable Sources

• Use the author’s last name followed by the year of publication.

• For two authors, use both names every time you cite.

• For three or more, use the first author’s last name and et al. after that.

• For text sources use a page number or describe the location, for video or audio sources

use a timestamp to locate the quote.

• For parenthetical citations with more than one source listed, use semicolons between

each source: (Casas, 2018; Hinle et al., 2015; Aziz, 2018)

For a quote provide a page number or describe the location.

Chau (2017) said, “APA style is great” (p. 123).

The article said “APA style is great” (Akinbola, 2016, pp. 123-124).

Keltan et. al (2009) said, “APA style is great” (Style section 1, para. 2).

The video said, “APA style is great” (Nurses Association [NA], 2019, 2:12).

If a direct quote is more than 40 words, it is called a block quote:

Place it on a new line, do not use quotation marks, and indent it. The parenthetical citation

comes after the period of a block quote, like this. (APA, 2020, pp. 272- 273)

A paraphrase does not need a page or location, you may want to provide one if it will be useful

to the reader or the paraphrase is long.

Chau and Morales (2017) praised APA style.

The scholarly article praises APA style (Chau & Morales, 2017).

For indirect citation: something cited in your source you want to refer to directly in your

essay, use “as cited in” and only create a reference entry for the source you read.

Abe Lincoln (as cited in Statton & Gomez, 2013) may or may not have said, “Whatever you are,

be a good one” (p. 145).

Interviews, Lectures, and Meetings

For interviews, un-recorded class lectures, talks, or anything which cannot be retrieved

by a reader: in your text, make the context clear, provide the initials, last name, and a full date.

The teacher said use APA in class (B. Chau, personal communication, May 4, 2020).

E. M. Parad said APA 7

edition is great (personal communication, May 8, 2019).

To mention a website in general: if you want to only refer to a site and not specific information

on it, do not create a reference entry. Use the name of the site in a sentence and include the

URL in parentheses.

Writing websites like Purdue OWL (https://owl.purdue.edu

) are useful for drafting.

Library & Writing Center, Spring 2020 Page 2 of 4

References

Format for the References Page

Use a separate page at the end of the paper titled References, centered in

normal text on the first line. List sources alphabetically by author’s last name. Double

space the page. If an entry takes more than one line, the second line is indented one

half inch.

Basic Format for an Entry

Author (Year of Publication). Title [Type of source, if needed]. Source of the work.

http://www.someaddressorother

• A web address (URL) or document object identifier (DOI) comes after the period if it is

an electronic source. APA strongly prefers using the DOI.

• List the first 20 authors for multi-authored works, place & in front of the last author’s

name. For more than 21 authors, include the first 19 authors’ names, insert an ellipsis,

like this . . . & the final author’s name.

• If there is no date use (n.d.).

• If needed, use short descriptions in square brackets after the title and before the period

to identify the type of source. Capitalize the first word of the description, like this: Title of

work [Audio recording]. Brackets can also be used to supply missing or useful

information identifying a source for the reader.

• If a work with no date is designed to change over time without available archived copies,

such as an organization’s homepage, then provide a retrieval date.

Sample Entries

book or ebook

Include a DOI or URL if there is one, if not, leave it out

Chau, B. (2017). Using APA style in your paper (2

ed.). University Press.

http://www.someaddressorother

edited book chapter

Aziz, T. (2018). Format for a student paper. In A.B. Morales & B. Chau (Eds.),

The art of

writing

Academic scholarship

. (pp. 23-27). Publisher Press.

journal article

Provide the URL only if it will open directly to the source and there is no DOI.

Keltan, L., Lee, A., Abebe, C., Drelow, F. & Fogel, H. (2020). APA seventh edition: How to use

it. Title of Journal, 44(2), 101-110.

Oke, A. E., Aghimien, D., & Adedoyin, A. (2018). SWOT analysis of indigenous and foreign

contractors in a developing economy. The International Journal of Quality & Reliability

Management, 35(6), 1289-1304. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJQRM-11-2016-0210

government report

Institute for Data Reports. (2019). Taking data: Support for data (IDR Publication No. 12345).

U.S. Department of Data. https://www.data.gov/publications/madeupnotreal.pdf

Library & Writing Center, Spring 2020 Page 3 of 4

company report or SWOT analysis

3M Co - financial and strategic analysis review. (2019, October). Gale Business Insights:

Essentials. (Reference code: GDIGM758FSA).

https://callisto.ggsrv.com/imgsrv/FastFetch/SWOTPDF/69580_GDIGM758FSA

film, video & podcast episode

Paulson, J. (Director). (2018). Mister Rogers: It’s you I like: A retrospective of Mister Rogers’

neighborhood [Documentary]. PBS.

https://metrostate.kanopy.com/video/mister-rogers-

its-you-i

Respected University. (2020, June 28). Some scholarly tips [Video]. YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watchmadeupurl

Dhau, C. (Host). (2020, May 5). Citation style up close (No. 12) [Audio podcast episode]. In

College life podcasts. XYZ Studios. http://www.someaddressorother

course materials

Mack, R.T. (2020). Citation for presentations [Course notes on APA style]. Metropolitan State

University D2L Brightspace. https://d2l.fakecourse

dictionary & encyclopedia

Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). Style. In Merriam-Webster.com dictionary. Retrieved May 9, 2020,

from https://www.dictionaryImadeup

Nurses Club. (n.d.). Medical terms. In Nurse encyclopedia of terms (Fall 2020 ed.). Retrieved

May, 5, 2021, from https://doi.someaddressorother

web page, blog post and comment, online news source & social media

Use the first 20 elements (words [link], [image], [gif] etc.) as the title for comments and

untitled social media.

Agan, J. (2019, May 2). APA seventh edition is coming soon. OER Commons. Retrieved

September 17, 2019, from https://www.oercommons.org/madeupurl

Dhau C. (2019, May 2). Talking citation style. APA Style Blog. https://apastyle.apa.org/

YZ in MN (2019 May 5). Thanks for all the great advice about citations, it truly helps me make

my writing clear [Comment on the post “Talking citation style”]. APA Style Blog.

https://apastyle.apa.org/

Chau, A. (2019, July 10). Does the APA seventh edition meet its goals? CNN.

https://www.cnn.com/2019/07/10/madeupurl

World Health Organization. (2018, May 24). The top 10 causes of good health.

https://www.who.int/fact-sheets/madeupurl

APA Style [@Fakename]. (2019, May 2). Fake twitter post on help for students and researchers

with their writing process . More details @APA Style table [Tweet]. Twitter.

Library & Writing Center, Spring 2020 Page 4 of 4

APA 7

Edition Student Paper Format

For sample papers and detailed guidance, see the Publication Manual or go to the APA

Style website (https://apastyle.apa.org/

). Spacing: Double space throughout. Font choices:

Use only one font. Choose from: 11-point Calibri, 11-point Arial, or 12-point Times New Roman

among others. Order of sections: Title page, Abstract (if required), Body of paper, References,

Endnotes, Tables, Figures, Appendices. Page numbers: Start at 1 with the title page, choose

the top right position. Student papers do not use a running header. Title page: separate page,

place the title about 3 or 4 lines from the top, centered, double-spaced:

APA Style 7

Edition Uses a Centered, Bold Title

Noam D. Plume

Metropolitan State University

WRIT 111: APA Style for All

Dr. Ben Chau

October 1, 2020

Tables & Figures: any kind of visual display that is not a table is considered a figure.

Table 1

Formatting for APA Title and Headings

Title on page 2 APA Style 7

Edition Uses a Centered, Bold Title

Level 1 Centered, Bold Level One Heading

Level 2 Flush Left, Bold Level Two Heading

Level 3 Flush Left, Bold, Italic Level Three Heading

Level 4 Indented, Bold Level Four Heading. Begin paragraph text on the same line.

Level 5 Indented, Bold, Italic Level Five Heading. Begin paragraph text on same line.

Note. Use the note to describe content as needed. Any sources for tables or figures should both

be credited in the note and have an entry in the references list. Adapted from “Format for the

Five Levels of Heading in APA Style” by APA, The Publication Manual of the American

Psychological Association 7

Association.

Figure 1

Writing Style for Student Papers

Note. The core elements of style for APA aim at interesting writing which conveys information in

an effective, unbiased manner. Continuity refers to consistency in the logic of a paper. Use

transitions between points to create a smooth flow of ideas. Be clear, concise and direct to help

a reader follow the discussion. Finally, academic tone reflects focus on the research and

respect for other scholars.

Continuity &

Flow

Relevant

Transitions

Academic

Tone

Conciseness &

Clarity

Logical

Comparisons