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APA Style Guide

Writers use style guides to achieve consistency and maintain cohesiveness across all types of writing. Large organizations, universities, and professional organizations often develop or adopt a style guide to help with elements of writing such as grammar, spelling, punctuation, capitalization, formatting, and word usage.
This Style Guide will focus mainly on citing sources, displaying data, formatting, and guidance on common writing questions.

Formatting

Basic Page Formatting
APA formatting has specific standards for formatting your document. At the page level, formatting should include all of the following:

Set page margins to 1-inch margin on all sides.
Double-space your entire paper, including headings.
Use a clear and readable font (e.g., Times New Roman, 12-point size).
Left align the text.
Include a page number in the upper right corner of the page
Indent the first line of every paragraph. (e.g. 1/2 inch)

Header Formatting
There are five levels of heading in APA Style. The majority of papers written by students at BYU-Idaho only require three levels of headings, so we will review the first three headings.

Each level serves a specific purpose and indicates the hierarchy of information within your paper.

Level 1 (Main Heading):

Centered, bold, title case (capitalize the first letter of each major word).
Text begins as a new paragraph.

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Main Heading Example:

Level 2 (Subheading):

Flush left, bold, title case.
Text begins as a new paragraph.

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Subheading example:

Level 3 (Sub-subheading):

Flush left, bold, italic, title case.
Text begins as a new paragraph.

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Subheading example:

Usage of Format Headings:

The number of headings depends on the length and complexity of your work.
Use only the necessary headings to differentiate distinct sections in your paper.
Short student papers may not require any headings.
Avoid having only one subsection heading within a section.

In the Introduction:

Do not begin a paper with an “Introduction” heading.
The paper title at the top of the first page of text acts as the Level 1 heading.
You can use headings within the introduction for subsections (e.g., Level 2 or Level 3).

Title Page Formatting:

Title: Centered, bold, and in title case (capitalize the first letter of each major word).
Author Names: Centered, including first name, middle initial, and last name.
Author Affiliation: The institution where the student attends school.
Course Information: Course number and name.
Instructor Name: Full name of the instructor.

Citing Sources

In-Text Citations:

Include a citation whenever you quote or paraphrase material from sources.
Use the author–date citation system.
Include the author’s last name and the publication year within parentheses in the text. If the source information is included at the end of the sentence, put the period outside the parentheses.
- For example: Junk food is considered addictive (Smith, 2023).
If there are multiple authors, use an ampersand (&) between their names.
- For example: (Smith, 2023) or (Smith & Johnson, 2023).
When no individual author is listed, you may provide the source title or the name of the organization that published the material instead.
- For example: (Being Honest, 2020).
Source information may be included within the sentence or in a parenthetical reference at the end of the sentence.
- For example:
  - Epstein (2010) points out that “junk food cannot be considered addictive in the same way that we think of psychoactive drugs as addictive” (p. 137).
  - Addiction researchers caution that “junk food cannot be considered addictive in the same way that we think of psychoactive drugs as addictive” (Epstein, 2010, p. 137).
If you use multiple sources in the same paragraph, separate citations with semicolons

For example: (Smith, 2023; Johnson, 2022).

Reference Section:
At the end of your paper, create a REFERENCES section that includes all the sources you cited.

Arrange entries alphabetically by the author’s last name.
Use hanging indentation for reference list entries (first line flush left, subsequent lines indented).
Include correctly formatted citations based on the source.

Common Sources Citation:

Article in Scholarly Journal: Author(s) last name, initials. (Year). Article title. Journal Name, Volume(Issue), Page range. DOI or URL.
- For example: Briggs, D. (2008). In tough times, help your CEO to inspire confidence. Strategic Communication Management, 12(3), 13.
Article in Scholarly Journal without Author: Article title. (Year). Journal Name, Volume(Issue), Page range.
- For example: WHO Ebola Response Team. (2014). Ebola virus disease in West Africa — The first 9 months of the epidemic and forward projections. New England Journal of Medicine, 371(16), 1481-1495. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa1411100

Books: Author(s) last name, initials. (Year). Title, Publisher City: Publisher Name
- For example:

Burke, K. (1969). A grammar of motives. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.

Interviews and Conversations: Interviewee(s). (Year, Month Day). Personal communication.
- For example: Smith, J. (2024, April 15). Personal communication.
Newspapers and Trade Publications: Author(s). (Year, Month Day). Title of the article. Newspaper or Magazine Name, page.
- For example: Cooper, H. (2015, April 16). With Ebola in retreat, Obama calls for caution. The New York Times, p. A8.
Social Media Posts: Author last name, initials. [Handle]. (Year, Month Day). Content of the post [Platform]. URL.
- For example: Nelson, R. M. [NelsonRussellM]. (2020, August 5). Dear friends, the road ahead may be bumpy, but our destination is serene and secure. So, fasten your seatbelt, hang on through the bumps, and do what's right. Your reward will be eternal. [Twitter]. https://twitter.com/NelsonRussellM/status/1291034155900260353
Websites: Author or Organization. (Year, Month Day). Title of the webpage. URL.

For example: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. (n.d.). Apostle. https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/gospel-topics/apostle?lang=eng

Guidance on Common Writing Questions

Displaying Data:

Data Guidelines

- Use sentences if you have three of fewer numbers.
- For example: The study included 100 participants, with an average age of 42 years, and a standard deviation of 5.6 years.
Tables are typically used with data that includes 4 to 20 numbers.
Figures are used with data that has more than 20 numbers.

Figures

Figures are a visual representation of data and can include line graphs, bar graphs, charts, drawings, illustrations, maps, or photographs
Figures should make information easier for readers to understand what is being presented
Graphics should be clear
Elements should be clearly labeled

Placing figures in text

Figures should include a figure number and title
Titles should be in italic title case

Figure 2.1

Groups Affected by Crisis Events

Tables

Tables present information clearly and concisely for readers
Tables should avoid lines that could reduce readability

Placing tables in text

Tables should include a table number and title
Titles should be in italic title case

Table 1.3

Results of Early Dementia Test

Participant ID Age Gender Test Score

P480 60 Female 65.46

P481 54 Male 51.83

P482 44 Female 83.72

P483 53 Female 87.37

P484 43 Male 92.10

Before placing figures and tables, the writer should introduce them in the text and explain or highlight content afterward.

Bulleted Lists:

Use bulleted lists to present items without implying a specific order (e.g., chronology or importance).
Bulleted lists are appropriate for short items or phrases.
You can use symbols such as small circles, squares, or dashes for the bullets.
Begin each bulleted item with a lowercase letter (except for proper nouns).
Choose one of the following punctuation options:
No punctuation: If the items are shorter and simpler.
Punctuation after items: If the items are longer or more complex.

Numbered Lists:

Use a numbered list to display complete sentences or paragraphs in a series (e.g., itemized conclusions, steps in a procedure).
Use a lettered list or bulleted list rather than a numbered list if the items are phrases.

Numbers Expressed in Numerals or Words:

Use numerals to express numbers 10 and above, and use words to express numbers zero through nine.

Serial Comma:

Use of a serial comma (also known as an Oxford comma, Harvard comma, or series comma) is recommended in APA Style.
The serial comma appears before the last item in a list of three or more items.
Consistently using the serial comma helps clarify the intended meaning of a list.
It reduces ambiguity and ensures that readers understand the separation between item

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