APA Format

1. APA Format • APA Publication Manual is currently in its 5th version since 1929. • APA manual presents rules for the preparation of manuscripts for publication. • Some of the rules may seem to be a pain in the neck, but • They provide a way to have clear and consistent communication to reviewers/readers • In the APA manual, there’s a sample paper on p. 306

2. Your Paper • Double-spaced (EVERYTHING) • Title Page • Abstract • Correct Headings and header/page numbers throughout • Correct use of abbreviations • Correct use of citations in text • Reference Page

3. Title Page • Components • Header and Page Numbers (Section 5.06 in APA Manual) • Used to identify the pages as part of your article if they get separated • The header is the first 2 or 3 words of your title • Upper right hand corner, 5 spaces to the left of the page # • Your title page is page 1 • All other pages have subsequent page numbers with the header next to it • In Microsoft Word, go to View, Header and Footer, and click on #. • Justify right • Running head (Section 5.15 in APA Manual) • The R is capitalized; the h is not • Then a colon • Then an abbreviated title in all caps (less than 50 characters) • Title of your paper, Your Name, Affiliation (Caldwell College) • Double spaced in center of page • Put your title on several lines if it’s long • Note: The course name, my name, and the date are not placed on the title page

4. Abstract • Brief summary of lit review • No more than 120 words • First sentence: Describe purpose of lit review • Second – Fourth sentence: Describe what you found. • Fifth sentence: Describe future areas of research

5. Headings (Section 3.31) • Put your title on the first line of page 2 • Use headings and subheadings appropriate to the paper. If you have 2 levels of headings, you use level 1 and level 3 headings - they’d look like this… Method Learner Yadda Yadda. Yadda. Data Collection Blah. Blah. Blah. Preference Assessment Text. Text. Text. • If you have more than 2 headings, they’ll look different – check out the manual.

6. Abbreviations (Section 3.20) • e.g., • This means, “for example” • i.e., • This means, “that is” • Example • Reinforcers (e.g., Skittles, Bumbleball) • This means that Skittles and Bumbleball were 2 examples of reinforcers, but there were others • Reinforcers (i.e., Skittles, Bumbleball) • This means that Skittles and Bumbleball were the ONLY reinforcers that were used • If you want to abbreviate a long term that you’re using, put the abbreviation in parentheses the first time you use it. • Subsequently, only use the abbreviation (don’t switch back and forth) • Example • Noncontingent Reinforcement (NCR) was used to reduce problem behavior • NCR was effective in reducing problem behavior for Joey

7. Gender issues: Singular vs. Plural • Incorrect: the learner makes their response • Alternatives • The learner makes the response • Learners make their responses • The learner makes “his or her” response • The learner makes his response • Alternate with his and her throughout text if you’re talking about more than 1 person • The last 2 alternatives should be used sparingly

8. Citations in Text (Section 3.94 to 3. 103) • If you use an idea from another source, you must cite it (avoid plagiarism) • 2 ways to do this…. • As part of a sentence • According to Carr and Smith (2000), … • At the end of a sentence • Research has shown that this technique is very effective (Carr & Smith, 2000). • Research has shown that this technique is very effective (e.g., Carr & Smith, 2000).

9. Citations in Text (Section 3.94 to 3. 103) • The first time you cite a source, provide the entire citation • Smith, Kelley, Balsam, and Cheney (2005) • If you cite that source again in your paper, shorten it to • Smith et al. (2005) • If you cite that source twice in one paragraph, leave off the date after the first time in that paragraph • Smith et al.

10. Quotes (Section 3.34) • If you use the exact words from another source, you must • Put them in quotes • Provide the page number • Shouldn’t need to quote unless you’re providing a definition or the person said something very eloquent or noteworthy • 2 major ways to do this • Within a sentence • …is “the greatest invention of the 20th century” (Reid, 2003, p. 394). • At the end of a sentence • Reid (2003) claimed that it’s “the greatest invention of the 20th century” (p. 394).

11. Citations in Text (Section 3.94 to 3. 103) • If you are citing more than 1 article, list them in order alphabetically by last name and separate them with semicolons. • Only two studies have evaluated this phenomenon (i.e., Carr & Smith, 2000; Tuttle & Kramer, 1996)

12. Reference Page (Chapter 4) • Type Reference or References on the first line centered at the top of the page. • Different types of sources are listed differently – you may have to look it up • Here are 3 basic ones: • Journal article Kline, A.H. (2004). Effects of reinforcement on student behavior. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 23, 576-578. • Entire book Kline, A.H. (2004). Reinforcement and its effects. Hillsdale, NJ: Context Press. • Book chapter Cooper, L.S. (2006). Positive reinforcement. In A.H. Kline (Ed.), Reinforcement and its effects (pp. 200-249). Hillsdale, NJ: Context Press. • A good trick to know… • To indent your references correctly in Microsoft Word, select the entire reference • Then choose the hanging indent triangle in the ruler at the top of the page • Move it to the right to 0.5”