APA Format Basics
What is APA Style?
APA (American Psychological Association) style is one of the most widely used formatting and citation styles in academic writing, particularly in the social sciences.
Key Elements of APA Style
- In-text Citations: Brief references within your text that point to the full reference list entry.
- Reference List: Detailed information about all sources cited in your work.
- Page Formatting: Specific guidelines for margins, spacing, and headings.
Basic Citation Rules
Author-Date Citation System
APA uses an author-date citation system, consisting of:
- Author's last name
- Year of publication
- Page numbers (for direct quotes)
Common Citation Examples
Basic Format
(Author, Year)Example: (Smith, 2023)
Direct Quote
(Author, Year, p. XX)Example: (Smith, 2023, p. 45)
Interactive Examples
Try it yourself
Original text:
The study found significant results.
With citation:
The study found significant results (Smith, 2023).
Related Tutorials
Practice Exercises
Exercise 1: Basic Citations
Format these citations in APA style:
- Author: John Smith, Year: 2023, Title: Modern Research Methods
- Author: Sarah Johnson, Year: 2022, Title: Digital Learning