2. Documentation Style
A “documentation style” refers
to the way researchers and
writers illustrate that
information from sources used
to support their assertions has
been borrowed.
3. Plagiarism
The failure to properly acknowledge
a borrowed source in an essay is a
serious academic crime and could be
deemed plagiarism.
The word comes from the
Latin word plagiarius,
meaning “kidnapping” or
“literary thief.”
4. APA Style
To maintain coherence throughout
the curriculum, Hodges University
has adopted APA style as the
standard method used to document
sources in essay writing. APA is
used by many colleges and
universities.
5. What is APA style?
It is a social sciences
published style guide that
advises researchers and
writers on how to incorporate,
document, and format papers.
6. APA Quick Guide
See the Library main web
page to access an APA
guide that contains sample
pages and basic rules for
using APA Style.
7. APA Style in the essay
Your essays should contain reliable and valid
sources
The essays should be formatted properly
They should follow APA rules for mechanics
and expression (grammar)
They must have proper in-text citations
They must have a reference page with proper
source citations
8. Reliable and Valid Sources
A reliable source is one that is
generally current and written by an
expert in the subject area.
A valid source is one that specifically
addresses your chosen topic and can
be used to support your assertions.
These sources would include books,
periodicals (magazines, professional
journals, newspapers), and
respected organization web sites.
9. Formatting
Title page w/text double-spaced, centered,
approx. 4” from top with title, student name,
and organization (Hodges University).
Approximately 4” from the bottom of the title
page, include the class name & number,
instructor name, and date.
12 pt. Times New Roman font
Double-spacing with no right justification
Margins of 1” all around (unless bound; if
bound, use 1½” on left margin)
No more than 27 lines / page
10. Formatting (cont.)
Header w/page numbers in upper right corner (title
page counts as page 1)
Indent each paragraph 5-7 spaces or one tab stroke
Tables and content footnotes appear after references
Reference page at end listing only sources used in
the text as support
Abstract comes after title page, if instructor requires
See examples in the APA Publication Manual and the
Hodges APA Guide.
11. Mechanics and Expressions
Active voice over passive voice
No use of contractions (i.e. can‟t)
Key words in titles are capitalized
and italicized in text, but capitalize
only first word in reference list title
and only italicize primary titles
Generally, all numbers 10 and above
are expressed in figures, as are
numbers used in measurements,
dates, time, exact money sums,
percentages, etc.
12. In-Text Citations
Writers use sources to build credibility in
argumentation and as support for a claim.
You have three options for using sources in
text:
Direct quoting
Paraphrasing
Summarizing
All must be documented
13. In-Text Citations (cont.)
Three elements are necessary for in-text
documentation:
author’s last name (or in lieu of that,
group title, like National Institute of Health, or
if no author, a part of the title--“College Guide”)
year of publication
page or paragraph #
This is true also for electronic sources
14. Examples
According to one study, academic performance
is enhanced by efficient use of study time (Doe,
2005, p. 25).
*Note: as a variation, date and author name can
be placed in other pertinent areas in the
sentence.
According to one study by Dr. Jane Doe (2005),
academic performance is enhanced by efficient
use of study time (p. 25).
15. In-Text Citations (cont.)
When quoting information over forty
words, block it off—double spaced text
indented 5 spaces.
*Note: in this case, the parenthetical citation goes
after the quote, but outside the period.
Blend sources into your sentence
structure. That is, a source must be
properly introduced:
16. Examples
Jane Doe claims that “students do well in a rigorous
academic environment” (2005, p. 25).
*Note: only use quotation marks when the author‟s
words and ideas are borrowed.
Paraphrase or summarize in other cases:
In one study by Jane Doe (2005), students
functioned well in an environment with high
academic expectations (p. 25).
17. In-Text Citations (cont.)
Use traditionally respected
sources, whether in hardcopy
or electronic form, including
books, periodicals (journals,
magazines, and newspapers)
and respected organization
web sites (U.S. Census
Bureau, for example).
18. References Page
Center and title reference page as References
Alphabetize and double space entries
Each line after the first of an entry should be
indented one tab stroke (five spaces)
Key elements to include in a citation: author,
date of publication, specific title, source title,
volume and page numbers (if applicable)
If an electronic source, include the DOI
(Digital Object Identifier) if available. If not
available, put the URL of where you retrieved
the source (“Retrieved from www.ti.com/)
19. Examples
Book
Doe, J. (2005). Students in school. New York:
Academic Press.
Magazine or Journal
Doe, J. (2005). School study habits among
students. Journal of Academic Life,
10(2), 10-20.
20. Examples
Newspaper Article
Doe, J. (2005, March 2). Student study habits.
Naples Daily News, p. A5.
Article from an Online Database
Doe, J. (2005, January). Students who study succeed in
school. Psychology Today, 125. doi: 543.1324
497256548746
21. Examples
Government Agency or Group Author
U. S. Study Bureau. (2005). Research in student
study habits (Report #142-5). Washington DC:
Government Printing Office.
Electronic Source from Web
Doe, J. (2005). Students who study. Retrieved
from http://studentstudy/research.com
22. Examples
Audiovisual Source (movie, music CD,
information CD, TV program)
King, L. (Host). (2005, March 2). Larry King
live. New York: CNN.
Zemeckis, R. (Director). (1991). Forrest Gump
[Film]. Hollywood, CA: Paramount.
Bono. (Lyricist). (2000). Walk on. On All that
you can’t leave behind [CD]. New York:
Interscope.
23. For more information about APA
See the many helps available
through the AAS and Library
websites.
See the Publication Manual of the
American Psychological Association
Make a one-on-one appointment
with an AAS tutor
Ask your instructor
24. For more information about APA
You can also view some short video tutorials (right
click on URL, click „open hyperlink‟):
Citing Articles with APA
http://www.screencast.com/t/YTczMjQ5
Citing Books and E-books
http://www.screencast.com/t/MDUyNmU3
Citing Websites
http://www.screencast.com/t/MTUyMDcyNmYt
Citing Tables and Figures
http://www.screencast.com/t/ZDIzOTZmZjQ
