This guide includes resources to help you format your paper and cite your sources in APA style (7th ed.)
The Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association is the authoritative source for instructions on APA formatting. There are several copies in the ATC library reference section under the call number BF76.7.P83 2020.
About the Manual
The chapters you need to know are:
Chapter 2: Paper elements and format--Tells you about the elements of your paper (title page, title, running head, text, etc.) and how to format them. There is an example of a student paper in this chapter. You will see instructions and samples of professional papers and student papers. You want the examples for a student paper.
Chapter 8: Works credited in the text--Tells you the principles of paraphrasing, and how to use direct quotations, as well as how to do your in-text citations.
Chapter 9: Reference list--Tells you how to format entries on your References page.
Chapter 10: Reference examples-- The all-important chapter with many different examples that also refer you back to previous chapters if you want more information.
Using the index
If you need to find information quickly, use the index at the back of the book. For example, if you can't remember if you are supposed to abbreviate the word "edition" in a reference list entry, the index directs you to pages 306-307, and 324 for an example.