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EDG 598 Foundations in Literacy: APA Style, Citations

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The Purdue University Online Writing Lab (OWL) is a great resource when citing soruces with APA style (among others).  It not only provides examples in a format and style guide but also gives the theory behind citation styles and why they are used.

APA 7th edition

  • In-Text Citations: If a source has three or more authors, "et al." is used from the very first citation.  Ex: (Martin et al., 2016).
  • Authors in References List: In the 6th edition, the writer only needed to include the surnames and first initials, ex. Martin, J.R., of the first EIGHT (8) authors of a source. That has increased to the first TWENTY (20) authors of a source.
  • Digital Object Identifier: Express the DOI as a URL.  Ex: https://doi.org/10.1080/02763915.2015.1044301.
  • References for Webpages: You DO NOT need to use the phrase "Retrieved from" prior to the URL.  However, you now DO need to use the title of the webSITE.  The webPAGE title remains in italics, and the website title has no special font and is capitalized in the standard English manner.  Ex: Powell, C.S. (2019, February 17). What is a leap year? NBC News. https://www.nbcnews.com/mach/science/what-leap-year-ncna972131.

There are other changes, but these are the major ones.   See the updated examples below.  For other questions, please consult the APA Publication Manual, 7th Edition, at the Holy Spirit Library reference desk, or consult with a librarian.

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