Basics of APA Tutorial
- Basics of APA TutorialMade by the people at APA, so you know it's correct. Use this excellent source for quick instructions on how to make a citation or view the whole tutorial to get a solid understanding in a short time.
More APA Style Guides
- Research & Documentation OnlineShows how to cite in-text and shows clear examples of the types of references.
- Purdue University Online Writing Lab (OWL)Thorough guide to formatting in APA style, with many examples of source types, sample papers, and background on the style.
- Univ. of Maryland's Guide to APAShows clear examples of the types of citations most students need.
What is APA Style?
This guide will help you to cite your sources according to the 6th Edition (2010) style of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association.
APA Style
APA style is a set of guidelines developed to help writers express their ideas and research findings clearly and consistently. APA Style was developed by the American Psychological Association and is used in the social sciences, including psychology.
This online guide is designed to help students with several basic areas of APA Style including:
- Citing print and online sources in a references page at the end of a paper
- Citing sources in the body of the paper (sometimes called in-text citations)
- Basic formatting of the paper
- Avoiding plagiarism
Don't see what you need?
Try one of the other guides listed on the left, or refer to the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 6th Edition. It's available in the Ready Reference section on the first floor of the library, near the reference desk. Or ask a librarian - we're here to help.
Why Do I Need to Cite My Sources?
Citing your sources:
- helps readers of your paper to identify the sources of the information you used
- helps you avoid plagiarism because it shows which ideas are yours and which ideas belong to another person.
Plagiarism is:
When you use a quote, idea, image, or any other kind of information from a source other than your own imagination and present it as your own. If you don't cite your sources, even by accident, then you risk committing plagiarism, which is a serious academic offense.
Citation Maker Tools
NoodleBib is an online tool that helps you create citations and reference lists step-by-step. Try it, you'll like it!
- NoodleBibMake and save your citations and references list. You need to create your account from any campus computer the first time you use it.
- NoodleBib ExpressGenerates citations just like NoodleBib, but cannot save your citations to make a list of references.
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