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Mary Wuergler
Listen to the audio version of how to structure the body of an APA style paper:
How to structure the Body of APA Style Paper (Text version).
The image above shows the perfect APA format for the body of a paper.
After the title page is the beginning of the paper. At the top of the page, the title of your paper appears again. The title is the same as on the title page, centered, bolded, not underlined, and not italicized.
The recommended font for the entire paper is Times New Roman 12. The paper size is US Letter 8 1/2” x 11” (check under Layout that it is not set to A4). Double space the entire paper and indent one tab at the beginning of each paragraph. Do not put a line space between paragraphs.
The introduction is indented one tab (0.5 inches or 1.27 cm) and begins immediately after the title with no line space. The introduction begins with a general statement about the topic to get the reader’s attention. Often, the last sentence in the introduction clearly states the topic of the paper and is called the thesis statement. You should, however, be sure to follow your professor’s instructions on how to write an introduction, body and conclusion for the type of assignment you are submitting.
Each body paragraph is indented one tab (0.5 inches or 1.27 cm) and begins immediately after the previous paragraph with no line space. Look at the last page of this document to see how to set the paragraph spacing before and after the paragraph to 0 pt. Each body paragraph usually begins with a topic sentence, gives examples or proof of what you state in the topic sentence, then ends with a concluding sentence.
If you are quoting the exact words of another author, make sure that you introduce the quote and use quotation marks around the author’s words. In an essay about pets for example, the writer may say that dogs may help their older owners to stay healthy as researchers found that “those with a dog and who were involved in its care were less likely to be lonely” (Opdebeeck et al., 2021, p. 1559). After the direct quote, you need to have an in-text citation which includes the author’s last name, year of publication, and page number of the reference and then explain to the reader how this quote supports or proves your claim. If you paraphrase the author’s words, you may include the page number, but it is not required, and you do not need to use quotation marks (American Psychological Association, 2020).
The final paragraph restates the thesis statement in other words, then usually ends with a general statement about the topic or something to get the reader thinking more about the topic.
Following the end of the paper on a new page should be your reference list, more on this in the next chapter.
Perfect APA format L6-8 [World File] is a downloadable Word document which includes the image above (page 2).
MS Word document you can edit and use to write your assignment: Template for APA formatted document EAP L5-8 [Word File]
Georgian College’s APA Guide has helpful information to help with creating in-text citations [New Tab].
This video explains how to create in-text citations in an APA Style student paper:
Watch the video: APA In-Text Citations (9 minutes)
Video Source: Georgian College Academic Success. (2022, August 19). APA in-text citations [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNv44tAt9PA&list=PLiHDZlctTlUSOMuPBNDr2g-QuiuUJQ26L&index=5
APA In-text Citations Activity
APA In-text Citations Activity (Text Version)
- In-text Citation: Book/eBook
Fill in the blank: Write the in-text citation for information taken from this source and used as a paraphrase in someone else’s writing.
Book Title: Ketogenic diet: A treatment for children and others with epilepsy.
Authors: John Freeman, Eric Kossoff, Jennifer Freeman, and Millicent Kelly
Publication: Demos Medical Publishing
Date: 2006
Answer: ______ - In-text Citation: Direct Quote webpage with a group author
Fill in the blank: Write the in-text citation for information taken from paragraph 4 of this source and used in a direct quote in someone else’s writing.
Article Title: Household food insecurity.
Author: Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit
Publication: Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit
Date: November 16, 2022
Answer: ______ - In-text Citation: Paraphrased online newspaper article
Fill in the blank: Write the in-text citation for information taken from this source and summarized in someone else’s writing.
Article Title: Family-run B.C. company beats out some big names to win acoustic guitar of the year.
Author: Jason Peters
Publication: CBC
Date: December 6, 2022
Answer: ______ - In-text citation: Paraphrased online journal article
Fill in the blank: Write the in-text citation for information taken from this source and used as a paraphrase in someone else’s writing.
Article Title: Vitamin D supplementation and total mortality: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
Authors: Philippe Autier and Sara Gandini
Publication: JAMA
Date: September 10, 2007
Answer: ______ - In-text citation: Direct quote professional medical journal
Fill in the blank: Write the in-text citation for information taken from page 551 of this source and used in a direct quote in someone else’s writing.
Article Title: Estimation of the dietary requirement for vitamin D in healthy adolescent white girls.
Authors: Cashman, K. D., FitzGerald, A. P., Viljakainen, H. T., Jakobsen, J., Michaelsen, K. F., Lamberg-Allardt, C., & Molgaard, C
Publication: The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
Date: 2011
Answer: ______
Check your answers
- (Freeman et al., 2006)
- (Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit, 2022, para. 4)
- (Peters, 2022)
- (Autier & Gandini, 2007)
- (Cashman et al., 2011, p. 551)
Activity Source: “APA In-text Citation Activity” by Mary Wuergler, licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.
Navigation
In-Text Citations for Paraphrasing & Quoting
What are in-text citations and why do we need to use them?
When you use the words or ideas of another author in your essay, you need to give credit to the other author (this is called ‘citation’). This helps you to avoid plagiarism, and it shows the reader where they can look to find the original source.
There are 2 ways to give credit to another author:
- in the body of your essay beside the words or ideas of the other author (this is called ‘in-text’ citation), and has only the name of the author(s), the year of publication and the page or paragraph number for a direct quote.
- on the last page of your essay – the References page. The full citation for each of the resources you used in your essay are listed on the References page. You can find more information about this in the next chapter.
- TIP: It is usually easier to do your References first, then use them to write your in-text citations.
| Author Type | Parenthetical citation | Narrative citation |
|---|---|---|
| One author | (Chopak, 2018) | Chopak (2018) |
| Two authors | (Hogan & Hiro, 2017) | Hogan and Hiro (2017) |
| Three or more authors | (Chander et al., 2017) | Chander et al. (2017) |
| Group author with abbreviation
First citation Subsequent citations |
(Alberta Health Services [AHS], 2018) (AHS, 2018) |
Alberta Health Services (AHS, 2018) AHS (2018) |
| Group author without abbreviation | (NorQuest College, 2019) | NorQuest College (2019) |
| Same author, same year | … (Gill, 2020a, p. 47).
… (Gill, 2020b, p. 58). |
Gill … (2020a). Gill (2020b) also… . |
Table Source: This table is modeled on the example provided in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 7th edition. [Table created & used under Fair Dealing by NorQuest College Library
Paraphrasing
Paraphrasing is when you put another person’s ideas into your own words. When paraphrasing, you do not have to cite the page number, you name the author and include the publication date but you do not have to cite the page number.
An example of in-text citations that are parphrased:
Chopak (2018) found that dogs bark to get attention.
OR
Dogs typically bark as a means of seeking attention (Chopak, 2018).
Quotes
Direct quotes should be used sparingly in your papers. There are two types of quotes: short and block (long) quotes.
Short quotes
If your quote is less than 40 words, put it in “quotation marks”. In addition to the author(s) name(s) and year of publication, the page number is included if the citation is for a direct quote.
An example of in-text citation using short quotes:
As Milaney et al. (2020) stated, “Women’s experiences of homelessness are largely influenced by high rates of adverse childhood experiences and mental health diagnoses” (p. 5).
OR
(Milaney et al., 2020, p. 5).
Block (long) quotes
If your quote is more than 40 words, the complete quote must be indented another 1/2 inch (1.27 cm) from the left margin. The paragraph will be double-spaced with the page number in parentheses after the final punctuation of the paragraph. There is no punctuation after the parentheses. Block quotes do not have quotation marks, unless there is a quotation within the block quote itself.
An example of a block quote:
Many famous persons have commented on the process of lifelong learning. Krishnamurti (1981) noted the following:
There is no end to education. It is not that you read a book, pass an examination, and finish with education. The whole of life, from the moment you are born to the moment you die, is a process of learning. (p. 57).
Videos
If a direct quote is from audiovisual material, cite the screen name/author, publish date, and timestamp.
An example of how to cite a direct quote from an audovisual work:
(16x9onglobal, 2016, 2:09)
Sources with no page numbers (e.g. websites)
If a direct quote is from online material without pagination then do one of the following:
- Cite the paragraph number if there is one: (Healing Lodges, 2013, para. 4).
- Cite the heading or section and number of the paragraph: (Johnson, 2020, Social Penalty section, para. 3).
- Cite the chapter: (Bailey, 2021, Chapter 14).
- If the heading is very long, use a shortened heading title in quotation marks: (Federal Accessibility Legislation Alliance, n.d., “How would organizations” section).
Editing Quotes
You can make the following changes without an explanation:
- first letter of the first word in a quotation to upper or lowercase.
- punctuation at the end of a sentence in order to make it grammatically correct.
- single quotation marks to double and vice versa.
- signals to footnotes or endnotes can be removed.
Omitting words
Three ellipsis points ( . . . ) may be used to indicate that you have omitted words from the original quotation.
Original Sentence:
“Qualitative research tries to gain in-depth understanding of life as it unfolds in a natural setting without manipulating it” (Davies & Logan, 2012, p. 9).
Example:
Qualitative research is a type of research “to gain in-depth understanding of life . . . in a natural setting without manipulating it” (Davies & Logan, 2012, p. 9).
Omitting words between two sentences
Use a period and 3 points (. …) if the omission is between two sentence:
Original Sentence:
“Please note that using a structured questionnaire with a few open-ended items for the participants to state their views and opinions is not “qualitative” research. Although the researcher will use a simplified content coding process similar to methods used in qualitative research, the overall spirit of the study is an attempt to quantify, and thus is considered a quantitative and not a qualitative study.”
Example (using a period and three spaced ellipsis points):
Davies and Logan (2012) stated that “using a structured questionnaire with a few open-ended items for the participants to state their views and opinions is not “qualitative” research”. … and thus is considered a quantitative and not a qualitative study” (p. 18).
Additions/corrections to quotes
Use square brackets [ ] to insert an addition or explanation to give a quote context or make it grammatically correct (e.g. capital letter):
Example 1 showing how to correct grammar:
Original sentence: There were over a hundred cat staying at the local shelter.
Example (with correct grammar): There were over a hundred cat[s] staying at the local shelter.
Example 2 showing how to add an explanation:
Original sentence: “Its members are 22 years old or younger, so it’s too soon to tell how Gen Z will fare in the nursing workplace” (College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Alberta, 2018, p. 13).
Example (with explanation): “Its members are 22 years old or younger, so it’s too soon to tell how Gen Z [born between mid-1990s to mid-2000s] will fare in the nursing workplace” (College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Alberta, 2018, p. 13).
Attribution
Except where otherwise noted, this chapter is adapted from “In-Text Citations” In APA 7th edition by NorQuest College Library, licensed under CC BY-NC-4.0. Retrieved August 9, 2022.
Adaptations include:
- The removal of the following sections: indirect quotes, citing images, tables, personal communications, classical works, Indigenous Elders & Knowledge Keepers, paraphrasing (two authors, three or more authors, organization as author, organization known by abbreviation, wo or more sources), and reprinted materials.
- The addition of body of APA style paper image, recording and Perfect APA format L6-8 [Word File] document created by Mary Wuergler, licensed under CC-BY-NC 4.0.
- The addition of APA in-text citations Video.
References
American Psychological Association. (2020). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association: The official style guide to APA style (7th ed). American Psychological Association.