College of DuPage Library

Debra's APA Citation Tips

You are responsible for learning and using the APA style guidelines when formatting your paper and citing your resources. There are many resources available to assist you with APA, so be proactive and seek the help that best fits your needs.

Are you struggling with APA style because you lack the computer (word processing) skills to create margins, annotations, block indents, headings, or double spacing? Check out the short, FREE, highly-visual computer tutorials available from GCFlearnfree.org

• The site includes computer basics and software tutorials on Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access and OpenOffice.org as well as social media
• Tutorials on most versions of Office are available
• Quickly access step-by-step directions, screen shots and short video-clips of how to perform various software functions
• Remember that your basic formatting questions can be answered by the Library’s Computer Support Print Services staff as well as Reference staff

Think about APA style requirements and gather citation information while you research. Don't wait until the end of the writing process to do your citations. A large amount of student stress arises from having to back track and relocate images and resources in order to acquire citation details. I recommend that you do one or more of the following:

1. Use the COD Library APA Citing Sources pages for 7th ed.
• It contains examples of how to cite images including diagnostic images
• An annotated bibliography may be required as a part of your coursework.
• An annotated bibliography is a list of citations for various books, articles, and other sources used in your paper/project. The annotated bibliography looks like a Reference page but includes an annotation (a brief paragraph) after each source cited. Annotated bibliographies can be part of a larger research project, or can be a stand-alone report in itself.
• If required, annotated bibliographies should be double-spaced
• Content of annotations varies dependent upon assignment and instructor preference. For example, many COD instructors require that in 3-5 sentences you explain two things in your annotated bibliography: 1.) the reasons why you think the source is credible (see Debra's evaluating sources guide) and 2.) how this resource fits into your final project (it has overview information, it provides treatment options, etc). APA does not specify the content of annotations so be sure to check with your instructor about what should be included.
• The formatting of annotations can vary. Some guides suggest that annotations should be block indented five spaces, other guides recommend block indenting five spaces plus two (for a total of seven spaces). NoodleBib annotations use the seven space block indent format. Check with your instructor for preferred formatting.
• Sample Annotated Bibliography (Word Document)
2. Get a writing handbook or an APA style guide like these examples (remember that there are many more resources available in the COD Library or online):
APA Style from the American Psychological Association provides the latest style, formatting and grammar recommendations for APA 7th edition
Online Writing Lab (OWL) from Purdue University
• http://owl.english.purdue.edu/
• Explains general 7th ed. APA format requirements (margins, headers, spacing, font, paragraph indentation, sections, etc.)
• provides written explanations and visual examples of in-text and reference citations
• includes sample APA papers
• Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association
  • General & Reference: BF76.7 .P83