The APA Job Aid

 

Following are examples of common citation structures you're likely to include in reference lists that accompany the reports/papers you’ll prepare in your EdTec classes. The goals are simple but profound: professional appearance and structure … and accurate attribution.

 

But this job aid IS ABSOLUTELY NOT DESIGNED TO be the sole resource on which you rely. Make sure you have a plan for double-checking any reference list you generate (and IN-NARRATIVE citations) against APA! [For example, the APA publication manual and the separately-sold reference that covers electronic resources are both in the IML—just waiting for you to ask for them!]

 

Keep in mind that  all of the examples are FICTITIOUS! All page references refer to the FIFTH edition of the APA guide.

 

Magazine—as opposed to a peer-reviewed journal (#6, pg. 241):

 

Cleveland, J. A. (1996, November). The comprehensive exam: What does the test really assess? Training & Development, 17, 115-118.

 

Journal, two authors (#s 1 and 2, pg. 240):

 

Stevenson, B. A., & Russell, A. J. (2001). Working with the tired student who just submitted the comprehensive exam. Journal of Educational Research, 55(2), 18-36.

 

Caveat:

When an article has been authored by more than 6 people (egads!), list the first six authors ... and then use et al. For example:

 

Stevens, J., Billings, T. D., Cramer, L., Dolt, B. E., Shuster, E., Lewis, T. J., et al. (2000). Working with the tired student who just submitted the comprehensive exam. Journal of Educational Research, 55(2), 18-36.

 

Newspaper article, no author (#9, pg. 242):

 

School police plan for increased safety (2001, September 19). The San Diego Union-Tribune, p. B6.

 

Newspaper article (ONLINE/no author; retrieved via a search of the archives) (#89, pg. 249):

 

School police plan for increased safety (2001, September 19). The San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved March 2, 2003, from http://www.signonsandiego.com/

 

Letter to the editor/newspaper (#11, pg. 243)

 

Smith, L. V. (2001, October 25). How to write a good comps question: Help for professors lacking creativity. [Letter to the editor]. The Los Angeles Times, p. C27.

 

Message posted to an online forum or discussion group (#86, pg. 278)

 

Dearborn, S. B. (2002, Aug 12). Zero tolerance in schools [Msg 1]. Message posted to American Evaluation Association Discussion List (EvalTalk) at EVALTALK@BAMA.UA.EDU

 

Book, edited (#25, pg. 249)

 

Gómez, V.  (Ed.). (1987). The United States in film: A sweep of the past 60 years. New York: Longman.

 

Book (single author) that's in its third edition (#27, pg. 249)

 

Gómez, V. R., Jr. (1992). The United States in film: A sweep of the past 60 years (3rd ed.). Augusta, GA: Longman.

 

Book, no author or editor ... like a dictionary (#26, pg. 249)

 

Merriam-Webster's collegiate dictionary (200th ed.). Springfield, IL: Merriam-Webster.

 

[You'll want to review #30 as well ... pg. 250.]

 

Chapter in an edited book, one author/two editors (#34, pg. 252 )

 

Brazil, L. L. (1998). What it's like to take the comprehensive exam. In H. E. Green & B. L. Jones (Eds.), My life as a test-taker (pp. 21-42). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

 

ERIC Report ... should be able to use this for a Digest as well (#43, pg. 257)

 

Osborne, K. A., & Kittner, B. (1992). Let's take the comps together (ERIC Digest No. 15). Eugene, OR: ERIC Clearinghouse on Educational Management. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED425672)

 

Unpublished paper, presented at a meeting/conference (#52, pg. 260)

 

Susans, J. B. (1994, February). Early results on home schooling. Paper presented at the annual meeting of Computer Using Educators, Sacramento, CA.

 

Unpublished dissertation (#56, pg. 262)

 

Willey, T. E. (1997). Thank goodness I finished graduate school: I gained 50 pounds in the process. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of Arizona.

 

Article in an Internet-only journal (#72, pg. 272)

 

Tobey, S. R. (2002). I need a vacation; I deserve one. Journal of the Exhausted, 35. Retrieved February 2, 2003, from http://www.coe.edu/abcdef/index.htm

 

Article in an electronic version of a journal: (#71, pg. 271)

 

Tobey, S. R. (2002). I need a vacation; I deserve one [Electronic version]. Journal of the Exhausted, 35, 17-34.

 

Article in a journal you’ve downloaded from a database such as WilsonWeb or EBSCO .. where page #s are provided in the citation, but may not be within the download itself (#90, pg. 279)

 

Tobey, S. R. (2002). I need a vacation; I deserve one. Journal of the Exhausted, 35, 17-34. Retrieved February 2, 2003, from Academic Search Elite (EBSCO) database.

 

Document available on a university or department website ... messy, but this should work (#78, pg. 274)

 

Cintas, B. E. (2001).  TE 925 -- Helping the young child: Week 8. Retrieved November 2, 2001 from San Diego State University, College of Education, School of Teacher Education website: http://coe.sdsu.edu/lmnop/index.html

 

Stand-alone document, no author, no date ... SO, probably not your best choice of a reference! (#77, pg. 274)

 

Technology user survey. (n.d.). Retrieved August 25, 2000, from http://www.abc.com/users/user_survey/survey.htm

 

 

 

FINALLY, APA 5 does a fine job of covering ...

      how you incorporate secondary sources into your narrative ... and then handle them in your reference list -- on pg.247. This is the one that will get you in trouble;  I ENCOURAGE you to review this section before submitting your paper.

      how to reference personal communications within the narrative and what constitutes a personal communication -- on pg. 214.

      when it's necessary to cite the database from which an article is downloaded ... and when it's not (see pgs 271 and 278). APA does recognize that today's materials are available from multiple venues.