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    • Getting Started with APA

    What is APA?

    APA Style® originated in 1929 when a group of psychologists, anthropologists, and business managers convened and sought to establish a simple set of procedures, or style rules, that would codify the many components of scientific writing to increase the ease of reading comprehension.

    As with other editorial styles, APA Style consists of rules or guidelines that a publisher observes to ensure a clear and consistent presentation of written material. It concerns uniform use of such elements as:

    • selection of headings, tone, and length;
    • punctuation and abbreviations;
    • presentation of numbers and statistics;
    • construction of tables and figures,
    • citation of references; and
    • many other elements that are a part of a manuscript.

    APA is typically used in behavioral and social sciences and business courses:

    • Psychology
    • Sociology
    • Social Work
    • History
    • Communication
    • Nursing
    The information above, What is APA? is credited to the American Psychological Association. 

    Tutorial: Academic Writer-Basics of Seventh Edition APA Style

    Access the Academic Writer Tutorial: Basics of Seventh Edition APA Style 

    This tutorial has been adapted from the tutorial featured in Academic Writer, APA's tool for teaching and learning effective writing.  

    By the end of this tutorial, you should be able to understand and implement the following basic elements of APA Style:

    • paper elements format, and organization
    • academic writing style
    • grammar and usage
    • bias-free language guidelines
    • mechanics of style
    • tables and figures
    • in-text citations, paraphrasing, and quotations
    • reference list format and order 

    Video: How to Set-Up a Student Paper in APA Style

    Video: In-Text Citations

    APA Style Guides @ GC Library

    Online Style Guides