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An EasyGuide to APA Style
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An EasyGuide to APA Style

Fifth Edition
November 2025 | 296 pages | SAGE Publications, Inc
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Preface
 
About the Authors
 
Section I • Overview
 
Chapter 1 • APA Style Versus Format: Why It Matters to Your Audience and Why It Should Matter to You
What Is the Difference Between APA Style and APA Format?

 
Why APA Style Anyway? Wasn’t MLA Good Enough?

 
In the Long Run, Attention to Detail Matters (Including APA Style and Format)

 
Write for Your Specific Audience: Term Papers Versus Formal Research Papers

 
 
Chapter 2 • Your Visual Table of Contents QuickFinder
The Sample Paper With Content and Chapter Numbers

 
 
Section II • Writing With (APA) Style: BIG-PICTURE ITEMS
 
Chapter 3 • General Writing Tips Specific to APA Style: General Bare-Bones Fundamentals
Clear and Succinct Writing: Using Your Scholarly Voice

 
Commonly Confused Words in Psychology and Beyond

 
Subject–Verb Agreement

 
Active Voice Versus Passive Voice in APA style

 
Some (But Not Too Much) First-Person Usage

 
Avoiding Anthropomorphism/the Pathetic Fallacy Error

 
 
Chapter 4 • A Quick Grammar Summary for APA-Style Writing
Parts of a Sentence

 
Parts of Speech

 
Common Grammar Mistakes to Avoid

 
 
Chapter 5 • Plagiarism and How to Avoid It: Thou Shalt Not Steal (or Be Lazy)
But I Didn’t Know.?.?.?.

 
It Sounds Like a Bad Word

 
Quoting: More Than Just a Copy and Paste

 
Paraphrasing: In Your Own Words

 
That’s Really Sic [and Not a Typo]

 
An Author’s License (Yours): Modifying Source Material

 
But I Can Freely Use My Own Work, Right?

 
How About This for a Plagiarism Awareness Exercise?

 
 
Chapter 6 • Avoiding Biased Language
 
Section III • Writing With (APA) Style: GETTING DOWN TO BUSINESS
The Fundamental Lesson: View People as Individuals First

 
Specific Recommendations for Reducing Bias: Nonsexist Language and Other Areas

 
Sexual Orientation

 
Racial and Ethnic Identity

 
Disabilities

 
Occupations

 
Gender and Pronouns: With an Indefinite Recommendation

 
 
Chapter 7 • Writing Your Introduction: Tying the Story All Together
What to Include in Your Introduction

 
Formatting Your Introduction

 
Getting Your Introduction Started

 
Using an Outline: Organizing Your Literature Review

 
Common Mistakes to Avoid in Your Introduction

 
 
Chapter 8 • Citing Sources in Text: Whodunit (or Said It)?
A Good Rule of Thumb

 
Ready, Cite, GO

 
In-Text Citation Basics

 
Some Exceptions

 
 
Chapter 9 • A Step-by-Step Playbook of Your Method: How, What, When, Who, and Where?
Where in the Flow of Pages Do You Place the Method Section?

 
Where in the Method Section Does This Information Go?

 
Subjects/Participants

 
Materials and Apparatus

 
Procedure

 
Formatting Your Method Section

 
 
Chapter 10 • Writing About Statistics and Associated Fun: How Did It All Turn Out?
Let Us Talk Statistics

 
Basics and Beyond

 
Formatting Your Results Paragraph

 
Including Effect Size and Power

 
 
Chapter 11 • Writing Your Discussion: It’s a Wrap
Formatting Your Discussion Section

 
What to Include in Your Discussion Section

 
Getting Your Discussion Section Started

 
Organizing Your Discussion Section

 
Common Mistakes to Avoid in Your Discussion Section

 
Sample Paper

 
 
Chapter 12 • Everybody Needs References
A Helpful Note

 
Creating Your References Section

 
Using Abbreviations

 
The Basics

 
Basic References Section Formatting Rules

 
Some Not-So-Basic Rules You Might Need

 
 
Section IV • Presenting Your Work in APA Format
 
Chapter 13 • The Numbers Game: How to Write Numbers (and When the Rules Change)
When You Use Numerals

 
When You Use Words

 
Using Both Numerals and Words

 
How to Use Decimal Points

 
Additional Rules for Including Numbers in Your Paper

 
Metrication

 
When Do You Use Abbreviations?

 
 
Chapter 14 • Formatting: Organizing, Headings, and Making Your Work Look Good to Print
What Goes Where?

 
What Your Paper Should Look Like

 
Headings

 
Spelling Matters: Spelling and Capitalization Rules

 
Final Touches

 
 
Chapter 15 • Table That Motion: The Special Challenges of Tables and Figures
What Is What

 
Getting the Details Just Right

 
A Note on “Notes”

 
Figuring It Out

 
Get Legendary (and Use Captions)

 
Where to Place Tables and Figures

 
But I Am Doing a Literature Review: Could I Use a Table or Figure?

 
Do Not Forget

 
 
Chapter 16 • Make Microsoft Word Work for You: APA Formatting
Word Tabs and Drop-Down Menus

 
Setting the Margins

 
Line Spacing and Spacing Between Paragraphs

 
Page Numbering

 
Tabs, Centering, and the Ruler

 
References and the Hanging Indent

 
Preparing a Table (Rows, Columns, Lines, Centering)

 
Fonts and Font Variations (Italics, Bold, Superscript)

 
Page Breaks, Orphans, and Widows

 
Spellchecker and Grammar Checker

 
Developing Good Habits: Autosaving, File Naming, File Storage, Frequent Backups

 
 
Section V • Some Nitty-Gritty Details
 
Chapter 17 • Making a List, No Apps Required: Enumeration and Seriation
Why Bother?

 
Keeping Order at the Section Level

 
Order Within Paragraphs or Sentences

 
On a Related Note

 
 
Chapter 18 • Abbreviations, Signs, Symbols, and Punctuation: The Details Can Matter: Emoji This!
OMG: To Abbreviate or Not?

 
Blinding You With Science and Latin

 
Punctuation

 
 
Section VI • In Closing: IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS
 
Chapter 19 • Using Rubrics: Knowing What It Means to Write a Good Paper
Follow Rubrics When Provided

 
Example Rubrics

 
 
Chapter 20 • Proofreading the Entire Paper: Get It Right!
Sample Pages of APA Text for Practicing Proofreading

 
 
Chapter 21 • How to Avoid the Most Common Mistakes: All Together Now
APA Style and Format Quiz

 
APA Style and Format Quiz: Answers

 
Be Aware of Professors’ Pet Peeves

 
 
Appendix A: APA Style and Format Checklist
 
References
 
Index

Overall, I LOVE this book. It's a little easier to navigate than OWL and is very concise in presentation.

Stephani Cuddie
Florida Institute of Technology
Pre-Revision Review

This is a book that helps students become acquainted with APA style in a brief, easy-to-use format.

Timothy Gunnells
Amridge University
Pre-Revision Review

A highly engaging, carefully presented overview of APA. Applicable to experts as much as beginners.

Will Miller
Jacksonville University
Pre-Revision Review
Key features
What’s New in the 5th Edition
  • Clear explanations of APA 7th edition updates, including guidance on AI citation practices.
  • An updated sample student paper that serves as a visual table of contents as well as a writing model.
  • Up-to-date research that keeps the content fresh and relevant to today’s students.
  • Online video resources for students developed by author Eric Landrum provide additional explanation for students.

Key Features

  • Student-Centered Design: Highlights the most common APA challenges and how to overcome them.
  • Visual Aids: Screenshots and walkthroughs for using Microsoft Word to format papers correctly.
  • Practical Support: An error-ridden paper allows students to connect concepts to application, while the Appendix simplifies the guide into a single checklist to ensure APA compliance in their own papers.
  • Accessibility: Sample paper with QuickFinder bubbles that point out formatting and style elements as well as where to find more information on them in the guide.
  • Convenient Format: Lay-flat binding makes it easy to reference while writing.

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