The American Psychological Association (APA) citation style is a widely used author-date system of referencing in the social and behavioral sciences. If you're writing a research paper or essay in the APA style, it's important to understand the basic principles of APA formatting and citation.
One key aspect of the APA style is that it uses a specific kind of in-text citation. When you quote or paraphrase a source in your paper, you include the author's name and the year of publication in parentheses, like this: (Smith, 2020). If you mention the author's name in the text of your paper, you only need to include the year of publication in parentheses: According to Smith (2020), the research shows that...
If you're citing a source with multiple authors, you include all of the names in the in-text citation. For two authors, you list both names separated by an ampersand: (Smith & Jones, 2020). For three or more authors, you list the first author's name followed by et al. (meaning "and others"): (Smith et al., 2020).
Another important aspect of the APA style is the reference list at the end of your paper. This is a comprehensive list of all the sources you cited in your paper, formatted according to the APA style guidelines. Here's an example of how to format a book in the reference list:
Smith, J. (2020). The Art of Citation. New York, NY: Citation Press.
For a journal article, you'll need to include the author's name, the title of the article, the title of the journal, the volume and issue number, and the page numbers of the article:
Jones, A., & Smith, J. (2020). The Importance of Proper Citation. Journal of Research, 25(4), 63-69.
There are many other types of sources that you might need to cite in your paper, such as websites, videos, and more. The APA style has specific guidelines for each type of source, so it's important to consult the APA style manual or a reliable online resource to make sure you're formatting your citations and reference list correctly.
In summary, the APA citation style is a widely used system for referencing sources in the social and behavioral sciences. It involves using in-text citations that include the author's name and the year of publication, as well as a comprehensive reference list at the end of the paper. By following these guidelines, you can ensure that your paper is properly formatted and that you give credit to the sources you used in your research.