APA and Plagiarism

APA

(American Psychological Association)

Style is most commonly used to cite sources within the social sciences.

How to do in-text citations for different sources?

You include them every time you quote or paraphrase someone else’s ideas or words.

In-text citation

- The author’s last name
- The year of publication (also known as the author-date system).
- The locator such as a page number, range, or timestamp.

(Smith, 2020, p. 170).
(Parker, 2020, p. 67)
(Johnson, 2017, pp. 39–41).

Parenthetical vs. narrative citation

- Parenthetical citation - Example: According to new research … (Smith, 2020).
- Narrative citation - Example: Smith (2020) notes that …

Quotations’ Types

Short quotations (fewer than 40 words)

- Add quotation marks around the words
- Incorporate the quote into your own text

Block quotations (40 words or more)

❌Do not use quotation marks to enclose a block quotation.
✅Start a block quotation on a new line and indent the whole block 0.5 in. from the left margin.
✅Double-space the entire block quotation.
❌Do not add extra space before or after it.
❗If there are additional paragraphs within the quotation, indent the first line of each subsequent paragraph an additional 0.5 in.

What about the list of references?

Depending on the type of source, you may have to include extra information that helps your reader locate the source.

- 👨🏫Author
- 🗓Publication date
- 🗒Title
- 📚Source.

Formatting the APA reference page

The reference page is the list of all the sources that you’ve cited throughout your paper. It’s placed right after the main body and before any appendices .

Format:Double spacing (within and between references)
Hanging indent of ½ inch
Legible font (e.g. Times New Roman 12 or Arial 11)
Page number in the top right header

Is there a particular format for headings and seriations?

Headings

Headings identify the content within sections of a paper. The number of headings to use in a paper depends on the length and complexity of the work.

Level 1: highest or main level of heading

Use level one headings for the title of your paper and make the heading in bold type

Level 2: subheading of Level 1

For subsections within the introduction. Level 2 headings are used to divide your document into main sections. Use bold type and little case capitalization

Level 3: subheading of Level 2

Divide your major sections into smaller sections with level three headings. Use bold type, italicize, and title case capitalization but only in the first word

Level 4: subheading of Level 3

Use level four headings for smaller divisions within your paper

Level 5: subheading of Level 4

Use this level if is only necessary.

Format

If you use Academic Writer to write your APA Style papers, the headings menu in the Writing Center will format headings for you in 7th edition APA Style.

If you use Microsoft Word to write your APA Style papers, use the Styles menu to format headings.

Writers who use APA Style may use the automatic headings function of their word-processing program to create headings.

Seriations

Help authors organize and present key ideas.For lists where a specific order or numbered procedure is necessary, use an Arabic numeral directly followed by a period.

Numbered lists should contain full sentences or paragraphs rather than phrases. Use bullet points if your list is not hierarchical.

The first letter of each sentence must be capitalized, also each sentence must end with a period.

For seriation within sentences, authors may use letters.

What about tables and figures?

Tables and figures

Is to enhance your readers' understanding of the information in the document.

📝Tables are any graphic that uses a row and column structure to organize information

Elements

1. Numbers
2. Titles
3. Headings
4. Body
5. Notes
6. Borders

📊Figures include any illustration or image other than a table.

elements

1. Numbers
2. Title
3. Image
4. Legends
5. Notes

Plagiarism

To take any idea or any language from someone else without adequately crediting that source.

Types

Accidental

When the writer doesn’t realize they are plagiarizing another’s work.

Uncited quotation

Do not credit the author of that material and provide a trail for your reader to follow back to the original document

Uncited paraphrase

When you use your own language to describe someone else's idea without cite

Inadequate paraphrase

Do not completely restate the ideas in the passage in your own words

Mosaic

Copy bits and pieces from a source (or several sources), changing a few words.

Verbatim

Copy language word for word from another source and use that language in your paper

Source-based

The writer didn't cite their sources correctly but present the sources in a misleading way.

Don't just copy

❌Avoid using cut and paste options in electronic material as this encourages you to simply copy what you've read word for word.

Use a range of sources

✔👩💻Discussing ideas from a range of sources shows that you have read widely and that you are able to formulate your own views based on your reading.

Develop your own style

📑Try to be concise and clear. Using the words of another author will stand out from the rest of your work and may alert lecturers to possible plagiarism.

Keep good quality notes

📝This will help to ensure that you do not accidentally plagiarize. It also makes collating your references much easier when writing your assignments

Use quotation marks

"" Direct quotes should be used sparingly and shouldn't include large amounts of text.

References:

Lab, P. W. (s. f.). General Format //. Purdue Writing Lab. Recuperado 12 de mayo de 2022, de https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_formatting_and_style_guide/general_format.html

Harvard University. (s. f.). What Constitutes Plagiarism? Harvard Guide to Using Sources. Recovered from https://usingsources.fas.harvard.edu/what-constitutes-plagiarism

Kramer, L. (2022,). 7 Common Types of Plagiarism, with Examples.Grammarly Blog. Recovered from https://www.grammarly.com/blog/types-of-plagiarism/?gclid=CjwKCAjwjtOTBhAvEiwASG4bCEJGy5P_1-5qIxOlGeIkNLxgzixnsvrbOcbiOR9tkWfK_nqM_QH4CRoCER8QAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Avoiding plagiarism - The University of Nottingham. (s. f.). University of Nottingham. Recovered from https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/studyingeffectively/writing/plagiarism/index.aspx

Scribbr. (n.d.). APA Style 7th edition Archieven. https://www.scribbr.com/category/apa-style/