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APA 6: Home

Note: This page reflects APA 6, which is now out of date. It will not be updated. See the APA 7 LibGuide for current citation information.

Introduction

Welcome! For the majority of departments on the Sullivan University campuses, the style manual used for papers is the 6th edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA).

This guide offers assistance, instructions, and examples of APA 6 style according to the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (6th edition). However, it does not include every example of APA style.

If you have questions about APA style that cannot be answered using the APA Manual or this resource, please check with your instructor for specific directions. 

APA style rules were developed in the late 1920s by members of the American Psychological Association. These rules establish a standard set of guidelines and procedures for writers of research papers.

The Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association is the official APA style publication.

APA style rules are used by university campuses throughout the United States. These rules encourage ease of reading and accuracy of scholarly papers. In July 2010, the 6th edition of the Manual was published.

Providing citations and giving proper credit is important for academic integrity and prevention of plagiarism. The following are current news items aggregated from Google News related to plagiarism and academic integrity.

If interested checkout our guide on Academic Integrity.

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Useful Websites

More Help

Have a question not answered here?

  • Tutors can provide assistance with your papers! Check the Student Scene (Louisville) and the The Sullivan Scoop (Lexington) for the hours and available tutoring subjects.
  • Check with your instructor. He or she is the final authority on the formatting and style of your paper.

The Essentials

The following Sullivan University libraries have a copy or copies of the 6th edition of the APA Manual:

  • Louisville Main Campus
  • Lexington
  • Dupont Circle

These copies are designated reference or reserve. This means that the Manual must stay in the library while in use. 

The APA 6 Manual contains many pages of important rules and guidelines. Below are essential sections of the APA Manual:

  • Pages 23-25: Title page
  • Pages 41-49: Sample paper
  • Page 177: Chart on the most common citations and references
  • Pages 178-179: Some exceptions to the chart on page 177
  • All of Chapter 7: References
    • Pages 193-197 contain the table of contents for the reference examples
    • Pages 198-215 contain the reference examples
  • Chapters 1, 5, and 8 (except in very rare situations) will not be used in the writing of most undergraduate research papers.
  • Chapters 3 and 4 consist of background information on language usage and grammar.

FAQs

  • The author's name includes "Jr.". How do I format his name in APA 6 Style within the reference list and the in-text citations?
    • Junior, Senior, the Third (III), etc. are known as suffixes. They are not used with the in-text citations, but will be included in the reference entry. Within the reference entry, include the suffix (using commas).
    • The author name would be placed in the reference entry in this format: Smith, J. J., Jr.
    • Complete information (including how to format an editor name that contains a suffix within a reference entry) can be found in the APA Style Blog.
  • How do I place a table or figure or caption into an APA formatted paper? Are there guidelines and examples that I can view?
    • The Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA), 6th edition, contains information about how to format tables, figures, and captions in a paper. The information can be found in Chapter 5, starting on page 125. The basic table layout is explained, along with an example, on page 128. 
    • The Purdue University's Online Writing Lab (OWL) website has excellent instructions on how to insert and format a table in APA style. The site provides general information as well as the examples for the following: ANOVA tables, regression tables, scatter plots, line graphs, bar graphs, pie graphs, and drawing and photographs. Go to the first section.
    • The APA Style website has a helpful section on how to format tables with specifications for font size, orientation, labeling, and positioning.
  • I cannot find information on this guide. What can I do to find the information I want?
    • First, check the tabs above to see the broad categories of this guide. You may be looking for information that is listed under a broader category.
    • If you still do not find the information that you seek, use the search box at the top right of the page. Use one or two words in the search box to describe what you are searching for, then click SEARCH. If the information is found within the guide, you will find links to the section(s) of the guide with the information.