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Kinesiology: APA Style

This is the subject guide for KIN students where they will find shortcuts to helpful library resources.

Why are you using APA and what is it? 

In your GE courses, you might have used MLA. Now that you're a nursing major you'll use the APA citation style.

Why the change?  APA Citation Style is the preferred style for social and behavioral sciences disciplines.

  • APA (American Psychological Association) is generally used in Education, Psychology, and Sciences.
  • MLA (Modern Language Association) style is generally used by the Humanities.

If you're used to using MLA style, APA might seem a little confusing.  Here are some key differences between the two styles:


 

  Parenthetical/In-Text Citations: 

How To Cite in APA Style:

Print Journal Article:

  • Author Surname, First Initial. Second Initial., Author Surname, First Initial. Second Initial., & Author Surname, First Initial. Second Initial. (Year of publication). Title of article. Title of Periodical, volume number(issue number if available), pages.
  • Example: Scruton, R. (1996). The eclipse of listening. The New Criterion, 15(3), 5-13.

Online Journal Article with DOI:

  • Author Surname, First Initial. Second Initial., & Author Surname, First Initial. Second Initial. (Year of publication). Title of article. Title of Journal, volume number(issue number if available), page range. https://doi.org/10.0000/0000
  • Example: Herbst-Damm, K. L., & Kulik, J. A. (2005). Volunteer support, marital status, and the survival times of terminally ill patients. Health Psychology, 24(2), 225–229. https://doi.org/10.1037/0278-6133.24.2.225

Online Journal Article with No DOI: 

  • Author Surname, First Initial. Second Initial., & Author Surname, First Initial. Second Initial. (Year of publication). Title of article. Title of Journal, volume number(issue number if available). https://www.xxxxxxx
  • Example: Kenneth, I. A. (2000). A Buddhist response to the nature of human rights. Journal of Buddhist Ethics, 8. https://www.cac.psu.edu/jbe/twocont.html

Author Surname, First Initial. Second Initial., & Author Surname, First Initial. Second Initial. (Last update or copyright date; if not known, put n.d.). Title of page. Website name if different from author. https://www.xxxxxxx

Example: 

  • Hall-Flavin, D. K. (2016). What is passive-aggressive behavior? What are some of the signs? Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/expert-answers/passive-aggressive-behavior/faq-20057901

Surname, First Initial or Government Agency. (Year of publication). Title of work. Parent Agency. https://www.xxxxxxx

Example: National Commission for the Protection of Human Subjects of Biomedical and Behavioral Research. (1979). The Belmont report: Ethical principles and guidelines for the protection of human subjects of research. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. https://www.hhs.gov/ohrp/regulations-and-policy/belmont-report/read-the-belmont-report/index.html

Entire Print Book with an Author: 

  • Author Surname, First Initial. Second Initial. (Year of publication). Title of work: Capital letter also for subtitle. Publisher.
  • Example: Calfee, R. C., & Valencia, R. R. (1991). APA guide to preparing manuscripts for journal publication. American Psychological Association.

Entire Print Book with an Editor: 

  • Editor Surname, First Initial. Second Initial. (Eds.). (Year of publication). Title of work: Capital letter also for subtitle. Publisher.
  • Example: Duncan, G. J., & Brooks-Gunn, J. (Eds.). (1997). Consequences of growing up poor. Russell Sage Foundation.

Chapter in a Book:

  • Author Surname, First Initial. Second Initial., & Author Surname, First Initial. Second Initial. (Year of publication). Title of chapter. In Editor First Initial. Second Initial. Surname & Editor First Initial. Second Initial. Surname (Eds.), Title of book (pages of chapter). Publisher.
  • Example: O'Neil, J. M., & Egan, J. (1992). Men's and women's gender role journeys: A metaphor for healing, transition, and transformation. In B. R. Wainrib (Ed.), Gender issues across the life cycle (pp. 107-123). Springer.

Online Book:

  • Author Surname, First Initial. Second Initial. (Year of publication; use n.d. if no date is available). Title of work: Capital letter also for subtitle. https://www.xxxxxxx
  • Example: De Huff, E. W. (n.d.). Taytay’s tales: Traditional Pueblo Indian tales. https://digital.library.upenn.edu/women/dehuff/taytay/taytay.html

Check out these tools that will help you write and cite your papers correctly:

 

Citation Management system (stores sources and creates citations) paid for by Lipscomb

 

The free version checks spelling and suggests recommendations to improve grammar.


 

 

Created by the American Psychological Association, this tool is the official, authoritative online resource for writing in APA style.

View examples of references and papers, build a reference library, write your paper, and more!