Format of Research

 APA (American psychological Association)

 MLA (Modern Language Association
 Chicago manual of style( an American English style and usage
guide published continuously by the university of Chicago
press since 1906)
 Chicago A and B
What is APA Style?
The American Psychological Association (APA) citation style is the
most commonly used format for manuscripts in the social sciences.
APA regulates:
 Stylistics
 In-text citations
 References
APA Style: Point of View and Voice
Use:
Personal pronouns where appropriate
Try: We conducted an experiment.
Avoid: The authors conducted an experiment.
The active voice rather than passive voice
Try: We asked participants questions.
Avoid: The participants have been asked questions by the researchers.
APA Style: Language
Language in an APA paper is:
 Clear: be specific in descriptions and explanations.
 Concise: condense information when you can.
 Plain: use simple, descriptive adjectives and minimize figurative
language.
Types of APA Papers
 The literature review: Contains a summary of what the scientific
literature says about the topic of your research
 Includes a title page, introduction, and list of references
 The experimental report:
Describes your experimental research
Includes a title page, abstract, introduction, method, results, discussion,
list of references, appendices, tables, and figures
If your paper fits neither of the categories above:
 Follow the general format
 Consult the instructor
 Consult the APA Publication Manual
General Format
Your essay should:
 Be typed and double-spaced be printed on standard-sized paper
(8.5”x11”)
 Use 1” margins on all sides
 Use 10-12 pt. Times New Roman or a similar font
 Include a page header (title) in the upper left-hand of every page
and a page number in the upper right- hand side of every page
Note:
If you are writing a manuscript draft, APA suggests using two spaces
between sentences to aid readability (see pp. 87-88 in the APA manual).
What is a “citation”?
To cite means to note or refer to something. A citation is a reference, or
a mention. When we do research, it is important to refer to or mention
where we found our information. Scholarship is a collaborative
endeavor. We need to acknowledge the work we build our
understandings upon.
Why do I need to worry about this?
Plagiarism occurs when we take someone else’s words or ideas and
claim them as our own. Plagiarism is like stealing someone’s words and
ideas. AND STEALING IS WRONG!
We want to develop habits of ethical scholarship by respecting the
intellectual and creative property of others.
Plagiarism and Your Learning
In your academic work, it is important to be ethical in your use of
intellectual property. Give credit where credit is due. You can borrow
someone’s words and ideas, but make sure you GIVE THEM CREDIT
by citing the source. Remember: your teachers can recognize plagiarism
quite easily. Plagiarizing can have serious consequences – so make sure
to avoid it!
Why Create a Reference List
 Give credit where credit is due.
 Guide others to the research.
 Give credibility to your work.
  Demonstrate ethical scholarship.
Step 1: Collect information for your reference list.
 Every time you do research, you should create a reference list for
your project.
 Your reference list identifies the information sources you used in
creating your project.
 For each source, you MUST identify:
 1. WHO is the author
 2. WHAT is the title
 3. WHEN it was published (and if the source is digital, when you
found it)
DON‟T wait until the end of your research to do this; record the
information as you go along.
Basic Reference/Citation Format (APA):
Who (When). What. Where.
NOTE: There are many different citation styles; APA is one of the most
common. MLA (Modern Language Acquisition) and Chicago are also
popular styles. Make sure you know what style your teacher wants you
to use, and use it consistently.
BOOK:
Author last name and first initial. (Year of publication). Book title. City
of Publication: Publisher.
Example: Young, N. (2012). The virtual self: How our digital lives are
altering the world around us. Toronto, ON: McClelland & Stewart.
Chapter in a BOOK:
Author last name and first initial. (Year of publication). Chapter title. In
Editor’s last name and initial (ED.). Book title (Chapter page numbers).
City of Publication: Publisher.
Example:
Frauenheim, E. (2013). Bad apple: Could the era of exploitation
outsourcing be near its end? In Cromie, J., Zott, L. (Eds.). Outsourcing
(pp. 28-31). Farmington Hills, MI: Greenhaven Press.
Periodical or Journal Article:
Author last name and first initial. (year of publication). Article title.
Journal Title, volume (issue), article page numbers.
Example:
Valenza, J. (2006). They might be gurus. Teacher Librarian, 34(1), 18-
26.
Tools to Help with Creating Reference Citations
Many academic resources
For example, resources in the Online Reference Centre or the Gale
Virtual Reference Library – will have citation help tools. These
resources will create a citation for you. All you need to do is copy and
paste it into your reference list.
 Make sure the citation help is consistent with your format: APA?
MLA? Chicago?
Tools to Help with Creating Reference Citations
Microsoft Word’s References tool can help you to more accurately
generate citations.
See this tutorial for help on using this handy tool:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KcMqrs2plZ E
Step 2: Citing in Your Essay or Project: In-text citations
In addition to creating a reference list, you should credit your sources
within your essay or project. We call this “in-text citation.” It’s a bit
trickier.
Do I have to cite everything?
Facts that are widely known, or information & judgments considered
“common knowledge” Do NOT have to be documented.
Examples of common knowledge:
1. World War I began in 1914 is common knowledge.
2. Smoking is linked to lung cancer is common knowledge.
3. Ottawa is the capital of Canada is common knowledge.
If you see a fact in three or more sources, and you are fairly certain your
readers already know this information, it is likely to be “common
knowledge.”
If you are discussing your own experiences, observations, ideas or
reactions you don’t need to make a citation.
What should I cite?
 Facts that might be unfamiliar to your reader (such as statistics
or specific historical information) should be cited.
 Ideas or interpretations that are not your own should be cited
(even if you agree with the idea or interpretation).
 Cite direct quotes
 Cite anything you paraphrase or summarize
  If you aren’t sure if you should cite something, err on the side of
caution and cite.
 Generally speaking: if the thinking isn’t yours, cite it (even if the
words are yours).
Paraphrasing & Summarizing
Paraphrasing means putting someone else’s thoughts in your own
words. When you paraphrase, you must credit the original author.
Summarizing means taking the main idea or ideas of one author or
several authors and putting them briefly in your own words. When you
summarize others, you must credit them.
Example of Paraphrasing
 To paraphrase, you have to use your own words and change the
structure of the sentences.
Original:
Kenyans enjoy many sports and activities. Soccer is the most popular
team sport in Kenya. Many people belong to soccer teams in their cities
and towns. Track-and-field activities such as running and high jumping
are very popular. Many Kenyan runners compete in races around the
world. The best have won medals in the Olympics.
Paraphrased:
Sports such as soccer, running and high jumping are popular in Kenya.
Kenyan runners compete internationally, and some have won Olympic
medals. Soccer is a popular team sport, and many Kenyans play on
soccer teams in their communities (Bartell, 2011, p. 20).
Example of Summarizing
Summaries are much shorter than the original source, and only include
the main ideas. The summary should be in your own words.
Original:
Every year, Nigerians and people from around the world look forward
to the Argungu Fishing festival. The four-day events began as a way to
bring neighbouring villages together in peace. During the first three days
of the festival, people enjoy a motor rally, canoes races, and a fair.
People dance to traditional music and watch many different sporting
events. The fishing competition happens on the last day of the festival.
Thousands line up along the banks of the Sokoto River with nets to catch
fish.
Summary:
The Argungu Fishing Festival is an important Nigerian holiday. This
festival is an opportunity for people to come together and enjoy many
activities.
Quoting
Quotations are someone else’s words, copied exactly from the source
material. Quotations need to be in quotation marks, and must be
credited.
Original:
Goalkeepers have to make important decisions during a game. These
decisions may affect whether the game is a win, loss or draw for their
team.
Quotation:
“Goalkeepers have to make important decisions during a game. These
decisions may affect whether the game is a win, loss or draw for their
team” (Gifford, 2008, p. 20).
Remember Take accurate notes:
 Include any direct quotes or unique phrases in quotation marks or
mark with a big Q and make sure the speaker’s /writer’s name is
identified.
 Make sure you note a paraphrase with the writer’s name and mark
it with a big P.
 Include page numbers and source references so you can go back
and check for accuracy as you write.