THESIS WRITING AND

P R E S E N TAT I O N
THESIS WRITING
( G U I D E L I N E S , F O R M AT A N D
SAMPLE)

"THESIS"
The term "thesis" comes from the Greek meaning "something put
forth", and refers to an intellectual proposition. "Dissertation" comes
from the Latin "dissertātiō", meaning "discussion".
Aristotle was the first philosopher to define the term thesis.

A thesis, or dissertation - is a document submitted in support of

candidature for an academic degree or professional qualification

presenting the author's research and findings. In some contexts, the word
"thesis" or a cognate is used for part of a bachelor's or master's
course, while "dissertation" is normally applied to a doctorate.
 What is a Thesis ?
" A written work resulting
from original research,
especially one submitted for
higher degree in a university"
W H AT ' S I N T H E T H E S I S ?

 Addresses a problem or series of problems

 Describes what was known about the problem(s)

 What you did / what must be done to solve to the

problem
 What you think the results means

 How further progress can be made

 STRUCTURE OF A THESIS

INTRODUCTION WHAT IS KNOWN ?

WHAT IS UNKNOWN ?

METHODS
HOW DO WE SHOW/DO IT?

RESULTS
WHAT ARE SHOWING NOW?

DISCUSSION WHAT DID WE SHOW

WHAT IS NOW KNOWN?

G E T T I N G S TA RT E D

1. PREPARE A THESIS OUTLINE

Break the thesis into chapters; list the major sections in each

2. DISCUSS WITH YOUR SUPERVISOR

3. PREPARE A CHAPTER OUTLINE

 Assemble all the data, tables, figures

 Organize them into a sensible sequence

4. WRITE
 Do a section at a time

 Start with something easy

THESIS OUTLINE SAMPLE
 THESIS TITLE

 It reflects content of the thesis

 Use concise but informative title

Example : Employability of Criminology Graduates

other than the Uniformed Service By: Dr. Ruben A. Sta.
Teresa
 Be specific and accurate
 Avoid phrases such as " A study of...", or "An investigation of …",
 Avoid jargon and acronym
Jargon is the specialized terminology associated with a particular field or area of
activity. It is normally employed in a particular communicative context and may not
be well understood outside that context.
A P P R O VA L S H E E T

This is to prove that the authors have passed

the requirements needed for the thesis

This is signed by the thesis / FS adviser, panel

and the Dean

This also states the grade obtained by the

authors
ACKNOWLEDGMENT

•
This is a page focused on expressing
gratitude to organizations, agencies
or individuals who, in one way or
another, have aided the researchers
in finishing the thesis
ACKNOWLEDGMENT SAMPLE
D E D I C AT I O N


This is the page for dedicating the thesis to certain
people or groups who have inspired the researchers
while doing the thesis
 A dedication for thesis paper is usually the short

section in the paper’s front part. In this part,

people mention every name and relation which inspired
them to complete the research paper. However, it’s not
the same as a typical acknowledgement.
D E D I C AT I O N S A M P L E
TA B L E O F C O N T E N T S

The table of contents is essentially a

topic outline of the thesis

It is compiled by listing the headings

in the thesis down to whichever level

you choose
TA B L E O F C O N T E N T S S A M P L E
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

 A description of the general problem followed by statement

of the specific problem and the motivation for the study.

" The purpose of the introduction should be to supply
sufficient background information to allow the reader to
understand and evaluate the results of the presents study
without needing to refer to previoud publications on the topic.
It should also provide the rationale for the present study.
Choose references carefully to provide the most salient
background rather than an exhaustive review of the topic"
W H AT T O W R I T E I N T H E
INTRODUCTION ?

 What do we know about the topic ?

Provide comprehensive and critical review of the major findings in the area

 What we don't know (gap in knowledge)

Identifying what the gaps in our current understanding of the field are, and

why it is important that these gaps be closed

 What we are now showing

A clear statement summarizing what's known, what needs to be learned,

and what your proper aims to accomplish

WRITING GOOD INTRODUCTION
 The first paragraph should provide a brief background

in present tense to establish context, relevance, or

nature of the problem, question, or purpose (what is
known)
 The second paragraph may include the importance of

the problem and unclear issues (what is unknown)

 The last paragraph should state the rationale,

hypothesis, main objective, or purposes (why the study

was done)
WRITING GOOD INTRODUCTION

Start by giving a general background

….The criminology education was introduced in the Philippines 48
years ago by the late Justice Angelo Bautista at the then PLARIDEL
COLLEGE later named ESCUELA DEDERECHOS now the famous Philippine
College Of Criminology. The program was implemented by the then
Bureau of Higher Education with the rationale of equipping the future
members of the then Philippine Constabulary, later the Philippine
Constabulary / Integrated National Police, now the Philippine National
Police in the application of criminalistics approach to the solution of crime
which contributed largely in modern crime laboratory equipment and
technology...
WRITING GOOD INTRODUCTION

Connecting the problem statement to the objective ( reason for

undertaking the study)

…. However, the Philippine College of Criminology in

consultation with different sectors of the law enforcement
agencies in Manila recommended upgrading the program to a four
year degree of Bachelor of Science in Criminology. At the time, the
program was not known for law enforcement employment as what
it is now as the very lucrative market for police work...
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE
S T U DY

 The significance of study will mainly focus

on the question " who will benefit from the
study"?
This section will state the contribution of

your study and usefulness of your study in

the society
S TAT E M E N T O F T H E
PROBLEM

The problem must be reflected to your title or

the readers must know your problem by just

simply reading your topic
The problem must not be answerable by yes

or no and must not be arranged in the flow of

your document or study
WRITING OF HYPOTHESIS

 The hypothesis states the relationship between variables

and this relationship must be tested. It is tested statistically

to solve the research problem. It indicates what the
researcher must gather. The hypothesis is accepted or
rejected depending on the result of the statistical test
Example:
" There is a no significant difference between the level
of awareness regarding clinical manifestation in terms of
physiological and psychological symptoms".
CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
 Elaborates the research problem in relation to relevant

literature. This section may summarize the major (dependent

and independent) variables in your research. The framework
may be summarized in a schematic diagram that presents the
major variables and their hypothesized relationships. Its should
also cover the following:
 Existing research and its relevance for your topic

 Key ideas or constructs in your approach

 Identify and discuss the variables related to the problem

 Conceptualized relationship between variables

 Independent variables (presumed effect)

 Dependent variables (presumed effect)

 Intervening variables (other variables that influence the effect of the independent variable)
CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
SAMPLE
S C O P E A N D D E L I M I TAT I O N

 The SCOPE is mainly the coverage of your study and the

DELIMITATION is the limitation of your study or topic

Example:

" This study was conducted at the University of Manila and limited only to
the currently enrolled students of the College of Business Administration
in their practicum course. The range of study was from Nov. 2010 to March
2011"

" This study will be limited only to assess the factors that affect the on-
the-job training of the students
DEFINITION OF TERMS

The definition of terms must be

arranged in alphabetically. It must

be also stated if you used your
definition of terms in technically or
operationally
CHAPTER II

Review Of Related
Literature and
Studies
W R I T I N G T H E L I T E R AT U R E

q What is literature review ?

Ø A systematic method for identifying, evaluating and interpreting
the work produced by researchers, scholars and practitioners
Ø A thesis literature review is a complete analysis of scholarly
sources on a selected topic of study. It is crafted to give an
overview of the current knowledge, to help the researcher know
the methods, theories, and gaps that exist in research.
Ø An interpretation and synthesis of published work
CHAPTER III
METHODOLOGY OF
S T U DY ( R E S E A R C H D E S I G N )
 section of your research that provides your audience with an
explanation of how you are set to carry out your research, where
the data for your research will come from, the sorts of gathering
techniques you will be using among other information.
 Significance of Research methodology It gives the reader of your

thesis an idea about how you collected the data. If your adopted
methodology is insignificant or weak, your results will not be
accurate. The right research method increases the credibility of
your thesis.
 CHAPTER IV
Presentation, Analysis
and
Interpretation of Data
P R E S E N TAT I O N O F D ATA

 Present the findings of the study in the order of the

specific problem as stated in the statement of the

problem.
 Present the data in these forms:
Tabular

Textual

Graphical
I N T E R P R E TAT I O N O F
D ATA
Establish connection between and among

data
Check for indicators whether hypothesis

is/are correct
Link the present findings with the previous

literature
CHAPTER V
 Summary of findings

 It is where the findings or the result of the thesis study is written. Summary of findings

should be a short statement such as the main purpose of the study, the population or
respondents, period of the study, method of research used, research instrument and
sampling design
 Findings should be written in textual generalization, that is, a summary of the important

data consisting of text and numbers. Important findings should be included in the summary.
No new information or data should be included in the summary of findings. Findings should
be stated concisely, not explained or elaborated anymore.

 Conclusions

 Clearly state the answer to the main research question

The conclusion is intended to help the reader understand why your research should matter

to them after they have finished reading the paper. A conclusion is not merely a summary of
the main topics covered or a re-statement of your research problem, but a synthesis of key
points and, if applicable, where you recommend new areas for future research.

 Recommendations
 Basically, recommendations can be used to guide the reader with tips, suggestions or modes of action that the reader

can follow.
REFERENCES

 How to make references or citations ?

 References should be written in-text (as parantheses), at the

bottom of the page (as footnotes) or as endnotes in a seperate

notes section at the end of a chapter or at the end of the thesis.
 ENDNOTES - is a reference, interpretation, or comment inserted at the

end of an essay, research paper, or another type of academic/scientific

document or book.
 Footnotes - Notes of each kind (footnotes or endnotes) are numbered

separately and appear in numerical order in the main text of a thesis

either in one consecutive series or beginning with a new series for each
chapter.
REFERENCING IN
H A R VA R D , M L A A N D A PA F O R M AT

 HARVARD
uses the ‘author-date’ style of referencing. In-text references (generally) appear

in the following format: (Author’s Surname, Year of Publication, Page Number.

Modern Language Association (MLA)

 is used widely for academic writing, particularly in the humanities. MLA

uses an author-page system of in-text citation.

American Psychological Association (APA)

 The main and simple purpose of the APA reference page is to ensure that the

reader can locate and retrieve the sources cited in the paper. And because
sources come in many different shapes and sizes, APA has guidelines on page
structure for different kinds of publications that need to be attributed.
H A R VA R D F O R M AT S A M P L E
Make sure that the same line spacing, margins, font
type, and font size are applied to all pages in your
paper. This helps keep your paper’s appearance
consistent and professional.
Since Harvard referencing is a style that varies across
institutions, make sure that you always check with
your instructor about their formatting preferences. If
no guidance is provided, here are some basic
directions to follow:
•Page margins: 5 cm margins on the left, right, top,
and bottom.
•Font type and size: Use a clear and readable font,
like Times New Roman or Arial, in 12 pt. font.
•Line spacing: Double-spaced.
•Running head: In the top right corner of every
page, include a shortened version of your title and
the page number. Use the “header” area of your
document to create your running head.
M L A F O R M AT
•Use white 8 ½ x 11” paper.
•Make 1 inch margins on the top, bottom,
and sides.
•The first word in every paragraph should be
indented one half inch.
•Indent set-off or block quotations one half
inch from the left margin.
•Use any type of font that is easy to read,
such as Times New Roman. Make sure that
italics look different from the regular
typeface.
•Use 12-point size.
•Double space the entire research paper,
even the Works Cited page.
•Leave one space after periods and other
punctuation marks, unless your instructor
tells you to leave two spaces.
These guidelines come from the MLA Style
Center’s web page “Formatting a Research
Paper.”
A PA F O R M AT
Your paper should be printed on 8.5 x 11 inch
paper.
2 There should be a one-inch margin along all sides
of the paper.
3 Each page of your paper should have a header,
also known as the running head. For student
papers, the running head contains simply the page
number, flush right. For a professional paper, it’s the
paper’s title (shortened to fifty characters or fewer)
flush left, then the page number flush right.
4 Every page in an APA work is numbered. This
number is flush right in the page’s header.
5 While APA format does not require that writers use
specific fonts, it recommends Times New Roman.
Other acceptable fonts include Lucida, Calibri, and
Arial.
6 A title page is required.
7 The sources page is titled “References.”
8 The paper should be double-spaced
 AMERICAN
PSYCHOLOGICAL
ASSOCIATION
STYLE IN RESEARCH
A PA
(AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL
A SS O C I AT I O N ) S T Y L E

Is most commonly used to cite sources within the social sciences. This resource, revised
according to the 7th edition of the APA manual, offers examples for the general format of APA
research papers, in-text citations, endnotes/footnotes, and the reference page.

Aside from simplifying the work of editors by having everyone use the same format for a
given publication, using APA style makes it easier for readers to understand a text by
providing a familiar structure they can follow. Abiding by APA’s standards will allow writers
to:
Provide readers with cues they can use to follow the writer’s ideas more efficiently and

to locate information of interest to them.

Allow readers to focus more on your ideas by not distracting them with unfamiliar

formatting
Establish the writers credibility in the field by demonstrating an awareness of his/her

audience and their needs as fellow researchers.

G U I D E L I N E S F O R A PA
S T Y L E PA P E R
Page Layout and Font
 Type the content and keep double-space on standard-

sized paper (8.5” x 11), with 1” margins on all

sides.
 You should indent the first line of every paragraph 0.5

inches.
 Include a page number on every page.

 You could use accessible font like Times New Roman

12pt., Arial 11pt., or Georgia 11pt.

A PA R E S E A R C H PA P E R S
SECTIONS
 T I T L E PA G E
 As per the APA research paper format, the title should be between

10-20 words and should reflect the essence of the paper.

 After writing the title, write your name followed by name of the

college or your institution.

 Furthermore, create a page header using the “View Header” function

in MS Word and on the title page include a running head – a short

title that appears at the top of pages of published articles (flush left)
and page number on the same line (flush right). The running head
should not exceed 50 characters, including punctuation and spacing.
 Moreover, you could use the toolbox to insert a page number, so that

it automatically numbers each page.

ABSTRACT
 Beginning with the next line, write a concise summary of the key points

of your research. (DO NOT INDENT). Your abstract should contain at

least your research topic, research questions, participants, methods,
results, data analysis, and conclusions. You may also include possible
implications of your research and future work you see connected with
your findings. Your abstract should be a single paragraph, double-
spaced. Your abstract should typically be no more than 250 words.
 You may also want to list keywords from your paper in your abstract. To

do this, indent as you would if you were starting a new paragraph, type
keywords : (italicized), and then list your keywords. Listing your
keywords will help researchers find your work in databases.
INTRODUCTION
 A good introduction critically evaluates the empirical

knowledge in the relevant area(s) in a way that defines

the knowledge gap and expresses your aim for your
study and why you conducted it. However, the challenge
here is to keep the reader’s interest in reading your
paper.
 METHODS
 The method section in APA research paper format is straight

forward. However, the protocol and requirements should be

mentioned precisely. The goal of this section is to describe your
study and experiments in detail, so that there is no issue in
reproducibility of results and other researchers could duplicate your
methods effectively.
 This section includes materials and/or Apparatus and Experiments /

Procedure / Protocols. Furthermore, keep the procedures brief and

accurate, and make sure to read through so as to not repeat the
steps or avoid redundancy.
R E S U LT S
 In this section, you could describe how you analyzed

the data and explain your findings. If your data

analyses are complex, then break the section into
subsections, ideally a subsection for each hypothesis
and elaborate the subsections by using statistical
analysis and including tables or figures to represent
results visually. Most importantly, do not share
interpretation of the results here. You can interpret
and explain the results in the discussion section.
 D I S C U SS I O N
 Results are interpreted and understood in this section. Discussion section helps understand the

research hypothesis better and places the results in the broader context of the literature in the
area. This section is the reversal of introduction section, wherein you begin with the specifics
and explain the general understanding of the topics.
 In discussion, you start with a brief of your main findings, followed by explaining if your

research findings support your hypothesis. Furthermore, you could explain how your findings
enhance or support the existing literature on the topic. Connect your results with some of the
literature mentioned in the introductions to bring your story back to full circle. You could also
mention if there are any interesting or surprising findings in your results. Discuss other theories
which could help you justify your surprising results.
 Explain the limitation of your study and mention all the additional questions that were

generated from your study. You could also mention what further research should be conducted
on the topic and what are the knowledge gaps in the current body of research. Finally, mention
how your results could relate to the larger issues of human existence and highlight “the big
picture” for your readers.
REFERENCES

Provide an alphabetical listing of the

references. Do not keep extra spaces

between references and doubles-pace all
the references. The second line of each
reference should be intended
PROPER USAGE
OF
HEADINGS &
SUBHEADINGS
 Headings serve an important purpose in
research papers – they organized your paper and
make it simple to locate different pieces of
information. In addition, headings provide readers
with a glimpse to the main idea, or content, they
are about to read.
In APA format, there are fives levels of
headings, each with a different formatting:
 LEVEL 1
 This is the title of your paper.

 The title should be centered in the middle of the page.

 The title should be folded.

 Use uppercase and lowercase letters where necessary

(called title capitalization)

LEVEL 2

 Place the heading against the left margin.

 Use bold letters.

 Use uppercase and lower case letters where

necessary.
LEVEL 3
 Place this heading against the left side margin.

 Use bold letters.

 Use upper case and lowercase letters where necessary.

 End the heading with a period.

LEVEL 4
 Indented in from the left margin.

 Bolded.

 Use uppercase and lowercase letters where necessary.

 End the heading with a period.

LEVEL 5
 Indented.

 Bolded.

 Italicized.

 Use uppercase and lowercase letters where necessary.

 End the heading with a period.

 USE OF
GRAPHIC S
(TABLES AND
FIGURES)
 Graphics are added to provide the reader with an
easier way to see or read information, rather than typing it
all out in the text. Instead of typing out long, drawn out
descriptions, create a drawing or image. Many visual
learners would appreciate the ability to look at an image
to make sense of information.
Here are few key guidelines in placing graphics in
research paper:
 All graphics, whether they’re tables, photographs, or drawings must be

numbered. The first graphic labeled as 1, should be the first one

mentioned in the text.
 Follow them in the appropriate numerical order in which they appear in

the text of your paper. Example: Figure 1, Figure 2, Table 1, Figure 3.

 Only use graphics if they will supplement the material in your text. If

they reinstate what you already have in your text, then it is not
necessary to include a graphic.
 Include enough wording in the graphic so that the reader is able to

understand its meaning, even if it is isolated from the corresponding

text. However, do not go overboard with adding a ton of wording in your
graphic.
 Left align tables and figures.
 TA B L E S
General format of a table
should be:
• Table number

• Title

• Table

• Note
NUMBERS AND TITLE
 Include the table number first

and at the top. Table 1 is the first

table discussed in the paper.
Table 2 is the next table
mentioned, and so on.
 Add a title under the number:

Create a brief, descriptive title.

Capitalized the first letter for
each important word. Italicize the
title and place it under the table
number.
F O R M AT T I N G
 Only use horizontal lines.

 Limit use of cell shading.

 Keep the font at 12-point size and use single or double spacing. If

you use single spacing in one table, make sure all of the others use
single spaces as well. Keep it consistent.
 All headings should be centered.

 In the first column (called stub), center the heading, left-align the

information underneath it. (indent 0.15 inches if info is more than

one line).
 Information in other columns should be centered.
NOTE:
 If you need to further explain something, or include

an APA format citation, place it in a note below the

table. There are 3 types:
 General. Information about the whole table.

 Specific. Information targeted for a specific column,

row, or cell.
 Probability. Explains what certain table symbol

mean. for example, asterisks, p values, etc.

 FIGURES
Represent information in a visual way. They differ from
table in that they are visually appealing. Sure, tables, like the
one above can be visually appealing, but it’s the color, circles,
arrows, boxes, or icons included that make a figure a “figure”.
There are many commonly used figures in papers. Examples APA
format:
Pie charts

Photographs

Maps

Hierarchy charts

Drawings
General format of a figure is the same as tables. This
means each should include:
Figure number

Title

Figure

Note

Use the same formatting tables use for the number,

title, and note.
HERE ARE SOME POINTERS TO
KEEP IN MIND WHEN IT COMES TO
A PA F O R M AT F O R F I G U R E S

 Only include a figure if it adds value to your paper. If it will

truly help with understanding, include it!

 Either include a figure or write it all out in the text. Do not

include the same information twice.

 If a note is added, it should clearly explain the content of

the figure. Include any reference information if it’s

reproduced or adopted.
A PA F O R M AT E X A M P L E O F F I G U R E
VERB USAGE
Research experiments and observations rely on the
creation and analysis of data to test hypothesis and come
to conclusions. While sharing and explaining the methods
and results of studies, science writers often use verbs.
When using verbs in writing, make sure that you
continue to use them in the same tense throughout the
section you’re writing.
Here’s an APA format example:
1. We tested the solution to identify the possible
contaminants.
2. It wouldn’t make sense to add this sentence after the
one above:
3. We tested the solution to identify the possible
contaminants. Researchers often test solutions by
placing then under a microscope.

Notice that the first sentence is in the past tense

while the second sentence is in the present tense. This
can be confusing for readers.
For verbs in scientific papers, the APA
manual recommends using:
Past tense or present perfect tense for

the explanation of the procedure.

Past tense for the explanation of the

results.
Present tense for the explanation of the

conclusion and future implications.

Abbreviation
Do’s and
Don’ts
A PA G U I D E L I N E S F O R
A B B R E V I AT I O N S A R E :
First and foremost, use abbreviations sparingly (in a restricted or
infrequent manner; in small quantities).
 Too many and you’re left with a paper littered with a capital letters

mashed together. Plus, they don’t lend themselves to smooth and

easy reading. Readers need to pause and comprehend the meaning
of abbreviations and quite often stumble over them.
 If the abbreviation is used less than three times in the paper, type it

out each time. It would be pretty difficult what an abbreviation or

acronym stands for if your writing a lengthy paper.
 If you decide to sprinkle in abbreviations, it is not necessary to

include periods between the letters.

 Prior to using an unfamiliar abbreviation, you must type it out in text

and place the abbreviation and place the abbreviation immediately

following it in parenthesis. Any usage of the abbreviation after the
initial description, can be used without the description.
 If an abbreviation is featured in Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate

Dictionary as is, then it is not necessary to spell it out.

 For units of measurement, include the abbreviation if it sits with a

number. If the unit of measurement stands alone, type it out.

PUNCTUATIONS
 One space after most punctuation marks- The manual recommends using one space

after most punctuation marks, including punctuation at the end of a sentence.

Example: Ken will pass the board examination. That is a prediction!

 Always use an Oxford comma. This type of comma is placed before the words AND and

OR or in a series of three items.

 When writing a possessive singular noun, you should place the apostrophe before the

s. For possessive plural nouns, the apostrophe is placed after the s.

Em dashes (long dashes) are used to bring focus to a particular
point or an aside. There are no spaces after these dashes.
 Use en dash (short dash) in compound objectives. Do not

place a space before or after the dash. Here are a few

examples:
NUMBER
RULES
You should use Arabic numerals (1,7) instead of Roman numerals (II, XI), unless the
Roman numerals are part of established terminology in your field.

In numbers greater than 1,000, use commas to separate groups of three digits except in
page numbers, binary code, serial numbers, temperatures, acoustic frequencies, and
degrees and freedom.

Do not add apostrophes when writing a plural of a number (2000s, the 70s)

Use a numeral in these cases:

A number 10 or higher anywhere in the paper;

A number right before a unit of measurement (3 m, 24 g);

A number denoting: mathematical functions, fractions, decimals, percentages,

ratios, percentiles (2:1 ratio, 5%)

A number denoting: time, a date, an age, a point on a scale, an exact amount of

money, or a numeral (the 3 key on your board, 7 years old, a 5 on the test); and
A number indicating a place in a series or a part of a book/table, if the number is

after a noun (i.e, Item 4, but words are used in cases like “the fourth item”).
Spell the number out in words in these cases:
A number from 0-9 anywhere in the paper, except the

specific cases above;

A number that starts a sentence, heading, or title.

A number that is a common fraction (one half, two

thirds)
A number that is part of a common phrase (Noble

Eightfold Path)
 I N -T E X T A PA C I TAT I O N
F O R M AT
APA allows for the use of two different forms of
in-text citation, parenthetical and narrative. Both
forms of citations require two elements:
Author’s name

Year of publication

The only difference is the way that this information

is presented to the reader.
Parenthetical Citations are the more commonly seen form of in-text citations
for academic work, in which both required for academic work, in which both
required reference elements are presented at the end of the sentence in
parentheses.
Example: Harlem had many artists and musicians in the late 1920s (Belafonte,

2008)

Narrative citations allow the author to present one or both of the required of
the reference elements inside of the running sentence, which prevents the text
from being too repetitive or burdensome. When only one of the two reference
elements is included in the sentences, the other is provided parenthetically.
Example: according to Belafonte (2008), Harlem had many artists and musicians

in the late 1920s.

If there are two authors listed in the source entry, then the
parenthetical reference must list them both
(Smith & Belafonte, 2008)

If there are three or more authors listed in the source entry, then
the parenthetical reference can abbreviate with “et al.”, the Latin
abbreviation for “and others”
(Smith et al., 2008)

The author’s names are structured differently if there is more

than one author.
REFERENCE LIST
Your reference list should appear at the end of your paper.
It provides information necessary for a reader to locate and
retrieve any source you cite in the body of paper, each source
you cite in the paper must appear in your reference list; likewise,
each entry in the reference list must be cited in your text.
Your references should begin on a new page separate from
the text of the essay; label this page “References” in bold,
centered at the top of the page. (Do not underline or use
quotation marks for the title). All text should be double-space
just like the rest of your essay.
BASIC RULES
FOR MOST
SOURCES
(APA STYLE)
• All lines after the first line of each entry in your reference
list should be indented one-half inch from the left margin.
This is called hanging indentation.
• All author’s name should be inverted (i.e, last names
should be provided first).
• Authors first and middle names should be written as
initials.
 Example: the reference entry for a source written by Jane Marie Smith would

begin with “Smith, J. M.”)

• If a middle name isn’t available, just initialize the author’s

first name: “Smith, J.”
• Give the last name and first/middle initials for all authors of a particular
work up to and including 20 authors (this is a new rule, as APA 6 only
required the first six authors). Separate each author’s initials from the
next author in the list with a comma. Use an ampersand (&) before the
last author’s name. If there are 21 or more authors, use an ellipsis (…),
but no ampersand after the 19th author, and then add the final author’s
name.
• Reference list entries should be alphabetized by the last name of the first
author of each work.
• For multiple articles by the same author, or authors listed in the same
order, list the entries in chronological order, from earliest to most recent.
• When referring to the titles of books, chapters, articles, reports, web pages, or
other sources, capitalized only the first letter of the first word of the title and
subtitle, the first word after a colon or a dash in the title, and proper nouns.
• Italicize titles of longer works (e.g., books, edited collections, names of newspaper, and so on)

• Do not italicize, underline, or put quotes around the titles of shorter works such as chapters in books or
essays in edited collections.
BASIC RULES FOR
A RT I C L E S I N
ACADEMIC
J O U R N A L S ( A PA
F O R M AT )
• Present journal titles in full.

• Italicize journal titles.

• Maintain any non standard punctuation and capitalization that is

used by the journal in its title.
 For example, you should use PhiloSOPHIA instead of Philosophia, or

Past & Present instead of Past and Present

• Capitalize all major words in the titles of journals. Note that this differs from the rule
for titling other common sources (like books, reports, webpages, and so on)
This distinction is based on the type of source of being cited. Academic journal

titles have all major words capitalized, while other sources’ titles do not.
• Capitalize the first word of the titles and subtitles of journal articles, as well as the
first word after a colon or a dash in the title, and any proper nouns.
• Do not italicize or underline the article title.
• Do not enclose the article title in quotes.
 So for example, if you need to cite an article titled “Deep

Blue: The Mysteries of the Marianas Trench” that was

published in the journal Oceanographic Study: A Peer-
Reviewed Publication, you would write the article as follows:

 Deep blue: The Mysteries of the Marianas Trench

but you would write the journal title as follows:

 Oceanographic Study: A Peer-Reviewed Publication

Salamat mga Kapatid, sa Pakikinig,
Itanim sa Ating mga Isip at DibDib;
Abutin ang pangarap na iniibig,
Hanggang sa ang hininga’y Mapatid!
Paghusayang lubos sa bawat paghapit
panulat sa papel nitong pagsusulit
Pagtibaying ganap sa bawat pagsambit
dalanging inasam at pangarap makamit
 Panalangin ng ARC Family
At usal ng labi sa umaga’t gabi
Pumasa ang lahat, walang mahuhuli
Sa Setyembre kayo ay ganap ng RC
 Di lang yan meron pa, di makakalusot
Sa mga magtatop, wag makakalimot
Pagbati ang aking nais ipaabot
Yung blow-out simple lang, wag niyo nang
ibalot
Batid ko ang hirap na dinadanas nyo
Balakid, pasakit at sakripisyo ninyo
Upang ituloy ang ganap na pagtamo
sa lisensyang naway paguwi dala mo
Konti man sana ay nakatulong ako
Maibsan man lamang ang mga kaba
nyo
Anuman ang bigat na dinadala bro
Balang araw ay magiging biyaya ito
Manalig lamang sa Dakilang Maylikha,
Ang paniniwala ay samahan ng gawa;
Mabigo’t mauwi man sa pagluluksa,
Tandaang may panahon kang
nakatakda!
 Kaya kapatid, iangat mo ang iyong
mukha,
Usal ng panalangin sa pagtingala;
Kung sakaling mabasa mo itong aking
tula,
AL-NASHRIN N. MINDUG po, ang May-
Future REGISTERED
CRIMINOLOGISTS!
MABUHAY KAYO!