Q&A for How to Write an APA Style Paper

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How can I improve my writing style?

Noah Taxis
English Teacher
Noah Taxis is an English Teacher based in San Francisco, California. He has taught as a credentialed teacher for over four years: first at Mountain View High School as a 9th- and 11th-grade English Teacher, then at UISA (Ukiah Independent Study Academy) as a Middle School Independent Study Teacher. He is now a high school English teacher at St. Ignatius College Preparatory School in San Francisco. He received an MA in Secondary Education and Teaching from Stanford University’s Graduate School of Education. He also received an MA in Comparative and World Literature from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and a BA in International Literary & Visual Studies and English from Tufts University.

Noah Taxis

English Teacher

Expert Answer

To improve your writing style, actively simplify your approach and prioritize directness, clarity, and simplicity. Focus on utilizing concise sentences and clear expressions to effectively convey your ideas. Additionally, incorporate transitions and advanced vocabulary gradually to enhance your writing. Ensure to maintain a commitment to simplicity throughout, as it aids in better understanding. Regular practice and feedback also play crucial roles in honing your writing skills.

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Question

How do I write book titles in APA style?

Noah Taxis
English Teacher
Noah Taxis is an English Teacher based in San Francisco, California. He has taught as a credentialed teacher for over four years: first at Mountain View High School as a 9th- and 11th-grade English Teacher, then at UISA (Ukiah Independent Study Academy) as a Middle School Independent Study Teacher. He is now a high school English teacher at St. Ignatius College Preparatory School in San Francisco. He received an MA in Secondary Education and Teaching from Stanford University’s Graduate School of Education. He also received an MA in Comparative and World Literature from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and a BA in International Literary & Visual Studies and English from Tufts University.

Noah Taxis

English Teacher

Expert Answer

In APA style, citing a book title involves italicizing it to distinguish it within the text. This active formatting ensures clarity and consistency in your academic writing. Additionally, when citing book titles in APA style, it's essential to follow the guidelines for punctuation and capitalization provided by the style manual. This helps maintain accuracy and professionalism in your citations.

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What's the difference between APA and MLA?

Community Answer

There are many differences, but the biggest difference is in when each format is used. APA formatting is used for writing papers in the sciences and social sciences, while MLA formatting is intended more commonly for papers written in the humanities/liberal arts areas. As for the formatting itself, MLA formatted papers don't have a title page or abstract while APA papers do. In-text citations in MLA include author and page, while APA citations include author and date. There are differences in the titles and layouts of the reference lists for each type of paper. This is just a sampling, reviewing the style manuals for each will reveal many other differences.

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How do I do APA in a summary paper?

Kohnja

Community Answer

The summary paper should have a cover page, but does not need an abstract or a reference page. All APA rules will remain the same other than that.

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Question

Do I need to indicate the textbook page when I found it on an APA style paper?

Community Answer

The only time pages are required for APA style papers are when you are using a direct quote. Purdue Owl has a good website for many of the basics to APA style.

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Do I indent the paragraphs for a literature review in APA?

Community Answer

Like a normal APA-formatted paper, you indent everything but the abstract. You keep everything else the same, though, format-wise.

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Do I need to write an abstract if I'm writing a APA paper?

Community Answer

It would be good if you write an abstract, as it is the gist of the whole paper and most publishers require it (along with keywords). So, it would be easy for other to understand your paper because they will get the idea that what the paper is all about.

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Question

How do I write out numbers in APA style? For example, should I write a number like 8th grade, or should it be eighth grade?

Community Answer

There is no limitation but writing eight certainly looks more official than 8th and reducing the number of ordinal numbers written out in your papers may give you a little more points.

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