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APA Style is a standardized writing format, established by the American Psychological Association, which doctoral students need to follow when preparing their dissertation.
If you have questions about APA formatting, look at our APA Style Guide.
You may want to buy a copy of the APA Guide to help you understand APA formatting rules:
Publication Manual (OFFICIAL) 7th Edition of the American Psychological Association by
A WALL STREET JOURNAL, USA TODAY, AND PUBLISHERS WEEKLY BESTSELLER. The newest official release of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, Seventh Edition includes four different formats--spiral-bound and tabbed, paperback, hardcover, and ebook, all of which are in full color. It is the official source for APA Style. With millions of copies sold worldwide in multiple languages, the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, Seventh Edition is the style manual of choice for writers, researchers, editors, students, and educators in the social and behavioral sciences, natural sciences, nursing, communications, education, business, engineering, and other fields. Known for its authoritative, easy-to-use reference and citation system, the Publication Manual also offers guidance on choosing the headings, tables, figures, language, and tone that will result in powerful, concise, and elegant scholarly communication. It guides users through the scholarly writing process--from the ethics of authorship to reporting research through publication. The seventh edition is an indispensable resource for students and professionals to achieve excellence in writing and make an impact with their work. The seventh edition has been thoroughly revised and updated to reflect best practices in scholarly writing and publishing. All formats are in full color, with a new tabbed spiral version Easy navigation, with topics divided into numbered sections to help users quickly location the information they need Resources for students on writing and formatting annotated bibliographies, response papers, and other paper types, guidelines on citing course materials, and guidance on writing clearly, precisely, and concisely Dedicated chapter for new users of APA Style covering paper elements and format, including sample papers for both professional authors and student writers New chapter on journal article reporting standards (JARS) that includes updates to reporting standards for quantitative research and the first-ever qualitative and mixed methods reporting standards in APA Style Updated chapter on bias-free language guidelines for writing about people with respect and inclusivity in areas including age, disability, gender, participation in research, racial and ethnic identity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, and intersectionality Updated chapter on essential style guidelines for scholarly writing, including punctuation, italics, capitalization, abbreviations, and numbers More than 40 new sample tables and figures Expanded guidance on ethical writing and publishing practices, including how to ensure the appropriate level of citation, avoid plagiarism and self-plagiarism, and navigate the publication process More than 100 new reference examples covering periodicals, books, audiovisual media, social media, webpages and websites, legal resources, and many other document types Guidelines that support accessibility for all users, including simplified reference, in-text citation, and heading formats as well as additional font options
As a new researcher, you will encounter a range of different types of academic writing: research articles, literature reviews, meta-analyses and more. These genres serve different purposes for both you and your research community. Some genres, like the research article, aim to make a contribution to a field through original research. Others, like the literature review, aim to review the trends and patterns of a field to inform the direction of future research.
Look at the "different academic writing genres" tab to see the characteristics and features of some Academic Writing Genres.
Here are some questions for you to consider about academic writing genres:
Here are some examples of different academic writing genres:
Some key virtues of academic writing style are:
And here are some sylistic questions for you to consider about your academic writing:
Here are some stylistic features for you to be aware of:
Sentence variety:
Effective academic writing relies on a combination of (1) long sentences that relay complex ideas and (2) short sentences that pack more punch or allow the reader to catch their breath as a complex line of reasoning unfolds. In your own writing, try for a mix.
Diction:
Sophisticated academic writing is marked by an author’s choice of words. Big words are not necessarily better. Many style guides encourage writers to opt for plain English, when possible, over jargon.
First Person Pronouns:
For many students, academic writing will be marked by the absence of first person pronouns, though this may not always be the case. “I” can naturally invite the writer to express their opinion and distract the reader from the primary focus of the research.
Verbs:
Verbs matter. Strong verbs are key to cogent sentences. Verb tense matters too. Active voice makes for cleaner, more concise prose. Passive voice, however, can emphasize elements of a sentence that would otherwise remain hidden at the end.
