APA Manual and Recent Updates
Section 4
This section of the Library Handbook addresses how to cite recourses used in the body and the reference list of your document using the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (6th ed.). Common examples for parenthetical text citations, citing direct quotes, and reference citations in the reference list are provided, but for a more comprehensive list, see the APA manual (6th ed.).
Plagiarism and Self-Plagiarism
Plagiarism is the use of another person’s ideas or words without giving them the proper credit. Plagiarism can occur when you use someone else’s exact words without giving them credit, taking credit for someone else’s ideas, or even presenting your own past work as a new idea. Academic institutions take both intentional and unintentional plagiarism seriously, and it can be grounds for dismissal. According to the APA manual (6th ed.), the best method of avoiding plagiarism is to cite the ideas, theories, and research that directly influenced your work, cite key background information, information that may support or dispute your theory or hypothesis, or offer critical definitions or data (p. 169). Document all facts and figures that are not common knowledge. For journal articles and class assignments, APA recommends using one or two of the most representative sources for each key point, but for the literature review for a dissertation, you should include a more exhaustive list of citations. See APA (6th ed.), pp. 15-16 for more information.
In-Text Citations
Citations used in the body of your publication identify the source of information. In-text parenthetical citations are used to give credit to the authors whose ideas or thoughts are used within the document. These internal citations allow the reader to identify the source and locate the information being addressed. APA uses a system that includes the author’s last name and the year of
Citations: CONTACT THE ALVIN SHERMAN LIBRARY Reference desk phone numbers: 1-800-541- 6682 ext. 24613 (United States) 1-800-554-6682 ext. 24613 (Caribbean, Canada) Online address: http://www.nova.edu/library/main Email: refdesk@nova.edu 19