APA Style 7th edition: Home

Writing in APA is more than simply learning the formula for citations or following a certain page layout. APA also includes the stylistics of your writing, from point of view to word choice.

APA style establishes standards of written communication:

•The organization of content 

•Writing style

•Citing references

APA = American Psychological Association

APA is typically used in the social sciences, like psychology, anthropology, sociology, nursing, business, as well as education and other fields.

NOTE *Different instructors’ assignments will vary. Although this video follows APA Style 7th ed., your instructor may require something different. Be sure to check with your instructor for assignment instructions.

A Thesis Statement:

• Makes an assertion about a topic
• Predicts how the topic will be developed
• Moves beyond announcing a topic and says something more specific about it
• Informs the reader about the scope, purpose, & direction of the paper
• Summarizes the author's conclusions
• Appears toward the end of the introduction and in a long paper, it may be expressed in several sentences or even an entire paragraph

EX: "X has made a significant impact on the teenage population due to its . . ."

A Purpose Statement:

• announces purpose, scope, and direction of paper
• Tells the reader about argument development but does not preview the author's conclusions
• Appears toward the end of the introduction and may consist of several sentences or an entire paragraph

EX: "This paper examines . . ."

process/thesis_or_purpose/

Bias-Free Language is important in writing. There are specific guidelines about inclusivity and respect when discussing gender.

“When referring to individuals whose identified pronouns are not known or when the gender of a generic or hypothetical person is irrelevant within the context, use the singular “they” to avoid making assumptions about an individual’s gender. Use the forms “they,” “them,” “theirs,” and so forth.” 

APA Style. (2019, September). Gender. https://apastyle.apa.org/style-grammar-guidelines/bias-free-language/gender

Writers typically use APA style for social sciences, which uses an OBJECTIVE TONE with a purpose statement rather than a thesis statement. Objective writing is often referred to as "academic writing." Textbooks are a great example of what the objective tone looks like in writing.

The Objective tone is: