5 Tips to Transition to APA 7th Edition Style

Rachel Larson, Thomas Jefferson University

During my neuroscience course last spring, the rubric for the final assignment included a section on the correct use of the American Psychological Association (APA) citation style. This was the first major assignment where APA conventions were strictly graded. When my classmates and I received our feedback, we were shocked and discouraged to see our many errors. We thought we understood at least the basics! As we reflected on our homework routines, my classmates and I realized there must be a better way to avoid errors in APA than spending hours searching the Purdue OWL for citation types.

With that in mind, I contacted the university librarians and tutoring center for advice. As we spoke, we realized that the existing library resources were for APA 6th edition, despite the fact that the APA had released the 7th edition in October 2019 (APA, 2029c). The library and tutoring center agreed to collaborate with me to develop new resources for OT students at the university. Our goal was to increase the confidence and competence of OT students using APA style by providing an opportunity to learn citation basics at the beginning of their education. This felt like a meaningful endeavor, since professional writing is an important skill for OT students, clinicians, and researchers.

Over the summer of 2020, the library staff and I collaborated regularly over Zoom to design a series of self-paced tutorials for the university website. At the start of fall semester, the tutors and librarians facilitated a virtual workshop for OT students to practice correct citation formatting and ask questions. The self-paced modules and workshop were subsequently incorporated into the initial semester’s Foundations of OT course, so future first-year OT students could cite with confidence from the beginning of their professional journey!

Through my work on this project, these are the five most helpful tips I learned about using APA 7th edition effectively:

  1. Learn what is different about APA 7th edition first. If you are familiar with APA 6th edition, a good first step is to identify the differences in the 7th edition standards. The foundations of APA remain the same: communicate professionally and credit the original source of ideas. Changes in the 7th edition include specific examples for citing online resources, from journals to media. Although podcasts, YouTube videos, and social media posts are not scholarly sources, it is nonetheless important to credit these sources using the correct form. The formatting of in-text citations is also streamlined for sources with three or more authors, such that only the first author “et al.,” is included in the citation in most cases. Another change notable for OT students is the expansion of standards for bias-free and inclusive language to discuss age, disability, gender, racial and ethnic identity, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic status (APA, 2020b). For example, the APA prefers the use of singular “they” to gendered pronouns (he/she) when referring to a person in general and recommends the use of self-identified pronouns when discussing a specific person. This allows OTs to communicate with colleagues, clients, and stakeholders in a way that is clear, respectful, and upholds our personal and professional commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
  2. Find reliable resources that work for you. I purchased the 7th edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association and refer to it frequently. The APA has also published a brief pocket reference, Concise Guide to APA Style (APA, 2020a). The APA website contains a wealth of helpful content such as video tutorials, blog posts, handouts, and even practice worksheets. The APA-published resources are more concise and specific than secondary sources, such as the Purdue OWL. A few suggested resources are linked at the end of this article. You can also create your own resources, focusing on the source types that you use most in your coursework.
  3. Look for patterns in frequently used source types. At first, it may seem overwhelming to learn APA formatting because there are so many rules. However, the basic citation structure remains constant. Over time, I learned to recognize common source types and citation rules, which allowed me to construct reference lists more efficiently. You can even practice by compiling reference lists for your required textbooks each semester. Thinking through citations will solidify your knowledge and increase your confidence. Plus, you will create a great time-saving resource for your semester!
  4. Ask for a tutoring session with your school’s academic success center or library. At the end of the summer, I participated in the newly developed virtual workshop with the library and tutoring staff. The process of talking through APA conventions with an expert instructor and practicing with classmates was incredibly helpful. If you are struggling with APA in your writing, request individual or small group tutoring sessions at your university. And, if APA 7th edition is not yet a topic that is offered for tutoring, just ask!
  5. Avoid citation generators. My last word of advice: avoid citation generators! Plugging in titles and volume numbers may seem like a time-saver for homework. Unfortunately, even reputable citation generators such as RefWorks and EndNote leave obvious errors in reference lists. The process of checking your references after using a citation generator takes more time than it is worth. To do this effectively, you still need to use your resources and understand APA basics! It will serve you better to do it correctly the first time and be confident in your work.

It may be difficult to take time out of your busy schedule to learn APA style. OT coursework is rigorous, and many OT students juggle academics, work, families, and personal lives. But be encouraged: a small investment of effort to learn APA 7th edition can save you from wasted time and frustration, and even have a positive impact on grades.

Helpful Resources

References

American Psychological Association. (2020a). Concise guide to APA style: The official APA style guide for students (7th ed.). American Psychological Association. https://doi.org/10.1037/0000173-000

American Psychological Association. (2020b). Guide to what’s new in the publication manual of the American Psychological Association, seventh edition. APA Style. https://apastyle.apa.org/instructional-aids/whats-new-7e-guide.pdf   

American Psychological Association. (2020c). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association: The official guide to APA style (7th ed.). American Psychological Association. https://doi.org/10.1037/0000165-000

Rachel Larson is an MS occupational therapy student at Thomas Jefferson University’s East Falls campus. She is looking forward to her first Level II fieldwork placement this fall, where she will be working in a nontraditional practice setting with refugees in Philadelphia, PA. Rachel is interested in geriatrics, hand therapy, home modification practice, and occupational therapy research. She loves her current job in medical billing but is eager to become an OT. In her free time, Rachel enjoys biking on the Schuylkill River Trail and taking long walks with her husband and their rescue dog Maylie. She would like to thank Dr. Audrey Zapletal, OTD, OTR/L, CLA, for her support in developing the APA workshop at Jefferson.

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