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how to cite without using a direct quote in apsa

how to cite without using a direct quote in apsa

2 min read 16-01-2025
how to cite without using a direct quote in apsa

The American Psychological Association (APA) 7th edition style guide provides clear guidelines for citing sources, even when you're not using direct quotations. Properly citing paraphrased information and summaries is crucial for avoiding plagiarism and giving credit where it's due. This guide explains how to cite sources without using direct quotes in APASA style.

Understanding Paraphrasing and Summarizing

Before diving into the citation specifics, let's clarify the difference between paraphrasing and summarizing:

  • Paraphrasing: Rephrasing a specific passage from a source in your own words while retaining the original meaning. This usually involves maintaining the same length and level of detail as the original.

  • Summarizing: Condensing a larger section of text (a paragraph, a chapter, or even an entire work) into a shorter, more concise overview. You extract the main points, omitting less important details.

Both paraphrasing and summarizing require proper citation in APASA style. Failing to do so is considered plagiarism.

Citing Paraphrased Material

When paraphrasing, you're essentially restating the author's ideas in your own words. You still need to cite the source to give credit. Here's how to do it:

  • In-text citation: Include the author's last name and year of publication in parentheses at the end of the paraphrased sentence or paragraph. For example:

    Recent research suggests a correlation between sleep deprivation and cognitive impairment (Smith, 2023).

  • Reference list entry: A full reference entry must appear in your reference list at the end of your paper. This includes the author's name, publication year, title, journal name (if applicable), volume, issue, pages, and DOI or URL.

Citing Summarized Material

Summarizing involves condensing information from a source. The citation process is similar to paraphrasing:

  • In-text citation: Provide the author's last name and year of publication in parentheses after your summary. You can also include a page range if the summary covers a significant portion of a source. For example:

    The effects of social media on adolescent mental health have been widely studied, with mixed results across numerous studies (Jones et al., 2022, pp. 150-165).

  • Reference list entry: The complete reference entry needs to be in the reference list, following the standard APASA format.

Handling Multiple Sources

If your paraphrase or summary incorporates information from multiple sources, cite all relevant sources. You can do this in a few ways:

  • Multiple citations in parentheses: List the sources in alphabetical order, separated by semicolons: (Smith, 2023; Jones et al., 2022).

  • Separate sentences with individual citations: This improves clarity and makes it easier for the reader to track the information back to its sources.

    Sleep deprivation has been linked to cognitive decline (Smith, 2023). Further research highlights the impact on emotional regulation (Jones et al., 2022).

Avoiding Plagiarism

Remember, even if you’re not using direct quotes, you must cite your sources. Plagiarism isn't just copying; it's also presenting someone else's ideas as your own. To avoid plagiarism:

  • Understand the source material thoroughly before attempting to paraphrase or summarize.
  • Restate the information in your own words, using different sentence structures and vocabulary.
  • Always cite the original source, regardless of how much you've changed the wording.
  • If you're unsure whether your paraphrase is close enough to the original, consider using a direct quote instead.

By following these guidelines, you can properly cite your sources in APASA style, ensuring academic integrity and giving credit to the authors whose work informed your research. Remember to consult the official Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association for the most up-to-date and complete guidelines.

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