American Psychological Association (APA) format is an editorial style developed for writers in the social and behavioral sciences. Other fields have now adopted this style. This format emphasizes simple, direct, concise writing.
Features
The APA format features rules for punctuation and abbreviation, reference citations, bias-free language, and other topics writers encounter. These guidelines can be found in the The Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association.
Function
APA format creates uniformity. Readers can read written material quicker and focus on the information when inconsistencies are eliminated.
References
Citations for references include the author's name, reference publication date, publisher's city, and publisher's name. When citing web sites, instead of the publisher, the date the web site was viewed and the web site address are used.
Punctuation and Abbreviations
The first time a term is used, it should be explained before using an abbreviation unless it is commonly used as a word. Periods are used for abbreviations within a reference but not for degree titles or organizations titles, for example, PhD.
Bias in language
APA format strives to avoid using anything offensive. The style uses terms that are more specific instead of general. For example, instead of using "men" to refer to all adults, it uses "men and women."
