APA Citations Overview
APA (American Psychological Association) style is the official format for NEIT academic papers. This guide covers the essentials for citing sources correctly in APA 7th edition format.
NEIT Citation Guidelines: All academic papers at New England Institute of Technology must follow APA format for citations and references.
In-Text Citations
In-text citations appear within your paper and direct readers to the full reference in your References page.
Basic Format
- Author-Date: (Smith, 2023) or Smith (2023)
- Direct Quote: (Smith, 2023, p. 15)
- Multiple Authors: (Smith & Jones, 2023)
- No Author: Use title or organization name
Examples:
Research shows that students benefit from library instruction (Johnson, 2023).
According to Johnson (2023), "library instruction significantly improves research skills" (p. 42).
Multiple studies support this finding (Johnson, 2023; Smith & Lee, 2022).
Reference List Examples
The References page lists all sources cited in your paper. Sources are arranged alphabetically by author's last name.
Journal Articles
Smith, J. A. (2023). The impact of technology on student learning. Journal of Education Research, 45(2), 123-135. https://doi.org/10.1000/xyz123
Books
Johnson, M. B. (2022). Modern research methods (3rd ed.). Academic Press.
Website Articles
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2023, March 15). Health guidelines for students. https://www.cdc.gov/health/students
Database Articles
Lee, S. K. (2023). Engineering innovations in renewable energy. Engineering Today, 12(4), 78-92. https://doi.org/10.1000/abc456
APA Formatting Basics
Paper Setup
- 12-point Times New Roman font
- Double-spaced throughout
- 1-inch margins on all sides
- Page numbers in top right corner
- Title page with paper title, author name, institutional affiliation
Headings
- Level 1: Centered, Bold, Title Case
- Level 2: Flush Left, Bold, Title Case
- Level 3: Flush Left, Bold Italic, Title Case
- Level 4: Indented, Bold, Title Case, Ending With a Period.
- Level 5: Indented, Bold Italic, Title Case, Ending With a Period.
Citation Tools & Resources
Automatic Citation Generators
Database Citation Help
- EBSCOhost – Click "Cite" button for automatic APA citations.
Pro Tip: Always double-check auto-generated citations for accuracy. Citation generators can make mistakes with capitalization, italics, and punctuation.
Common Citation Mistakes
Avoid These Errors:
- Missing DOI or URL for electronic sources.
- Incorrect capitalization in titles (use sentence case).
- Missing page numbers for direct quotes.
- Inconsistent date formats.
- Forgetting to italicize journal titles.
Quick Reference Guide
Essential APA Elements:
- Author: Last name, First initial.
- Date: (2023) or (2023, March 15)
- Title: Sentence case for articles; Italics for journals/books
- Source: Journal, website, or publisher information
- DOI/URL: Include when available
In-Text Citation Quick Tips:
- Use author's last name and year: (Smith, 2023)
- Add page numbers for direct quotes: (Smith, 2023, p. 15)
- For multiple authors: (Smith & Jones, 2023)
- No author? Use first few words of title: ("Technology Trends," 2023)
Access & Support
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