Writing Style Guide
Based on APA format
QASMT WRITING STYLE GUIDE 1
Table of Contents
Introduction 2Manuscript Formatting 2
Basics 2Specifics 3
Tables 4Figures 5Appendices 6Mechanics 8
Expressing Numbers 8Abbreviations and Acronyms 9Contractions 10Capitalisation 11Hyphenation 11
Referencing 12Plagiarism 13Turnit-in 14An Overview of APA Referencing 14In-text Referencing 15
Signal Phrases 15Types of In-text Referencing 15
Short Direct Quotes 15Long Direct Quotes 15Paraphrases 17
Formatting In-text Citations 17Secondary Citations 19Multiple References to the Same Source 19Unknown Author 19Two or More Works in the Same Citation 20Authors With the Same Surname 20Two or More Works by the Same Author in the Same Year 20Sources Without Page Numbers 20Adding or Omitting Words in Quotations 21Quoting Poetry 21Quoting Drama 23In-text Citations Using MS Word 23Footnotes 24
Formatting End-text Citations 24End-text Citations Using MS Word 25End-text Referencing of Various Sources from the Internet 26How to Format an End-text Reference for Something You Found on a Website When Information is Missing
27
End-text Referencing of Poems 28Sample Reference List 29
Other Points to Consider 30
QASMT WRITING STYLE GUIDE 2
Introduction
The aim of this style guide is to help you maintain consistency and accuracy in the
presentation and layout of your paper. Each referencing style tends to have its own
editorial style. This means that when you choose to reference your paper in a particular
style you should also observe the editorial conventions of that style like:
• punctuation and abbreviations
• construction of tables
• labelling of tables, graphs, illustrations
• headings
• citation of references
• presentation of statistics
• as well as many other elements that are a part of every manuscript
This guide outlines and explains features of the APA style and is formatted accordingly. The
instructions are based on MS Word Office 2007.
Manuscript Formatting
Basics
A manuscript formatted in APA style should:
• be typed on standard white A4 paper
• be 1.5 or double-spaced throughout (highlight text right click Paragraph
Line Spacing: 1.5 lines or Double)
• also be double-spaced between the body text and titles, headings and block
quotations i.e. no extra spacing between paragraphs
• use 2.5cm margins on all sides (Page Layout Margins Normal)
QASMT WRITING STYLE GUIDE 3
• use 10 – 12 pt. Times New Roman or similarly readable font
• be indented 1.25cm (press Tab once) at the beginning of each paragraph
• have all subsequent text aligned to the left-hand margin with a “ragged” right-hand
margin (select the “Align Text Left” icon on the toolbar)
• have two spaces after each full stop
Specifics
It should also:
• include a page header in the upper left-hand of every page and a page number in the
upper right-hand side of every page
• include the following details of your paper in the header: QAMST [SUBJECT NAME] –
YOUR NAME – YOUR CLASS – YOUR TEACHER’S NAME – SHORT FORM OF TASK TITLE
• have a title page that includes (a) your name; (b) your teacher’s name; (c) your
class / course e.g. Year 11D IB A1 English; (d) title / question of essay
• have no header or page number on the title page
• have the title page text formatted as follows:
• centred
• typed in same size and style as the manuscript
• not bold, italicised or underlined
Level Format1 Centred, Bold, Mixed Case Heading2 Left-aligned, Bold, Mixed Case Heading3 Indented, bold, lowercase heading will full stop.4 Indented, bold, italicised, lowercase heading with a full stop.5 Indented, italicised, lowercase heading with a full stop.
• format headings this way if they are used throughout the paper:
QASMT WRITING STYLE GUIDE 4
• have all sources used in the paper identified in parenthetical in-text citations (see
below for details of in-text citations)
• use italics for publication titles
Additionally, in an extended essay, the page following the title page is the abstract which
has a centred heading, “Abstract”, at the top of the page. The first line of this text is not
indented. It should have a header and page number.
Tables
Tables are often required to present data. Guidelines for including a table into an
APA formatted manuscript:
• Head the table with an Arabic numeral e.g. Table 1, Table 2, Table 3 etc. Align this
flush left.
• Then assign it a title which is italicised and mixed case e.g. Correlations Between
Light Levels and Growth Rates. This is also aligned flush-left.
• Table titles should be brief but explanatory.
• All elements of the table should be consistently either single- or double-spaced.
• All columns should have a column heading.
• If the table or its data are from another source, cite the source beneath the table
(highlight table Insert Caption Below insert source details).
• Never include a table without referring to it (by number) in the text of the paper e.g.
As shown in Table 7, there is a larger variation than would
normally be expected.
QASMT WRITING STYLE GUIDE 5
Table 1
Dogs Scoring Above Average on Intelligence by Breed and Gender
Breed Male Female %
Dachshund 123 234 17.6
Terrier 456 567 31.1
Siberian Husky* 789 891 51.3
Totals (N = 3060) 1368 1692
Note. Average score = 150. No animals were harmed during testing.*Three huskies (one male, two female) escaped before testing was completed and are therefore included in the table.
Figures
Guidelines for including a figure (graph, photograph etc.) into an APA formatted
manuscript:
• Label the figures with an Arabic numeral and provide a brief but explanatory title
• Italicise the label but not the title.
• The label and the title appear on the same line below the visual display, flush-left.
• Type the title in mixed case.
• Crop any extraneous material from a photograph or figure before inserting it.
• Graphs must include a legend where necessary to explain symbols, abbreviations etc.
• If the figure or its data are from another source, cite the source or copyright owner
beneath the figure (highlight figure Insert Caption Below insert label, title
and source details).
• Never include a figure without referring to it in the text of the paper e.g. As shown
in Figure 7, there is a larger variation than would normally
be expected.
Purdue University. (2011). APA Tables and Figures 1. Retrieved June 3, 2011, from OWL Purdue Online Writing Lab: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/19/
QASMT WRITING STYLE GUIDE 6
Figure 1. Crude Oil Prices 2003-2008.Ontario Ministry of Finance. (2008). 2008 Ontario Economic Outlook and Fiscal Review. Retrieved June 3, 2011, from Ontario Ministry of Finance: http://www.fin.gov.on.ca/en/budget/fallstatement/2008/08fs-annex2.html
Appendices
Appendices allow you to include detailed or supplemental information in your paper
that would be distracting or interrupt the flow of the writing. Examples of items you might
have in an appendix include mathematical proofs, lists of words, the questionnaire used in
the research, a detailed description of an apparatus used in the research etc.
Guidelines for including an appendix in an APA formatted manuscript:
• Create the appendix on a fresh page at the end of the paper following the
References page/s.
• Head the page “Appendix” with only the first letter capitalised.
• Centre this heading. Don’t bold or italicise it or place it in quotation marks.
QASMT WRITING STYLE GUIDE 7
• Label each appendix as with a capital letter - Appendix A, Appendix B and so on, so
that readers will know where to look based on your in-text citation. If you only have
one appendix then don’t assign it a letter, just Appendix.
• Cite your appendix in-text by inserting a citation following the sentence where you
lead into the information that the appendix contains e.g. More than half of
the survey respondents indicated that they had ceased
purchasing this brand following the product recall while only
13 percent said their confidence in it remained unaffected.
(See Appendix A). This then leads the reader to a graph or chart in the appendix
that displays the survey results.
• Explain the information in the appendix after citing it. When the reader returns to
the text of your paper, they will need to have the significance of what they just
turned to the appendix to read explained to them.
• Format the visual contents of the appendix like they would be formatted in the
paper's body. All tables, figures and equations should be labelled and numbered.
Each label and number should include a letter that corresponds to the appendix. For
example, in the first appendix, the first table should be labelled "Table A1". If there's
a second appendix, the second figure in it would be labelled "Figure B2”.
• Format all plain text in the appendix exactly as it is formatted in the rest of the
paper. The very first line of the appendix differs from normal rules; it should begin
flush left, rather than indented.
• Remember, the appendix comes after the reference list at the end of your paper.
QASMT WRITING STYLE GUIDE 8
Mechanics
Expressing Numbers
• The general rule of thumb is that numerals (10, 11, 12) are used for 10 and over;
words for under 10.
Adding extra potassium to the fertilizer mix resulted in
higher yields in nine of the 10 tomato plants.
• Never start a sentence with a numeral.
Eighty-five percent of survey respondents expressed a
preference for Brand X.
• Use words to express fractions.
These symptoms are found in approximately one-third of
patients.
• Use numbers in a mathematics essay.
Divided by 5
• Use numbers to express measurement.
6.5 cm
• Use numbers in a graph.
X = 54
• Use numbers for time.
3 hr 30 min
• Use numbers for dates.
July 20, 1969
• Use numbers for ages.
3 years old
QASMT WRITING STYLE GUIDE 9
Abbreviations and Acronyms
Whilst you should try to limit the use of abbreviations (and acronyms) in an essay,
there are instances when you will need to use them. It is therefore important that you
know how to use them.
• A manuscript overloaded with abbreviations is likely to confound the reader. The
general rule of thumb is that if the term is seldom used (i.e. not more than three
times), don’t abbreviate it, unless it is a particularly long term.
• An abbreviated term must be spelt out in full the first time it is used followed by the
abbreviation in parentheses.
A 2009 UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for
Refugees) report advised that ...
After that, use the acronym on its own.
This policy was clearly contrary to the UNHCR mandate.
• Some abbreviations are listed in the dictionary like regular word entries (e.g. ANZAC,
AIDS, scuba). The meaning of these is considered common knowledge and they do
not need to be written in full or explained.
• When communicating time and measurements, abbreviate all units and if using a
series of numbers, use the abbreviation only after the last number in the series.
The tomato plants in the three conditions were allocated
5, 10, and 25 ml of water each day.
• Do not start a sentence with an abbreviation if you can help it.
• Even commonly abbreviated words should be typed out in full.
department NOT dept
QASMT WRITING STYLE GUIDE 10
• Do not make an abbreviation of a unit of measurement plural.
5 min NOT 5 mins
• Some common abbreviations (that are acceptable to use in an essay) and their
correct punctuation are provided in the table below.
Abbreviation Meaning Abbreviation Meaning
hr hour(s) etc. et cetera = “and so forth”
min minute(s) e.g. for example
s second(s) i.e. that is
g gram(s) cf. compare with
kg kilogram(s) vs. versus
t tonne °C degrees Celsius
mL millilitre(s) p.m. post meridiem
L litre(s) a.m. ante meridiem
ML megalitre(s) c. circa (Latin = “about”, “approximately”)
mm millimetre(s) et al. et alii (Latin = “and others”). Used in references.
cm centimetre(s) ibid. ibidem (Latin = “in the same place” book etc.). Refers the reader to the preceding footnote.
m metre op cit. opere citato (Latin = “in the work cited”). Should never be used on its own, but be accompanied by author and page number of previously cited source.
km kilometre viz. Videlicet (Latin = “to expand upon or clarify what has already been said”, “namely”).
QASMT WRITING STYLE GUIDE 11
Contractions
• Do not use contractions in your EE
Do not NOT don’t
Would have NOT would’ve
Capitalisation
Capital letters are required for
• the first word of a sentence
• all major words in a book, journal or article title when they appear within a paper
• proper nouns (e.g. John Smith, Kleenex, Toyota, Brisbane, Sunday)
• nouns followed by numerals (e.g. Table 2, Experiment 2, Chapter 10)
Hyphenation
Hyphenate
• when using the prefix self (e.g. self-confident, self-conscious)
• when the prefix can create4 a word with a different meaning (e.g. re-cover the book,
re-lease the office)
• to avoid doubling a vowel (e.g. de-emphasize)
• cardinal numbers (e.g. twenty-seven)
• using fractions as adjectives (e.g. one-third majority)
• when prefixes are followed by
capitalized words (e.g. neo-Darwinian)
numbers (e.g. post-911 years)
abbreviations (non-QASMT students)
more than one word (post-20th-century invention)
QASMT WRITING STYLE GUIDE 12
• to make sure compound adjectives are not misread (e.g. thrill-seeking teenagers)
• to help the reader understand the intended meaning of two or more adjectives
before a noun that acts as one idea (e.g. first-class seat, top-notch idea)
Don’t hyphenate
• a compound with ly (e.g. happily married couples)
• chemical terms (e.g. sodium glutamate compound)
• when using most prefixes (e.g. pretest, reset)
Referencing
A paper that requires research of any kind must include both in-text (citations) and
end-text (list of references) referencing. Essentially, referencing shows that you have read
and what you have read. Specifically, referencing is a requirement because it serves:
as proof that your work has a substantial factual basis
to demonstrate your skill as a participant in your field of study
to distinguish your own ideas from those of someone else
to acknowledge those authors who contributed to your learning and your work
to allow fact-checking
to enable the reader to locate the sources mentioned in your paper so they can use
it to broaden their own scholarly knowledge
to avoid plagiarism
Researching is a logical and inevitable part of the learning process. When you acknowledge
through citations the sources you used, you signpost for the reader the journey you took to
create your own ideas and opinions about the topic. Correct and consistent referencing is a
characteristic of an accomplished researcher.
QASMT WRITING STYLE GUIDE 13
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is considered a serious academic offence. It occurs when someone
• passes off the ideas or words of another as their own
• uses the ideas or words (either paraphrased or verbatim) without correctly
acknowledging the source.
Changing the words of an original source is not sufficient to prevent plagiarism. If you have
retained the essential idea of an original source, and have not cited it, then no matter how
drastically you may have altered its context or presentation, you have still plagiarised.
The International Baccalaureate Organisation (IBO) requires both you and your
teacher to attest to the originality of your work (i.e. that it is your work and that you have
properly, and in a scholarly manner, acknowledged your sources). Suspected malpractice
will be investigated and if confirmed, a grade may not be awarded making you ineligible for
a diploma. Furthermore, an IB Diploma may be withdrawn at any time if malpractice is
subsequently established. Severe penalties apply at university level if a student commits
academic malpractice. If you act with academic integrity by correctly and consistently
acknowledging your sources you will avoid punishment. Remember, you are encouraged
and expected to use the ideas and even the words of others. The key to academic honesty is
knowing when and how to acknowledge this by citing them.
Turnit-in
QASMT uses the internet-based plagiarism-detection service, Turnit-in. Students
submit their work electronically to Turnit-in as well as in hard copy to their teacher. Turnit-
in cross references the submissions against millions of journals, periodicals, books and
QASMT WRITING STYLE GUIDE 14
archived student submissions, as well as billions of web pages. A report is then generated
that determines the extent and source of plagiaised material. Turnit-in makes it very
difficult, if not impossible, for plagiarists to evade detection.
An Overview of APA Referencing
There are a number of different ways format your citations and reference list.
Unless otherwise directed, QASMT uses the APA format. Different universities, even
different departments within universities, and indeed different lecturers within a
department use different referencing styles. By developing proficiency in one style, you will
find it quite easy to adapt to any other style when you go to university. APA is relatively
simple to use especially if you use MS Word’s referencing tool (References choose Style :
APA Manage Sources) which does much of the hard work for you.
Whilst this document covers the basics of APA referencing, more detailed
information can be found online. These two sites are particularly helpful and were used
extensively in the preparation of this document:
• http://www.apastyle.org/learn/index.aspx
• http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/section/2/10/
The key feature of APA is parenthetical citation. This means that when you want to
refer to the works of another author you do so in the body of your text , not in a footnote or
endnote. You do this by including the author’s surname and the year of publication in
brackets (parentheses). For a direct quotation also include the page number. The full
bibliographic details of all sources cited are listed alphabetically at the back of the paper in
the reference list.
QASMT WRITING STYLE GUIDE 15
In-text Referencing
Signal Phrases
Typically the quotation is introduced with a signal phrase that includes the author's
last name followed by the date of publication in parentheses e.g.
• According to Smith (2008) …
• Smith’s (2008) research has shown …
• Smith (2008) presents evidence which suggests …
• Smith (2008) stated that …
Use such signal verbs as concluded, reported, suggested, indicated, argued, stated, found,
acknowledged, maintained, argued, asserted, determined, said, hypothesised, showed,
demonstrated, warned, cautioned etc.
Types of In-text Referencing
There are three different types of in-text references:
1. Short direct quotes
2. Long direct quotes
3. Paraphrases
1. Short Direct Quotes
• are the author’s actual words
• are included in the text as you write
• have fewer than 40 words
• are written in “double quotation marks”
• have the citation kept close to the author’s name
QASMT WRITING STYLE GUIDE 16
• are included in the total word count of an extended essay
Example (where author is named in the signal phrase)
John Smith, a researcher from the University of Copyright
warns, “Many secondary school students do not understand what
it means to plagiarise or why plagiarism is considered a
serious academic offence” (2008, p.83).
Example (where author is not named in the signal phrase)
An academic from the University of Copyright warns, “Many
secondary school students do not understand what it means to
plagiarise or why plagiarism is considered a serious academic
offence” (Smith, 2008, p.83).
2. Long Direct Quotes
• are the author’s actual words
• include any quote more than 40 words long
• must be displayed in a double-spaced, indented block
• don’t have quotation marks
• should have the parenthetical citation after the closing punctuation mark
• are included in the total word count of an extended essay
Example (where author is named in the signal phrase)
Smith’s (2008) study found the following:
Many secondary school students do not understand what it
means to plagiarise or why plagiarism is considered a
serious academic offence. Their responses demonstrated a
particularly worrying attitude to materials accessed from
QASMT WRITING STYLE GUIDE 17
the internet which were often used without consideration for
copyright (p.83).
Example (where author is not named in the signal phrase)
A 2008 study found that:
Many secondary school students do not understand what it
means to plagiarise or why plagiarism is considered a
serious academic offence. Their responses demonstrated a
particularly worrying attitude to materials accessed from
the internet which were often used without consideration for
copyright (Smith, p.83).
3. Paraphrases
• are preferred to direct quotes
• are someone else’s ideas expressed in your own words
• are not placed in quotation marks since the words are not exact quotes
• include only the author’s surname and year of publication in the citation, not the
page number.
Example (where author is named in the signal phrase)
Researcher John Smith (2008) warned that many secondary school
students were ignorant of issues related to academic
malpractice, particularly plagiarism.
Example (where author is not named in the signal phrase
Many secondary school students are ignorant of issues related
to academic malpractice, particularly plagiarism (Smith, 2008).
Formatting In-text Citations
QASMT WRITING STYLE GUIDE 18
The table below shows how to format in-text citations for a variety of sources. The
citation examples are for paraphrases where page numbers are not required.
QASMT WRITING STYLE GUIDE 19
Table 1Formatting In-text CitationsType of Citation First citation where
author is named in signal phrase
Subsequent citation where author is named in signal phrase
Parenthetical format, first citation in text where author is not named in signal phrase
Parenthetical format, subsequent citations where author is not named in signal phrase
One work by one author Walker (2007) stated ... Walker (2007) concluded ...
(Walker, 2007) (Walker, 2007)
One work by two authors Walker and Allen (2004) found ...
Walker and Allen (2004) believe ...
(Walker & Allen, 2004) (Walker & Allen, 2004)
One work by three authors
Bradley, Ramirez, and Soo (1999) concluded ...
Bradley et al. (1999) showed ...
(Bradley, Ramirez, & Soo, 1999)
(Bradley et al., 1999)
One work by four authors Bradley, Ramirez, Soo, and Walsh (2006) determined ...
Bradley et al. (2006) go on to show ...
(Bradley, Ramirez, Soo, & Walsh, 2006)
(Bradley et al., 2006)
One work by five authors Walker, Allen, Bradley, Ramirez, and Soo(2008) argued ...
Walker et al. (2008) stated ...
(Walker, Allen, Bradley, Ramirez, & Soo, 2008)
(Walker et al., 2008)
One work by six or more authors
Wasserstein et al. (2005) found ...
Wasserstein et al. (2005) believe ...
(Wasserstein et al., 2005) (Wasserstein et al., 2005)
Groups (readily identified through abbreviation) as authors
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH, 2003) stated ...
NIMH (2003) argued ... (National Institute of Mental Health [NIMH], 2003)
(NIMH, 2003)
Groups (no abbreviation) as authors
University of Pittsburgh (2005) found ...
University of Pittsburgh (2005) warned ...
(University of Pittsburgh, 2005)
(University of Pittsburgh, 2005)
Adapted from: American Psychological Association. (2011). Citing References In Text. Retrieved June 3, 2011, from APA Style : Basics of APA Style Tutorial: http://flash1r.apa.org/apastyle/basics/index.htmNote: In et al., et should not be followed by a full stop.
QASMT WRITING STYLE GUIDE 20
QASMT WRITING STYLE GUIDE 21
Secondary Citations
A secondary citation occurs when you use material you found cited in another
source. Here you are required to acknowledge both the primary and secondary source of
information. To do this, name the primary source in the signal phrase then insert the words
"as cited in" before the secondary source in the parenthetical citation.
According to Avery (2009, as cited in Evans, 2011, p.14)...
or
Avery’s (2009) study (as cited in Evans, 2011, p.14) found
that ...
or
This belief has been confirmed (Avery, 2009, as cited in
Evans, 2011, p.14) ...
You do not need to source the primary or original work cited (e.g. Avery, 2009) but the
secondary source (e.g. Evans, 2011) needs to appear in your list of references.
Multiple References to the Same Source
If you refer to one source multiple times in the same paragraph you include the
author’s surname and the date in the first citation only. All subsequent citations in that
paragraph need mention only the author’s surname.
Unknown Author
If the source does not have an author, cite the source by its title in the signal phrase
or use the first word or two from the title in the parentheses. Titles of books and reports
are italicised; titles of articles, chapters and web pages are in quotation marks.
QASMT WRITING STYLE GUIDE 22
A recent study of secondary students found that over fifty
percent believed plagiarism to be a disease that decimated much
of Europe in the 14th century (“Academic Honesty”, 2010).
Two or More Works in the Same Citation
When the parenthetical citation includes two or more works, order them as they
appear in the reference list, separated by a semi-colon.
(Smith, 2002; Young, 1999)
Authors With the Same Surname
To distinguish between the two, use first initials with the surname.
(E. Johnson, 2010; L. Johnson, 1995)
Two or More Works by the Same Author in the Same Year
Where you use two sources by the same author in the same year, use lower-case
letters (a, b, c) with the year to order the entries in the reference list. Use the lower-case
letters with the year in the in-text citation
The work of Moore (2003a) illustrated that ...
Sources Without Page Numbers
Whilst APA format requires parenthetical citations for direct quotes to include the
page number in, many sources are not paginated e.g. online sources. If the online source
you are quoting has numbered paragraphs, use the abbreviation "para." followed by the
paragraph number.
Hall and Smith (2009) argue that “deliberate plagiarism is
more easily detectable in the digital age” (para. 5).
or
QASMT WRITING STYLE GUIDE 23
Some argue that “deliberate plagiarism is more easily
detectable in the digital age” (Hall & Smith, 2009, para. 5).
If the paragraphs are not numbered, but the document nonetheless includes headings,
provide the appropriate heading and specify the paragraph under that heading
According to Hall and Smith (2009), “deliberate plagiarism is
more easily detectable in the digital age” (Plagiarism
section, para. 6).
If the online source you are quoting has neither page numbers nor paragraph numbers, count the
number of the paragraphs down from the top of the article or blog and use it.
Hall (2009) writes that “deliberate plagiarism is more easily
detectable in the digital age” (para. 11)
Note: Never use the page numbers from print-outs of web pages.
Adding or Omitting Words in Quotations
If you add words to a quotation, use squared brackets.
Johnson (2004) says that “developing proficiency in the
mechanics of referencing is one of the most useful skills a
secondary student can learn [in preparation for tertiary
studies]” (p. 243).
If you delete words from a quotation, use ellipsis marks, which are three full stops, preceded
and followed by a space.
Johnson (2004) says that “developing proficiency in ...
referencing is one of the most useful skills a secondary
student can learn” (p. 243).
Quoting Poetry
QASMT WRITING STYLE GUIDE 24
Quotations of poetry are not cited by page number. Where the poem has a number
of parts cite by part and line numbers separated by a full stop.
When Homers Odysseus comes to the hall of Circe, he finds his
men “mild / in her soft spell, fed on her drug of evil”
(10.209-210).
For poems that are not divided into parts, use line numbers. For a first reference, use the
word ‘lines’ e.g. (lines 5-8). Thereafter use just the numbers e.g. (12-13)
In his poetry, Cummings experiments radically with various
rules of English like spelling, punctuation, syntax and
capitalization to construct vivid images. ‘in Just-‘
illustrates this. His inventive word play results in
seemingly nonsensical compound words, “the queer / old
balloonman whistles / far and wee / and bettyandisbel
come dancing” (lines 10-14), which actually mimic the poem’s
blithe and playful mood. His unusual, child-like
capitalization, “and the goat-footed / balloonMan whistles”
(16-17), adds to this effect.
Most poems have marked line numbers; where none are provided, count the lines yourself
and cite as directed above.
Note: You must indicate breaks between lines when quoting poems or plays in verse.
With a short direct quote i.e. one incorporated into your text and not set off as a block
quote, indicate breaks between lines of verse with a slash ( / ). Insert one typed space
before and after slashes indicating line breaks.
When quoting three or more lines of poetry as they appear in the original source
format it as you would any long quote i.e. begin it on a new line, indent it, double line space
QASMT WRITING STYLE GUIDE 25
it, and omit the quotation marks. The reference comes immediately after the last poem
line. If the spacing of words or lines in the original source is unusual, you should represent
the original’s spacing as precisely as you can in your essay. The author’s style is sacred.
E. E. Cummings’ use of inventive compound words and unusual
spacing is illustrated in his poem ‘in Just-‘:
the queer
old balloonman whistles
far and wee
and bettyandisbel come dancing
from hop-scotch and jump-rope and
it’s
spring (11 – 17).
Quoting Drama
When citing plays, cite by division (act, scene) and line. This means that the cited
part can be located in any edition of the work. Use Arabic numbers, and separate the
numbers with full-stops. A citation for Act IV, scene 2, lines 148-149 from a Shakespeare
play would look something like this:
In Shakespeare’s ‘King Lear’ Gloucester, blinded for suspected
treason, learns a profound lesson from his tragic experience:
“A man may see how this world goes / with no eyes” (4.2.148-
149).
Note: Not (IV.2.148-149).
In-text Citations Using MS Word
QASMT WRITING STYLE GUIDE 26
Develop the habit of entering all sources you use, or think you will use, into MS
Word’s Source Manager. This takes care of the mechanics of referencing for you.
(References check Style : APA is selected Manage Sources New choose Type of
Source fill in the bibliographic details of your source click OK).
When you need to insert an in-text citation, click at the end of the sentence or
phrase that you wish to cite and click “Insert Citation”. Then choose the relevant source
from the list of sources you’ve previously entered into the Source Manager. Word will then
insert a parenthetical citation including author’s surname and year of publication. You can
then edit this to include the page number if needed. A step-by-step tutorial is available in
the Library course in Blackboard.
Footnotes
Because APA uses parenthetical citation the use of footnotes and endnotes is not
recommended. However you can use them to provide supplemental material to your
readers.
• Insert a number formatted in superscript e.g. ¹, ², ³ etc.
• Make the footnote brief. Try to limit your comments to one small paragraph.
• The footnote should be placed at the bottom of the page on which it is discussed.
• Footnotes have a hanging indent which means that the first line of the footnote
is on the left-hand margin and any subsequent line is indented.
• Footnotes can also point readers to information that is available in more detail
elsewhere e.g. 1See Collins (2008), especially chapters eleven
and twelve, for an in depth analysis of this company’s
collapse.
QASMT WRITING STYLE GUIDE 27
Formatting End-text Citations
The reference list appears at the end of the paper and provides the information
necessary for a reader to locate and retrieve any source cited in the body of the paper. Each
source cited in the paper must appear in the reference list; likewise, each entry in the
reference list must be cited in the text.
Observe the following when formatting your References page:
• Begin the list of references on a new page separate from the text of the essay.
• Head the page “References” with only the first letter capitalised.
• Centre this heading. Don’t bold or italicise it or place it in quotation marks.
• All text should be double-spaced just like the rest of your paper.
• The first line of each reference is indented as it is with each new paragraph in the
rest of your paper.
• The list is alphabetised according to author’s surname (or title if the author is
unknown)
• The reference list comes before the appendix at the end of your paper.
End-text citations using MS Word
If you have been entering your sources into MS Word’s Source Manager throughout
the planning and drafting phases of your paper then producing the reference list will be
extremely easy. To publish your reference list:
• Ensure that each source cited in the paper appears in the Current List
(References Manage Sources) since this is the list MS Word will publish as
your reference list.
QASMT WRITING STYLE GUIDE 28
• Use the Copy button to transfer any sources from the Master List to the Current
List and use the Delete button to delete any sources from the Current List that
you didn’t cite. Note: Beware of deleting any source from the Master List
because it will be permanently deleted.
• To publish the reference list click on References Bibliography Insert
Bibliography.
• Highlight the list, then click and drag the First Line Indent marker on the ruler at
the top of your page to indent the first line of each entry in the reference list.
• Head the page “References” as instructed above.
End-text Referencing of Various Sources from the Internet
The referencing function in MS Word takes care of the formatting of your reference
list. It italicises titles, places publication dates in brackets, inserts commas, full stops and
colons as required. Again, you are directed to the tutorial in the Library Course on
Blackboard which explains the functionality of this tool in detail.
Whilst Word accommodates most types of sources, you will invariably come across
sources that don’t easily fit into any of the categories if offers. These can include blogs,
Tweets, Facebook posts, YouTube videos etc. In these instances you are encouraged to
choose the Type of Source that most closely fits the one you’re citing and complete as many
of the fields as you can. Once you have published your reference list, manually edit these
entries to include the format description in square brackets between Title and Retrieved e.g.
Lee, C. (2011). How Do You Cite an E-Book? [Blog] Retrieved
June 6, 2011, from APA Style Blog:http://blog.apastyle.org/apastyle/
Further information about the formatting of end-text references can be found at the
QASMT WRITING STYLE GUIDE 29
web sites listed earlier in this document. Particularly helpful for newly emerging digital
format types is the APA Style Blog (http://blog.apastyle.org/apastyle/). The table below
may be sufficient to cover the variety of tricky sources you need to reference.
QASMT WRITING STYLE GUIDE 30
Table 2How to Format an End-text Reference for Something You Found on a Website When Information is Missing
What’s missing? Solution Reference templatePosition A Position B Position C Position D
Nothing; I’ve got al the pieces
n/a Author, A. (date). Title of document [Format.
Retrieved from http://URL
Author is missing Substitute title for the author
Title of document [Format].
(date). Retrieved from http://URL
Date is missing Use “n.d.” for no date Author, A. (n.d.). Title of document [Format].
Retrieved from http://URL
Title is missing Describe the document inside square brackets
Author, A. (date). [Description of document].
Retrieved from http://URL
Author and date are both missing
Combine author and date methods
Title of document [Format].
(n.d.). Retrieved from http://URL
Author and title are both missing
Combine author and title methods
[Description of document].
(date). Retrieved from http://URL
Date and title are both missing
Combine date and title methods
Author, A. (n.d.). [Description of document].
Retrieved from http://URL
Author, date, and title are all missing
Combine all three methods
(n.d.). Retrieved from http://URL
Note: The basic reference template is made up of four pieces: author, date, title (with format in square brackets if necessary), and source (the URL). When one or more of these pieces is missing, use the method shown above to adapt the template. In-text citations use the pieces from Position A and Position B (usually the author and date, but if there’s no author, then the title and date).Reproduced with permission from Copyright © 2010 the American Psychological Association.
QASMT WRITING STYLE GUIDE 31
QASMT WRITING STYLE GUIDE 32
End-text Referencing of Poems
If the poem was found from an anthology or on the Internet, the work is
alphabetized by poet’s surname, not editor’s surname.
When using Microsoft Word’s referencing tool, choose source type “Book Section”.
Type the poem’s title in the “Title” field and the book’s title in the “Book Title” field. You
will need to insert the single quotation marks around the poem’s title yourself. In the
“Year” field, enter the year the poem was first published (if given), not the year the
anthology was published. The year the anthology was published is placed after the editor.
It should look like this;
Paterson, A. B. (1895). ‘The Travelling Post Office’. In J.
Leonard (Ed.) 2003, Seven Centuries of Poetry in English (p.
75). South Melbourne: Oxford University Press.
Where the year the poem was published is not given:
Paterson, A. B. ‘In the Droving Days’. In J. Haynes (Ed.)
2000, An Australian Heritage of Verse (p. 191-194). Sydney:
ABC Books.
If the poem was found on the Internet, then use the source type “Document From Web
Site”. Type the poem’s title in the “Name of Web Page” field and the web site’s name (e.g.
PoemHunter.com) into the “Name of Web Site” field. You will have to unitalicise the
poem’s title and place it in single inverted commas and italicize the web site’s title. It should
look like this:
Thomas, D. ‘Lie Still, Sleep Becalmed’. Retrieved August 8,
2010, from PoemHunter.com:
http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/lie-still-becalmed/
QASMT WRITING STYLE GUIDE 33
Sample Reference List
References
Allott, A., & Mindord, D. (2010). Biology : Course Companion.
Oxford: Oxford University Press.
American Psychological Association. (2011). APA Style.
Retrieved May 22, 2011, from Basics of APA Style Tutorial:
http://www.apastyle.org/learn/tutorials/basics-tutorial.aspx
Graham-Rowe, D. (2011, May 28). Mind Readers. New Scientist ,
pp. 40-43.
Kulkarni, S. S., & Li, N. N. (2008). Membrane Distillation [e-
Journal]. Retrieved June 3, 2011, from Access Science:
http://www.accessscience.com.ezproxy.slq.qld.gov.au/content.aspx?
searchStr=osmosis&id=414210
Lee, C. (2011). How Do You Cite an E-Book? [Blog]. Retrieved
June 6, 2011, from APA Style Blog:http://blog.apastyle.org/apastyle/
Purdue University. (2011). In-Text Citations: Author/Authors.
Retrieved May 22, 2011, from Purdue Online Writing Lab:
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/03/
San Francisco State University. (n.d.). First Year Experience
Class. Retrieved October 1, 2010, from Cornell Note Taking System:
http://userwww.sfsu.edu/~voltaire/fye/cornellsystem.pdf
Science Extended Essay Guide. (2009, January 31). Retrieved
March 13, 2011, from Georgetown District High School :
http://georgetowndistricthighschool.com/ibsite/pdf/current/Extended
%20Essay/Science_EE_Guide.pdf
QASMT WRITING STYLE GUIDE 34
Other Points to Consider
• In some subjects (e.g. English), all drafts (including rough notes) must be submitted
at the back of your final hard copy, stapled securely. This is evidence of your writing
process and constitutes evidence of proof of authorship of your essay. At teacher
discretion, this requirement may be varied for particular purposes.
• Save electronic copies of all work on your IT device and keep hard copies until you
leave the academy. Make a backup copy also to a removable drive. Also keep these
until you leave the academy. Remember that the IBDP is a two year programme
and all work from both years is important to keep until you have obtained your final
IB Diploma results.
• Send an electronic copy of your final work to your teacher at their email address.
• Submit an electronic copy of your final work via Turnit-in (as explained above).
Top Related