By Melissa Simpson

It has been said that “the devil’s in the details,” and anyone who has tried to adhere to every aspect of APA style knows that proverb is true, especially when it comes to getting a thesis or dissertation approved by a committee.

While this document doesn’t cover every aspect of APA style, it does provide a starting point for some of the most common mistakes that writers make. Note that all references to sections and page numbers are to the 5th edition of  the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (a.k.a., the APA Style Manual).

Hyphens (section 3.11)

            Many common prefixes do not need a hyphen after them, such as pre and post in pretest and posttest. However, the rules for hyphens are fairly complicated, so it is strongly recommended that you consult the APA Style Manual for details, especially the table on page 91.

Abbreviations/Acronyms (section 3.21)

            Introduce an abbreviation or acronym only if you will use it four or more times in the document. The first time you use item to be abbreviated, place the acronym after it in parentheses:

§ membership in the National Education Association (NEA)

Once you have explained the acronym the first time, use it throughout the rest of the document, without explanation.

            There are several exceptions to this rule:

§ Do not use acronyms in a table or figure.

§ Do not use “U.S.” as an abbreviation of “United States,” unless it is being used as an adjective.  For example, “U.S. Senate” is correct, while “resident of the U.S.” is not.

Lists (sections 3.33 and 5.12)

While bullets are a favorite of most list-makers, they’re a “no-no” when following APA style. Instead of bullets, APA style offers two options for lists (also referred to as seriation). The first involves using letters to identify items in a series within a sentence or paragraph: The three choices for the question are (a) true, (b) false, or (c) do not know.

The second option involves numbering each item with an Arabic number, followed by a period, and making each item its own paragraph:

1.      Job training and counseling to reduce unemployment.

2.      Resident-backed strategies to spur economic growth, reduce crime, and combat housing discrimination and homelessness.

3.      Mentoring programs for neighborhood youth.

4.      Financial and technical assistance for new businesses.

Notice that the first line of each item is indented 1/2 inch, and subsequent lines in the item are flush left.

Parenthetical References for Authors with the Same Last Name (section 3.98)

When you cite sources by authors with the same last name, distinguish between them by using the author’s first initial in the citation, even if the sources’ years of publication are different: (D. Clark & Moore, 2001; T. Clark, 2006)

Numbers (section 4.42)

The most common questions regarding numbers relate to whether numerals or words should be used. In APA style, numerals are used in the following situations:

§ To express numbers 10 and larger.

§ To express any number in the abstract of a document.

§ To express numbers below 10 that are grouped with numbers 10 and larger in the same paragraph (4 of 23 participants in the study).

§ To express numbers preceding a unit of measurement (5 miles, a 75 mg dose).

§ To express numbers in mathematical or statistical functions, decimals, fractions, percentages, and ratios (multiplied by 9, 46% of participants).

§ To express units of time, dates, ages, sample or population size, numbers of participants in a study, scores and points on a scale, and sums of money (in 6 years; September 11, 2001, $67 billion).

§ To express page numbers, parts of a table or figure, and four or more numbers in a list (page 76; Table 3; 2, 6, 7, and 9 units, respectively).

Note that any time a number begins a sentence, it should be written out, or the sentence should be rephrased so that the number does not begin it.

Always remember that your university may have its own style guide that differs from the APA Style Manual in some of these areas or others, and your university’s requirements always take precedence over the APA Style Manual.