APA Formatting and Citation for

Essays
By: Megan Fernandez
International Language Academy of Canada (ILAC)
Pathway 1
In this presentation:
1. Why do we use APA Formatting and Citation?

2. Proper formatting for an APA Academic Essay

3. How to use in-text citation in an essay

4. Referencing Rules

5. References
Why do we use APA Formatting and Citation?

A.P.A = American Psychological Association

- APA is a standardized organizational and referencing method

- Accepted by all Canadian Universities and Colleges

- Most commonly used in post-secondary programs

There are 3 major reasons:
1. Legal!
- to avoid plagiarism

2. Moral!
- avoid intellectual theft

3. Academic!
- to prove our ideas are widely accepted and unbiased
 PLAGIARISM
“Plagiarism is presenting someone else’s
work or ideas as your own, with or without
their consent, by incorporating it into your work
without full acknowledgement”
(University of Oxford, 2022)
Repercussions
- Taken very seriously at ILAC

- Any assignments deemed

Plagiarized will be given an
automatic “0”

- Repeat offenses can be punished

up to suspension or expulsion
 How to avoid Plagiarism?

- The best way is to practice proper citation techniques

- Using appropriate APA formatting rules

How are Formatting and Citation different?

Formatting: Citation:
Organization of assignment Referencing of research
Let’s start with
formatting!
APA Formatting Rules for an Essay

- Must use a clear font and font size 10-12

- Some options: Arial, Calibri, Times New Roman
- DO NOT USE: Comic sans // Lobster // Pacifico
- Must have 1” margin on all sides of the page
- Page number listed on top, right corner of page
- All content must be double spaced
 Required Sections:

1. Title Page

2. Main Body (word count)

3. References
Title Page Requirements:
- Should be the first page of your assignment must:
- be double-spaced
- use centre alignment
- Start 3 line spaces from the top of the page
- have page number on the top, right corner of page
- Include, 3 lines down, on separate lines, the following information:
- Title of Essay
- Author (your) name & Student number
- Institutional Affiliation
- Course number and name
- Instructor name
- Due date
(See next slide for example)
Main Body Requirements:
- Should be any pages of your assignment with the main content. It
must:
- be double-spaced
- use left alignment
- have page number on the top, right corner of page
- Indent at the beginning of every paragraph
- Use in-text citation for every borrowed piece of information
Reference Page Requirements:
- The very last page of your assignment
- Includes title: References
- Listed in alphabetical order
- Formatting includes:
- Double-spaced lines
- Hanging indentation
- Page number on the top, right corner of the page
(see next slide for an example)
Next up: Citation!
There are two parts to Citation
1. In-text citation
- anything done in the body of your essay

2. Reference Page
- a full list of resources used

You will need both!

In-Text Citation
This should be included after every piece of borrowed information
This includes:
- QUOTES
- PARAPHRASED IDEAS
- GRAPHS
- CHARTS
- MAPS
- DATA
- PICTURES
In-Text Citation
All in-text citation needs the 3 important factors:
Who: wrote/researched that information?
(Author’s last name OR Institute OR Company, etc.)
When: was this published?
(Publication year, or n.d. - for no date)
Where: in the article it was found
(Page number OR Heading OR Paragraph. Skip if none are
found)
In-Text Citation: Using Text

Direct Quote Paraphrased Idea

- Copied directly from source - Same idea as source

- Quotation marks used [“”] - Using your own words

(who, when, where). (who, when, where)
In-Text Citation: Using Text

Information-Focused
Author-Focused
- Information is mentioned
- Author is mentioned before
before the author
the borrowed information

- Citation included at the end

- Use of referencing language
with parenthesis ()
Is the following a direct quote or paraphrased
idea? Is it author-focused or
information-focused?

Deforestation is largely due to increased agriculture which is largely

linked to loss of habitat and animal extinction (LeBlanc, 2021,
Deforestation).
Is the following a direct quote or paraphrased
idea? Is it author-focused or
information-focused?

[P] Deforestation is largely due to increased agriculture which is largely

linked to loss of habitat and animal extinction (LeBlanc, 2021,
Deforestation).
Look at the following in-text citation. Identify the
who, when, and where.

Deforestation is largely due to increased agriculture which is largely

linked to loss of habitat and animal extinction (LeBlanc, 2021,
Deforestation).
Look at the following in-text citation. Identify the
who, when, and where.

Deforestation is largely due to increased agriculture which is largely

linked to loss of habitat and animal extinction (LeBlanc, 2021,
Deforestation).
Is the following a direct quote or paraphrased
idea? Is it author-focused or
information-focused?

Leblanc (2021) suggests that this affects our environment because of

our “reliance on mechanization, pesticides and chemical
fertilizers...[which] can be associated with soil erosion or depletion”
(Farming impacts).
Is the following a direct quote or paraphrased
idea? Is it author-focused or
information-focused?

Leblanc (2021) suggests that this affects our environment because of

our “reliance on mechanization, pesticides and chemical
fertilizers...[which] can be associated with soil erosion or depletion”
(Farming impacts).
Look at the following in-text citation. Identify the
who, when, and where.

Leblanc (2021) suggests that this affects our environment because of

our “reliance on mechanization, pesticides and chemical
fertilizers...[which] can be associated with soil erosion or depletion”
(Farming impacts).
Look at the following in-text citation. Identify the
who, when, and where.

Leblanc (2021) suggests that this affects our environment because of

our “reliance on mechanization, pesticides and chemical
fertilizers...[which] can be associated with soil erosion or depletion”
(Farming impacts).
 In-Text Citation: Using Tables

Information needs to go in two places:

Above the table: Table#: Appropriate Title
Below the table: A short note summarizing what your information is
and including the who, when, and where.

(See next slide for example)

 In-Text Citation: Using Visuals

Applies to charts, graphs, maps, diagrams, and pictures:

Below the table: Figure #: A short description of the visual including
the who, when, and where.
(See next slide for example)
Lastly: Referencing
Rules
References: How to Use?

Websites
- Includes the following information in order:
Author last name, F. M. (Year Month Day Published). Title of
Page. Site Name. URL

- No Author? Use name of Organization, Institute, or group that

published research
- No date? Use n.d. - no date
Use the following Website to write a Reference
Page Citation.

https://www.thebalancesmb.com/how-overpopulation-impacts-the-enviro
nment-4172964
Use the following Website to write a Reference
Page Citation.

Leblanc, R. (2021 February 05). The Environmental Impacts of

Overpopulation. The Balance Small Business.
https://www.thebalancesmb.com/how-overpopulation-impacts-the-enviro
nment-4172964
References: How to Use?
Journal Articles
- Includes the following information in order:
Author(s) last name, F. M. (Year Published). Title of Article.
Journal Title, volume#(Issue#), page range. DOI/Stable URL

- Multiple Authors? List them as per the page using the same
formatting: Last name, F. M. and Last name, F. M.
- No date? Use n.d. - no date
- Missing Page range? Remove it. Some articles are published
online with no pages
Use the following Journal Article to write a
Reference Page Citation.

https://doi.org/10.1080/15325024.2020.1835386
Use the following Journal Article to write a
Reference Page Citation.

First, J. M., Shin, H., Ranjit, Y. S., and Houston, J. B. (2020). COVID-19
stress and depression: Examining social media, traditional media, and
interpersonal communication. Journal of Loss and Trauma, 26(2),
101-115. https://doi.org/10.1080/15325024.2020.1835386
For more information
on APA Citation:
General Format // Purdue Writing Lab
References:

Australian Academy of Science (2015, July 24). Population and

environment: a global
challenge. Retrieved on December 13, 2021.
https://www.science.org.au/curious/earth-environment/population-environ
ment

First, J. M., Shin, H., Ranjit, Y. S., and Houston, J. B. (2020). COVID-19
stress and depression: Examining social media, traditional media, and
interpersonal communication. Journal of Loss and Trauma, 26(2),
101-115. https://doi.org/10.1080/15325024.2020.1835386
References:
Leblanc, R. (2021 February 05). The environmental impacts of
overpopulation. The Balance Small Business. Retrieved on June 08,
2022.https://www.thebalancesmb.com/how-overpopulation-impacts-the-en
vironment-4172964

Mora, C. (2014). “Revisiting the environmental and socioeconomic effects

of population growth: a fundamental but fading issue in modern scientific,
public, and political circles." Ecology and Society, vol. 19 (1). DOI:
https://www.jstor.org/stable/26269513
References:
Purdue University (2019 October). Reference list: Basic Rules. Purdue
Writing Lab. Retrieved June 08,
2022.https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_for
matting_and_style_guide/reference_list_basic_rules.html

University of Texas at El Paso University Library (2016). ESOL 1211

research basics: Avoiding Plagiarism - Tips & resources. Retrieved June
08, 2022.
https://libguides.utep.edu/c.php?g=430196&p=3854064%E2%80%8B
References
University of Oxford (n.d.). Plagiarism. Retrieved June 08, 2022.
https://www.ox.ac.uk/students/academic/guidance/skills/plagiarism