apa-formatting

# APA 7th Edition Formatting (Qualitative-Friendly) APA style governs **manuscript structure, citation, reference entries, tables/figures, and mechanics**. Qualitative papers still benefit from strict reference hygiene even when narrative methods sections are long. ## In-text citations - **Parenthetical:** (Glaser, 1998, p. 45) — use page/para/time for direct quotes. - **Narrative:** Glaser (1998) argued that… - **Two authors:** (Smith & Jones, 2020); three or more: (Lee et al., 2021) on subsequent cites. ## Reference list rules - Alphabetize; hanging indent. - Journal article: Author, A. A. (Year). Title. *Journal*, *volume*(issue), pages. https://doi.org/… - Book: Author, A. A. (Year). *Title*. Publisher. https://doi.org/… (when available) ## Heading levels (student/professional papers) 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, ends with period. Text follows. Level 5: Indented, Bold Italic Title Case, ends with period. Match journal instructions if they override APA defaults. ## Tables and figures Number sequentially; each has a **title** (italic for table title in APA tables) and note if needed. In qualitative work, tables may display **themes, exemplar quotes, coding frequencies** (if used)—ensure tables support claims without replacing analysis. ## Manuscript sections (empirical article pattern) Title page; abstract; keywords; introduction; method; results/findings; discussion; references; appendices. Qualitative articles may label findings “Results” or “Findings” per venue—follow journal. ## DOI formatting Prefer https://doi.org/10.xxxx/xxxxx. If no DOI, use stable URL; omit “Retrieved from” except when needed for archival pages (see APA manual for current arcane cases). ## “et al.” rules (in-text) For works with 3+ authors, use first author + et al. after first citation (APA 7 simplifies from APA 6 in many cases—verify examples for your source type). ## Block quotes (40+ words) Indent 0.5 in.; omit quotation marks; cite after final period. ## Numbers Spell out zero through nine in general prose; numerals for 10+ and for units, ages, dates, statistics (many exceptions—consult APA tables). ## GT methodology references (examples to copy-check against current edition) - Glaser, B. G., & Strauss, A. L. (1967). *The discovery of grounded theory: Strategies for qualitative research*. Aldine. - Glaser, B. G. (1978). *Theoretical sensitivity: Advances in the methodology of grounded theory*. Sociology Press. - Glaser, B. G. (1998). *Doing grounded theory: Issues and discussions*. Sociology Press. - Charmaz, K. (2014). *Constructing grounded theory* (2nd ed.). Sage. Always re-verify italics, capitalization, and publisher details against your copy of APA 7 and publisher records. ## Qualitative-specific tips When citing **unpublished interviews**, follow APA interview citation formats; protect confidentiality in public documents. For reproduced excerpts in appendices, note IRB permissions if required. ## Checklist - [ ] In-text matches reference list (spelling/year). - [ ] DOIs/URLs formatted consistently. - [ ] Heading levels logical; no skipped levels. - [ ] Tables/figures numbered with notes as needed. - [ ] Block quotes formatted and cited correctly. ## References (starting points) - American Psychological Association. (2020). *Publication manual of the American Psychological Association* (7th ed.).