Academic Writing: Plagiarism and Citing Sources: APA Style
Don't Forget to Cite Your Sources!
Plagiarism is defined in the Oxford English Dictionary (3rd ed) as "The action or practice of taking someone else's work, idea, etc., and passing it off as one's own; literary theft" ("Plagiarism"). If you do not cite your sources both within your essay and in a Works Cited or bibliography page, you are plagiarizing, or stealing, someone else's work.
Any student found in the act of cheating or plagiarism may be subject to disciplinary action (Atlantic Cape Policy No. 209).
For additional information and guidance see the Guide on Academic Writing : Plagiarism and Citing Sources
Citation Manuals for APA
APA Publication Manual
The most recent edition of the rule book for APA style.
A Writer's Reference 9th edition
This edition is a little dated, but has good explanations.
Online Citation Builders
Check out the following online citation builders. The features of each are listed below to help you decide which one to use.
- NCSU Libraries Citation Builder Smooth data-entry interface. APA or MLA formats (6th, 8th ed). Citable sources include books, book chapters, magazine or newspaper articles, scholarly articles, and websites.
- KnightCite v.3.1 - Hekman Library, Calvin College Greater selection of citable sources. APA or MLA formats (8th ed). Citable sources include books, magazine or newspaper articles, dictionary and encyclopedia entries, websites, photos, cartoons, and films.
- EasyBib Ability to search for and automatically cite some sources (like books and scholarly articles). MLA format is free, APA requires a MyBib Pro subscription. Cites up to 59 different sources including blogs, emails, Court Cases, Online videos, speeches, live performances, and paintings.
- Zotero Free application you install on your personal computer. Create your own source library for current and future use. Supports MLA, APA, Chicago, and many other citation styles. Can be used inside Microsoft Word, and is compatible with most text editors, including Google Docs. Synchronize your research across devices, and access your research from any web browser. Supports collaboration and group projects.
Introduction to Citation Styles: APA 7th ed
Atlantic Cape Style Guides for APA
Check out this Citation Guide to see examples of citations in APA format.
More Help Formatting Citations
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Online Citation Help
- APA How to cite ChatGPTAPA Date created: April 7, 2023
Formatting a student version of an APA-Style Paper in MS Word (APA 7th edition)
Formatting a student version of an APA-Style Paper in Google Docs (APA 7th edition)
Tutorial: Understanding Citation APA
Animated Version
- Understanding Citations (A P A)This PowerPoint tutorial teaches the underlying concepts and principles of academic documentation. For classes using A P A documentation style. Please view in Slide Show mode.
This version of the tutorial includes animation, and other visual effects. For a screen-reader friendly version, choose the individual chapters linked below.
Accessible Version: 4 Chapters
This version offers individual slides without animation, higher contrast, and extended alt-text tags for images. Tested in JAWS screen reader. Best if used in Slide Show mode.
Student Papers: Examples and Instructions from APA
- Title Page Set-UpAPA website style guide
- Paragraph AlignmentAPA website style guide