Writing Style

APA Style

APA Style is a research-centered academic system used often in psychology, education, social sciences, and evidence-based writing.

What to Watch

  • Make dates and source currency easy for readers to see.
  • Use author-date citations and a References list.
  • Define terms and claims with precision.
  • Organize complex material with clear headings.
  • Use bias-aware and reader-respectful language.

Practice

Summarize one research finding in plain language, then write the same summary in a more formal academic register.

Use It Today

  1. State the research question or claim.
  2. Use author-date citation near the evidence.
  3. Define specialized terms.
  4. Use headings to guide a reader through a longer report.
  5. Finish with a References list.

On the Page

When research is timely, the publication date matters: show the reader how current the source is.