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A Guide to APA 6th ed. Referencing Style

Page 5 of 35

What is APA?
Your assignment states – Please reference using the APA style - 6th ed. You think to yourself ...
“Arrrgghhh... what does that mean, why do I have to do it and how do I do it!?”
APA is one of many referencing styles used in academic writing. APA stands for American Psychological
Association. The Association outlines the style in the Publication manual of the American
Psychological Association [APA] (6th ed.).
UCOL programmes utilise the APA referencing style.
There are many different referencing styles (over 100). It is essential to follow the style specified in your
assignments and not to mix styles. Consistency of style is important!
Why reference?
When you reference you use the standardised style to acknowledge the source of information used in
your assignment.
It is important (morally & legally) to acknowledge someone else’s ideas or words you have used.
Academic writing encourages paraphrasing information you have researched and read. Paraphrasing
means re-wording something you have read in to your own words. If you use someone else’s words or
work and fail to acknowledge them – you may be accused of plagiarism and infringing copyright.
Referencing correctly enables the marker or reader of your assignment to locate the source of the
information. They can verify the information or read further on the topic.
Referencing also allows for you to retrace your steps and locate information you have used for
assignments and discover further views or ideas discussed by the author.
By referencing clearly and correctly, it demonstrates you have undertaken research on the assignment
topic and located relevant information.
There are two main parts to referencing:
1. The first indicating within your assignment the sources of the information you have used to
write your assignment. This demonstrates support for your ideas, arguments and views.
Sometimes this is referred to as: citing in text, in text citations or text citations

2. The second part to referencing is the construction of a reference list. The reference list shows
the complete details of everything you cited and appears in an alphabetical list on a separate
page, at the end of your assignment.
Tip: Everything you have cited in text appears in your reference list and likewise... everything that
appears in your reference list will have been cited in text! Check this is the case prior to handing in your
assignment. (The exception is when using a personal communication. Personal communications are
cited in text but do not appear in the reference list. See page 25).

The following guide provides some general rules and examples using the 6th ed. of APA. For
further information and help:

A Guide to APA Referencing Style: 6th Edition

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