Chapter 3: APA Editorial Style

Note: The numbers before the headings refer to chapter sections in the fifth edition.

3.07: Parentheses: Parentheses may be used to enclose some statistical values and degrees of freedom.

3.10: Preferred spelling: This section notes that printed dictionaries generally are not a good authority for the vocabulary of the Internet and World Wide Web. The reader is referred to the Electronic Media Spelling Guide for current information.

3.19: Italicizing words: Authors are instructed to use the italics function on their word-processing software instead of underlining whenever possible.

3.30: Headings: A new paragraph clarifies that APA's heading style consists of five possible formatting arrangements according to the number of levels of subordination. Although each level is numbered, the specific levels used are not necessarily consecutive.

3.39: Citation of sources: Guidelines are now provided for citing quoted material from electronic sources that may not have page numbers.

3.46: Decimal fractions: New guidelines indicate that most data can be effectively presented with two decimal digits of accuracy.

3.54: Selecting effective presentation: Guidelines are given for deciding on when to use text, a table, or a graph/figure to present data.

3.58: Boldface type: Authors are instructed to use the boldface function on their word-processing software when needed.

Tables
Old table examples have been reformatted and new examples added to illustrate the textual descriptions and to provide comparisons between different tables presenting the same data.

3.62: Tables versus text: This section advises that table entries to be compared should be placed next to one another. This section also describes and illustrates the use of certain "canonical forms" for reporting data in tables (e.g., for reporting correlations between groups), as well as the use of noncanonical forms to enhance readers' understanding.

Figures
Old figures have been redrawn and new figures added to provide comparisons and illustrate various points about data presentation.

3.77: Types of figures: An expanded section provides comparative illustrations on the presentation of data in different types of figures and suggests optimal usage.

3.79: Overall size and proportion: Instructions for the preparation of figures have been revised. Figures should be sized at 100% for the column or page dimension size in which it will be printed. The minimum type size is 8 points, and the maximum is 14 points.

3.80: Submitting figures in an electronic form: Guidelines are now provided for file type and resolution for line art, halftones, and combination halftones.

3.84: Figure captions: Permissions to reproduce figures must now include electronic permissions and give appropriate credit to other sources.

3.89: Author note: Changes in affiliation are now indicated in a separate paragraph. E-mail addresses may now be indicated with a simple "E-mail: [address]".

3.92: Appendixes: This section now discusses the handling of multiple tables as separate appendixes or as one appendix with or without text.

3.93: Tests and Questionnaires: Instructions have been provided for authors wishing to retain copyright to a new test or questionnaire in APA journals. Authors are cautioned about the protected copyrights on many commercial instruments, especially for intelligence and projective tests.

3.101: Citing specific parts of a source: Provides solutions for citing material from an electronic source.

3.102: Personal communication: Now includes nonarchived discussion groups and personal interviews.

Chapter 1: The Manuscript
Chapter 2: Expression of Ideas
Chapter 3: APA Editorial Style
Chapter 4: Reference List
Chapter 5: Manuscript Preparation
Chapter 6: Material Other Than Journal Articles
Chapter 7: Manuscript Acceptance and Production
Chapter 8: APA's Journals Program
Appendix