Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, Sixth Edition
The Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association is the style manual of choice for writers, editors, students, and educators in the social and behavioral sciences. It provides invaluable guidance on all aspects of the writing process, from the ethics of authorship to the word choice that best reduces bias in language.
Well-known for its authoritative and easy-to-use reference and citation system, the Publication Manual also offers guidance on choosing the headings, tables, figures, and tone that will result in strong, simple, and elegant scientific communication.
Contents of the Manual
Table of Contents (PDF, 486KB)
Preview the complete Table of Contents in the Sixth Edition
Introduction (PDF, 455KB)
Includes some history of the manual, an overview of revisions for the sixth edition, and details how to use the manual.
Chapter 1: Writing for the Behavioral and Social Sciences
Chapter 1 describes the role of ethics in publishing and offers guidance in following best practices for compliance.
Chapter 2: Manuscript Structure and Content
Chapter 2 defines all parts of a scholarly manuscript, from title to appendix, emphasizing both function and form. It ends with sample papers for users to model.
Chapter 3: Writing Clearly and Concisely
Chapter 3 offers basic guidance on planning and writing the article. It advises readers on how to organize their thoughts, choose effective words, and describe individuals with accuracy and sensitivity.
Chapter 4: The Mechanics of Style
Chapter 4 instructs readers on the nuts and bolts of style: punctuation, spelling, capitalization, abbreviations, numbers, and statistics in text. It demonstrates that consistency in their use is key to clear scientific communication.
Chapter 5: Displaying Results
Chapter 5 describes the effective use of graphic elements in text. It provides readers with guidance on which graphic element is best suited to the data being delivered as well as detailed instruction on table and figure preparation.
Chapter 6: Crediting Sources
Chapter 6 provides guidance on reference citation. It instructs readers on when and how to cite references in text and on how to construct a reference list that contains everything readers need to locate each source.
Chapter 7: Reference Examples
Chapter 7 offers a comprehensive set of reference examples for readers to model. It demonstrates the reference components that readers need to locate the work, with an emphasis on electronic sources.
Chapter 8: The Publication Process
Chapter 8 provides an overview of the journal publishing process. It delineates author and publisher responsibilities in manuscript review, selection, and preparation.
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