Mastering APA Style Student Workbook + Concise Guide to APA Style

The Mastering APA Style Student Workbook is APA’s official interactive guide to learning APA Style. It engages users online with interactive questions to learn and apply the basic principles of APA Style and scholarly writing.

Presented on VitalSource’s Acrobatiq learning platform, the workbook is rooted in learning science to help students gain mastery of APA Style and become better writers through applied practice. Content written by APA Style experts provides comprehensive coverage of the foundational areas of APA Style, including writing style and grammar, bias-free language, tables and figures, in-text citations, reference lists, and more.

With over 1,000 unique questions and 12 different question types, the workbook keeps learners engaged and provides scaffolded learning and supportive guidance through practice. Learn more about the workbook and its key features, watch a demo video, try a free sample workbook, and watch on-demand webinars about the workbook on the Mastering APA Style Student Workbook page.

View Concise Guide to APA Style table of contents

1. Front Matter

2. Getting Started

• About APA Style
• About the Workbook
• Organization and Accessibility of the Workbook
• Instructions for Each Question Type
• Objectives of the Workbook

3. Student Paper Types, Elements, and Format

• Student Paper Types, Elements, and Format Introduction
• Student Papers Versus Professional Papers
• Types and Format of Student Papers
• Annotated Bibliographies
• Student Title Page
• Paper Title
• Author Name (Byline)
• Author Affiliation
• Abstract, Part 1
• Abstract, Part 2
• Text (Body)
• Reference List
• Footnotes
• Importance of Format and Page Order
• Page Header
• Font and Special Characters
• Line Spacing and Margins
• Paragraph Alignment and Indentation
• Paper Length
• Principles of Organization
• Heading Levels, Part 1
• Heading Levels, Part 2
• Section Labels
• Student Paper Types, Elements, and Format Conclusion

4. Writing Style and Grammar

• Writing Style and Grammar Introduction
• Continuity and Flow
• Transitions
• Noun Strings
• Conciseness and Clarity
• Wordiness and Redundancy
• Sentence and Paragraph Length
• Tone
• Contractions, Colloquialisms, and Jargon
• Logical Comparisons and Anthropomorphism
• Verb Tense
• Active and Passive Voice
• Mood
• Subject and Verb Agreement
• Subject and Verb Agreement: Collective Nouns
• Pronouns: “I” and “We”
• Pronouns: Singular “They”
• Pronouns: “Who,” “That,” and “Whom”
• Pronouns: “That” and “Which”
• Subordinate Conjunctions
• Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers
• Parallel Construction
• Strategies to Improve Your Writing
• Writing Style and Grammar Conclusion

5. Bias-Free Language Guidelines

• Bias-Free Language Introduction
• Importance of Specificity in Language
• Importance of Sensitivity to Labels
• Age
• Disability
• Gender Versus Sex
• Cisgender, Transgender, and Gender-Nonconforming Individuals
• Participation in Research
• Racial and Ethnic Identity: General Principles
• Spelling and Capitalization of Racial and Ethnic Terms
• Racial and Ethnic Terms for Region of Origin: African/Black, Asian, and Hispanic or Latino/Latinx
• Racial and Ethnic Terms for Region of Origin: Indigenous and White/European
• Parallel Comparisons Between Racial and Ethnic Groups
• Sexual Orientation: General Principles
• Sexual Orientation: Specific Terms
• Socioeconomic Status (SES): General Principles
• Socioeconomic Status (SES): Specific Terms
• Intersectionality
• Bias-Free Language Conclusion

6. Punctuation, Lists, and Italics

• Punctuation, Lists, and Italics Introduction
• Spacing After Punctuation Marks
• Periods in the Text
• Periods in the Reference List
• Commas and Semicolons in Lists
• Commas and Semicolons With Clauses in Sentences
• Commas and Semicolons in Dates, Statistics, and In-Text Citations
• Colons
• Em Dashes, En Dashes, and Hyphens
• Quotation Marks
• Italics and Quotation Marks
• Parentheses, Brackets, and Slashes
• Lists
• Italics
• Reverse Italics
• Punctuation, Lists, and Italics Conclusion

7. Spelling, Capitalization, and Abbreviations

• Spelling, Capitalization, and Abbreviations Introduction
• Preferred Spelling
• Compound Words
• Hyphenation, Part 1
• Hyphenation, Part 2
• Capitalization: General Principles
• Capitalization for Specific Types of Words Including Proper Nouns, Job Titles, and Diseases and Disorders
• Capitalization of Titles of Tests and Measures, Nouns Followed by Numerals or Letters, and Conditions or Groups in an Experiment
• Title Case and Sentence Case Capitalization, Part 1
• Title Case and Sentence Case Capitalization, Part 2
• Using and Defining Abbreviations
• Plural Abbreviations and Abbreviations at the Beginning of a Sentence
• Abbreviations for Units of Measurement, Statistics, Units of Time, and Latin Terms
• Spelling, Capitalization, and Abbreviations Conclusion

8. Numbers and Statistics

• Numbers and Statistics Introduction
• Numerals and Words to Express Numbers
• Words That Accompany Numbers and Back-to-Back Numerical Modifiers
• Ordinal and Cardinal Numbers
• Decimal Fractions
• Roman and Arabic Numerals
• Large Numbers and Plural Numbers
• Statistical Presentation and Format
• Statistical Symbols and Abbreviations
• Statistical Equations
• Numbers and Statistics Conclusion

9. Tables and Figures

• Tables and Figures Tables and Figures Introduction
• General Guidelines for Tables and Figures
• Placement of Tables and Figures
• Table Components and Format
• Table Contents
• Table Notes
• Sample Tables
• Figure Components and Format
• Figure Visual Characteristics
• Figure Legends and Notes
• Sample Figures
• Tables and Figures Reproduced From Other Sources
• Tables and Figures Conclusion

10. Works Credited in the Text

• Works Credited in Text Introduction
• Appropriate Level of Citation
• Plagiarism
• Self-Plagiarism
• Correspondence Between Reference List and Text
• Primary and Secondary Sources
• Classroom Sources and Personal Communications
• Author–Date Citation System
• Citing Multiple Works in the Text
• In-Text Citations With Missing Authors or Dates
• Citing Parts of a Source in the Text
• Creating Standard In-Text Citations
• Abbreviating Group Author Names in the Text
• Importance of Avoiding Ambiguity in Citations
• Strategies for Avoiding Ambiguity in Citations
• Paraphrases and Quotations: General Principles
• Quotation Format
• Quotations Without Page Numbers
• Works Credited in Text Conclusion

11. Reference List

• Reference List Introduction
• Purpose of the Reference List
• Reference Categories
• Four Elements of Reference List Entries
• Punctuation Within Reference List Entries
• Accuracy and Consistency in References
• Author Element: Definition
• Author Element: Basic Formats
• Author Element: Special Formats
• Author Element: Group Authors
• Author Element: No Author
• Date Element: Definition
• Date Element: Basic Formats
• Date Element: Updated Dates and Retrieval Dates
• Date Element: No Date
• Title Element: Definition
• Title Element: Basic Formats
• Title Element: Bracketed Descriptions
• Title Element: No Title
• Source Element: Definition
• Source Element: Omitting Repetitive Information
• Source Element: Periodicals
• Source Element: Books and Edited Book Chapters
• Source Element: Databases and Archives
• Source Element: Conference Presentations
• Source Element: Social Media and Webpages
• Source Element: DOIs vs. URLs
• Source Element: DOI and URL Format
• Source Element: No Source
• Reference Variations
• Reference List Format
• Reference List Order: Basics
• Reference List Order: Same Authors and/or Dates
• Abbreviations in Reference List Entries
• Reference List Conclusion

12. Back Matter

This is an excellent companion to learning and using APA Style. Highly recommended.
—ALA Choice

Mastering APA Style Student Workbook

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• Full ebook and workbook with hints listing Concise Guide and Publication Manual sections (not linked)
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Mastering APA Style Student Workbook + Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association

• Best option for upper level students, professionals, and copyeditors
• Full ebook and workbook with hints linking directly to Publication Manual sections
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