article review format apa

article review format apa

Importance of Using APA Format for Article Reviews

1. Overview of APA Format

APA format is a tool used to help write a formal assignment. This includes the use of correct punctuation and spelling, as well as organization. Although one must be careful when relying on computer grammar check programs as they are not infallible. It is always a good idea to have another person proofread the assignment.

APA format relies on an author-date system. It can be found in the upper right or left-hand corners. Begin with a title page. On the title page, include the title of the paper, the student’s name, and the institution. It is a good idea to make a photocopy of what is to be sent as chances of lost pages can be high. On the next page, begin with the references centered at the top of the page. In alphabetical order, list references by the author’s surname. If there is no author, then the reference is ordered by the first letter of the title. Double space references. APA formatting is an exhausting process and is extremely nitpicky but in the end will greatly improve one’s grade.

APA format is considered to be a popular format to cite and reference sources. A reviewer should use APA formatted references only after carefully checking the original source. It is difficult to use APA format in different types of references. This is why the WEC at CSU advises the use of the APA publication manual. One may also refer to an advisor, faculty member, colleague, or obtain a tutor in the writing center to verify the correct usage of APA format. A citation should be put into the reference list if it has been cited in one’s assignment. If some form of references have been used to explain the assignment, it is considered common knowledge and does not need to be cited. If one directly quotes from the source, then write the author’s last name, the year of publication, and the page number (preceded by p.) in parentheses followed by the quote.

2. Benefits of Using APA Format for Article Reviews

High citation practices specify the usage of percentage. By referencing the exact point, we can compare it in an exact manner in the review. This will reduce any chances of altering the existing idea, and thus the article reviewer is successful in proving their exact understanding about the article.

The format includes referencing the review. This is a good thing because it gives a chance to elaborate exact points from the article and compare them in the review. APA format specifies a separate title page with a running head. This is helpful for the reader to understand the topic on which has been reviewed. They can simply refer to the title page and understand the topic.

As mentioned above, an article review is a bit similar to a research essay, so it does have meaning, though it does not involve the occurrence of a new research. Now, the main aim for an article reviewer is to present the ideas of the existing article in a precise manner. This is the time when the formatted review comes into act. It makes it easy to prove the reviewer’s point of understanding about the article. Now, the reader doesn’t need to do a reverse work of comparing the review with the existing one. They can simply understand the review and compare it at the same time.

Certainly, formatting an article review is of great importance. Article review format includes information on author and date, article title, publication title, and medium. An article review is based on an existing article. It does not imply performing a new research, though it can be a little bit similar to a research essay.

3. Step-by-Step Guide for Writing an Article Review in APA Format

Step 2. Seek the article. There are two primary types of summaries: descriptive and informative. Descriptive summaries basically describe the content of the article without passing any judgment about completeness or accuracy. They preface the article by an author’s full name and the title of the work. Then, they outline the content in a few sentences to give the reader a gist of the article. Informative summaries state the information of the article in a coherent fashion. This type of summary gives the reader the foundation for the article, and it helps to establish whether or not this would be a good source to use for an area of research. These reviews are usually pretty long in length and consist of several pages. This is the type of review an article that you are looking for. After you find the article, read the descriptive summary first to determine what the author has written about. Then look to see if the descriptive summary changes into the informative type.

Step 1. Define the question that your article review will address. Usually, teachers will give you the kind of assignment that will help you understand what kind of articles and what information is important. You can also ask your teacher what kind of information they are looking for. Sometimes, a teacher comes right out and tells you what they want. For example, a literature teacher might ask for background information on a piece of literature, or a psychology teacher might ask for the challenges and success of a training program. For the purpose of this assignment, let’s say that your teacher just says that they want you to compare the text of an article and the methodology of the article to some other source. This can help you understand exactly what your teacher is looking for, and you can use it to understand and analyze the information.

Guide for writing an article review in APA format.

4. Common Mistakes to Avoid in APA Format for Article Reviews

This should be an introduction to the paragraph with a brief description of the contents of that page. Sometimes a subheading is taken from a direct quote of a section of the paper. This is fine to reproduce and the heading will then serve as a direct link to that quote from your review (McGowan, 2008).

Another important point has to do with the length of a paragraph. APA style dictates that a paragraph should be no longer than 120 words (double spaced) or 7-10 sentences in length. This is something that every student who has written a report or a thesis should bear in mind. Articles often have many subsections and will inform the reader step by step through a complex idea. This is fine and no longer than 120 words should be interpreted flexibly. A single image can often be more concise and reader friendly than pages of descriptive text. For example, the works of the famous psychologist Donald Hebb are often explained in depth with modern reference to Hebbian processes and a connectionist’s theory of memory.

Citing the wrong work. Most often, a journal article is taken from a particular volume/edition in a journal. Each volume of a journal begins with number one. Journals are also paginated by issue. However, many online publications simply reproduce the pagination of a hard copy, and thus may not begin at number one. And with more and more journals available electronically, there is an anticipation that volume/issue numbers will be irrelevant. To avoid mistakes, locate the journal’s home page. The URL or DOI should be included at the end of the reference. If the home page URL of the article is known, the URL should be given. Scenario two, and the most common problem found in graduate theses, is that the thesis writer is assuming that the reader knows the details of the referenced work, and thus only the authors and dates are mentioned.

5. Conclusion

Overall, this article review on the concept and practice of APA style can be of great value to novice and seasoned psychology researchers alike. It not only provides a thorough overview of APA style, but it also elucidates the importance and necessity of APA style, while providing a bit of history about the development of the manual. The writing is clear, concise and informative, making it an enjoyable read. In addition to providing clear tables, the article makes several good points that can help researchers understand the points about different citation guidelines being important for different situations as well as helping readers, and provides an extensive reference list to help further understand the topic. Additionally, the author reveals to readers some positive and negative aspects of using different reference styles and the importance of the reviewer checking to see which format of an article was submitted as well as which format the journal will require. While the cost of the book will be a factor taken into consideration, the author makes a lasting argument stating it has more recently become a worthwhile investment to subscribe to the manual’s online database, which would allow easy and quick referencing anytime it is needed. Finally, though the author’s intention was likely to give an informative review to its readers, the article indirectly serves as a great example of writing in APA style.