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Description: Style manual for writers, editors, students, educators, and professionals across all fields. Provides clear guidance on grammar, the mechanics of writing, and APA style. Includes examples, new guidelines and advice, and more. Previous edition: c1994. Softcover, wire-spiral edition is also available. Hardcover edition due later.
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Review Summary: A necessary evil |
Date: 2008-12-09 |
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Details: This style guide is a necessary evil for scholarly publishing in education, but it is bewilderingly fussy. One example of this fussiness is in the five levels of subheadings it prescribes.
Most sensible writers would use a simple sequential system, where the first level is always first, the second level is always second, and so forth through as many levels as needed. APA's system starts with Level 1, but if you have two levels, you should use Level 1 and Level 3 (unless you use Level 1 and Level 4). If you use three levels you use Level 1, Level 3 and Level 4, while the orphaned Level 2 finally makes its appearance as a fourth level in its numerical position between Level 1 and Level 3. So where does Level 5 go? If you need five levels, Level 5 goes ahead of the other four. How sensible!
Also, the current publication manual (2001) does NOT contain the current style for citing electronic references. The APA published an updated APA Style Guide to Electronic References (2007), which they will be happy to sell you as a separate PDF for another $12. Do not put yourself through this pain unless it is absolutely required. |
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Review Summary: APA handbook |
Date: 2008-12-01 |
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Details: This book is very helpful but confuses me at times since it has so many small mini indexes and sections, but besides that very helpful. |
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Review Summary: Scavenger Hunt, agreed. NEEDS EXAMPLES. |
Date: 2008-11-29 |
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Details: I agree with the previous review. This 'APA Bible' is complex and not well organized. The sections are listed in such a way that if you happen to be looking for something simple, like how to do a citation for a book, that can be found easily. However, if you are in the book section, it is not easy to then find how to do a citation for a book chapter from a unique author or how to cite a textbook, 3rd ed. As such, I found the book to be cumbersome, even after some serious time working with it in graduate school.
One suggestion for a major improvement would be to include a large section (or a supplemental guide) with a grouping of papers that are examples. These examples could cover a broad range of paper types. It could also highlight common errors in the use of APA style and how to correct them - both within text and in citations. Generally speaking, this book is fine for a reference tool, once the reader already knows APA style. It is quite insufficient for a student who is trying to learn and write simultaneously. As such, most students make use of on-line tools and quick reference guides, rather than consulting the manual. APA, please provide assistance for beginning users. Thanks! |
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Review Summary: A must have for any higher education student |
Date: 2008-11-16 |
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Details: I never knew I didn't know how to write until I got this book. I have had to use APA style for my undergrad degree and didn't have it, but starting graduate school, I found I really needed it! Now, if I have any questions about how to put together a paper, I have a manual that is considerably more words than my thesis, yet not quite dissertation length, to guide me through my errant ways of writing. |
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Review Summary: APA Manuel |
Date: 2008-11-13 |
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Details: This manaul is very helpful to reference the many in's and out's of APA formatting for research papers, including how to cite references from the internet. |
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out of 266 Reviews
