How can I overcome fear about using APA 7?

Question

The easiest and best way is to take a step-by-step tour of owl.purdue.com. This site gives you the directions and sample pages to illustrate the rules. A tutor can walk you through if you're not self-motivated.

Answer 1

I agree. Purdue Owl is amazing, concise, and clear about APA 7th edition requirements. However, if you think you have the hang of it and just want someone to verify and look it over, a tutor is the perfect choice. Tutors can point out mistakes, particularly consistent mistakes, so that they can help you improve in the areas in which you have a specific weakness.

Answer 2

You can overcome your fear about the APA 7 in various ways. Heare are some tips to keep you going:

1. Learn what is different about APA 7th edition first. If you are familiar with APA 6th edition, a good first step is to identify the differences in the 7th edition standards. The foundations of APA remain the same: communicate professionally and credit the original source of ideas. Changes in the 7th edition include specific examples for citing online resources, from journals to media. Although podcasts, YouTube videos, and social media posts are not scholarly sources, it is nonetheless important to credit these sources using the correct form. The formatting of in-text citations is also streamlined for sources with three or more authors, such that only the first author “et al.,” is included in the citation in most cases. Another change notable for OT students is the expansion of standards for bias-free and inclusive language to discuss age, disability, gender, racial and ethnic identity, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic status (APA, 2020b). For example, the APA prefers the use of singular “they” to gendered pronouns (he/she) when referring to a person in general and recommends the use of self-identified pronouns when discussing a specific person. This allows OTs to communicate with colleagues, clients, and stakeholders in a way that is clear, respectful, and upholds our personal and professional commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
2. Find reliable resources that work for you. I purchased the 7th edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association and refer to it frequently. The APA has also published a brief pocket reference, Concise Guide to APA Style (APA, 2020a). The APA website contains a wealth of helpful content such as video tutorials, blog posts, handouts, and even practice worksheets. The APA-published resources are more concise and specific than secondary sources, such as the Purdue OWL. A few suggested resources are linked at the end of this article. You can also create your own resources, focusing on the source types that you use most in your coursework.
3. Look for patterns in frequently used source types. At first, it may seem overwhelming to learn APA formatting because there are so many rules. However, the basic citation structure remains constant. Over time, I learned to recognize common source types and citation rules, which allowed me to construct reference lists more efficiently. You can even practice by compiling reference lists for your required textbooks each semester. Thinking through citations will solidify your knowledge and increase your confidence. Plus, you will create a great time-saving resource for your semester!
4. Ask for a tutoring session with your school’s academic success center or library. At the end of the summer, I participated in the newly developed virtual workshop with the library and tutoring staff. The process of talking through APA conventions with an expert instructor and practicing with classmates was incredibly helpful. If you are struggling with APA in your writing, request individual or small group tutoring sessions at your university. And, if APA 7th edition is not yet a topic that is offered for tutoring, just ask!
5. Avoid citation generators. My last word of advice: avoid citation generators! Plugging in titles and volume numbers may seem like a time-saver for homework. Unfortunately, even reputable citation generators such as RefWorks and EndNote leave obvious errors in reference lists. The process of checking your references after using a citation generator takes more time than it is worth. To do this effectively, you still need to use your resources and understand APA basics! It will serve you better to do it correctly the first time and be confident in your work.

It may be difficult to take time out of your busy schedule to learn APA style. OT coursework is rigorous, and many OT students juggle academics, work, families, and personal lives. But be encouraged: a small investment of effort to learn APA 7th edition can save you from wasted time and frustration, and even have a positive impact on grades