Writing in APA Style
Psychology majors are expected to use APA style for all of their papers, whether it is a term paper or a research report. APA stands for the American Psychological Association and APA style involves very specific ways to cite (using parentheses), write references, and organize a paper. It is an expository style, which is the kind of style one uses when writing about scientific facts and theories.
All Psychology majors start using their own Publication Manual for the American Psychological Association when they take PS 307, Methods in Psychology I - Experimental Tradition. At that time, they also acquire a workbook to help them develop their skills. They will continue to rely on the Manual for PS 308, Methods in Psychology II, in their advanced psychology courses, and for PS 409, Senior Seminar.
The Manual has all the answers to how to organize, cite, and refer to sources, in addition to information on how to write clearly and well. It contains specific guidelines for how to write in an unbiased manner, a requirement of APA style. So, while the following sites are made available to help you use APA style effectively, the Manual always has the last word on style.