17 Questions on APA Style

1. In APA style, the list of references should be entitled

a.  References

b.  Sources

c.  Sources Cited

d.  Sources Consulted

e.  Any of the above

2. On an APA reference list, what is the proper way to list two authors of a source?

a.  Mary Benson and Lynn Smith.

b.  Benson, Mary and Lynn Smith.

c.  Benson, Mary and Smith, Lynn.

d.  Benson, M. and Smith, L.

e.  Benson, M., & Smith, L.

3. When listing a source in an APA reference list, what do you do if the publication date is unknown?

a. Write (et al.).

b. Write (unknown).

c. Write (n.d.).

d. Estimate the date.

e. Skip the date and go on to the next item of information.

4. On an APA reference list, what is the proper way to list seven authors of a source?

a.  Mary Benson, Lynn Smith, Carmen Dell, Fred Limmer, Tanya S. Wong, Sanjit Gill, and Henry Thompson.

b.  Benson, Mary, Lynn Smith, Carmen Dell, Fred Limmer, Tanya S. Wong, Sanjit Gill, and Henry Thompson.

c.  Benson, Mary, Smith, Lynn, Dell, Carmen, Limmer, Fred, Wong, Tanya S., Gill, Sanjit and Thompson, Henry.

d.  Benson, M., Smith, L., Dell, C., Limmer, F., Wong, T. S., Gill, S. et al.

e.  Benson, M. et al.

5. For a book with a known author listed on an APA reference list, where does the year of publication appear?

a.  At the very beginning of the entry.

b.  In parentheses, immediately after the author name.

c.  In parentheses, immediately after the book title.

d.  In parentheses, immediately after the publishing company name.

e.  At the very end of the entry.

6. On an APA reference list, how do you begin a listing for a book of collected short stories edited by Susan W. Stein?

a.  Susan W. Stein (editor).

b.  Stein S. W. (Ed.).

c.  Start with the title in italics.

d.  Start with the name of the publishing company.

e.  Start with the publication date.

7. If you had five entries on your APA reference list and they began with the following phrases, which one should be listed first alphabetically?

a.  A zealot’s guide to gardening.

b.  Will she or won’t she? p. 222 (ignore articles) p. 219 (nothing before something)

c.  Williams, B. D.

d.  Williamson, E.

e.  Willi, G.

8. For a magazine article with an unknown author listed on an APA reference list, where does the year of publication appear?

a.  At the very beginning of the entry.

b.  In parentheses, immediately after the article title.

c.  In parentheses, immediately after the magazine name.

d.  In parentheses, immediately after the publishing details of the magazine.

e.  At the very end of the entry.

9. On an APA reference list, what is the correct format for a book title?

a.  A Boy and His Dog.

b.  A boy and his dog.

c.  “A Boy and His Dog.”

d.  A boy and his dog.

e.  A Boy and His Dog.

10. On an APA reference list, what is the correct format for a title of a magazine article?

a.  A Boy and His Dog.

b.  A boy and his dog.

c.  “A Boy and His Dog.”

d.  A boy and his dog.

e.  “A boy and his dog.”

11. On an APA reference list, what is the correct format for the name of a magazine?

a.  Dogs of the World.

b.  Dogs of the world.

c.  Dogs of the World.

d.  Dogs of the World.

e.  Dogs of the world.

12. On an APA reference list, which is the proper style for listing a personal e-mail message that you received on March 15, 2005, from Jennifer B. Goode?

a.  Jennifer Goode, personal communication, 2005.

b.  Goode, (e-mail) March 15, 2005.

c.  Goode, J., personal communication, March 15, 2005.

d.  Goode, J., e-mail.

e.  Do not list personal communications on the reference list.


13. Which is the proper APA style for an in-text citation of a personal e-mail message that you received on March 15, 2005, from Jennifer B. Goode?

a.  (Jennifer Goode, personal communication, 2005).

b.  (Goode, March 15, 2005).

c. (J. B. Goode, personal communication, March 15, 2005).

c.  (Goode, e-mail).

d.  Do not cite personal communications.

14. You have a source written by seven authors and published in 2005. Which is the correct APA form to use the first time you make an in-text citation of this source? (Assume that in the report this is the only source that involves Mary Benson’s name.)

a.  (Mary Benson, Lynn Smith, Carmen Dell, Fred Limmer, Tanya S. Wong, Sanjit Gill, and Henry Thompson, 2005)

b.  (Benson, Mary, Lynn Smith, Carmen Dell, Fred Limmer, Tanya S. Wong, Sanjit.Gill, and Henry Thompson, 2005)

c.  (Benson, M., Smith, L., Dell, C., Limmer, F., Wong, T. S., Gill, S. et al., 2005)

d.  (Benson, Mary et al., 2005)

e.  (Benson, et al., 2005)

15. You are quoting a passage from page 303 of a book called Robot World, written by George Boswell, and published in 2002 by Holden Publishers of Toronto. Which of the following is the correct APA form to use for the in-text citation?

a.  (George Boswell, p. 303).

b.  (Boswell, 2002).

c.  (Boswell, 2002, p. 303).

d.  (Robot World, 2002, p. 303).

e.  (Holden, p. 303).

16. When can you omit the author’s name from the parenthetical citation?

a.  When the name is unknown.

b.  When the name has already been provided in the text.

c.  When the name has already been provided in a previous citation within the same paragraph.

d.  All of the above.

e.  Never.

17. What does APA stand for?

a.  American Pathological Association

b.  American Psychological Association

c.  American Physicians Association

d.  Associated Physicists of America

e.  American Phraseology Association

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