APA Style Guide?

[c2902]

Hey folks,

I feel like I should pick up a copy of the APA Publication Manual (it's not on my required textbook list, but I feel it is an implied necessity), but the internet is rife with very irate critiques of the manual; I understand it contained pages and pages of errors when it was first released, and although this issue seems to have been corrected, the consensus seems to be that it's really not all that useful. I am not unfamiliar with APA, having spent the last year using it most of my prerequisite courses, but just used professor-provided online sites to give me the quick and dirty for the basic sources I was using. However, I am paranoid in seeing posts from people who stated that they made one citation error and failed an entire paper, which I don't want to happen! Are there other APA sources available that are better, or has anyone found the Publication Manual to be legitimately useful?

All feedback is appreciated!

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[lucky22922]

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/

 

[OTplease]

I would definitely recommend purchasing the sixth edition of the APA Publication Manual. As a psychology major, I used it in all of my upper-level psychology courses. Most of the time I did not need to refer to the Publication Manual as I was familiar with how to cite most sources. However, when there was a question on how to cite a less-familiar source, etc., I would refer to the Publication Manual which is much more extensive than any website you will find. This isn't undergrad anymore and the professors in OT programs will expect proficiency with the APA style and any error will be unacceptable. In my opinion, spend the ~$20. What could be more correct than the manual put out by the organization the created the APA writing style? You won't regret it.

 

[brisa2004]

Agreed. I invested in one even though it wasn't required and am glad that I did. You will need it for some of those weird citations that aren't on the quick reference guides. Also, remember that you'll be doing either a thesis or project that requires scholarly articles etc. It's a good investment.

 

[c2902]

I have already completed one Master's degree (OT is a career switch for me), so I am fully aware of the level of scholarly work that is expected in a graduate program - that is why I asked, to be sure that the manual was, indeed, the most useful reference, since various opinions floating around seemed to indicate otherwise - so, thank you for confirming!

 

[FutureOT2013]

I did not use it once going through my OT program but I guess I could have. Purdue OWL was a good enough resource and have used it for both my MOT as well as my more extensive research papers in Molecular & Cell Biology and Biochemistry. That being said, I'd still buy one, it doesn't cost that much.