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What is the American English word for ""Apa kabar?""?

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What does Apaka mean?

Definitions for apaka apa·ka, this dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word apaka ., did you actually mean abaca or apace , how to pronounce apaka.

Alex US English David US English Mark US English Daniel British Libby British Mia British Karen Australian Hayley Australian Natasha Australian Veena Indian Priya Indian Neerja Indian Zira US English Oliver British Wendy British Fred US English Tessa South African

How to say Apaka in sign language?

Chaldean Numerology

The numerical value of Apaka in Chaldean Numerology is: 4

Pythagorean Numerology

The numerical value of Apaka in Pythagorean Numerology is: 3

Translations for Apaka

From our multilingual translation dictionary.

• apaka German
• apaka Indonesian
• apaka Vietnamese

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• A.   intelligence
• B.   odometer
• C.   permutation
• D.   accommodation

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• apalachee bay

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WORDS YOU HAVE TO LEARN BEFORE COMING TO INDONESIA

Whether you're coming to Indonesia to teach with EF English First , or if you're passing through on your vacation, here are 12 Bahasa Indonesian words that will make your life easier!

1. Apa kabar

Hi, how are you! Halo, apa kabar!

Apa kabar simply means ‘how are you' or ‘what's up' – the word apa literally means ‘what' so if an Indonesian says ‘apa kabar' to you and you're not sure what they said you can actually reply ‘apa??'

Is this yours? Iya it's mine

Iya is Indonesian for yes. So can Iya be used the same it is used in English? Iya

Hello Mr. are you hungry? Enggak, I'm not hungry

While for some reason in Indonesian there are many versions of the word ‘no', enggak is one of the commonly used, informal ones. Would you like to learn all of the other versions now? “Enggak, its too early to learn all of them now”.

Do you want to eat? Oke!

Oke is the English loanword for Okay. The first syllable “O” is pronounced like the “O” in obstacle and obvious. The second syllable “Ke” is pronounced like the “Ca” in cave and cape. Let's continue? Okeee

5. Dimana (AND WC pronounced ‘weh-seh')

Need to find the toilet? Halo, WC dimana?

In a mall and in need of a coffee? Halo, Starbucks dimana?

In a mall and in need of a new blouse? Halo, Forever 21 dimana?

Dimana is another very useful word meaning ‘where'. To use in question form simply add place/thing + dimana e.g. hospital dimana, McDonald's dimana?

6. Pak/Mbak

If you want to talk to a man on the street: Halo pak!

If you want to strike up a conversation with the waitress: Halo mbak!

This one is another simple one. Pak means Mr. or Sir and mbak means Miss. or Madame. I encourage you to use these words when you're talking to the locals as it's what the locals do.

If a man is standing in your way: Permisi pak!

If a woman is standing in your way: Permisi mbak!

In a rush and want to remain polite? Excuse me in Indonesian surely has some sort of connection to the English word ‘permission' and is used the same way as “excuse me” is used in English. Simply say permisi instead of “excuse me”.

If you're interested in buying something but want to make sure you can afford it: Berapa?

“How much does it cost?” This 5 word question can be asked in Indonesian using one word: “Berapa?”

9. Disitu/Disini

Here/There: an easy way to remember this is the ‘tu' in disitu sounds like to which means going somewhere and therefore is further away then disini.

Halo Pak, WC dimana? Disini atau disitu?

10. Itu/Ini

That/This: same as above, the ‘tu' in itu sounds like to which is away and therefore further away than ini.

Itu apa? (what is that?)

Ini apa? (what is this?)

If you bump into a man on the street: Maaf pak!

If you forget pay the restaurant lady: Maaf mbak!

Want to say sorry? You can say maaf pronounced with 2 syllables ma/af. The blog title says 11 must learn words but there are actually about 14, maaf!

Good luck with learning the language – once you're in country I guarantee you'll be hearing words from this list frequently and very early on.

ARE YOU READY TO PUT YOUR BAHASA INDONESIAN TO THE TEST?

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Related Articles

What is the translation of "apa" in English?

"apa" in english.

• volume_up where
• volume_up something
• volume_up nothing
• volume_up o.k.

Translations

Apa {adverb}.

• open_in_new Link to source
• warning Request revision

apa-apa {noun}

Bukan apa-apa {noun}, tidak apa-apa {adjective}, tidak ada apa-apa {noun}, context sentences, indonesian english contextual examples of "apa" in english.

These sentences come from external sources and may not be accurate. bab.la is not responsible for their content.

• anyaman logam
• apa yang didengar
• apa yang didiktekan
• apa yang dikemukakan

Translations into more languages in the bab.la English-Chinese dictionary .

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• हिंदी से इंग्लिश
• इंग्लिश से हिंदी
• पर्यायवाची शब्द
• स्पेलिंग जाँच

apa (Apa ) मीनिंग : Meaning of apa in English - Definition and Translation

• हिन्दी से अंग्रेजी
• English to Hindi
• Spell Check
• apa Meaning
• Hindi to English
• Similar words
• Opposite words

APA MEANING - NEAR BY WORDS

Information provided about apa ( apa ):.

apa (Apa) meaning in English (इंग्लिश मे मीनिंग) is APA (apa ka matlab english me APA hai). Get meaning and translation of Apa in English language with grammar, synonyms and antonyms by ShabdKhoj. Know the answer of question : what is meaning of Apa in English? apa (Apa) ka matalab Angrezi me kya hai ( apa का अंग्रेजी में मतलब, इंग्लिश में अर्थ जाने)

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• 2.1 Etymology
• 2.3 Anagrams
• 3.1 Etymology
• 3.2 Pronunciation
• 3.3 Pronoun
• 4.1 Pronunciation
• 5.1 Pronunciation
• 5.2 Interjection
• 5.3 Further reading
• 6.1 Pronunciation
• 7.1 Etymology
• 7.2 Pronunciation
• 7.3.1 Inflection
• 7.3.2 Derived terms
• 7.3.3 Descendants
• 8.2 References
• 9.1 Alternative forms
• 9.2 Etymology
• 9.3 Pronunciation
• 9.4.1 References
• 10.1 Romanization
• 11.1 Etymology
• 11.2 Pronunciation
• 11.3.1 Declension
• 13.1 Alternative forms
• 13.2 Etymology
• 13.3 Pronunciation
• 13.5 References
• 14.1 Etymology
• 14.2.1 Synonyms
• 15.1 Adjective
• 16.1 Etymology
• 16.2 Pronunciation
• 16.3.1 Declension
• 16.3.2 Derived terms
• 16.4 Further reading
• 17.1 Pronunciation
• 17.2.1 Noun
• 17.3.1.1 Conjugation
• 17.3.1.2 Derived terms
• 18.1 Pronunciation
• 18.2.1 Pronoun
• 18.3.1 Particle
• 18.4 Derived terms
• 18.5 Further reading
• 19.1 Romanization
• 20.1 Alternative forms
• 20.2 Etymology
• 20.3 Pronunciation
• 20.4.1 Derived terms
• 20.4.2 Descendants
• 20.5 Further reading
• 22.1.1 Verb
• 22.1.2 Noun
• 22.2.1 Noun
• 22.3.1.1 Coordinate terms
• 22.4 References
• 23.1 Alternative forms
• 23.2 Etymology
• 24.1 Alternative forms
• 25.1.1 Alternative forms
• 25.1.2 Verb
• 25.2.1 Alternative forms
• 25.2.2 Noun
• 25.3 References
• 26.1 Etymology
• 26.2 Pronunciation
• 26.3.1 Declension
• 26.3.2 Descendants
• 28.1 Pronunciation
• 29.1 Etymology
• 29.2 Pronunciation
• 29.4 Further reading
• 30.1 Pronunciation
• 30.2.1 Conjugation
• 30.2.2 Derived terms
• 30.2.3 See also
• 31.1 Etymology
• 31.2 Pronunciation
• 31.3.1 Declension
• 31.3.2 Derived terms
• 31.4.1 Conjugation
• 31.4.2 Derived terms
• 31.5 References
• 32.1.1 Pronunciation
• 32.1.2.1 Derived terms
• 32.2.1 Pronunciation
• 32.2.2 Adjective
• 32.3 References
• 33.1 Etymology
• 33.2.1 Declension
• 33.2.2 Related terms
• 33.3 See also
• 34.1 Etymology
• 34.2 Numeral
• 35.1 Preposition
• 35.2 References
• 36.1.1 Pronunciation
• 36.1.2.1 Derived terms
• 36.2.1 Pronunciation
• 36.2.2 Noun
• 36.3.1 Alternative forms
• 36.3.2 Pronunciation
• 36.3.3 Noun
• 36.4.1 Pronunciation
• 36.4.2 Noun
• 36.5.1 Pronunciation
• 36.5.2 Noun
• 36.6.1 Pronunciation
• 36.6.2.1 Derived terms
• 36.7.1 Pronunciation
• 36.7.2 Noun
• 36.8.1 Pronunciation
• 36.8.2 Noun

Translingual [ edit ]

Symbol [ edit ].

• ( international standards ) ISO 639-2 & ISO 639-5 language code for Southern Athabaskan languages .

English [ edit ]

Etymology [ edit ].

From Coptic ⲁⲡⲁ ( apa ) .

Noun [ edit ]

apa ( plural apas )

• A title used for male clergy or saints in the Coptic Church.

Anagrams [ edit ]

• A.A.P. , AAP , PAA

Balinese [ edit ]

From Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *apa (compare Indonesian apa ).

Pronunciation [ edit ]

• IPA ( key ) : /apə/

Pronoun [ edit ]

• what ( interrogative pronoun ) Apa orta? ― What's new? Apa ento? ― What's that?

Bikol Central [ edit ]

• IPA ( key ) : /ˈʔapa/ , [ˈʔa.pa]
• Hyphenation: a‧pa

apa ( Basahan spelling ᜀᜉ )

• ice cream cone Synonym: kopa

Catalan [ edit ]

• ( Balearic , Central ) IPA ( key ) : /ˈa.pə/
• ( Valencian ) IPA ( key ) : /ˈa.pa/

Interjection [ edit ]

• come on , let's go
• hang on , not so fast

Further reading [ edit ]

• “apa” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició , Institut d’Estudis Catalans .
• “ apa ”, in Gran Diccionari de la Llengua Catalana , Grup Enciclopèdia Catalana , 2023

Cebuano [ edit ]

• an ice cream cone
• a lumpia wrapper

Chickasaw [ edit ]

Compare Choctaw apa .

• IPA ( key ) : /a.pa/

Verb [ edit ]

apa ( short verb )

• ( active voice , transitive ) to eat Synonym: impa ( active, intransitive )

Inflection [ edit ]

This entry needs an inflection-table template .

Derived terms [ edit ]

Descendants [ edit ], cornish [ edit ], references [ edit ].

• http://www.cornishdictionary.org.uk/

Corsican [ edit ]

Alternative forms [ edit ].

From Latin apis . Cognates include Italian ape and Neapolitan apa .

• IPA ( key ) : /ˈapa/

apa   f ( plural ape )

• https://infcor.adecec.net/

Etruscan [ edit ]

Romanization [ edit ].

• Romanisation of 𐌀𐌐𐌀

Faroese [ edit ]

From Old Norse api ( “ ape, monkey ” ) , from Proto-Germanic *apô ( “ monkey, ape ” ) , from Proto-Indo-European *abō- ( “ ape ” ) . Cognate with Dutch aap ( “ monkey, ape ” ) , Low German ape ( “ ape ” ) , German Affe ( “ monkey, ape ” ) , Swedish apa ( “ ape ” ) , Icelandic api ( “ ape ” ) .

• IPA ( key ) : /ˈɛaːʰpa/

apa   f ( genitive singular apu , plural apur )

• ape , monkey

Declension [ edit ]

Finnish [ edit ].

• indicative present connegative
• second-person singular imperative present / present connegative

Gallurese [ edit ]

Inherited from Corsican apa , from Vulgar Latin *apa , reshaping of Classical Latin apis ( “ bee ” ) .

apa   f ( plural api )

• Wagner, Max Leopold (1960–1964) Dizionario etimologico sardo , Heidelberg
• Rubattu, Antoninu (2006) Dizionario universale della lingua di Sardegna , 2nd edition, Sassari: Edes

Garo [ edit ]

Probably cognate with Tibetan ཨ་ཕ ( a pha ) .

Synonyms [ edit ]

• pagipa ( formal )

Hiligaynon [ edit ]

Adjective [ edit ].

• dumb , mute , tongue-tied

Hungarian [ edit ]

Most likely from Turkic , compare Old Turkic 𐰯𐰀 ‎ ( pa /⁠apa⁠/ , “ father ” ) .

• IPA ( key ) : [ˈɒpɒ]
• Hyphenation: apa
• Rhymes: -pɒ

apa ( plural apák )

• father Synonyms: ( archaic ) atya , édesapa , ( informal ) apu , ( informal ) apuka , ( informal ) apuci , ( informal ) apucika , ( informal ) apci , ( informal ) apus , ( informal ) apácska , ( informal ) papa , ( informal ) papi , ( informal ) papus , ( slang ) fater Hypernym: szülő Coordinate term: anya
• otherwise (e.g. the best father of the town). Difference at apája/apja and apájuk/apjuk .
• apa in Bárczi, Géza and László Országh . A magyar nyelv értelmező szótára (‘The Explanatory Dictionary of the Hungarian Language’, abbr.: ÉrtSz. ). Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó, 1959–1962. Fifth ed., 1992: →ISBN
• apa in Ittzés, Nóra (ed.). A magyar nyelv nagyszótára (‘A Comprehensive Dictionary of the Hungarian Language’). Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó, 2006–2031 (work in progress; published A–ez as of 2023)
• apa in Hungarian–English dictionary at SZTAKI

Icelandic [ edit ]

• IPA ( key ) : /ˈaːpa/ Rhymes: -aːpa

Etymology 1 [ edit ]

Declension forms of api ( “ a monkey ” ) .

• indefinite accusative singular of api
• indefinite dative singular of api
• indefinite genitive singular of api
• indefinite accusative plural of api
• indefinite genitive plural of api

Etymology 2 [ edit ]

From api ( “ monkey ” ) .

apa ( weak verb , third-person singular past indicative apaði , supine apað )

• ( transitive , governs the accusative ) used in set phrases

Conjugation [ edit ]

This verb needs an inflection-table template .

Indonesian [ edit ]

• IPA ( key ) : /apa/

From Malay apa , from Proto-Malayic *apa , from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *apa .

• what ( interrogative pronoun )

Clipping of apakah .

Particle [ edit ]

• ( colloquial ) introduces a question Apa kamu mengerti? Do you understand?
• apa-apa ( “ anything ” )
• apabila ( “ when ” )
• beberapa ( “ several ” )
• berapa ( “ how much ” )
• kenapa ( “ why ” )
• mengapa ( “ why ” )
• sesiapa ( “ anyone ” )
• siapa ( “ who ” )
• “ apa ” in Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia , Jakarta: Language Development and Fostering Agency — Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic Indonesia , 2016.

Javanese [ edit ]

• Romanization of ꦲꦥ

Malay [ edit ]

• perghhh (slang)

From Proto-Malayic *apa , from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *apa (compare Maori aha ).

• ( Johor-Selangor ) IPA ( key ) : /apə/
• ( Riau-Lingga ) IPA ( key ) : /apa/
• Rhymes: -apə , -pə , -ə
• Rhymes: -pa

apa ( Jawi spelling اڤ ‎)

• what ( interrogative pronoun ) Apa khabar? How are you? (lit.: What (is the) news?)
• apa-apa / اڤ٢ ‎ ( “ anything ” )
• apabila / اڤابيلا ‎ ( “ when ” )
• beberapa / ببراڤ ‎ ( “ several ” )
• berapa / براڤ ‎ ( “ how much ” )
• kenapa / کناڤ ‎ ( “ why ” )
• mengapa / مڠاڤ ‎ ( “ why ” )
• sesiapa / سسياڤا ‎ ( “ anyone ” )
• siapa / سياڤا ‎ ( “ who ” )
• Indonesian: apa
• → Min Nan: 啊吧 ( a-pā )
• “ apa ” in Pusat Rujukan Persuratan Melayu | Malay Literary Reference Centre , Kuala Lumpur: Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka , 2017.

Mansaka [ edit ]

Maori [ edit ].

apa ( passive aparia )

• to heap ; layer ; stack
• layer; level
• servant ; slave

Etymology 3 [ edit ]

• spiritual beings; ancestral spirits

Coordinate terms [ edit ]

• whatukura ( “ male spirits ” )
• māreikura ( “ female spirits ” )
• "apa" – Māori Dictionary

Neapolitan [ edit ]

From Latin apis , apem . Compare Italian ape , Corsican abba .

Norwegian Bokmål [ edit ]

• ( of noun ) apen
• ( of verb ) apet
• ( of verb ) apte ( simple past )
• ( of verb ) apt ( past participle )

apa   m or f

• definite feminine singular of ape
• simple past of ape
• past participle of ape

Norwegian Nynorsk [ edit ]

• e-infinitive

apa ( present tense apar / aper , past tense apa / apte , past participle apa / apt , passive infinitive apast , present participle apande , imperative apa / ap )

• to ape , mimic or imitate .

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

apa   f

• “apa” in The Nynorsk Dictionary .

Old English [ edit ]

From Proto-West Germanic *apō , from Proto-Germanic *apô . Cognate with Old Frisian *apa , Old Saxon apo , Old Dutch *apo , Old High German affo , Old Norse api .

• IPA ( key ) : /ˈɑ.pɑ/

apa   m

• monkey , ape Sē apa fēoll of þām trēowe. The monkey fell from the tree. Þā ǣrestan menn nǣron þā sīðmestan apan . The first humans weren't the last apes . Menn sind þā āne apan þe twifēte sind and uprihte gāþ. Humans are the only primates that are bipedal and walk upright.
• English: ape
• Scots: ape , aip

Old Saxon [ edit ]

Romanian [ edit ].

• IPA ( key ) : [ˈapa]
• definite nominative / accusative singular of apă

Spanish [ edit ]

Borrowed from Quechua apa .

• IPA ( key ) : /ˈapa/ [ˈa.pa]
• Rhymes: -apa
• Syllabification: a‧pa

apa   m ( plural apas )

• Only used in al apa
• “ apa ”, in Diccionario de la lengua española , Vigésima tercera edición , Real Academia Española, 2014

Swahili [ edit ]

-apa ( infinitive kuapa )

• to take an oath , to swear
• Applicative : -apia
• Causative : -apisha
• Reciprocal : -apana
• Stative : -apika
• kiapo ( “ oath ” )

See also [ edit ]

• yamini ( “ oath ” )

Swedish [ edit ]

From Old Swedish apa , from Old Norse api , from Proto-Germanic *apô ( “ monkey, ape ” ) , from Proto-Indo-European *abō- ( “ ape ” ) .

• IPA ( key ) : /²ɑːˌpa/ , [²ɒ̜ːˌpa]

apa   c ( plural apor )

• A primate ; ape , monkey . De visade en dokumentär om apor på teve. They showed a documentary about primates on TV.
• ( slang , derogatory ) A dumb or annoying person; idiot . Vad gör den där jävla apan här? What's that moron doing here?
• ( colloquial , idiomatic ) A bad smell. Det luktar apa här inne. It smells terrible in here.
• ( nautical , historical ) A sail on the main mast or mizzen mast of a sailing ship.

apa ( present apar , preterite apade , supine apat , imperative apa )

• To (attempt to) imitate without a sense of originality, usually with the particle efter ; to ape, to monkey. De apade bara efter det jag hade skrivit. They just aped what I had written.
• ( reflexive ) To behave in a whimsical or foolish manner; to clown around . Hon apade sig inför hela klassen. She monkeyed around in front of the whole class.
• apa in Svensk ordbok ( SO )
• apa in Svenska Akademiens ordlista ( SAOL )
• apa in Svenska Akademiens ordbok ( SAOB )

Tagalog [ edit ]

According to Panganiban (1972) [1] and English (1986) [2] , this is of Japanese [Term?] origin.

• IPA ( key ) : /ˈʔapa/ , [ˈʔa.pɐ]

apa ( Baybayin spelling ᜀᜉ )

• ice cream wafer or cone
• thin wafer made of rice starch
• IPA ( key ) : /ʔaˈpaʔ/ , [ʔɐˈpaʔ]

apâ ( Baybayin spelling ᜀᜉ )

• groping Synonyms: apuhap , kapa , salat
• ( figurative ) pilfered ; stolen Synonyms: dukot , kupit , nakaw
• ^ Panganiban, José Villa (1973) Diksyunaryo-Tesauro Pilipino-Ingles , Quezon City: Manlapaz Publishing Co., page 62
• ^ English, Leo James (1986) Tagalog-English Dictionary , Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer, page 63

Turkish [ edit ]

From Proto-Turkic *apa ( “ mother, elder sister, aunt ” ) . Compare ebe ( “ aunt, midwife ” ) .

apa ( definite accusative apayı , plural apalar )

• ( Konya ) elder sister

Related terms [ edit ]

Wolio [ edit ].

From Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *əpat , from Proto-Austronesian *Səpat .

Numeral [ edit ]

Yola [ edit ], preposition [ edit ].

• Alternative form of apan
• Jacob Poole (1867), William Barnes, editor, A Glossary, With some Pieces of Verse, of the old Dialect of the English Colony in the Baronies of Forth and Bargy, County of Wexford, Ireland , London: J. Russell Smith, page 23

Yoruba [ edit ]

• IPA ( key ) : /à.k͡pà/
• wastefulness , prodigality , a wasteful person, prodigal
• spendthrift , squanderer
• the arm of a talking drum

Proposed to be derived from Proto-Yoruboid *á-ká . Cognate with Igbo aka ( “ arm/hand ” ) , Nupe ekpá ( “ shoulder ” ) , Olukumi áká ( “ shoulder, wing ” ) , Igala íká ( “ wing ” ) , possibly a Doublet of èjìká . The root is reconstructed to Proto-Niger-Congo *-ka ( “ hand ” ) , where it is believed to have held the meaning "five." See Defaka ápá as well.

• ọká ( Èkìtì )
• aká (Akure)
• IPA ( key ) : /ā.k͡pá/
• arm wọ́n gbé apá gangan sí wa ― They raised their arms in defiance
• wing Synonym: ìyẹ́
• part , volume wọ́n kó apá kan ― They took one portion
• direction , side ó dúró sí apá ọ̀dọ̀ọ̀ mi ― She stood by my side

Etymology 4 [ edit ]

• African mahogany tree wọ́n dòòyì ká apá , apá kò ká apá ― They encircled and surrounded the African mahogany tree, but their hands never got the tree under their control (proverb on invincibility)

Etymology 5 [ edit ]

• The tree Afzelia pachyloba

Etymology 6 [ edit ]

• IPA ( key ) : /à.k͡pá/
• ringworm Synonym: làpálàpá
• àpá-síso ( “ keloid ” )

Etymology 7 [ edit ]

• scar (of a healed wound) àpá kì í jọ̀lọ̀ títí kó dàbí ara gidi ― A scar does not fully heal up to become the natural skin (proverb on the permanent effect of any damage)

Etymology 8 [ edit ]

• mark , sign Synonym: àmì

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• Balinese terms with IPA pronunciation
• Balinese lemmas
• Balinese pronouns
• Balinese palindromes
• Balinese terms with usage examples
• Bikol Central terms with IPA pronunciation
• Bikol Central lemmas
• Bikol Central nouns
• Bikol Central terms with Baybayin script
• Bikol Central palindromes
• Catalan 2-syllable words
• Catalan terms with IPA pronunciation
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• Chickasaw palindromes
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• Cornish lemmas
• Cornish nouns
• Cornish palindromes
• Corsican terms inherited from Latin
• Corsican terms derived from Latin
• Corsican terms with IPA pronunciation
• Corsican lemmas
• Corsican nouns
• Corsican palindromes
• Corsican feminine nouns
• co:Entomology
• Etruscan non-lemma forms
• Etruscan romanizations
• Etruscan palindromes
• Faroese terms inherited from Old Norse
• Faroese terms derived from Old Norse
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• Faroese terms derived from Proto-Germanic
• Faroese terms inherited from Proto-Indo-European
• Faroese terms derived from Proto-Indo-European
• Faroese terms with IPA pronunciation
• Faroese lemmas
• Faroese nouns
• Faroese palindromes
• Faroese feminine nouns
• fo:Primates
• Finnish non-lemma forms
• Finnish verb forms
• Finnish palindromes
• Gallurese terms inherited from Corsican
• Gallurese terms derived from Corsican
• Gallurese terms inherited from Vulgar Latin
• Gallurese terms derived from Vulgar Latin
• Gallurese terms inherited from Classical Latin
• Gallurese terms derived from Classical Latin
• Gallurese terms with IPA pronunciation
• Gallurese lemmas
• Gallurese nouns
• Gallurese palindromes
• Gallurese feminine nouns
• Garo lemmas
• Garo palindromes
• Hiligaynon lemmas
• Hiligaynon adjectives
• Hiligaynon palindromes
• Hungarian terms borrowed from Turkic languages
• Hungarian terms derived from Turkic languages
• Hungarian terms with IPA pronunciation
• Rhymes:Hungarian/pɒ
• Rhymes:Hungarian/pɒ/2 syllables
• Hungarian lemmas
• Hungarian nouns
• Hungarian palindromes
• Hungarian nouns with two ways to form the possessive
• Hungarian three-letter words
• hu:Male family members
• Icelandic 2-syllable words
• Icelandic terms with IPA pronunciation
• Rhymes:Icelandic/aːpa
• Rhymes:Icelandic/aːpa/2 syllables
• Icelandic non-lemma forms
• Icelandic noun forms
• Icelandic palindromes
• Icelandic lemmas
• Icelandic verbs
• Icelandic weak verbs
• Icelandic transitive verbs
• Indonesian terms with IPA pronunciation
• Rhymes:Indonesian/a
• Rhymes:Indonesian/a/2 syllables
• Indonesian terms inherited from Malay
• Indonesian terms derived from Malay
• Indonesian terms inherited from Proto-Malayic
• Indonesian terms derived from Proto-Malayic
• Indonesian terms inherited from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian
• Indonesian terms derived from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian
• Indonesian lemmas
• Indonesian pronouns
• Indonesian palindromes
• Indonesian clippings
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• Indonesian colloquialisms
• Indonesian terms with usage examples
• Javanese non-lemma forms
• Javanese romanizations
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• Malay terms inherited from Proto-Malayic
• Malay terms derived from Proto-Malayic
• Malay terms inherited from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian
• Malay terms derived from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian
• Malay terms with IPA pronunciation
• Rhymes:Malay/apə
• Rhymes:Malay/pə
• Rhymes:Malay/ə
• Rhymes:Malay/ə/2 syllables
• Rhymes:Malay/pa
• Rhymes:Malay/pa/2 syllables
• Malay lemmas
• Malay pronouns
• Malay palindromes
• Malay terms with usage examples
• Mansaka lemmas
• Mansaka nouns
• Mansaka palindromes
• Maori lemmas
• Maori verbs
• Maori palindromes
• Maori nouns
• Neapolitan terms derived from Latin
• Neapolitan lemmas
• Neapolitan nouns
• Neapolitan palindromes
• Neapolitan feminine nouns
• Norwegian Bokmål non-lemma forms
• Norwegian Bokmål noun forms
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• Norwegian Bokmål verb forms
• Norwegian Nynorsk lemmas
• Norwegian Nynorsk verbs
• Norwegian Nynorsk palindromes
• Norwegian Nynorsk weak verbs
• Norwegian Nynorsk non-lemma forms
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• Old English terms inherited from Proto-West Germanic
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• Old English terms derived from Proto-Germanic
• Old English terms with IPA pronunciation
• Old English lemmas
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• Old English palindromes
• Old English masculine nouns
• Old English terms with usage examples
• Old English masculine n-stem nouns
• ang:Primates
• Old Saxon lemmas
• Old Saxon nouns
• Old Saxon palindromes
• Old Saxon feminine nouns
• Romanian terms with IPA pronunciation
• Romanian non-lemma forms
• Romanian noun forms
• Romanian palindromes
• Spanish terms borrowed from Quechua
• Spanish terms derived from Quechua
• Spanish 2-syllable words
• Spanish terms with IPA pronunciation
• Rhymes:Spanish/apa
• Rhymes:Spanish/apa/2 syllables
• Spanish lemmas
• Spanish nouns
• Spanish countable nouns
• Spanish nouns with irregular gender
• Spanish palindromes
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• Swahili terms with audio links
• Swahili lemmas
• Swahili verbs
• Swahili palindromes
• Swedish terms inherited from Old Swedish
• Swedish terms derived from Old Swedish
• Swedish terms inherited from Old Norse
• Swedish terms derived from Old Norse
• Swedish terms inherited from Proto-Germanic
• Swedish terms derived from Proto-Germanic
• Swedish terms derived from Proto-Indo-European
• Swedish terms with IPA pronunciation
• Swedish terms with audio links
• Swedish lemmas
• Swedish nouns
• Swedish palindromes
• Swedish common-gender nouns
• Swedish terms with usage examples
• Swedish slang
• Swedish derogatory terms
• Swedish colloquialisms
• Swedish idioms
• sv:Nautical
• Swedish terms with historical senses
• Swedish verbs
• Swedish reflexive verbs
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• sv:Primates
• Tagalog terms derived from Japanese
• Tagalog terms with IPA pronunciation
• Tagalog lemmas
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• Tagalog terms with Baybayin script
• Tagalog palindromes
• Tagalog adjectives
• Turkish terms inherited from Proto-Turkic
• Turkish terms derived from Proto-Turkic
• Turkish lemmas
• Turkish nouns
• Turkish palindromes
• Konya Turkish
• Wolio terms inherited from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian
• Wolio terms derived from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian
• Wolio terms inherited from Proto-Austronesian
• Wolio terms derived from Proto-Austronesian
• Wolio lemmas
• Wolio numerals
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• Wolio cardinal numbers
• Yola lemmas
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• Yoruba terms with IPA pronunciation
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• Yoruba palindromes
• Yoruba terms inherited from Proto-Yoruboid
• Yoruba terms derived from Proto-Yoruboid
• Yoruba doublets
• Yoruba terms inherited from Proto-Niger-Congo
• Yoruba terms derived from Proto-Niger-Congo
• Yoruba terms with usage examples
• Requests for inflections in Chickasaw entries
• Corsican terms with redundant head parameter
• Faroese entries with topic categories using raw markup
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• Hiligaynon terms without hil-IPA template
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What is APA?

In this section we are going to look at how you can set up a paper in APA style. Specifically, we are going to look at citing books and journal articles within your research paper.

APA is the style of documentation of sources used by the American Psychological Association. This form of writing research papers is used mainly in the social sciences, like psychology, anthropology, sociology, as well as education and other fields.

How Does APA Style Work?

When working with APA there are two things to keep in mind: in-text citations and the reference page. In-text citations will use the author's name and the date within your research paper. These citations will refer back to the reference page at the end, which lists all the sources that you may have used in your research paper.

Note: If you are assigned a research paper in APA style for one of your courses, it's a good idea to ask your instructor the questions below. He or she will be able to explain details about the requirements for the paper. For now, we will go over the basic instructions of how to use in-text citations and how to set up the reference page.

When Would I Have to Cite a Source in APA?

Anytime you summarize, paraphrase, or quote information from another source, like passages from books or articles in an academic journal, you are required to list within your text the author's name and the year the article was published. There are a couple of ways this can be arranged. Here are a few examples.

• Another theory came from the idea of the “matching hypothesis.” This was presented by Goffman (1952), who believed that men had the tendency to choose spouses who were of similar social status. The sums of these attributes include are social skills, wealth, power, intelligence, attractiveness, and other skills that are valued in society.

With the example above, the writer puts the author's last name in the text and immediately after it puts the date in parentheses.

• In 1971 Berscheid, Dion, Walster, and Walster conducted another “computer date” dance. This time they paired similar attractive persons together for the date. An independent panel of judges assessed the attractiveness of each of the subjects.

Here, the authors' names and the date of publication are both put into the body of the text, without using parentheses.

Citing a Journal Article

If i cite a journal article in the body of my text does it mean that the authors of that journal article agree with the arguments in my paper.

No, not necessarily. Dr. Sadler, a professor in the psychology department at IUP, states that you can cite articles that will agree or disagree with your ideas. He goes on to say:

• The agreement or disagreement should be conveyed by your wording. For example, “This interpretation is consistent with findings by Smith and Jones (1999) . . . .” Or, you might say, “If my prediction is confirmed, it would falsify the theory of episodic memory proposed by Tulving (1984)” Or, “A number of researchers do not agree with this view (e.g., Brown, 1993; Stevens, 1992; Treisman, 1994).”

So, not only can you use journal articles to support your ideas, but you can also use them to show that some authors do not agree with your ideas or have ideas different from yours.

Preparing to Cite A Source

How do i let the reader know that i am about to cite a source.

To let the reader know that a journal article is about to be cited in the body of your paper, you can use signal phrases that are appropriate for the ideas you want to express. These words include: adds, argues, claims, denies, illustrates, grants, notes, observes, suggests, etc. You could also use the standard “said.”

This is expressed in the sample below:

• In an influential article, Terrace, Petitto, Sanders and Bever (1979) argued that the apes in the language experiments were not using language spontaneously but were merely imitating their trainers, responding to conscious or unconscious cues.

References Page

What is the references page and how is it put together.

The References page lists all the sources you have cited in your paper. The entry for a journal article should look like this:

• Berscheid, E., Dion, K. K., Walster, E., and Walster, G. W. (1971). Physical attractiveness and dating choice: A test of the matching hypothesis. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology , 7, 173-189.

As you can see in the example above, the authors' names appear first (last name, first name). Then the year of publication is given in parentheses. Then the title is listed (with only the first word of the title, the first word after the colon, and proper nouns capitalized). Then the name of the journal (in italics) is listed, the volume number, and finally, the pages of the article.

For a book, the entry looks like this:

• Schaller, G. B. (1993). The Last Panda . Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

In the example above, the author's name is listed (last name, first name), then the date, followed by the title with only the first word capitalized, the city of publication, and then the name of the publisher.

Written by Mariel Lorenz This guide for APA was adapted from: Hacker, D. (2003). A Writer' Reference . (5th ed.). Boston: St. Martin's. American Psychological Association. (2001). Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association . (5th ed.). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. Updated January 28, 2005 by Renee Brown

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Meaning of APA in English

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• She argues that the struggles of Pacific Islanders have not been included in APA discourses.
• She works at a center for APA women.
• APAs have a rich heritage going back thousands of years .

Translations of APA

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Word of the Day

any one of the eight least valuable pieces in the game of chess

Reunions and housewarmings (Words for different parties)

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APA Format Guidelines, Tips, and Examples

How to Write in APA Format

Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."

Amanda Tust is a fact-checker, researcher, and writer with a Master of Science in Journalism from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism.

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APA format is the official style used by the  American Psychological Association  and is commonly used in the fields of psychology , education , and other social sciences. APA style refers to the way that student and professional publications are formatted for submission and publication. Knowing how to write in APA format is an important skill for both students and professionals.

The seventh edition of the "Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association" is the official guidebook for formatting your APA papers. It's the latest edition published in 2019. Of course, if you have further questions about how to format your paper, check with your professor or instructor on what they prefer.

If you're a beginner and need to write a paper in APA format, the following step-by-step guide can help you format your paper correctly and create the different sections that you will need.

General APA Format Guidelines

There are some basic rules of APA format that apply to any type of APA paper. These include:

• Type on standard-size (8.5-inch by 11-inch) paper
• Have a 1-inch margin on all sides
• Have a title page, a reference list , and a byline
• Use an easy-to-read font such as Calibri or Times New Roman
• Double-space the whole paper
• Align text to the left-hand side
• Indent the first line of each paragraph by 0.5 inches

According to APA guidelines, your paper should include four main sections: a title page, abstract, main body, and references.

APA format emphasizes accessibility for all readers. Be sure to review their official information on how to make your paper accessible .

APA Format Title Page

There are two different versions of an APA title page : the student and professional versions. A student title page should include:

• Title of paper
• Name of each author of the paper (the byline)
• Affiliation for each author (the university attended, including the name of the department)
• Course number and name
• Instructor name (check with the instructor for their preferred format)
• Assignment due date (i.e., November 4, 2020)
• Page number

For a professional APA paper, include:

• Name of each author of the paper (byline)
• Affiliation for each author
• Author note
• Running head (an abbreviated version of the paper title)

For both student and professional papers, the paper title is in title case, bold, and centered. It should be about three to four lines down from the top margin of the page.

Be concise. Your title should be a short statement of what the reader will find in the paper. Your title will often identify the major variables and their relationships. Examples of APA paper titles include:

• Effect of Sleep Deprivation on Math Performance
• Impact of Leadership Style on Employee Productivity
• How Music Tempo Affects Running Pace
• How Medication Improves Smoking Cessation Outcomes

A title page for a professional paper should also include an author note, which provides more information about the paper's authors, study registration, data sharing, disclaimers on any conflicts of interest, a point of contact, and funding sources.

When writing your title, be concise and avoid any extraneous words that do not add meaning to your title. The APA style guide advises writers to avoid phrases such as "An Experimental Investigation of..." or "A Study of...".

APA Format Abstract

Think of an abstract as a summary of your paper. If you are a student, your instructor may or may not require an abstract; be sure to check.

Follow these tips for writing your abstract in APA format:

• The abstract should have its own page right after the title page.
• Centered at the top of the page in bold, write "Abstract."
• In the next line, briefly summarize the main points of the paper.
• While the content will vary, an abstract typically includes the research topic , research questions, information on participants and methods , the data analysis used, and main conclusions. 
• An abstract should be a single paragraph, double-spaced, and usually no more than 250 words.

The "Publication Manual" states that a good abstract is accurate, coherent, and concise. Be sure not to include any information in the abstract that isn't in the paper itself.

Tables in APA Format

Tables are an efficient way to display a great deal of information in a concise, clear, and easy-to-read format. In APA format papers, tables are generally used to describe the results of statistical analysis and other pertinent quantitative data .

However, it is important to note that not all data should be presented in a table. If you have little numeric information to present, it should be described in the text of your paper.

The APA's publication manual recommends designing your table with the reader in mind. Strive to communicate data in a way that is clear and easy to understand.

Basic Rules for Tables

Keep these tips in mind when using a table in your APA format publication:

• Add an individual title to each table. It should be italicized and capitalized in APA style.
• Begin each table after the reference list on a page of its own.
• Number all tables (i.e., Table 1, Table 2, Table 3).
• Reference all tables in the text of the paper.

Remember that your table is there to supplement rather than replicate the text of your paper. Do not feel the need to discuss every element of your table in your text. Extraneous information can overwhelm and confuse the reader. Stick to reporting the most important data.

Instead, focus on keeping your table concise. Mention key highlights and tell the reader what to look for in your table.

Table Headings

Keep these tips in mind when writing table headings:

• Capitalize the first letter of each heading.
• Identify each column using a descriptive heading.
• Use abbreviations for standard terms in the table itself. Uncommon definitions should be explained in a note below the table.

Additional Notes

If an additional explanation is needed, a note can be added below the table. There are three kinds of notes: general notes, specific notes, and probability notes.

General notes refer to some aspect of the entire table; specific notes refer to a particular column, row, or cell; probability notes specify the values of symbols in your table.

Reference Pages in APA Format

All sources cited in your paper should be included in the reference page. The reference page should appear at the end of your APA paper. This page makes it easy for the reader to easily look up all of the materials you cited.

Anything cited in the text must appear in the reference section and anything included in the reference section must be cited somewhere in the text.

Your references should begin on a new page with the title "References" in bold and centered at the very top. Do not underline, italicize, or place quotation marks around the title.

Basic Reference Page Rules

Be sure not to forget these rules when putting together your APA format reference page:

• Alphabetize references by the last names of the first author of each source.
• Capitalize all major words in the title of a journal (i.e., The Journal of Personality and Social Psychology ).
• Capitalize only the first letter in article titles. If a colon appears in the title, the first letter after the colon should also be capitalized. The title should not be placed in quotations, underlined, or italicized.
• Double-space all references.
• Italicize the titles of books and journals.
• When the same author is cited multiple times, list references in chronological order with the oldest first, working your way up to the most recent one.
• Use a hanging indentation for each reference; the first line of the reference should be aligned to the left, but each additional line needs to be indented.

Journals and Periodicals

Journal articles should appear in alphabetical order in your reference list. More APA format tips include:

• Capitalize the first letter of the first word in the title, subtitle, and proper nouns.
• Italicize the name of the publication and the volume number.

The basic format of a journal article reference is to first list authors by their last names followed by the initials of their first names. Next, the publication year is enclosed in parentheses and followed by a period.

The title of the article should then follow, with only the first letter of the first word capitalized as well as the first letter of any proper nouns.

The italicized title of the journal comes after, followed by a comma. Place the volume number next, also italicized. Follow this with the issue number in parentheses, followed by a comma.

Then, place page numbers, using a hyphen in between if it's a range of pages. Place a period after this. Finally, a hyperlink including the DOI number should be included if there is one available.

This style is applicable to printed texts. The format for citing books in APA format is as follows:

• Name of author (last name, first initial)
• The date of the publication in parentheses
• The italicized title of the book
• If applicable, put the edition of the book in parentheses
• Publisher name
• Hyperlink with DOI number

Note: Place a period after each of these elements.

Electronic Sources

The basic format of an electronic reference is very similar to that of any other reference. However, you typically need to include the online location of the document.

Since online URLs can change, the APA recommends utilizing a digital object identifier (DOI) in your references whenever possible.

A DOI is a unique alphanumeric string that begins with a 10 as well as a prefix (usually a four-digit number assigned to organizations) and a suffix (a number assigned by the publisher).

Many publishers will include the DOI on the first page of an electronic document. If a DOI is available, simply include it as a hyperlink at the end of the reference as follows: https://doi.org/10.0000/00000000000.

Be sure to consult the latest information from The American Psychological Association for more information on citing electronic sources.

A Word From Verywell

It's helpful to consult the latest edition of the APA "Publication Manual" when you have questions about proper formatting for your APA paper. If you're a student, it's a great idea to consult with your instructor as well. They can help establish clear guidelines and expectations for your papers before you submit them.

Nicoll LH, Oermann MH, Chinn PL, Conklin JL, Amarasekara S, Mccarty M. Guidance provided to authors on citing and formatting references in nursing journals . J Nurses Prof Dev . 2018;34(2):54-59. doi:10.1097/NND.0000000000000430

American Psychological Association. Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, Seventh Edition (2020) .

American Psychological Association.  Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association  (7th ed.). Washington DC: The American Psychological Association; 2020.

By Kendra Cherry, MSEd Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."

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• Knowledge Base
• APA Style 7th edition
• Writing in APA Style: Language guidelines

APA Writing Style | Language & Punctuation Guidelines

Published on January 3, 2022 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on October 3, 2023.

The American Psychological Association (APA) published the 7th edition of its style manual in 2019. As well as rules for citation and paper formatting, the manual provides various language guidelines to help you present your ideas in a clear, concise, and inclusive manner.

Key issues include active vs. passive voice, use of pronouns, anthropomorphism, inclusive language, punctuation, abbreviations and acronyms, and numbers.

Table of contents

Active vs. passive voice, personal pronouns, anthropomorphism, inclusive language, punctuation, abbreviations and acronyms, numbers: words vs. numerals, hyphenation of prefixes and suffixes, other style issues, frequently asked questions about apa language guidelines.

The passive voice , which places the focus on the object of an action rather than on who or what is carrying it out (the agent ), is often overused in academic writing. It can be long-winded, and it sometimes obscures your meaning if you don’t specify the agent.

• The test was completed. [passive voice, agent unclear]
• The test was completed by the participants. [passive voice, long-winded]
• The participants completed the test. [active voice]

APA therefore recommends using the active voice by default. However, that doesn’t mean you can never use the passive voice. When it’s unimportant who carried out a particular action, the passive voice is a better choice.

• James and I mounted the projector on the wall.
• The projector was mounted on the wall.

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Appropriate use of personal pronouns is key to maintaining an academic tone in your writing.

First-person pronouns (I, we) should be used when referring to your own actions and thoughts. Don’t refer to yourself in the third person.

• The researcher(s) administered the test.
• I/we administered the test.

However, avoid the editorial “we,” which involves using “we” to make a generalization about the world or about a group of people.

• We are social creatures.
• Humans are social creatures.

Second-person pronouns (you) should be avoided entirely unless you’re quoting someone else. If you need to make a generalization, use the impersonal pronoun “one” instead, or (usually the better option) rephrase.

• As a teacher, you should be patient with your students.
• As a teacher, one should be patient with one’s students.
• Teachers should be patient with their students.

Use the third-person pronoun “they” to refer to an individual who uses “they” as their chosen pronoun. Also use “they,” not “he or she,” to refer to a generic individual whose gender is unknown or irrelevant in the context.

• When a student agrees to participate, he or she is provided with the necessary materials.
• When a student agrees to participate, they are provided with the necessary materials.
• When students agree to participate, they are provided with the necessary materials.

Anthropomorphism means attributing actions to objects that cannot literally take those actions. Avoid doing this where it confuses your meaning, but feel free to do so when your point remains clear.

• The study wondered whether an algorithm could predict student engagement.
• The researcher wondered whether an algorithm could predict student engagement.
• The table presents the algorithm’s predictions and their accuracy.
• The results suggest that software can help schools improve student well-being.

APA also provides guidance on ensuring your language is inclusive and respectful. Some key points are summarized below.

• Replace terms that are unnecessarily gendered or that have sexist connotations with more inclusive alternatives (e.g., change “fireman” to “firefighter”).
• As mentioned above, use “they” to refer to a person who uses “they” as their chosen pronoun and to refer to a generic individual of unknown gender.
• Capitalize “Black” and “White” when used in the racial sense. Don’t use colors to refer to other racial groups. Also capitalize terms like “Native American,” “Hispanic,” “Indigenous,” and “Aboriginal.”
• Don’t hyphenate terms such as “Asian American” or “African American” in any position.
• Generally, avoid using adjectives as nouns to label groups of people. For example, prefer “people living in poverty” over “the poor.” This emphasizes that poverty is a circumstance in people’s lives, not an essential quality of their existence.

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Besides following general punctuation rules , pay attention to these points when writing in APA Style.

• Always use a comma after the Latin abbreviations “e.g.” and “i.e.”
• Similarly, use a comma after an introductory phrase , even if it’s only a single word. For example, “Conversely, the results of …”
• For proper hyphenation of words, follow Merriam-Webster or, for psychological terms, the APA Dictionary of Psychology .
• Hyphenate fractions only when they are used as adjectives (e.g., “two thirds of the participants,” but “a two-thirds majority”).
• Always use the serial comma (aka Oxford comma ), which means placing a comma before the “and” preceding the final item in a list of three or more items. For example, “grammar, usage, and style.”
• Use double quotation marks, and place a comma or period following a quote inside the quotation marks .

Proper use of abbreviations and acronyms is important, since they help keep your writing concise but can be confusing if used inconsistently or without proper explanation.

• Define an acronym when you first mention it, and use it consistently after that point. You don’t need to define very well-known acronyms like “TV” and “DNA” or abbreviations for standard units of measurement (e.g., “min” for “minute”).
• Redefine an abbreviation in each figure and table in which it appears. The purpose of defining abbreviations in the table or figure is that if other authors reuse the work in a future paper, then the definitions of the terms will be attached.
• Avoid using an acronym in your paper title, except in cases where the acronym is used more commonly than the full term (e.g., “DNA” or “HIV”). You can use acronyms in headings only if they are similarly common or have been defined in the text before that heading.
• It’s fine to begin a sentence with an acronym or abbreviation. However, never begin a sentence with a lowercase abbreviation or a standalone symbol.
• Use periods in the terms “U.S.” and “U.K.” only when they are used as adjectives, not when they are used as nouns. Do not use periods in abbreviations of state, province, or territory names (e.g., “NY”).
• Use the Latin abbreviations “e.g.,” “i.e.,” and “etc.” only in parentheses or within bullet-point lists. APA considers them too informal for the main text.

As a general rule, spell out numbers for zero through nine and use numerals for 10 and above . However, note the following exceptions.

Always use numerals:

• When a number directly precedes a unit of measurement (e.g., 5 cm)
• When referring to statistics, equations, fractions, decimals, percentages, or ratios
• When a number represents time, dates, ages, scores, points on a scale, exact sums of money, or numerals as numerals (but use words for approximations of numbers of days, weeks, months, or years)
• When referring to a specific place in a numbered series
• In the abstract of a paper (this allows you to save space in the character limit)

Always use words:

• For any number that begins a sentence, title or heading (but where possible, rephrase to avoid the issue)
• For common fractions (e.g., “one fifth”)
• For universally accepted usage (e.g., “Twelve Apostles,” “Five Pillars of Islam”)

Use a combination of numerals and words to express back-to-back modifiers (e.g. “2 two-way interactions” or “ten 7-point scales”). In such situations, a combination of numerals and words increases the clarity and readability of the phrase.

Note that when referring to a numbered element of your text, you should use a numeral and capitalize the word preceding it (e.g., “Chapter 2,” “Table 4”).

Prefixes and suffixes are added to words to alter their meaning—prefixes to the start of the word, suffixes to the end. For example, by adding the prefix “post-” to the adjective “natal,” you get another adjective, “postnatal.”

It’s often not clear whether such terms should be hyphenated or written as one solid word. APA helpfully provides a list of prefixes and suffixes that don’t require hyphenation according to their guidelines.

But do hyphenate:

• The prefix “self-” (e.g., “self-deprecating”)
• The word “quasi-experimental”
• Prefixes that end with “a,” “i,” or “o” when the following word starts with the same letter (e.g., “meta-analysis,” “anti-intellectual”)
• When attaching to a number, abbreviation, or capitalized word (e.g., “pre-1914,” “post-Napoleonic”)
• To avoid ambiguity (e.g., “re-form” to mean “form again” as opposed to the usual meaning of “reform”)

APA’s guidelines are extensive. Read more about other style issues not covered in this article by following the links below:

• APA Style citation
• Paper formatting and layout
• Headings and subheadings
• Tables and figures
• Reporting statistics
• Block quoting

Yes, APA language guidelines encourage you to use the first-person pronouns “I” or “we” when referring to yourself or a group including yourself in your writing.

In APA Style, you should not refer to yourself in the third person. For example, do not refer to yourself as “the researcher” or “the author” but simply as “I” or “me.” Referring to yourself in the third person is still common practice in some academic fields, but APA Style rejects this convention.

Yes, it’s perfectly valid to write sentences in the passive voice . The APA language guidelines do caution against overusing the passive voice, because it can obscure your meaning or be needlessly long-winded. For this reason, default to the active voice in most cases.

The passive voice is most useful when the point of the sentence is just to state what was done, not to emphasize who did it. For example, “The projector was mounted on the wall” is better than “James and I mounted the projector on the wall” if it’s not particularly important who mounted the projector.

Yes, APA language guidelines state that you should always use the serial comma (aka Oxford comma ) in your writing.

This means including a comma before the word “and” at the end of a list of three or more items: “spelling, grammar, and punctuation.” Doing this consistently tends to make your lists less ambiguous.

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