APA citation rules tell you how to credit sources inside your paper and in the references list. APA writing style favours clarity, active voice, and conciseness. The article critique assignment asks you to apply all of this by evaluating a published study section by section.
Difficulty: Introductory | Prerequisites: Read the companion notes on APA Paper Structure and Formatting first.
Citations, paraphrasing, and quotation rules are the mechanics that keep your writing honest and properly sourced. APA writing style is what makes your prose read like a professional research paper rather than a casual essay. These two areas together account for a large share of the marks on the article critique assignment, and they carry into every upper-level psychology course. If you can cite correctly, avoid plagiarism, and write in clear APA prose, you have the practical toolkit the rest of the programme builds on.
In-text citation
A short reference placed within the body of your paper that credits a source. It includes only the author's last name and the year of publication, such as (Smith, 2018). Think of it as a signpost pointing the reader to the full entry in your references list.
Parenthetical citation
A citation where both the author name and the year appear inside parentheses at the end of the relevant sentence: (Smith & Jones, 2018). This is the most common citation form.
Narrative citation
A citation where the author's name is part of the sentence, with only the year in parentheses: Smith (2018) found that... Use this when you want to foreground who did the research.
et al.
Latin abbreviation meaning "and others." Used in citations with three or more authors after the first author's name: (Parker et al., 2019). In simple terms, it is shorthand so you do not have to list every author each time.
Plagiarism
Presenting someone else's ideas, words, or work as your own without proper credit. This includes copying, inadequate paraphrasing, and failing to cite sources.
Paraphrasing
Restating another person's idea in your own words and sentence structure, with a citation. This is the preferred method over direct quotation in APA writing.
Direct quotation
Using the exact words from a source, placed in quotation marks (for quotes under 40 words) or formatted as a block quote (for 40 words or more). Always requires author, year, and page number.
Block quote
A quotation of 40 words or more, formatted on a new line, indented, with no quotation marks. The citation follows the closing punctuation.
Active voice
Sentence construction where the subject performs the action: "The researchers found..." APA style prefers active voice because it is clearer and more direct.
Passive voice
Sentence construction where the subject receives the action: "It was found that..." Generally avoided in APA writing unless the actor is unknown or unimportant.
Article critique
An assignment requiring you to read a published research article and evaluate its methodology, validity, reliability, and implications. In this course, it is the major written assignment.
In-text citations use only the author's last name and the publication year. No first names, no initials.
One or two authors – list both names every time: (Smith, 2018) or (Smith & Jones, 2018)
Three or more authors – use only the first author's name followed by "et al.": (Parker et al., 2019)
"And" vs. "&" – use "and" when the authors' names are part of the sentence (narrative form): "Smith and Jones (2018) found..."; use "&" when both names are inside parentheses: (Smith & Jones, 2018)
Multiple sources in one citation – separate with semicolons, and list alphabetically: (Lee & Kim, 2019; Smith, 2018)
Every in-text citation must match an entry in the references list. If you cite it, it must appear in the references. If it appears in the references, it must be cited somewhere in the paper.
Plagiarism means using someone else's ideas, words, or work without proper credit. The consequences in academic settings are severe. The rules for avoiding it are simple.
Always cite when you use an idea, a finding, or data from another source, even if you put it in your own words.
Paraphrase properly. Restate the idea in your own sentence structure and vocabulary. Swapping a few synonyms while keeping the original sentence shape is still plagiarism.
Quote sparingly. Direct quotes should be reserved for cases where the original wording matters. Always include the page number.
Do not copy and paste from sources. Thesaurus substitutions that produce awkward or nonsensical sentences are a red flag.
Organise around your own themes. Use sources to support your argument, not as the backbone of your writing.
Example of proper paraphrasing:
Original: "Sleep deprivation leads to decreased reaction time and memory performance."
Paraphrase: Lack of sleep has been shown to impair both reaction speed and memory recall (Smith, 2018).
Use direct quotes only when the exact wording is essential.
Short quotes (fewer than 40 words): Place in quotation marks within the sentence. Include author, year, and page number.
Example: "Sleep is essential for memory consolidation" (Smith, 2018, p. 45).
Long quotes (40 words or more): Format as a block quote. Start on a new line, indent the whole passage, omit quotation marks, and place the citation after the closing full stop.
General rule: Prefer paraphrasing over quoting. Most of your paper should be in your own words with proper citations.
APA writing aims for clarity and economy. The key principles:
Clarity and precision – say exactly what you mean in plain language. Avoid jargon unless it is a defined term.
Conciseness – cut unnecessary words. Shorter sentences are better.
Logical flow – each paragraph should follow naturally from the last.
Active voice – APA style prefers sentences where the subject performs the action.
Active: "The researchers measured reaction times."
Passive: "Reaction times were measured."
Active voice is clearer and more direct. Use passive voice only when the actor is genuinely unknown or unimportant.
Hourglass structure – the paper starts broad (introduction), narrows to your specific study (methods and results), and broadens again (discussion and implications).
Formatting in Microsoft Word:
Font: Times New Roman, 12-point
Line spacing: double-spaced throughout
Page breaks after the title page and before references
Headers and page numbers via the Header feature
Spell and grammar check before submission
The article critique is the major assignment in this course. It requires you to critically analyse a published research article. Here is what is expected:
Read the article thoroughly. Focus on the abstract, introduction, methods, results, and discussion. Understand the full arc of the study before you write anything.
Summarise the study. Identify:
The study type (experimental or correlational)
The independent and dependent variables
The methodology and procedure
The main findings
Critique the study. Evaluate:
Reliability (would the results be consistent if the study were repeated?)
Validity (does the study measure what it claims to measure?)
Ethical considerations
Alternative explanations for the findings
Implications of the results
Write a concise paragraph summarising your analysis.
Follow APA format throughout, including proper in-text citations and a references page.
Students often think that paraphrasing means swapping out a few words for synonyms. It does not. A proper paraphrase restates the idea in a completely different sentence structure.
Students sometimes include first names or initials in in-text citations. In APA, in-text citations use only last names and year. First names appear only in the references list.
Students often assume that if they paraphrase, they do not need to cite. Every borrowed idea requires a citation, whether quoted or paraphrased.
Students frequently confuse citations and references. A citation is the short in-text pointer; a reference is the full entry at the end of the paper. Both are required and must match.
⚠️ Citation format (when to use "and" vs. "&", how to handle three or more authors) is a reliable exam topic. Know the rules cold.
⚠️ The difference between paraphrasing and quoting, including when each is appropriate and how to format each, is very likely to appear.
⚠️ The 40-word threshold for block quotes is a commonly tested detail.
⚠️ Active vs. passive voice: expect a question asking you to identify which is which, or to convert one to the other.
⚠️ The article critique rubric tests whether you can correctly apply APA citation rules, identify IVs and DVs, and evaluate reliability and validity. These are the highest-value items on the assignment.
True or false: You should use "&" between author names when they appear as part of the sentence.
Answer: False. Use "and" in narrative citations; "&" goes inside parentheses only.
Fill in the blank: For three or more authors, cite the first author followed by _____.
Answer: et al.
True or false: If you paraphrase an idea, you do not need a citation.
Answer: False. All borrowed ideas require a citation.
Fill in the blank: A direct quotation of 40 words or more is formatted as a _____.
Answer: Block quote
True or false: APA style prefers passive voice.
Answer: False. APA style prefers active voice.
Q: How do you cite a work with two authors in APA?
A: List both last names every time. Use "and" in narrative form (Smith and Jones, 2018) and "&" in parenthetical form (Smith & Jones, 2018).
Q: How do you cite a work with three or more authors?
A: Use the first author's last name followed by "et al." and the year: (Parker et al., 2019).
Q: What is the difference between a citation and a reference?
A: A citation is the brief in-text acknowledgement of a source (author, year). A reference is the full entry at the end of the paper with all publication details. Every citation needs a matching reference and vice versa.
Q: When should you use a direct quote rather than a paraphrase?
A: Use a direct quote only when the exact wording is important or cannot be adequately restated. Most of the time, paraphrasing is preferred.
Q: What is the formatting difference between a short quote and a block quote?
A: Short quotes (under 40 words) go in quotation marks within the sentence, with the citation before the full stop. Block quotes (40 words or more) start on a new indented line with no quotation marks, and the citation follows the closing full stop.
Q: Convert this sentence from passive to active voice: "The data were analysed by the research team."
A: "The research team analysed the data."
Q: What five things should you evaluate when writing an article critique?
A: Study type (experimental or correlational), variables (IVs and DVs), methodology, reliability and validity, and ethical considerations or alternative explanations.
Citation mechanics tie directly into the article critique assignment, where correct APA referencing is part of the rubric. The active-vs-passive-voice distinction is also relevant to any lab report or research methods course you take next. Paraphrasing skills carry over into every writing-heavy course in the programme, and plagiarism rules apply universally across the university, not just in psychology.
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