Short and Long quotations

Short Quotation A direct quotation, shorter than 40 words, should include the author in the signal phrase, with the year of publication in parentheses directly following. After the quotation, include the page number (preceded by a "p.") in parentheses.

Example:
In her 2004 study, Smith noted, "many students, returning to college after a lengthy absence, do not utilize all the services their academic library has to offer" (p.234).

Long Quotation When your quotation is longer than 40 words, there are a few extra steps. Separate your quote into a free standing block, indented five spaces from the rest of your writing. Keep your spacing, font and text size the same as the rest of your writing.

Example:
In a subsequent paragraph, Smith (2004) acknowledges this problem:
Many students, returning to college after a lengthy absence, do not utilize all the services their academic library has to offer. This study shows that library outreach to this student population is critical for the academic library's continued success (p.234).

Example of APA style

APA Style requires that you document all your resources throughout your writing by citing both the author and year of the original source. This allows your reader to identify the information source in your alphabetical reference list at the end of your paper. Your in-text citations should always match your reference list.

In-Text citations always include the author and the year. Page numbers are required for direct quotes and encouraged for paraphrases/summaries.

Signal Phrases
In-Text citations rely on signal phrases to signal the reader where you received your information. Typically, signal phrases use verbs such as: stated, noted, found, etc...
Signal phrases include the author's name as part of the narrative. If the author's name is not part of the narrative, include it in the parentheses along with the date of publication.
APA Style dictates that writers use the past or present past tense when citing previous research.
Past Tense: Smith (2004) noted ...
Past Present tense: Smith (2004) has noted
Quotation Marks and Punctuation
Use quotation marks only when directly quoting a source.
Look closely at the examples for methods of formatting your punctuation and quotations.
When using a parenthetical citation, punctuation marks occur after the parentheses.

use of headings in APA style

APA's heading style consists of five possible levels of subordination. Level first is highest level and level fifth is lowest level. Most papers will use two or three levels. Levels are always use consecutively, beginning with level one.
1.Level 1: Centered, Boldface, Uppercase and Lowercase Headings
2.Level 2: Left-aligned, Boldface, Uppercase and Lowercase Heading
3.Level 3: Indented, boldface, lowercase heading with period.
4.Level 4: Indented, boldface, italicized, lowercase heading with period.
5.Level 5: Indented, italicized, lowercase heading with period.



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/APA_style

How to Write an APA Style Bibliography

A bibliography provides an alphabetized list of all of the sources that were used to create an article, and it is a necessary component any piece of academic research or writing. By citing your sources at the end of your paper, you are letting your reader know where they can go to verify your research or find more information; you are also acknowledging the research the ideas of others and protecting yourself from accusations of plagiarism. To complie and write an APA-style bibliography for your paper or article.

http://www.wikihow.com/Write-an-APA-Style-Bibliography

Avoiding plagiarism using APA

Copying someone else's work without giving any citation is possibly the worst and most obvious form of plagiarism. This seems to happen more frequently in the internet era. The internet makes it very easy for someone to find what they consider is an obscure article, copy it and call it their own. Anothor common plagiarism technique occurs when an author takes a large amonut of text and paste it into their article. Proper paraphrasing takes an idea and restates it another way. This means using an exiting idea or ideas in an original format.

To Quote, Paraphrase or Block Quote? – APA Style

Quote:- Quoting is the use of another writer's word, as they were originally written. The borrowed words must be surrounded by quotation marks and the in-text reference must include the last name of the author[s], years of publication, and page that it was printed on.

Paraphrasing:- Paraphrasing is using someone's work (concepts/ideas or words), but rephrasing it in your own words. Even though you are using your own words. the ideas that are expressed must be referenced and maintain the context that original author intented. Since the words are yours own, no quotation marks are required, but an in-text reference is required.

Block Quotations:- Block quotations are employed when a quotation exceeds 40 words in length. Block quotation will be indented an additional half-inch from the margin and left justified from that half-inch indent. Quotation marks are not required, since the indentation has already offset the passege as a block quotation.

http://www.mhc.ab.ca/library/howtoguides/APAQPB.pdf

APA in text citation

APA ordinarily requires page numbers for quotation, and it recommends them for summaries or paraphrases from long sources. When an electronic source labelled stable numbered pages, your citations should include -if possible- information that will help readers to locate the particular passage being cited.