APA Citation Quiz: Check Your APA Style Basics
This APA citation quiz helps you practice in-text and reference list rules so you can cite sources with confidence. Get instant feedback as you go, and see exactly what to fix before you turn in a paper. For extra practice, try our in-text citations quiz or an apa citation practice quiz to drill tricky cases and formatting details.
Study Outcomes
- Understand APA Quiz Fundamentals -
After completing this apa quiz, you will identify the core components of APA citations and explain the essential rules of APA style.
- Apply Correct In-Text Citations -
Practice with question and answer APA format prompts to format parenthetical and narrative citations accurately.
- Evaluate Common APA Format Errors -
Use the apa format quiz practice to spot, analyze, and correct typical citation mistakes in references and in-text citations.
- Construct Flawless Reference List Entries -
Leverage insights from the APA style quiz to craft accurate reference entries for books, journals, and online sources.
- Boost Citation Confidence -
Drive your mastery forward by tackling engaging apa quiz questions and building confidence in every citation detail.
Cheat Sheet
- Mastering In-Text Citations -
APA's author-date system requires including the author's surname and publication year in every in-text citation (e.g., "(Smith, 2020, p. 15)"). Use narrative citations ("Smith (2020) argues…") or parenthetical citations ("(Smith, 2020)") interchangeably for clarity. Remember the mnemonic "A-D" (Author - Date) to keep this straight.
- Perfecting Your Reference List -
List all sources you've cited in alphabetical order by the author's last name, applying a 0.5" hanging indent to each entry (APA 7, Section 9.42). For example: Smith, J. A. (2020). Title of work. Publisher. Use the mnemonic "A, H, T" (Author, Hanging indent, Title) to recall the three golden rules.
- Citing DOIs and URLs Correctly -
When referencing journal articles or online reports, include a DOI formatted as a URL (e.g., https://doi.org/10.1037/arc0002). If no DOI is available for a web page, provide a direct URL instead. This approach ensures your readers can locate sources reliably.
- Quoting vs. Paraphrasing Guidelines -
Use quotation marks for direct quotes under 40 words and introduce block quotes (indented 0.5") for 40 words or more. Always accompany quotes with page numbers (e.g., p. 22) to respect intellectual property. Remember: "Under forty, use quotes; over forty, indent" to avoid slips.
- Handling Multiple Authors -
For sources with one or two authors, list both names every time in-text; for three or more authors, use "et al." from the first citation (APA 7). In your reference list, include up to 20 authors before resorting to an ellipsis. A quick tip: "Two? List them through. Three plus? 'Et al.' does the job!"