apa style paper nursing

A handful of additional formatting changes are recommended in the seventh edition. These include the following:

• Running heads are no longer required for student papers.
• Professional papers include a running head on every page, including the title page. However, the “Running head:” label used in the sixth edition is no longer used.

The running head is written in all capital letters. The running head should either be identical to the paper’s title, or a shortened form of the title that conveys the same idea. However, running heads should not exceed 50 characters (including spaces and punctuation).

• The section labels for abstracts and reference lists follow the conventions for level one headings (i.e., in addition to being centered and written in title case, they are also in boldface).
• Font guidelines are now somewhat looser in order to account for differences in computer specifications and users’ accessibility needs. So long as the same font is used throughout the text of the paper, a variety of fonts are acceptable.

Writing Style and Grammar (Chapter 4)

The most important changes here relate to pronoun usage, though it may bear mentioning that the APA has endorsed the "singular they"  on its website  for years prior to the release of the new manual:

• For instance, rather than writing "I don't know who wrote this note, but he or she has good handwriting," you might write something like "I don't know who wrote this note, but they have good handwriting."
• Additionally, “they” should be used for a person who uses “they” as their personal pronoun. In both cases, derivatives of “they,” like “them,” “their,” “themselves,” and so on should also be used accordingly. Plural verbs should be used when "they" is referring to a single person or entity (e.g., use "they are a kind friend" rather than "they is a kind friend").
• The manual also advises against anthropomorphizing language. Thus, non-human relative pronouns like “that,” and “which” are recommended for animals and inanimate objects, rather than “who.”

Bias-Free Language (Chapter 5)

The seventh edition of the manual updates guidelines for writing about “age, disability, gender, racial and ethnic identity, and sexual orientation” to bring them in line with current best practices. The guidelines are too extensive to reproduce here, but a few of the most important and general instructions are described below. Consult chapter 5 of the APA Publication Manual (7th ed.) for more details.

• Use “person-first” language whenever possible. For instance, “a man with epilepsy” is generally preferable to “an epileptic” or “an epileptic man.”
• Similarly, avoid using adjectives as nouns to describe groups of people (a la “the Asians” or “drug users”). Instead, use these adjectives to describe specific nouns or use descriptive noun phrases (a la “Asian people” or “people who use drugs”).
• Use specific labels rather than general ones when possible. For example, “cisgender men” is more specific than “men.” Similarly, “Korean Americans” is more specific than “Asian Americans” or “Asians.”
• When describing differences between groups of people, focus on the qualities that are relevant to the situation at hand. For example, in a study of sex chromosome-linked illnesses, study participants’ biological sexes are probably relevant, while participants’ sexual orientations are probably not.
• In general, respect the language that people use to refer to themselves, and understand that the language used to refer to certain groups of people can and does change over time. Recognize also that group members may not always express total agreement about this language.

Mechanics of Style (Chapter 6)

In terms of mechanics, the seventh edition of the APA Publication Manual contains a variety of minor changes from the sixth edition. Two of the most important are the following:

• Use one space after a period at the end of a sentence unless an instructor or publisher dictates otherwise.
• Use quotation marks around linguistic examples rather than highlighting these examples with italics. For example, one might write that a computer user should press the “F” key, rather than press the  F  key. Similarly, one might write about study participants who have to choose between the choices “agree,” “disagree,” and “other,” rather than the choices  agree ,  disagree , and  other .

This chapter also contain expanded guidelines that clarify a variety of mechanical issues, like whether certain proper nouns should be capitalized. The guidelines are too extensive to reproduce here, so consult chapter 6 for additional information.

Tables and Figures (Chapter 7)

Though the formatting for tables and figures has not dramatically changed from the sixth edition, a few relevant changes are as follows:

• Tables and figures are now formatted in parallel—in other words, they use consistent rules for titles, notes, and numbering.
• Tables and figures may now be presented either in the text of the document or after the reference list on separate pages.

In-Text Citations (Chapter 8)

Changes and updates to in-text citation procedure in the seventh edition include the following:

• Example: Fannon, Chan, Ramirez, Johnson, and Grimsdottir (2019) and Fannon, Chan, Montego, Daniels, and Miller (2019) can be cited as (Fannon, Chan, Ramirez, et al., 2019) and (Fannon, Chan, Montego, et al., 2019), respectively.
• If the information has been recorded (e.g., as an audio file or an interview transcript), follow the ordinary directions for citing the appropriate form of media.
• Example: Following a series of conversations with Joseph Turnipseed (Tulalip Nation, lives in Portland, Oregon, personal communication, September 2017), we discovered connections between…
• In both cases, capitalize not only the name of indigenous groups and nations (e.g., Crow, Seminole, Narragansett), but also most terms derived from indigenous culture (e.g., Oral Tradition, Elder, Traditional Knowledge, Vision Quest).
• Finally, work closely with indigenous keepers of traditional knowledge to ensure that the knowledge is reproduced only with the permission of relevant indigenous stakeholders.
• If attributing the quote to a pseudonym, enclose the name in quotation marks the first time you use it. After the first time, do not use quotation marks.

Reference List (Chapter 9)

Reference list entries are handled largely the same in the seventh edition as they are in the sixth edition, barring a few important changes. Most pertain to electronic sources.

• In the seventh edition, up to 20 authors should now be included in a reference list entry. For sources with more than 20 authors, after the 19th listed author, any additional authors' names are replaced with an ellipsis (…) followed by the final listed author's name. Do not place an ampersand before the final author's name.
• Digital object identifiers (DOIs) and URLs are now both presented as hyperlinks for electronic sources.
• The label “DOI:” is no longer used for entries that include a DOI.
• The words “Retrieved from” (preceding the URL or DOI) are now only used when a retrieval date is also provided in the citation.
• Note that, though database/archive information is typically not included in citation entries, it should be included when writers need to cite sources that are only available within a certain database.
• Some Tips For You

Be Objective

Remember Your Critical Audience

According to the Purdue OWL, here are three major rules to follow when writing as a professional  nurse: 

Use the tabs above to learn more.

All of this information was taken from:

Purdue Writing Lab. (2020). Writing as a Professional Nurse // Purdue Writing Lab. https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/subject_specific_writing/healthcare_writing/writing_as_a_professional_nurse/index.html

Be Precise ​ ​

• Example: "Did dressing change"  This example leaves many things to interpretation. 
• Better example: "Performed dressing change, cleaned wound with NS and gauze, applied calcium alginate, covered with ABD, secured with silk tape. Patient tolerated well."  This example provides a clear picture of every step taken, to include medications and materials. You may need even more details to describe wound status and/or doctor notifications.
• Example: "Patient acting crazy."  This example provides the nurse's subjective opinion.
• Better example: "Patient pacing back and forth, breathing fast, clenching fists, yelling ‘Don’t touch me!’ repeatedly."  This example provides a clear picture of what actually happened. 
• ​​Litigation and auditing are a fact of life in the medical field. People will be looking for mistakes or inconsistencies.  
• Both of the examples in the above points could be used by a critical audience to have cause for correction or could be used negatively against you in court. The phrase “Did dressing change” details no necessity for specific materials, leaves room for doubt as to compliance with doctor-ordered treatments, and can provide space for accusations from expert witnesses. Writing “Patient acting crazy,” without quantifying statements and description of your actions, can be grounds for charges of negligence. Either one of these cases, in an extreme scenario, could be grounds for you to lose your license.
• APA 7 Student Paper The APA Publication Manual, 7th Edition specifies different formatting conventions for student and professional papers (i.e., papers written for credit in a course and papers intended for scholarly publication). These differences mostly extend to the title page and running head. Crucially, citation practices do not differ between the two styles of paper.
• APA 7 Professional Paper The APA Publication Manual, 7th Edition specifies different formatting conventions for student and professional papers (i.e., papers written for credit in a course and papers intended for scholarly publication). These differences mostly extend to the title page and running head. Crucially, citation practices do not differ between the two styles of paper.

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Nursing & Medicine Research Guide: APA 7th Ed. Citations, Paraphrasing, and More

• Overview - Best Links for Research
• Books, eBooks, & Study Guides
• Health Science Reference Books
• Selected Journals & Current Articles
• Federal, State & Local Resources
• International & Private Foundation Sites
• More Recommended Websites
• Consumer Health Sites
• Video Tutorials: Keywords, Peer-review, How to Read Articles, & More
• APA 7th Ed. Citations, Paraphrasing, and More
• Endnote Reference Manager

Get Up to Speed with NEW APA Style 7th Edition VIDEO Resources!

APA Style 7th Edition: Student Paper Formatting

An audio/visual guide to formatting student research papers by Samuel Forlenza, PhD (for Contents time stamps, link to YouTube - ad supported). This video highlights how to properly set up an APA Style paper for students, which includes setting margins and font; creating a title page; organizing the main text with section headings; and (if needed), formatting pages for references, footnotes, tables, figures, and appendices. For textual instructions, go to Handouts and Guides - Paper Format.

APA Style 7th Edition: Professional Publication Paper Formatting

An audio/visual guide to formatting student research papers by Samuel Forlenza, PhD (for Contents time stamps, link to YouTube - ad supported). This video highlights how to properly set up an APA Style paper for Professional Publication. For textual instructions, go to Handouts and Guides - Paper Format.

APA Style 7th Edition: In-Text Citations, Quotations, and Plagiarism

An audio/visual guide to formatting your in-text citations by Samuel Forlenza, PhD (for Contents time stamps, link to YouTube - ad supported).This video will go through what plagiarism is and how to avoid it; how to cite sources using both parenthetical and narrative in-text citations; how to cite organizations, multiple sources at once, and avoid duplicate citations; and how to quote shorter and longer passages.

APA Style 7th Ed.: Reference Lists (Journal Articles, Books, Reports, Theses, Websites, more!)

An audio/visual guide to formatting your Reference List by Samuel Forlenza, PhD (for Contents time stamps, link to YouTube - ad supported). This video demonstrates how to format a reference list page and use a hanging indent; the four different elements of a reference list entry; and how to reference journal articles, books, chapters, reports, presentations, theses, and websites, plus numerous variations. For a textual resource, go to Reference Quick Guide.

Creating References Using Seventh Edition APA Style

The APA Style team, in cooperation with the American Library Association, provides an in-depth look at the simplified 7th ed. reference system. This video describes the rationale behind it, how to format references using it, and the ways in which references are easier to create because of it. Most importantly, it demonstrates how to cite a work found online. The APA Style experts use real-life examples to walk through the process of creating references for a variety of common webpages and websites, including ones with missing or hard-to-locate information, found via a database, and needing electronic source information (DOIs, URLs, and retrieval dates).

What’s New in APA Style—Inside the Seventh Edition of the Publication Manual of the APA

This What's New video is by the editors of the 7th edition style guide produced in cooperation with the American Library Association. It provides a comprehensive narrative of significant changes in the new edition. For a chapter-by-chapter textual guide to changes, see What’s New in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, Seventh Edition (PDF, 1MB) .

APA Style Official Guide, 7th ed. TEXTUAL Resources

APA citation style refers to the rules and conventions established by the American Psychological Association for documenting sources used in a research paper. The APA Citation Style is often used for courses in psychology, education, business and other social sciences.

• APA 7th. ed. Style and Grammar Guidelines

Citation Machine

• Generate a Citation in APA 7th ed. Style!

Examples of APA Style for a Variety of Resources

• Purdue University Online Writing Lab (OWL) These OWL resources will help you learn how to use the American Psychological Association (APA) citation and format style. Authoritative resources on in-text citation and the References page, as well as APA sample papers, slide presentations, and the APA classroom poster.

Why You Need to Cite Sources

Quick Guide to Paraphrasing

Plagiarism, Paraphrasing, and Summarizing

• What is Plagiarism? Tutorial By the University of Southern Mississippi libraries.
• How to Avoid Plagiarism: Paraphrasing and Summarizing By the University of Southern Mississippi libraries.
• Avoiding Plagiarism - Safe Practices From Purdue's Online Writing Center (OWL), includes sections on Best Practices for Research and Drafting as well as Revising, proofreading, and finalizing your paper.

Citation Tools

How to use Citation Tools in our Databases - Tutorial

Legacy Links for APA Style, 6th ed.

APA Style Central for the 6th ed. - On this site, you will find limited archived information for the previous edition of the guide.

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• Clark College Libraries
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• Nursing Research
• APA 7 Style

Nursing Research: APA 7 Style

• Nursing Resources
• Search Tips
• Advanced Search Tips
• Database Subject Headings (CINAHL & MeSH)
• Find Full Text Articles
• Research FAQs
• APA 7 Examples
• Find an Article From a Nursing Journal
• Library Session

APA Handout - 7th Edition

• Clark Libraries APA 7 Quick Guide This 6-page handout lists lots of examples for citing sources in APA 7 format.

APA 7 Citation Resources

• For fonts, use one of the following: 12-point Times New Roman, 11-point Georgia, 11-point Calibri, 11-point Arial, or 10-point Lucida Sans Unicode.
• Only one space after a period.
• Make a correct template for papers with title page and reuse.
• Use automatically generated citations from article databases, but don't trust them!  Correct as needed.
• To cite in a PowerPoint presentation , use in text citations on the slide(s) where your information is, and create a references slide to list your full references on at the end.

Handouts and Links

• Purdue OWL (Online Writing Lab) APA 7 Guide
• APA 7 Style Guide APA 7 style and grammar guide from the American Psychological Association
• APA 7 Style Blog
• APA 7 In-text Citations
• APA 7 Reference List
• APA 7 Supplemental Resources Information on paper elements and format, bias-free language, and more.
• APA 7 Quick Reference Guide
• APA 7 Example Student Paper
• APA 7 Title Page Guide
• Nursing Textbooks Reference List APA 7 Suggested citations for textbooks--double check against the edition and version you're using

Steps for creating an APA 7 title page

Example Student Title Page:

APA 7 DOI Guidelines

• It is not necessary to include the words “Retrieved from” or “Accessed from” before a DOI or URL in the Reference List.
• Although older works use previous DOI formats (e.g., “http:/dx.doi.org/” or “doi:” or “DOI:” before the DOI number), in your reference list, standardize DOIs into the current preferred format for all entries. For example, use https://doi.org/10.1037/a0040251 in your reference list even though that article, published in 2016, presented the number in an older format.
• Do I use a DOI or URL?

" For works without DOIs from most academic research databases , do not include a URL or database information... Provide the name [and URL] of the database or archive when it publishes original, proprietary works available only in that database or archive...."

Clark databases with proprietary works (provide name of database and URL for database home page):

• CultureGrams , https://online.culturegrams.com/
• CQ Researcher , https://library.cqpress.com/cqresearcher/
• Cite journal articles found in History Study Center as a print journal
• Lexicomp for Dentistry , https://online.lexi.com/lco/action/login
• WOIS , https://www.wois.org/
• Vocational Biographies , https://www.vocbio.com/
• shortDOI.org You may use shortDOIs or shortened URLs if desired. Use the shortDOI service provided by the International DOI Foundation to create shortDOIs. Some websites provide their own branded shortened URLs. Any shortened URL is acceptable in a reference as long as you check the link to ensure that it takes you to the correct location.

APA 7 Manual

Citation Basics: APA vs. MLA

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NURSING: Research Guide | Cite Your Sources: APA

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• Cite Your Sources: APA

Need help with APA?

In This Section

In this section, you'll find:.

• Two  tutorials for learning about and practicing APA references and in-text citations

Did you know?

American Psychological Association (APA) style is the standard citation style used for psychology and many other academic disciplines, especially in the social sciences and health sciences. It's one of the most commonly used citation styles at UJ.

APA Style, 7th Ed.

Raugust library apa quick guide.

• APA 7th Ed. Quick Guide (PDF)

Need more detail?

Find the APA Style Manual in Raugust Library in the Reference Section:

APA uses a References page at the end of your paper and author-date in-text citations. Author-date in-text citations are just that - they include the author and the year of publication in parentheses after a paraphrase or a quote. A References page at the end of your paper lists all of your sources alphabetically.

In-text citation basic format:

(Author last name, Year)

(Author last name, Year, p. ##)

Reference list citation basic format:

Author, A. A. & Author, B. B. Title of the work. Source where others can find the work (journal or publication info, for example). DOI or URL

Additional APA Resources

• APA Style The official website for APA Style. Includes examples and explanations for citations as well as grammar, paper formatting, and more.
• APA Formatting and Style Guide (Purdue OWL)

APA Tutorials

Want to test your knowledge.

Try these tutorials created by Raugust Library:

• Citing Your Sources in APA (7th ed.) - References
• Citing Your Sources in APA (7th ed.) - In-text Citations
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APA Style 7th ed - Citation Guide for Nursing & Health Sciences

• Intro to APA

APA Mini Tutorial

Resources from the apa.

• In-Text Citations
• Articles (Online)
• Articles (Print)
• Clinical Practice Guidelines
• CPS and Mobile Apps
• Webpages & Websites
• Government Publications
• Indigenous Elders and Knowledge Keepers
• Audiovisual Media
• Secondary Sources (Indirect quotes)
• Sample Papers and Writing Help

The American Psychological Association (APA) style of documentation is widely used in behavioral, health and social sciences. This guide provides examples for citing common types of sources and identifying them in the text of your essay.

APA Style has two citation components. The reference list is found at the end of your essay. It lists all the sources cited in the text of your paper, described with 4 basic elements: the author, date, title, and source (where the work can be retrieved). In-text citations appear in the body of your paper as your sources are cited and use a brief author-date format. 

You may not always find guidelines or examples specific to the kind of source you want to cite. Keep in mind that the intent of the reference list is to give enough information for the reader to locate the works. Do the best you can, and make sure the format of all your references is consistent.

For help beyond the scope of this guide, three sources from the APA provide in-depth information:

• The APA Style website from the APA has extensive freely available resources, including Style and Grammar Guidelines and Instructional Aids . These include reference and in-text examples, sample papers, and much more.  
• APA Style Blog is the official companion to the APA Publication Manual, 7th edition. This free website offers weekly posts and updates, extensive examples and thorough explanations. Excellent resource for more nuanced questions about APA Style.

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• URL: https://langara.libguides.com/apa7-nurs

NURS 3030: Evidence-Based Practice in Nursing

• General Information
• PICO(T) Question Assignment
• CINAHL and Other Databases
• Actions 1-3: Keyword Searching
• Action 4: Combine Search Sets
• Action 5: Apply Limiters
• Action 6: Search History Screen Capture
• Action 7: Select One Research Article
• Resources for Clinical Topic Information
• Accessing Full-Text Articles

APA Manual (7th Edition) - Available at Mulford Library

Apa 7th edition - general online resources, apa 7th edition - style and formatting resources, sample papers, apa formatting options in research databases, endnote: software to help you format papers.

• Need Help? Ask Your Nursing Librarian

For reputable online resources about APA Style, explore the following links: 

• General Resources on APA
• Specific Style and Formatting Resources on APA
• APA Sample Papers
• Grammarly Free APA Citation Generator
• UToledo Libraries Citation Guide - New APA 7th Edition
• UToledo Writing Center - Quick Guide to APA 7th Edition
• UToledo Writing Center - Online Tutoring
• Purdue OWL - APA 7th Edition

The following links from the APA Style website will provide you with information on how to format papers and cite/reference sources according to the APA 7th Edition guidelines. 

• Paper Format
• Title Page Setup
• In-Text Citations
• Reference Examples

View sample papers formatted in APA 7th Edition style from the following online resources:

• APA Style Website - Sample Papers
• Purdue OWL - APA 7th Edition Sample Paper

Most research databases (such as CINAHL or PubMed) provide options for quickly formatting a selected reference from your database search results in APA Style. Instructions for using these tools are provided below.  IMPORTANT! Please use these citation tools cautiously and be sure to check for accuracy by consulting the original APA Style guidelines (see resources above). 

CINAHL  (and other EBSCOhost databases)

• From your search results list in CINAHL, or any database on the EBSCOhost interface (such as MEDLINE or PsycINFO), click the title of the article you want to reference. 
• A Citation Format screen will appear with examples of how your selected article reference should be formatted according to a variety of styles, including APA 7th Edition . 
• Highlight the reference, and copy and paste.
• Check the reference for accuracy and edit accordingly. 

PubMed  (access via the PubMed @ UT link )

• From your search results list in PubMed, click the title of the article you want to reference.

• A small pop-up window will appear with your selected article reference
• Under the Format menu (lower right corner), choose APA .
• Click the Copy option to copy the reference, then paste into your document.

All UToledo students, faculty, and staff can download a copy of the EndNote bibliographic management software program for free . 

EndNote helps you format papers according to specific styles, including APA 7th Edition . When writing lengthy papers, EndNote can save you time and frustration by automatically inserting in-text citations and formatting your reference list. 

Download EndNote

• Go to  http://myutaccount.utoledo.edu  
• Click  Login to Manage Your Services  and enter your UTAD username and password
• Under  Software Downloads  click  Download EndNote Software
• Save and run the appropriate EndNote20 installer for your operating system (either Mac or Windows )
• Visit the EndNote LibGuide for step-by-step instructions and tutorials
• View this helpful series of EndNote Video Tutorials by Prof. Wade Lee-Smith, UToledo Libraries

Schedule an EndNote Consultation

• Your UToledo Nursing Librarian, Jodi Jameson   provides individual consultations on how to use EndNote
• Schedule a virtual or in-person consultation with Jodi at  https://calendly.com/jodijameson/consult  or contact Jodi directly ([email protected] | 419.383.5152 | 4th Floor Mulford Library, 8:30-5 M-F)
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Evidence Based Nursing Practice (01-481)

• Choose a topic
• Discover methodology & structure
• Find articles using keywords
• APA Style Tutorials

What's in this guide?

Additional apa help, apa style manual.

• Sample papers

Citation FAQ

Ask a Librarian

• journal, magazine, newspaper, and proceedings articles

Books/eBooks

• print and online books, chapters, and edited books/eBooks
• Webpages, a webpage with a group author or no author/date

Gov't/Legal

• cases, laws, and government publications
• social media, radio or music, video, music, etc.

Unpublished

• Class documents, interview/letter/email, test

Stats/Figures

• Statistics and figures (graphs, charts, maps, drawings, photographs)
• parenthetical referencing examples within the text
• citing author names within the text
• formatting of author variations (one or more, no named author, multiple sources by the same author) within the Works Cited
• ask for research or citing help at the Library Services Desk or by chat/text messaging, email, or phone
• APA Style Blog
• APA Checklist
• Missing Reference Information
• Citing Business Sources
• Citing Pro/Con Sources
• Citing Education Sources (ERIC Doc)

• Sample student paper (APA)
• Sample Paper (Purdue OWL)
• Sample professional paper (APA)

Formatting citations in:

Microsoft Word

Google Docs

Apple Pages

• APA - Student and Professional Title Page Examples
• Citation FAQ Find answers to commonly asked questions regarding APA, CSE, MLA, and Turabian styles.

The formatting and citation examples in this guide are based upon rules and examples in   the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association: The Official Guide to APA Style, 7th edition . If you would like additions or would like to report a correction to this guide, please contact  Lori Mardis . 

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Purdue Online Writing Lab Purdue OWL® College of Liberal Arts

List of Nursing Resources on the Purdue OWL

Welcome to the Purdue OWL

This page is brought to you by the OWL at Purdue University. When printing this page, you must include the entire legal notice.

Copyright ©1995-2018 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use.

As a nursing student, you will write different types of texts, such as research papers and group presentations. All of this writing has common characteristics: to be concise, evidence-based, supported by credible and appropriate research, to be professional, and to follow APA style. This section offers resources that are designed to help nursing students with these and other writing concerns.

American Psychological Association (APA)

APA Style Workshop

APA Citation Rules

APA is used in scientific and social scientific disciplines, including nursing, and standardizes research and citation formats. These links provide information for APA style, with the first link offering an overview of APA style and the second providing specific APA rules and sample APA papers.

APA Paper Sample

This sample shows you how to write and format a nursing research paper in APA.

The Rhetorical Situation

This PowerPoint presentation will help you understand the importance of the context in which you write. There are many factors that influence your writing: you, the writer; your purpose; your audience; your context; and the culture surrounding the context. For example, you will write differently for your professors than you will for your patients. Their varying education levels and different situations, or context, will cause you to use different language and present your topic differently.

Audience Analysis

This resource will help you with one important part of the rhetorical situation: analyzing your audience and tailoring your writing to fit your audience’s needs. There is also a handout available on this page with a chart to help you with your audience analysis.

Writing Scientific Abstracts

This PowerPoint presentation discusses the importance of writing abstracts and offers tools on how to write them. Abstracts allow you to present information in a clear, concise manner and are part of writing in APA style.

Conducting Primary Research

Primary research is an important component while writing as a nursing student. It allows you to support your argument, or thesis statement, with evidence; this, in turn, creates ethos, or credibility, for you as an author. This link offers many resources about primary research, including how to get started and how to conduct the various kinds of primary research.

Conducting an Interview

This PowerPoint presentation discusses the steps involved in conducting an interview as part of primary research. You may be asked to conduct an interview with clinical nurses, patients, or physicians as part of a writing assignment or research paper. Consult this PowerPoint before contacting your interviewee because it offers tips for how to contact him or her.

Database Research Tutorial from the Purdue Library

Engaging in secondary research, or research that is gathered from existing research performed and published by another author, is an essential part of writing as a nursing student. Using databases is one way to collect information, and this resource links to the Purdue Library’s tutorial on how to use databases.

Searching the World Wide Web

The Internet is a convenient and useful way to gather information; however, nursing professors expect their students to perform research that goes beyond a Google search. This PowerPoint presentation offers strategies for conducting Internet research, and it explains components of using the Internet you may not be familiar with, for example, the visible and invisible web. Use this PowerPoint presentation in conjunction with the database research tutorial for a good overview of how to conduct Internet research.

Evaluating Sources of Information

Not all sources of information are credible or reliable, and it is your job as a nursing student to be able to tell the difference. This resource offers different ways to decipher whether or not a source is credible.

Documenting Electronic Sources

When conducting secondary research, you might come across credible electronic sources that you would like to integrate into your writing. Documenting these sources properly is important because it builds your credibility as a writer, and it shows your readers, i.e., your nursing professors, that you have followed APA guidelines. This resource provides information and links to other resources that will help you properly document electronic sources.

Annotated Bibliographies

Annotated bibliographies, a summary and/or evaluation of sources, can help you organize your research. This resource explains the purpose of annotated bibliographies and provides examples. There are examples for APA, MLA, and CMS on this page; be sure to follow the APA format, as each citation style differs.

Thesis: Establishing an Argument

This page explains the importance of a thesis and how you can create an effective statement. Thesis statements are important to your writing because they control the paper’s overall purpose. These statements are especially important for you as a nursing student because writing in nursing should be logical, organized, concise, and clear; having a strong thesis will help you achieve this type of writing.

Grammar, Mechanics, and a Brief Discussion about Revision

The Grammar and Mechanics section on the OWL will help you learn how to use correct language. Using correct grammar will help your ethos, i.e., it will build your credibility, and it makes your writing appear more professional. One way to help improve your grammar is by reviewing the pages within the grammar and mechanics section and by completing the grammar and mechanics exercises. Another way to help correct grammar mistakes is by revising your writing. You can fix most of your grammar errors by reading your paper aloud before you turn it into your professor. Reading your paper aloud also offers you a chance to hear your writing, and you may find that some of the ideas you thought were clear are not as clear or organized as you hoped they would be.

Designing an Effective PowerPoint Presentation

PowerPoint presentations are a useful tool to use when delivering individual or group presentations. This PowerPoint presentation defines the basic elements of a PowerPoint slideshow and discusses how you can use these elements in effective and professional ways.

Personal Statements

Personal statements are an important part of the application process for nursing school. This section of resources offers writing samples and information that will help guide you while writing the personal statement. While using these resources and writing your statement, keep in mind the specific application for which you writing, as different nursing schools ask for different types of personal statements, i.e., the applications may ask you to respond to different types of questions.

Résumés and Cover Letters

Résumés and cover letters are important documents traditionally created toward the end of your nursing education, though it never hurts to start creating them during the start of your education. Use these resources to help you create your résumé and cover letter. You also might find it useful to consult the rhetorical situation and audience analysis resources, as these resources will help you understand the context in which and for which you will create your résumé and cover letter. Links to commonly used databases and sites: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/PubMed http://www.apastyle.org/manual/whats-new.aspx http://www.apastyle.org/ Databases available through the Purdue Library website: Academic Search Premier Health Source: Nursing/Academic Edition MEDLINE CINAHL

Subject Guide: Nursing

• Finding Articles
• Finding Books
• Reference Sources
• APA Citation & Papers
• Health Statistics
• Nursing Orientation This link opens in a new window

Technical Services Librarian

APA Citation Style

Please visit the apa style website for assistance: https://apastyle.apa.org/, helpful guides to apa style.

• Student Paper Heading Levels, APA, Style 7th Edittion
• Quick Reference Guide, APA Style, 7th Editon
• Sample Student Paper
• Sample Student Paper, APA Style, 7th Edition
• Student Title Page Guide, APA Style, 7th Edition
• What’s New in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, Seventh Edition
• 7th Edition Six Steps to Proper Citation

APA Tutorial

Academic writer tutorial: basics of seventh edition apa style.

For one-on-one help with writing projects, please consider contacting MSUM's University Writing Support Center. 

https://www.mnstate.edu/write/

APA Instructional Videos for Nursing

Print version of textbook, government/group author webpage.

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• Last Updated: Jul 17, 2024 9:34 AM
• URL: https://libguides.mnstate.edu/nursing

Holman Library

• GRC Holman Library
• Green River LibGuides
• Library Instruction
• APA Formatted Paper Example
• PN (Practical Nursing) Students
• BSN (Bachelor of Science) Students
• Evaluate by Specific Criteria
• Distinguish Source Types: Popular, Trade and Scholarly Journals
• Identify & Analyze Scholarly Articles
• Identify Research Study Types
• Critically Appraise Research Study Methodology
• Explore Topic Ideas
• Start with Background Info
• PICOT: Develop Your Research Question
• Construct an Advanced Search
• Find Scholarly (Peer Reviewed) Articles
• Find Different Research Study Types
• Find Web Sites
• Find Images
• Find Nursing Videos
• Find Pharmacology Info
• Find NCLEX and other Nursing Exams Test Prep
• Citation Basics
• Avoid Plagiarism
• Create APA Citations
• Synthesize Sources
• Publisher: Tips on Creating a Brochure
• Poster Printing

APA Style Offers Two Choices for Paper Formatting: Student and Professional

Sample apa 7 student paper.

• Sample APA 7 Professional Paper

Sample Student Paper  

(Click on image to open the PDF view and enlarge)

Formatting Your Essay Papers: APA Style

Source: "Formatting Your Essay Paper: APA Style" by Holman Library is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

• Locate the Citations Guide (length = 1:21)
• Examine Two Sample APA Papers (length = 6:06)
• Create a Header and Page Numbers in MS Word (length =3:43)

APA Handbooks

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• Last Updated: Aug 14, 2024 4:02 PM
• URL: https://libguides.greenriver.edu/nursing