The Wonderful World of APA 7: Advice and Favorite Changes

With the summer term starts, Walden University has officially adopted APA 7 across the university community. The Writing Center instructors and editors have been busy preparing for the shift, working with faculty and students on this transition to APA 7, and we are excited that the entire university is now using APA 7.

APA 7 incorporates many changes that are responsive to current writing and researching practices, and it clarifies some APA 6 rules that were cumbersome or confusing. Take a look at few favorite APA 7 changes of Writing Center staff and Walden faculty below.

What rule change are you excited about in APA 7?

·       Simplified rules for when articles do not have a DOI. –Claire Helakoski, Writing Center Writing Instructor

·       Always include the issue number in journal article references where available. Much easier and quicker to reference! –Dr. Kate Andrews, Contributing Faculty, PhD College of Management and Technology

·       One of the APA rule changes I am most excited about is the streamlining of et al. use, so now sources with three or more authors follow et al. format for each citation. –Veronica Oliver, Writing Center Writing Instructor

·       A few folks mention APA 7’s endorsement of singular “they”:

o   Singular "they" and the rationale behind it! –Dr. Jan Garfield, Core Faculty, Doctor of Business Administration

o   There are so many, but I'm particularly excited that the new edition explicitly supports the use of the singular "they". This is an example of putting people before rules, and adjusting expectations around language to reflect the inclusiveness we want to embody in our work. –Grete Howland, Writing Center Writing Instructor

With all this enthusiasm, we also recognize that students, staff, and faculty are just beginning to learn the APA 7 guidelines. We have many resources available to help you continue your journey:

·       Our APA6 and APA 7 Comparison Tables highlight the primary differences between APA 6 and APA 7, and the new APA7 Transition FAQ documents the most common transition questions we’ve heard from students and faculty.

·       The APA Citations and Style Webinar Recordings are now all in APA 7, including our APA 7 at a Glance sessions that detail the major changes from APA 6 to APA 7.

·       The General Templates and Doctoral Capstone Templates have been updated for APA 7. You now have the option of accessing the Doctoral Capstone Templates and Prospectus Templates in either APA 6 or APA 7.

·       All of the Writing Center’s APA Style instruction is now updated for APA 7, so you can get the most up-to-date information from our website.

These are only a few of the ways you can develop your APA 7 skills! See some excellent recommendations from Writing Center staff and Walden faculty below.

What will you be doing to continue to learn and engage with APA 7?

·       I will continue to follow APA on social media to gain insight on their reasoning behind their guidelines. This helps me understand how to apply the rule in various situations. –Lauri Barnes, Writing Center Writing Instructor

·       I've participated in several webinars online. I've accessed a few "tip" guides online too that highlight the major changes between APA 6th and 7th. [One example is the Writing Center’s APA6 & 7 Comparison Tables!] Lastly, I've updated my EndNote program to make sure that APA 7th edition format is installed. –Dr. Terrell Strayhorn, Contributing Faculty, Riley College of Education

·       To continue to learn and engage with APA 7, I plan to review Writing Center APA resources, such as the “APA7 at a Glance: Changes and Support for the Switch” webinar. –Veronica Oliver, Writing Center Writing Instructor

·       As I write articles and finish up a Master's thesis, I am actively engaging APA and highlighting those sections reviewed. Look at the index highlight and then the actual page. –Dr. Ora Robinson, Contributing faculty, College of Nursing

·       I'll be watching all of the Writing Center's new APA 7 webinars, and staying in conversation with my colleagues to clarify rules and figure out the best way to communicate changes. –Grete Howland, Writing Center Writing Instructor

We invite you to post your favorite APA 7 change and how you will continue to learn APA 7 in the comments below! 

The Walden University Writing Center provides a broad range of writing instruction and editing services for students, including writing assistance for undergraduates, graduate students, and doctoral capstone writers.

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