The Australian College of Physical Education

STYLE GUIDE FOR THE

PRESENTATION
OF ASSIGNMENTS & ACADEMIC WORKS

The Australian College of Physical Education

Operated by ACPE LTD
ABN 28 107 480 848
8 Figtree Drive
SYDNEY OLYMPIC PARK NSW 2127

© ACPE LTD, Marilyn Wagstaff & Sarah Jones

Revised Edition 2009, Marilyn Wagstaff

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. The Presentation of Academic Works 5

1.1. Document Appearance and Arrangement 5

1.2. A Glossary of Key Verbs 9

1.3. A Sample of Assessment Tasks 11

1.4. Useful Resources 11

2. Use and Acknowledgement of Sources 12

2.1. Direct Quotations 12

2.1.1. Formatting Rules for Direct Quotations 13

2.2. Paraphrasing 14

2.3. Referencing a Source within Your Text 14

2.3.1. Multiple Studies by Different Authors 14

2.3.2. Multiple Studies by a Single Author 14

2.3.3. Multiple Authors 14

2.3.4. Page Numbers 15

2.3.5. Group or Organisation as Author 15

2.3.6. No Date 16

2.3.7. No Author 16

2.3.8. Secondary Source 16

2.3.9. Personal Communication 16

2.3.10. Electronic Sources 16

2.3.11 Figures 17

2.3.12 Tables 18

2.3.13 Legal Materials 19

3. The Reference List 20

4. Reference List 33

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4
STYLE GUIDE FOR THE PRESENTATION OF ASSIGNMENTS &
ACADEMIC WORKS

This style guide is intended for use in the preparation of all written assessment tasks
in the courses of study offered by the Australian College of Physical Education
(ACPE). This guide will assist students in presenting works that are both professional
in appearance and easily read and assessed.
An academic work is the presentation of a well thought out and well researched
response. The form of presentation is an important aspect of the process itself and
should be mastered by all students as soon as possible. Professional presentation gives
credibility to the work and a positive impression on behalf of the reader. The
following guidelines should be followed in all academic works unless otherwise
directed by your lecturers. To acknowledge various sources used in academic works,
the College has adopted the American Psychological Association (APA) style of
referencing.
It is in your best interest to keep a copy of all submitted work. It is also recommended
that you take note of any comments/feedback that assessors provide and apply these
to subsequent assignments.

1. THE PRESENTATION OF ACADEMIC WORKS

1.1 Document Appearance and Arrangement

Alignment • Justified.
Appendix / • Include an appendix section if you have extra material such as
Appendices graphs, diagrams, sample questionnaires, etc. that do not need to
be immersed in the body of your work.
Clarity / • The work should follow a clear structure:
Organisation o Title Page - see the ‘Title Page’ section for details regarding
the information you must include.
o Table of Contents - generally applicable for reports; see the
‘Table of Contents’ section for details.
o Introduction – introduces the reader to the problem to be
discussed, gives background information, and states the
purpose of the work.
o Body – an in-depth discussion of the relevant points of
interest. Refer to sections on ‘Sentence Structure’ and
‘Paragraph Structure’.
o Conclusion – a summary of the points/findings covered in the
body of the piece. Highlight your own thoughts; suggest
recommendations for further work, etc.
o Reference List – should contain a variety of different sources
(journals, books, electronic, etc.) to make your paper credible.
Follow the APA format. See the, “Use and Acknowledgement
of Sources” section in this document for correct referencing
methods.
Consistency • Maintain consistency with respect to formatting, style, tense,
units of measure, etc. throughout the entire piece of work.

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Font • Size 12.
• Times New Roman or Arial style.
Illustrations • Charts, graphs, illustrations, etc. should not flow over multiple
pages as they become difficult to view.
• Include a short description, along with a reference, beneath the
illustration. This description is in addition to any explanation and
reference you make in the text. The reader should be able to easily
interpret their meaning and know where it came from at a glance.
• If several illustrations are incorporated in your paper, it is
preferred that you include a ‘List of Illustrations’, with the page
numbers, on a separate page that follows the Table of Contents.
• For examples of illustrations, please refer to section 2.3.11
Indenting • Indent to indicate a new paragraph.
• See the, ‘Use and Acknowledgement of Sources’ section of this
document for the use of indents with direct quotes.
Language • Vocabulary should be formal with no short-forms, short-hand or
slang.
• Avoid unnecessary jargon/complicated terminology. Use
straightforward, easy-to-understand English to accommodate a
range of readers.
• To use an acronym, first write the meaning in full, followed by the
acronym in brackets.
Example: The Australian College of Physical Education,
(ACPE)
The acronym can then be used on its own throughout the rest of
the work.
• Use a thesaurus to prevent repetitive use of the same word.
• Proofread and edit your work. Check spelling, grammar and
punctuation.
Margins • Left: 4cm (1.57”) for the marker’s comments.
• Right: 3cm (1.25”)
• Top and bottom: 2.5cm (1”)
• Adjust margins in ‘Page Setup’ of MS Word.
Numbers • Spell out numbers one to nine in full. Use figures for number 10
and above.
Example: … eight, nine, 10, 11, 12 …
• Spell out simple fractions and hyphenate.
Example: one-quarter
• Use figures for mixed fractions.
Example: 4 1/3
Page • Use the number format beginning on the first page after the title
Numbers page.
Example: 1, 2, 3, 4…
• Bottom centre or right-aligned.
Paper • White A4.
• One side only.
• Stapled at the top-left corner; no paper clips.
Paragraph • Each paragraph within the body should deal with one main idea
Structure that is usually stated at the beginning of the paragraph – this is
known as the ‘topic sentence’. The sentences that follow should
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 then discuss/argue/analyse etc. the topic sentence, using your own
thoughts and other credible sources.
• Thoughts should follow a logical progression and demonstrate a
clear understanding of the material.
Person, • 1st person = Written from your own point of view.
Tense, Voice Example:
i My professional experience taught me ...
ii The experience left me feeling …

• 3rd person = Written from the perspective of an observer.

Example:
i It was found that both groups in the study …
ii The researchers determined that the most common injury in
adolescent ballet dancers is …

• In general, technical papers should be written in the:

o Third person (impersonal)
o Past tense (occurred in the past)
Example:
‘It was determined’, as opposed to ‘She is determining’.
o Passive voice
Example:
The ball was hit …
(Active voice = The batsman hit the ball ….)

• In narrative/reflective writing, tense and voice will vary depending

on the assessment task. However, these types of works are
generally written in the:
o First person (personal)
Example:
I began my studies at ACPE in 2006.

* When writing in the first person, avoid the overuse of “I”.

Scientific • When writing a report, include the following headings:
Reports o Abstract/Summary – briefly state the problem, discuss the
purpose for doing the research, and outline the conclusions
drawn.
o Introduction – state the problem, background information, and
the hypothesis being tested.
o Method – include subjects, materials/equipment, and
procedures.
o Results – summarise the facts; include illustrations if
. applicable.
o Discussion – evaluate and interpret the information in the
results section. Note any errors made, etc.
o Conclusions and/or Recommendations – discuss the findings in
relation to the introduction. Make recommendations for further
research and/or for adapting the current research.
o Reference List – use the APA referencing style.
Spacing • Double-spaced lines.
• Place one space after a full-stop.
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Sentence • Use full sentences (i.e. they contain both a noun and a verb).
Structure o Noun = A person, place or thing.
A ‘thing’ can include a quality (e.g. happiness).
o Verb = An action word that relates to the noun.
Example:
‘Students who follow this style guide will improve their grades.’
noun verb noun verb noun

• Be concise and to the point. Avoid run-on sentences by writing short

sentences that contain a single thought or idea.

Incorrect: “There are a number of career paths that students can

take once they graduate with a sports business degree from ACPE
and some examples of these include facility management, event
management, and sports marketing which many prospective students
find interesting.”

Correct: “There are a number of career paths that students can take
once they graduate with a sports business degree from ACPE. A few
examples of the areas they can explore include facility management,
event management and sports marketing. Many prospective students
are drawn to the fact that the degree offers numerous career
opportunities.”
Table of • If writing a report, organise your work under section headings. If the
Contents assignment requires a table of contents, insert it directly after the title
page. List the headings in the order that they appear in the text and
include the page numbers where each heading can be found.
• If including an appendix/appendices section (see the ‘Appendix’
section), label each one as A, B, C … in the order they appear in the
text.
Title Page • All academic works must be submitted with the official ACPE cover
sheet (available from the website) attached to the front.
Word • The title page, references, appendices, etc. do not count toward word
Count count requirements.

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1.2 Glossary of Descriptive Verbs

Verb Definition
Account, State reasons for; report on. Give an account of; narrate a series of
events or transactions
Account for

Analyse Identify components and the relationships between them; draw out
and relate implications
Apply Use in a particular situation
Appreciate Make a value judgement
Assess Make a judgement of value, quality, outcomes, results or size
Calculate Determine from given facts, figures or information

Clarify Make clear or understandable

Classify Arrange or include in classes or categories
Show how things are similar or different
Compare
Emphasise similarities but also note differences
Construct Make; build; put together items or arguments
Show how things are different or opposite
Contrast Emphasise differences between characteristics but also note
similarities
Add a degree or level of accuracy, depth, knowledge and
Critically
understanding, logic, questioning, reflection and quality to an
(Analyse/Evaluate) analysis or evaluation

Express your judgement about the truth or usefulness of views or

Criticize
factors
Deduce Draw conclusions
State meaning and identify essential qualities
Define
Give clear, concise, reliable meaning
Demonstrate Show by example
Provide characteristics and features
Describe
Recount; relate in a sequence; illustrate
Identify issues and provide points for and/or against
Discuss
Consider various points of view or perspectives
Distinguish Show/point out as being distinct or different from; note differences
between items

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 Evaluate Make a judgement based on criteria; determine the value of
Give your viewpoint; cite limitations and advantages; provide
reliable evidence to support your views
Examine Explore; question; investigate
Explain Relate cause and effect; make the relationships between things
evident; provide why and/or how; give reasons for differences of
opinion or of results; clarify; interpret
Extract Choose relevant details
Extrapolate Draw conclusions from what is known
Identify Recognise and name
Illustrate Use a diagram or example to clarify a point
Interpret Draw conclusions
Translate; give examples or comment on the topic; usually give
your viewpoints
Investigate Question and draw conclusions about

Justify Support an argument or conclusion

Outline Outline in general terms; indicate the main features
Give a description of the main elements and stress the arrangement
or organisation
Suggest what may happen based on available information; use
Predict
reliable evidence to support your prediction
Propose Present a point of view, idea, argument or suggestion for
consideration or action
Recall Present remembered ideas, facts or experiences

Recommend Provide reasons in favour

Recount Re-tell a series of events

Examine a subject critically; analyse a subject or comment on
Review
statements about it
Present main points in brief, clear sequence, usually omitting minor
State
details and examples.
Communicate, concisely, the relevant details, omitting details and
Summarise
illustrations
Putting together various elements to make a whole; create links and
Synthesise
connections between ideas

(Board of Studies NSW, 2007) and (York University Counselling and Development Centre, 2006).

1.3 A Sample of Assessment Tasks

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 Narrative /
Expository Persuasive/Argumentative
Reflection
Description The communication Involves telling a Persuading the reader to
of facts to inform the story or sequence of accept a particular opinion,
reader. events. or side of an argument, as
true.
Example A scientific report. A discussion of the A comparison of the
process the writer differing definitions of
went through to ‘health’.
learn something.
Written in 3rd person 1st person 3rd person
Notes Often contain Discusses the various
headings to organise aspects of the argument.
information. Often uses evidence from a
variety of credible sources to
back up the writer’s stated
position.
These are general guidelines. Details may vary with each assessment task. See your lecturers for
clarification.

1.4 Academic Support & Resources

There are a number of different resources you can access for assistance in writing
academic works. Besides seeking help from your lecturer or unit coordinator, you
may wish to approach staff from the Library or the Academic Development Office
(ADO).

The ADO provides a range of services to support student learning, and the ADO
SkillZone has numerous links to online information and resources to help you to
enhance your academic skills and prepare you for the future.

There are numerous books in the ‘800’ section of the library, as well as links to online
information via the library’s Information Literacy Skills website. In addition, the
Library has an online information skills tutorial to help students to enhance their
academic and information literacy skills.

InfoSkills Online Tutorial

The InfoSkills program is a self-paced interactive tutorial which provides users with
advice about planning for research, finding and evaluating information, recognising
and avoiding plagiarism, academic writing skills, referencing and academic integrity.
This tutorial can be found at http://infoskills.live.komosion.com/

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2. USE AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF SOURCES

As the writer of an academic work, you will need to consult a number of different
sources, including books, articles, reports and electronic resources, to support your
own thoughts and ideas. Using a number of different sources that discuss different
perspectives and ideas about a topic will allow you to write a well-formed paper.

It is imperative that you acknowledge these sources within your academic work. From
an ethical standpoint, by not acknowledging the author of the source, it appears that
you are attempting to present it as your own. This is commonly known as
‘plagiarising’.

The ACPE Policy on Academic Honesty (2007, p.2) defines plagiarism as,
“presenting another person’s ideas, findings or work as one’s own.” Submission of
plagiarised work is taken very seriously by the College and will result in penalties that
may lead to expulsion from ACPE.

The College has adopted the American Psychological Association (APA) style of
referencing sources. The APA system uses parenthesis to make a brief reference to the
sources in the text. The full details of the sources are then written at the end of the
academic work in the Reference List. No footnotes are used.

The writer can incorporate an author’s findings, ideas, and work within their text by
using:
i. Direct quotations: an author’s work directly quoted word for word.
ii. Paraphrasing: an author’s work expressed in the writer’s own words.

2.1 Direct Quotations

Direct quotations can be used:

• When the author expresses an idea better than you could.
• When you want to stress the authority of the author.
• As an ‘epigraph’. This is a direct quote found at the beginning of a book or
chapter. While it relates to the theme of the material that follows, it is not
incorporated within the main text.
A direct quotation should be used to support the writer’s analysis or argument.
Quotations are seldom self-explanatory and usually need an introductory sentence to
link them with the idea you want to illustrate. The quote is then generally followed by
an explanation that emphasises or analyses the key point(s). It should be obvious to
the reader why a quotation is included. In other words, it should be directly relevant to
the point you are trying to make.
There are several methods you will use to identify quoted material in your academic
work:
1. Use of quotation marks (quotes less than 40 words), or indentation (quotes
more than 40 words).

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 2. Noting the author and date of the source within the sentence. Include a page
number for material directly quoted (i.e. quoting word for word).
3. Documenting the details of the source in the Reference List.

Helpful Hint: Ensuring proper acknowledgement of quoted works will

require careful recording of sources and page references at the reading/note
making stage.

2.1.1 Formatting Rules for Direct Quotations:

• Rule 1:
Quotations must be written exactly as they are in the source. If you decide to
use only portions of a quote, you must replace the words you leave out with
three dots, single-spaced.
Example: “these works…are not collected.”

• Rule 2:
Any words added by the writer to explain the quote or to complete its
grammatical correctness must be placed in brackets.
Example: “His [Smith’s] works … are not collected”.

Here the writer wanted to ensure that the reader understands whose works are
being referred to in the quote.

• Rule 3:
Use double quotation marks (“ ”) when quoting except in the following two
cases:

i. When a quote is within a quote, use single quotation marks (‘ ’) for the
second quoted material.
Example: “Bernard Darwin writes that Ruskin’s famous line, ‘To
make your children capable of honesty is the beginning of education’,
first appeared in Time and Tide”.

ii. A quotation of 40 words or more requires no quotation marks. Instead,

the quote should be indented (1 cm) and ‘blocked’; that is, it stands out
clearly from the rest of the text.
Example:

According to Greenberg (2001), two different criteria were proposed to

determine brain death: the "higher-brain" and the "whole-brain" concepts. He
describes the higher-brain formulation as follows:

A brain-dead person is alleged to be dead because his neocortex,

the seat of consciousness, has been destroyed. He has thus lost the
ability to think and feel—the capacity for personhood--that makes
us who we are, and our lives worth living. (pp. 37-38)

(The full reference for this quotation is Greenberg, G. (2001, August 13). As
good as dead: Is there really such a thing as brain death? New Yorker, pp.36-
41.)
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 • Rule 4:
A quotation of less than 40 words should be incorporated into the paragraph.
Ensure that it makes grammatical sense within the work.
Example: However as Gentile (1987) described it, the learner “does
have a framework for organizing an effective movement” (p.119).

• Rule 5:
The page number must always be included.
Example: “Many factors emerge in studying classroom behaviour”
(Jones, 1997, p. 20).

2.2 Paraphrasing

To paraphrase means to write a quote, finding, or idea that is taken from a source, in
your own words. Simply substituting synonyms for some of the words isn't enough as
you need to indicate to your lecturer that you understand what the author is saying. A
good way of managing this is to read a paragraph and without referring back to the
book, write down your understanding of what the paragraph means.

When paraphrasing, you must acknowledge the author by including the author’s name
and the date of publication in parenthesis. The page number does not need to be
included since it is not a direct quote.
Example: Many factors emerge in studying classroom behaviour (Jones,
1997).

It is also acceptable to use the author’s name within the text. If this is done, then the
year of publication is entered in parenthesis directly after the author’s name.
Example: Jones (1997) claims that many factors emerge in studying
classroom behaviour.

Alternatively, the year of publication may be placed at the end of the sentence.
Example: Jones claims that many factors emerge in studying classroom
behaviour (1997).

2.3 Referencing a Source within Your Text

2.3.1 Multiple Studies by Different Authors:

When citing more than one study after a single idea (i.e. using multiple sources to
support your point), separate each reference with a semi-colon and list in alphabetical
order.
Example: (Jones, 1992; Smith, 1997).

2.3.2 Multiple Studies by a Single Author:

When citing more than one study published in the same year by the same author, list
them chronologically with the use of lower case letters.
Example: (Jones, 1995a; 1995b).

2.3.3 Multiple Authors:

When a work has two authors, always cite both names every time the reference occurs
in the text.

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Example: as Nightlinger and Littlewood (1993) demonstrated

Within the text of a paper, join the names in a multiple author citation by use of the
word ‘and’. In parenthetical material, and in the reference list, join the names with an
ampersand (&).
Example: … as has been shown (Joreskog & Sorbom, 1989)
Only use the authors’ surnames unless the authors have the same last name.
Examples: … (A.B. Smith, 1997 and C.D. Smith, 1997).
A.B. Smith (1959) and C.D. Smith (1997) found that …

When a work has three, four or five authors, cite all authors the first time the
reference occurs. In subsequent citations, include only the surname of the first author
followed by et al. (not italicized and with a full stop after “al”) and the year if it is the
first citation of the reference within a paragraph.
Examples:
Kosslyn, Koenig, Barrett, Cave, and Tang (1994) found that … [use as a first
citation within the text]

Kosslyn et al. (1994) found that … [use as subsequent first citation per
paragraph thereafter]

Kosslyn et al. found that … [omit year from subsequent citations after the first
citation within a paragraph]

When a work has six authors or more, cite only the surname of the first author
followed by et al. (not italicized and with a full stop after “al”) and follow the same
conventions as above with regard to including the date.

2.3.4 Page Numbers:

The conventions for using p., pp., f., and ff. are as follows:
• p. is used when the quotation is from one page only.
Example: p. 23.

• pp. is used when the quotation runs on to the next page.

Example: pp. 23-24.

• f. is used when not quoting directly but acknowledging a line of argument or

source of factual information from one page only.
Example: p. 23f.

• ff. is used when not quoting directly but acknowledging a line of argument or
source of factual information, which runs on to the next page.
Example: pp. 23-24ff.

2.3.5 Group or Organisation as Author:

The name of a group or corporate body as an author is usually spelled out each time it
appears in a text citation. This would be used for all citations within the text of the
assignment.
Example: (Macquarie University, 2005).

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If the name is long and the abbreviation is familiar or readily understandable, you
may abbreviate the name in the second and subsequent citations.
Examples:
(National Institute of Mental Health [NIMH], 1999) for the first in text
citation.
(NIMH, 1999) for subsequent in text citations.

2.3.6 No Date:
When citing a source with no date, place “n.d.” where the year should be.
Example: (Jones, n.d.).

2.3.7 No Author:
When citing a source with no author, use a shortened form of the title within quotation
marks.
Example: (“Sydney wins”, 1994).

2.3.8 Secondary Source:

A ‘secondary source’ is a source that is referring to the initial source of the information
(the primary source). When citing from a secondary source, cite the primary and
secondary source in the academic work text, but list only the secondary source in the
reference list.
Example: Carini and Hogan’s study (as cited in Thibodeau & Patton, 2002,
p.45) showed that …
If the date of the secondary source is different from the primary source, cite both dates
in text.
Example: (Jones, 1992, as cited in Smith, 1997, p.20).

2.3.9 Personal Communication:

Personal communication is usually information which is not recoverable or easily
verified and may be letters, email, personal interviews, telephone conversations, etc.
Personal communication is only cited in the text of the paper and not in the Reference
List at the end of the assignment). Give the initials as well as the surname of the
communicator and provide the date of the communication. Regardless of the topic of
the letter, conversation, etc., “Personal communication” is the title.
Examples: T.K. Lutes (personal communication, April 18, 2001) advised that …
.... (V. G. Nguyen, personal communication, September 28, 1988).

2.3.10 Creative Works (Dance performance, Poetry Reading, etc)

As for personal communication, creative works are only cited in the body of the text -
no reference list entry is needed. When citing a specific dance performance, poetry
reading, etc. you need only cite the name of the performance in italics, and the location
and date in parenthesis.
Example: The work of the artistic director in Rhythms of the Orient (Sydney
State Theatre, 2007) is to be commended ...

2.3.11 Electronic Sources:

To cite a specific part of a source, indicate the page, chapter, figure, table, or
equation at the appropriate point in the text. Always give page numbers for
quotations. (Note that the words ‘page’ and ‘chapter’ are abbreviated in such
text citations.)
Examples: (Cheek & Buss, 1981, p. 332).
(Shimamura, 1989, chap. 3).
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For electronic sources that do not provide page numbers, use the paragraph number if
available. Insert the paragraph symbol ‘¶’ or the abbreviation ‘para.’, and follow it with
the number.
Example: (Myers, 2000, ¶ 5) or (Myers, 2000, para.5).

If neither paragraph nor page numbers are visible, cite the heading or chapter and the
number of the paragraph following it. The idea is to direct the reader to the exact
location of the material.
Example: (Beutler, 2000, Conclusion, para. 1).

2.3.12 Figures
In the APA referencing style, any type of illustration other than a table is called a
figure. A figure may be a chart, graph, photograph, drawing, digital image or other
depiction. All figures should be numbered consecutively with Arabic numerals
throughout the article in the order in which they are first mentioned in text (i.e.,
Figure 1, Figure 2). In the text, refer to figures by their numbers. Do not write “the
figure above” (or below) or “the figure on page 12”.
Example: As shown in Figure 2, the relationships are …

All figures must be given a caption (or title) and the caption must be accompanied by
a note giving credit to the original author and to the copyright holder. A caption
serves as both an explanation of the figure and as a figure title. The caption and the
note should be in font size 10 to separate the note from the general text.

Example (figure reproduced from a print journal article):

Image

Figure 1. Caption of figure (title) followed by a note -

Note. From “Is Time Limit at the Minimum Swimming Velocity of VO2 Max Influenced by
Stroking Parameters?”, by R. J. Fernandes, D. A. Marinho, T. M. Barbosa and J. P. Vilas-
Boas, 2006, Perceptual and Motor Skills 103(1), p. 71. Copyright 2006 by Perceptual and
Motor Skills. Reprinted with permission.

Example (figure reproduced from a book):

Image

Figure 2. Caption of figure (title) followed by a note -

Note. From Social Psychology and Health (2nd ed.) (p. 78), by W. Stroebe, 2000,
Buckingham: Open University Press. Copyright 2000 by Wolfgang Stroebe. Reprinted with
permission.

Example (image reproduced from a website):

Image

Figure 3. Caption of image (title) followed by a note -

Note. From Technology and Education: New Wine in New Bottles: Choosing Pasts and
Imagining Educational Futures, by L. Chou, R. McClintock, F. Moretti and D. H. Nix. 1993.
Copyright 2003. Retrieved from http://www.ilt.columbia.edu/publications/pepers/
newwine1.html. Reprinted with permission.
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2.3.13 Tables

In the text of the paper, refer to every table and tell the reader what to look for.
Discuss only the table’s highlights; if you discuss every item of the table in text, the
table is unnecessary.

Refer to tables by their numbers. Do not write “the table above” (or below) or “the
table on page 22”.
Examples: as shown in Table 8, the responses were ….
Children with pretraining (see Table 5) …

Number all tables with Arabic numerals in the order in which the tables are first
mentioned in text, regardless of whether a more detailed discussion of the tables
occurs later in the paper. Label tables as, Table 5, Table 6, Table 7, etc, not as “Table
5, Table 5a, Table 5b.

If the paper includes an appendix with tables, identify the tables of the appendix with
capital letters and Arabic numerals (for example, Table A1 is the first table of
Appendix A. If Table A is the only table within Appendix A, it should be labelled
Table A and not numbered. Table C2 would be the second table within Appendix C).

All tables must be given a brief but clear and explanatory title, for example, “Mean
Performance Scores of Students with Different College Majors”. Any reproduced
table must also be accompanied by a note giving credit to the original author and to
the copyright holder. The title of the table and the note should be in font size 10 to
separate the note from the general text.

Example (table reproduced from a journal article):

Table

Table 1. Title of table

Note. From “Perceived Body Size Affected by Garment and Body Mass Index”, by F. Liu, J.
Fan and L. Lau, 2006, Perceptual and Motor Skills 103(1), p. 255. Copyright 2006 by
Perceptual and Motor Skills. Reprinted [or Adapted] with permission.

Example (table reproduced from a book):

Table

Table 2. Title of table

Note. From Behavior Modification: What is it and how to do it (8th ed.) (p. 170), by G. Martin
and J. Pear, 2007, NJ: Pearson Education Incorporated. Copyright 2007 by Pearson Education
Incorporated. Reprinted [or Adapted] with permission.

Example (table reproduced from a website):

Table

Table 3. Title of table

18
 Note. From Technology and Education: New Wine in New Bottles: Choosing Pasts and
Imagining Educational Futures, by L. Chou, R. McClintock, F. Moretti and D. H. Nix. 1993.
Copyright 2003. Retrieved from http://www.ilt.columbia.edu/publications/pepers/
newwine1.html. Reprinted [or Adapted] with permission.
.
Example (Table reproduced from an electronic book):

Table

Table 4. Title of table

Note. From Data Analysis and Research for Sport and Exercise Science: a Student
Perspective. (p. 49), by C. Wragg and C. Williams, 2004, London: Taylor & Francis.
Copyright 2004 by Taylor & Francis. Retrieved from Ebook Library Database.

2.3.14 Legal Materials

Legal materials are cited in-text as follows:

Example: Court decisions:

(Koscuisko Thredbo v Smith, 2001)
(Abbreviated party names in italics, year)

Example: Statutes
Civil Liability Act (NSW)
Omit the year.

Please note: Most Australian lawyers and law schools do not use the APA style of
referencing. If publishing in the legal area, or if pursuing further legal studies, please
refer to the Australian guide for legal citation (Melbourne University Law Review
Association, 2002) for further information.

19
3. THE REFERENCE LIST

The references cited in the text are listed more fully in the Reference List at the end of
the academic work. References are not listed at the bottom of the page in which they
appear.

All sources cited in the text must be included in the Reference List. This requires
careful checking for completeness and accuracy before academic work submission.
Note the following points when listing the references:

* Each reference is listed alphabetically according to the author’s surname (or,

if no author, then by the title;

* Where a work has more than one author, the name of the author, which
appears first on the work, determines its place in the alphabetical list;

* Where several works by the same author(s) are cited, they are listed in
chronological order with the earliest first;

* The date of publication comes immediately after the name(s) of the author(s)
and is placed in parenthesis;

* The second and subsequent lines of a citation are indented; and

* Single spacing is used for each item reference with double spacing between

items.

It is important to remember also that consistency is imperative.

Some sources previously published in print form may now be found on electronic
media. These electronic sources are cited in the text of the academic work in much
the same manner as other references, however the web address and the date the
electronic document was retrieved replace the publishing details and are important
elements in the citation which appears in the Reference List.

Note that the rule relating to the inclusion of the retrieval date in a citation for a web-
based document is governed by (i) whether or not the document will change and (ii)
whether or not the document has a publication date. The retrieval date is a snapshot
of the time you do your research and must be included in the citation if there is a
possibility that the document may change, or if the document does not have a
publication date. The difficult decision is deciding what will be likely to change and
what will not. If in doubt, always include the retrieval date – as one of the APA
general rules is to include more, not less information, about the resource you are
citing.   

Reference List examples for a number of different types of resources follow.

20
Book (Single Author):

Magill, R.A. (1980). Motor learning: Concepts and applications. Dubuque, IA:
William C. Brown.

Last name, A.B. (year). Book title italics: Only the first word and first word after a
colon are capitalised with the exception that all proper names are always
capitalised. City of publication, State: Publisher.

Book (Other Than the First Edition):

Magill, R.A. (2001). Motor learning: Concepts and applications (6th ed.). New York,
NY: McGraw-Hill.

Last name, A.B. (year). Book title as above (Edition in parenthesis, eg 2nd ed.). City of
publication, State: Publisher.

Book (Multiple Authors):

Colfer, G.C., Hamilton, K.E., Magill, R.A., & Hamilton, B.J. (1986). Contemporary
physical education. Dubuque, IA: William C. Brown.

Last name, A.B., Another, A.B., Another, A.B., & Another, A.B. (year). Book title
italics: Only the first word and first word after a colon are capitalised with the
exception that all proper names are always capitalised. City of publication,
State: Publisher.
(When a work has up to six authors, cite all authors. When a work has seven
authors or more, provide the names of the first six authors and shorten any
remaining names to , et al.)

Example: Colfer, G.C., Hamilton, K.E., Magill, R.A., Hamilton, B.J., Smith,
J.L., Brown, B.K., et al. (1990).

Book (No Author):

Merriam-Webster’s collegiate dictionary (10th ed.). (1993). Springfield, MA:

Merriam-Webster.

When a work has no author, the title of the work becomes the main entry and is
italicised. Alphabetise by the first significant word in the title. Only use
Anonymous as author when the author is specifically designated as
“Anonymous”.
21
Edited Book:

Allard, P., Stokes, I.A.F., & Blanchi, J.P. (Eds.). (1995). Three-dimensional analysis
of human movement. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.

With an edited work, the editors are treated as authors followed by (Eds.). before the
date in parenthesis.

Chapter in an Edited Book:

Lavender, S.A., & Rajulu, S.L. (1995). Applications in ergonomics. In P. Allard,

I.A.F. Stokes, & J.P. Blanchi (Eds.), Three-dimensional analysis of human
movement (pp. 311-326). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.

Chapter author/s. (year). Chapter title is not in italics and is not underlined: Only the
first word of the title and subtitle (if any) are capitalised. Note that the initials
of the editors come before the surnames and are followed by (Eds.), Title of
book in italics. Note that the page numbers for the chapter are within
parenthesis and preceded by “pp.”

Article in a Journal:

Nakagawa, L., & Hoffman, M. (2004). Performance in static, dynamic and clinical
tests of postural control in individuals with recurrent ankle sprains. Journal of
Sport Rehabilitation, 13(3), 255-268.

Last name, A.B., & Another, A.B. (year). Article title is not underlined: Only the first
word of the title and subtitle (if any) are capitalised. Journal Title in Italics with
All Main Words Capitalised. Note that the issue number is not in italics and is
placed in parenthesis (brackets) directly following the volume number. The page
numbers are not preceded by pp.

ERIC Document (Retrieved from the ERIC Database):

Mead, J.V. (1992). Looking at old photographs: Investigating the teacher tales that
novice teachers bring with them (Report No. NCRTL-RR-92-4). East Lansing,
. MI: National Center for Research on Teacher Learning. (ERIC Document
Reproduction Service No. ED346082). Retrieved February 20, 2009, from the
ERIC database.

Note that the report number is included in parenthesis (brackets) directly following the
title. The ERIC document number is included in parenthesis at the end of the
citation, followed by the date retrieved and the database name (in the above format).
22
 Article in Magazine:

Casa, D.J. (2004, Spring). Proper hydration for distance running: Identifying
individual fluid needs. Track Coach, 167, 5321-5328.

The author’s name is followed by the year and the month in parenthesis separated by
a comma and a space (2004, January). If the magazine is published quarterly by
season, indicate season in place of month (e.g., 2004, Winter). If the magazine
is published every other month, indicate both months separated by a dash (e.g.,
2000, July-August). If the magazine is published more frequently than once a
month, include the day after the month (e.g., 2000, July 12). If the article
appears on discontinuous pages, then note all pages (eg., 12-14, 76-77).

Article in a Newspaper (Electronic copy from a database):

McIntyre, P. (2004, August 26). Olympians' biggest hurdle is cashing in on gold.

Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved February 16, 2009, from the Factiva
Database.

Last name, A.B. (Year, Month Day). Article title as for a journal article. Newspaper,
Title as for a Journal Title, followed by the date retrieved and the name of the
database in the above format.

Electronic Book (Publishing details included):

Pettinger, R. (2002). Global organisations. Oxford: Capstone Publishing. Retrieved

from NetLibrary database.

If the publisher and place are not evident, include this information in the citation. No
retrieval date required.

Electronic Book (Publishing details not included):

Body dysmorphic disorder. (2005). In M.H. Beers, R.S. Porter, T.J. Jones,
J.L. Kaplan & M. Berkwits (Eds.), The Merck manual of diagnosis and
therapy online. Retrieved January 28, 2007, from http://www.merck.com/
mmpe/index.html

Where the publisher is evident no publisher and place are included in the citation (see
“merck” above within the URL). Retrieval date is required as the content of an
online handbook may change.

23
Electronic Book Chapter (retrieved from a database):

Harmer, P. A. (2005). Basketball injuries. In N. Maffulli & D. J. Caine (Eds.),

Epidemiology of pediatric sports injuries: Team sports (pp. 31-61). Basel:
Karger. Retrieved from Ebook Library database.

Similar referencing style to a chapter in a print publication. Name of database

included.

Electronic Reference Books:

Graham, G. (2005). Behaviorism. In E.N. Zalta (Ed.). The Stanford encyclopedia

of philosophy. Retrieved January 28, 2007, from http://plato.stanford.edu

The date of the most recent update or change to an online reference work may not be
clear from the entry, so include the retrieval date. The homepage or index page URL
for reference works is cited, not the address which takes you directly to an entry.

Lecture/Tutorial Notes (Print):

Harris, B. (2005, May 7). Basic variables. Paper presented in lectures for Research
Analysis at ACPE.

Last name, A.B. (Year, Month Day). Title of lecture or tutorial is specified as title.

Lecture/Tutorial Notes (Online):

Harris, B. (2007). Lecture 3: Coaching administration [Powerpoint slides].

Retrieved from ACPE CO111: Coaching Techniques and Pedagogy
Lecturer Website: http://my.acpe.edu.au/default.asp?page=/course+units/
lecture+notes/lecture+notes+a-k

Note when breaking URLs the APA Publication Manual advises that the URL should
be broken at (i) after a slash , or (ii) before a period.

Dissertations and Theses (Retrieved from a database):

Bochenek, C.P. (2005). Co-constructing changes to classroom practice: Processes

developed with early childhood teachers for students at risk. Unpublished
doctoral dissertation, University of Notre Dame Australia, Freemantle, WA.
Retrieved February 21, 2009, from the Australian Digital Theses database.

24
Group Author (eg Government Agency) as Publisher:

Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2001). Estimated resident population by age and sex
in statistical local areas, New South Wales, June 2001 (No. 3209.1). Canberra,
ACT: Author.

Alphabetise group authors by the first significant word of the name. When author
and publisher are the same, use the word Author as the name of the publisher.

An Organization Report:

Australian Sports Commission . (1992). Maintain the momentum: Australian

government sports policy 1992 to 1996. Canberra, ACT: Author.

The name of the organisation is listed at author. The word ‘Author’ is given for the
publisher and not the full name of the organisation.

Unpublished Work [eg. ACPE Independent Study]:

O'Leary, O. (2004). Improving year 9 & 10 teaching and learning aspects of physical
education within a government school. Unpublished Independent Study,
Australian College of Physical Education.

Last name, A.B. (year). Manuscript title in italics: Only the first word and first word
after a colon are capitalised with the exception that all proper names are
always capitalised.

Television Program:

Crystal, L. (Executive Producer). (1993, October 11). The MacNeil/Lehrer news hour
[Television broadcast]. New York and Washington, DC: Public Broadcasting
Service.

Last name, A.B. (Executive Producer). (Year, Month Day). Title of

program.[Television broadcast]. City of Production: Production House. (Note
that the name of the executive producer appears as the author. The program
type is noted in square brackets after the title. This may be Television
broadcast, Television series, Television series episode.

The convention of the television industry is that the executive producer is

responsible for the program. The production house might be a television
network (e.g., the Australian Broadcasting Commission), but it need not be (e.g.
Southern Star Productions, Thames, etc).

25
Film, Video and DVD :

Hackney, P. (Director), & Hackney, P. (Producer). (1981). Discovering your

expressive body: Basic concepts in dance training utilizing Bartenieff
fundamentals [Videorecording]. New York: Dance Horizons.

Last name, T. (Director), & Last name, K. (Producer). (1965). Title [Motion picture |
Videorecording | DVD]. USA: Warner Home Video. (Note that the names of
the principle contributors appear as the authors, with their function in round
brackets. The medium is noted in square brackets after the title: use [Motion
picture], [Videorecording] or [DVD] depending on the medium viewed. The
location and name of the distributor are also noted).

Audio Recording:

Costa, P.T., Jr. (Speaker). (2004). Personality, continuity and changes of adult life
(Cassette Recording No. 207-433-88A-B). Washington, DC: American
Psychological Association.

Last name, A.B. (Speaker). (Year). Title of work in italics. (Medium of recording and
number, eg. Cassette recording No. 207-433-88A-B). City of Production: Label.
(Note that the citation in the academic work text is the same as that for a book).

Music Recording:

Shocked, M. (1992). Over the waterfall. On Arkansas traveller [CD]. New York:
PolyGram Music.

Writer, A. (Date of copyright). Title of song [Recorded by artist if different from

writer]. On Title of album [Medium of recording: CD, record, cassette, etc].
Location: Label. (Recording date if different from copyright date). (Note that
within the text of your assignment include side and band or track number. For
example: “Tails and Trotters” (Goodenough, 1982, track 5).

Article from an Electronic Database:

Jenkins, J.M., Garn, A., & Jenkins, P. (2005). Preservice teacher observations in peer
coaching. Journal of Teaching in Physical Education, 24(1), 2-23. Retrieved
February 25, 2005, from Academic Search Elite database.

When citing an article retrieved from an electronic database, the name of the database
is used in lieu of the web address (URL)

26
Abstract from an Electronic Database:

Howe, W.B.(2003). Preventing infectious disease in sports. Physician and

Sportsmedicine, 31(2), 23-29. Abstract retrieved February 14, 2004, from
ERIC database.

In instances where the citation only has been retrieved from a database this must be
noted in the citation. Note that the name of the database is used in lieu of the
web address (URL).

Article in an Internet Journal (no print copy published):

Frederickson, B.L. (2000, March 7). Cultivating positive emotions to optimize health
and well-being. Prevention & Treatment, 3, Article 0001a. Retrieved
November 20, 2000, from http://journals.apa.org/prevention /volume3/
pre0030001a.html

The full bibliographic details of the journal article, the date the item was retrieved and
the web address the document was retrieved from must all be included in the
citation.

Article in Internet Journal (based on print source):

VandenBos, G., Knapp, S., & Doe, J. (2001). Role of reference elements in the
selection of resources by psychology undergraduates [Electronic version].
Journal of Bibliographic Research, 5(1), 117-123.

Many journals are published in both print and electronic form with the electronic form
being the exact duplication of the print version. Citing this electronic version is
the same as for citing the print with the addition of [Electronic version] in
brackets after the article title.

Internet Article Based on Print Source (where the online version differs from the
print version):

VandenBos, G., Knapp, S., & Doe, J. (2001). Role of reference elements in the
selection of resources by psychology undergraduates [Electronic version].
Journal of Bibliographic Research, 5(1), 117-123. Retrieved October 13, 2001,
from http://jbr.org/articles.html

Where the electronic version differs from the print, eg. page numbers omitted, or it includes
additional data or commentary, add the date retrieved the document and the URL.

27
Journal with DOI Assigned:

Stultz, J. (2006). Integrating exposure therapy and analytic therapy in trauma

treatment. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 76(4), 482-488.
doi:10.1037/0002-9432.76.4.482

The DOI is an international standard (ANSI/NISO Z39.84) and is a unique identifier

assigned to an article level publication. The DOI is assigned to the final or
archival version of a scholarly article. There is no need to include a retrieval
date, database name or URL, as the DOI functions as both a unique identifier
of the content and a link to the content.

Web Document (with one author):

Beckleheimer, J. (1994). How do you cite URL's in a Reference List? Retrieved

December 13, 1995, from http://www.nrlssc.navy.mil/meta/ReferenceList.html

This citation is very similar to citing a book with one author. The date of retrieval and
the URL replace the publishing details.

Web Document (with multiple authors):

Chou, L., McClintock, R., Moretti, F., & Nix, D.H. (1993). Technology and
education: New wine in new bottles: Choosing pasts and imaging educational
futures. Retrieved August 24, 2003, from http://www.ilt.columbia.edu/
publications /pepers/newwine1.html

Similar format to a book with multiple authors, with the date of retrieval and the URL
replace the publishing details.

Web Document (with no author):

Educating America for the 21st century: Developing a strategic plan for educational
leadership for Columbia University 1993 – 2000. (1994). Retrieved May 16,
1995, from http://www.ilt.Columbia.edu/CONF/EdPlan.html

Where a document has no author the title becomes the main entry. The title is in italics
and the first significant word of the title is used to alphabetise the entry in the
Reference List.

Web Document (no publication date):

Prizker, T. J. (n.d.). An early fragment from central Nepal. Retrieved December 12,
1996, from http://www.ingress.com/~astanart/pritker/pritzker.html

Whenever a publication date cannot be determined, (n.d.). [meaning no date] is used

to replace the year.
28
Specific Section of a Web Document:

Thompson, G. (2003). Coaching tips. In Joe’s soccer coaching manual. Retrieved

May 17, 2005, from http://www.joesoccer.com.au/soccer/coachingmanual.html

The author of the section is used as the main entry for this citation [in the same way as
the author of a book chapter]. The date of retrieval and the URL replace the
publishing details.

Paper Presented to a Virtual Conference:

Smith, A. (2003). Issues in adolescent health education. Paper presented at the NSW
Health Education virtual conference. Retrieved May 20, 2003, from
http://acpe.edu.au/conferences/cyberg/centre/outline.cgi/frame?fir+smith

Web Page (Organisation):

Australian College of Physical Education Homepage. (2004, March 3). Retrieved

February 11, 2005, from http://www.acpe.edu.au

Web Page (Government Authority or Department):

Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. (2002). Glacial habitat restoration

areas. Retrieved September 18, 2003, from http://www.dnr.stste.wi.us/org/
land/wildlife/hunt/hra.htm

Electronic Computer Program, Software, or Programming Language:

Miller, M. E. (1993). The Interactive tester (Version 4.0) [Computer software].

Westminster, CA: Psytek Services.

Figure, Table, Graph, Image, Illustration (Reproduced from a book, journal article
or webpage):

Schoenfeld, E.L., Snyder,L.A., Maue, A.E., McDowell, C.P., & Wollard, C.D. (2002).
Comparison of constant and variable practice conditions on free-throw shooting.
Perceptual and Motor Skills, 94(3), 1113-1123.

29
 Note that only the article, book or website in which the graph, image, etc appears is
referenced. The image must be fully acknowledged in-text, including a caption,
a brief description of the image and the original source (including the page).

Graphic Reproduction of a Painting on the Web:

Kohl, A.T. (Photographer).(1982). Whistling boy [Online image]. Retrieved

February 12, 2007, from http://www.artstor.org

Author (author’s responsibility in parenthesis). (Date the work was created, if

available). Title of work in italics. The type of work in square brackets [Online
image]. The date the item was retrieved from the web and the web address.

Video Weblog Post:

Norton, R. (2006, November 4). How to train a cat to operate a light switch
[Video file]. Video posted to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vja83KLQXZs

Dance Program:

Rhythms of the Orient: The Youth Dance Troupe of Beijing Academy: Australian tour
2007. [Program]. (2007). Sydney, NSW: Ausfeng Group in association with the
Ministry of Culture, PR China.

Published proceedings of meetings, conference, and symposia:

Deci, E.L., & Ryan, R.M. (1991). A motivational approach to self: Integration in
personality. In R. Dienstbier (Ed.), Nebraska Symposium on Motivation: Vol: 38.
Perspectives on motivation (pp.237-288). Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press.

Capitalise the name of the symposium. If the name of the state, province, or country
is included in the name of the university, do not repeat the state, province or country
in the publisher location.

Unpublished contribution to a symposium:

Lichstein, K.L., Johnson, R.S., Wornack, T.D., Dean, J.E., & Childers, C.K. (1990,
June). Relaxation therapy for poly-pharmacy use in elderly insomniacs and
noninsomniacs, In, T.L. Rosenthal (Chair), Reducing medication in geriatric
populations. Symposium conducted at the meeting of the First International
Congress of Behavioral Medicine, Uppsala, Sweden.

Give month of symposium

30
Conference or Symposium Poster Session:

Ruby, J. & Fulton, C. (1993, June). Beyond redlining: Editing software that works.
Poster session presented at the annual meeting of the Society of Scholarly
Publishing, Washington, DC.

Give the month of the meeting

Wiki:

Psychometric assessment. (n.d.). Retrieved January 28, 2007, from The Psychology
Wiki: http://psychology.wikia.com/wiki/Psychometric_assessment

Television Feature Podcast:

Kloft, M. (Producer/Director). (2006). The Nuremberg trials [Motion picture]. In

M. Samuels (Executive Producer), American Experience. Podcast retrieved
from WGBH: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/rss/podcast_pb.xml

If publisher is not evident, include this information in the reference (Podcast

retrieved from WGBH …). No retrieval date required.

Audio Podcast:

Van Nuys, D. (Producer). (2006, October 13). Understanding autism [Show 54].
Shrink Rap Radio: The premier psychology podcast. Podcast retrieved from
http://www.skrinkrapradio.com/

Where the publisher is evident (Shrink Rap Radio in both title and url) no publishing
details are included in the citation.

Message Posted to a Newsgroup, Online Forum, or Discussion Group:

Chalmers, D. (2000, November 17). Seeing with sound [Msg 1]. Message
posted to news://sci.psychology.consciousness.archived at http://groups.google.
com/group/sci.psychology.consciousness/

31
 Court Decisions:

Example 1

Koscuisko Thredbo Pty Ltd v Smith [2001] NSWCA 355

Example 2

Jaensch v Coffey (1984) 155 CLR 549

A citation of a court decision has several components.

1. Plaintiff/Appellant v Defendant/Respondent in italics.
2. Year in square brackets if law reports are numbered by year, or year in
parentheses if law reports are arranged by volume number plus the volume
number (see example 2).
3. Correct abbreviation of source, see the Australian Guide for Legal Citation
(Melbourne University Law Review Association, 2002) for a list of correct
abbreviations for law reports, eg NSWCA [New South Wales Court of
Appeal] ; CLR [Commonwealth Law Reports].
4. Page number where the case starts in this volume.

Personal Communication:

Note that Personal Communications are only cited in the text of the paper and not in
the Reference List.

Dance Performance:

Note that a Dance Performance is only cited in the text of the paper and not in the
Reference List.

32
 Reference List

APA style guide to electronic references. (2007). Washington, DC: APA.

Board of Studies NSW. (2003). Educational resources: A glossary of key words.

Retrieved January 19, 2007, from http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au
/syllabus_ hsc/glossary_keywords.html.

Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (5th ed.). (2002).

Washington, DC: APA.

Storrie, T., & Matson, J. (Eds). (1994). English usage. London, UK: Cassell.

University of Ballarat. (2005). General guide for the presentation of academic

work. (Rev. ed.). Retrieved January 29, 2007, from http://www.ballarat.
edu.au/ard/transition/interimacademicguidefinal2005.pdf

York University Counselling and Development Centre (June 28, 2006). Doing well
on essay exams: It’s all in the way the question is worded. Retrieved May 14,
2007, from www.yorku.ca/cdc/lsp/eponline/exam5.htm.

Helpful Hint:

For further information, and examples of the APA Referencing style,

please refer to the following publications in the ACPE Library collection:

APA style guide to electronic references (2007). Washington, DC: APA.

Call number: SL 808.02/APA

Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (5th ed).(2002).

Washington, DC: APA.
Call number: TCR 808.02/PUB also a copy at SL 808.02/PUB

33