APA should be one of the standard formats of referencing. However; every professor seems to have his own opinion in relation to correct use of APA.

I'm a little bit stuck right now, so if there are any APA experts here, maybe you could help with this one problem.

Here is the case:

This is from the textbook:

"In addition, the arguments that higher levels of formalization and lower
levels of centralization are found in larger organizations received support from
studies by the Aston group (Inkson, Pugh, and Hickson, 1970; Mansfield, 1973;
Pugh et al.,1968) as well as those by Blau and his colleagues (Blau,Heydebrand,
and Stauffer,1966; Blau and Schoenherr,1971; Klatzky,1970a) and a number of
other researchers"

The book we use is:

Tolbert, Pamela S., Hall, Richard H. (2009) Organizations Structures, Processes, and Outcome 10ed USA: Pearson Prentice Hall

My initial thought would be to reference as this:

Based on Inkson, Pugh and Hickson (1970); Mansfield (1973); Pugh et al (1968); Blau,Heydebrand,Stauffer (1966); Blau & Schoenherr (1971) and Klatzky (1970a) in Tolbert, Pamela S., Hall, Richard H. 2009:47, higher levels of formalization and lower levels of centralization are found in larger organizations.

And then end the assignment with the reference to the book:

Tolbert, Pamela S., Hall, Richard H. (2009) Organizations Structures, Processes, and Outcome 10ed USA: Pearson Prentice Hall

However; this was totally wrong, it seems, and I can’t find a reference to how I am going to use in-assignment references to authors that are referenced in a book, as mentioned above.

The book uses a LOT of references throughout the text, and I am now a little bit lost in how I will make a reference to them in my assignments.

The above structure worked fine with other professors, but this professor gives me thumbs down.

Any help appreciated; if only a link to a good example......


 

 

 

It is my understanding that you use the book that is in hand, not what that text references.  Think of it like a bread crumb trail, one reference can lead to the next until origional source is found.  I would simply reference the textbook itself with no further acknowledgements.  I'm no APA expert but that has worked for me for over 6 years now.  If I do feel elaboration is necassary I might say something like:

"Smith wrote in his book Memos from Smith that he really liked cheese" (Johnson, 1980).  Again I'm no expert but the citation itself should come from the text actually being used.

Cajun:

It is my understanding that you use the book that is in hand, not what that text references.  Think of it like a bread crumb trail, one reference can lead to the next until origional source is found.  I would simply reference the textbook itself with no further acknowledgements.  I'm no APA expert but that has worked for me for over 6 years now.  If I do feel elaboration is necassary I might say something like:

"Smith wrote in his book Memos from Smith that he really liked cheese" (Johnson, 1980).  Again I'm no expert but the citation itself should come from the text actually being used.

Thank you. I see your point. I will try this on my next delivery, and see if it goes through. 

 

 

Man, I know what you're going through -- APA isn't my cup of tea either.  My school does have a really good writing center, though, and they're happy to give definitive answers for this sort of thing.  Does your school have something like this?  Or maybe knowledgeable reference librarians?  If so you should definitely give them a try.

Good luck,

-=Steve=-

---

B.S., Info Sys, Charter Oak State College
M.A., Educational Tech Leadership, George Washington University
Doctor of Health Education, A.T. Still University, in progress

Personally I'm an advocate for MLA, they're more accurate in my opinion but then the APA standard seems to have a strangle-hold on post secondary ed.  I have no idea why.

Does anyone know how to reference a MAIN web site in APA?

I.e not a document on the site, but just the site itself.

Do I just have to write: http://www.xxx.com ?

 

Normally the reference is: Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Date of publication). Title of document. Retrieved from http://web address

 but now I just want to site the "root"/the "front page" of the site, i.e. not a document within/on the cite

 

 

 

When I reference a webpage I always try to find the name of the person that created the page for the author and then I usually use the copyright date for the date. Then structure it the way you have already. There have been times I would just use a copyright date and one time I used the title of the webpage and the retrieved from and on what date and that was it.  If you go to www.citationmachine.net, it will help you. Anyway that is how I do it.