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Finding and Summarizing Research Articles - APA Format

Introduction

Writing a summary or abstract teaches you how to condense information and how to read an article more effectively and with better understanding. Research articles usually contain these parts: Title/Author Information, Abstract, Introduction, Methodology, Result or Findings, Discussion or Conclusion, and References. To gain a better understanding of an article, try reading the abstract and the discussion or conclusion first and then read the entire article.

 

Finding an Article

PsycINFO Research Database
The American Psychological Association’s (APA) renowned resource for abstracts of scholarly journal articles, book chapters, books, and dissertations, the largest resource devoted to peer-reviewed literature in behavioral science and mental health.

PsycINFO Tutorial

Journal Article Request
If you can't find the free full text version of a research article, please complete and submit this form. An Learning Commons staff member will then place an interlibrary loan request on your behalf.

 

Summarizing an Article

The following websites offer advice and instruction on summarizing articles:

Andrews University: Guidelines for Writing an Article Summary

UConn: How to Summarize a Research Article

 

Resources for APA Style

Websites

APA (7th ed.) Formatting and Style Guide
Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL)

APA Style Website
American Psychological Association

Books in the Learning Commons

Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.): BF76.7 .P83

 

Sample APA Citations

In-Text Citation

If the author’s name is included within the text, follow the name with (year)

            Example: Jones (2009) found that diabetes symptoms improve with exercise.

 

If the author’s name is not included within the text, follow the sentence with (Last Name, year).

            Example: Increased exercise resulted in diminished diabetes symptoms (Jones, 2009).

 

Reference Citation

Author’s last name, A. A., & Author’s last name, B.B. (year).Title of article. Title of Journal, volume(issue), page number – page number. https://doi.org/xxxxx

 

Iscoe, K. E., & Riddell, M. C. (2011). Continuous moderate-intensity exercise with or without intermittent high-intensity work: Effects on acute and late glycaemia in athletes with Type 1 diabetes mellitus. Diabetic Medicine, 28(7), 824-832. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1464-5491.2011.03274.x