Understanding APA Style 7th Edition for Citing Personal Communications

Understanding APA Style 7th Edition for Citing Personal Communications

Writing a research paper or thesis requires the use of various styles and techniques to maintain accuracy and credibility. APA (American Psychological Association) Style is commonly used in social sciences, psychology, and education academia, providing clear guidelines for citing sources and referencing in written works. The 7th edition of this guide provides several updated guidelines for citing personal communications, which are discussed in detail below.

What are personal communications?

Personal communications, as defined by the APA Style manual, are conversations, interviews, emails, and other types of communication that are not available to the public. These can be a critical source of information and insight for research, but they must be reported accurately to maintain scientific integrity and avoid plagiarism.

Citing Personal Communications in-text

When citing personal communications within the body of your text, the recommended format is to include the initials and last name of the person and the date of the communication. For example, if you have an email from John Smith, dated January 1st, 2022, your in-text citation should look like this (J. Smith, January 1, 2022).

When to use a personal communication citation

Personal communications should only be used when the information is essential to the research or the source cannot be obtained through other means. For example, if you are researching someone’s personal experience but did not find any published material, you could use a personal communication as part of your research.

Reference list citation for personal communications

Personal communications are not included in the reference list, as they are not publicly available or retrievable. However, in cases where personal communications are essential to the research, they can be cited in the reference list if they are documented in another source. For example, if an email from John Smith is included in a report, you can cite the report as the source and include the email communication as part of your reference list using the name and date format.

Conclusion

APA Style 7th edition provides guidelines that help maintain accuracy, clarity, and consistency in research writing. When citing personal communications, utmost care should be taken to ensure that the information is essential and reported accurately. By following the APA Style guidelines, we can ensure that we provide credible information and avoid plagiarism.

In summary, always remember to use personal communications only when they are essential to the research, cite them appropriately in-text using the name and date format, and document them in the reference list when derived from another source. By following these guidelines, researchers can maintain the highest level of academic rigor and integrity.