Teaching APA Style (Seventh Edition) in the Graduate Music Bibliography Course

Abstract

ABSTRACT The Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association is one of the “big three” style guides currently in use. The seventh edition was published in October 2019. Since the previous edition was ten years old, the update represents a major revision for those who use and/or teach APA Style. The purpose of this article is to synthesize the major changes in the new edition for instructors of music bibliography courses. An overview of major changes is provided, including those to writing style, language, paper formatting, citation, and more. Both reference list entries for commonly-cited music materials and in-text citation examples are included, as are tips designed for students. Lastly, a set of recommended resources helpful for teaching APA is provided, along with a few possible citation assignments. This article suggests resources for music faculty new to APA Style as well as those who are updating from the sixth edition, specifically those who teach citation as part of a graduate music bibliography course.