Source Detective Citation Worksheet
APA 7th Edition Research & Writing Lab
Source Detective Citation Worksheet
Deconstruct, format, and audit scholarly citations with precision.
Total Points ___ / 30 pts
Name:
Date:
Class/Period:
Page: 1 of 2
APA 7th Core Blueprint (Quick Reference)
Book: Author, A. A. (Year). Title of book in sentence case (edition). Publisher.
Journal Article: Author, A. A. (Year). Article title. Journal Title in Title Case, Vol(Issue), pp–pp. DOI
1 Anatomy Breakdown: Dissecting an APA Reference
(8 Points • 1 pt each)
Examine the two authentic reference entries below. Match each lettered callout [A–H] with its correct bibliographic component from the question bank.
Journal Entry: [A] Morrison, T. L., & Chen, R. K. [B] (2023). [C] Cognitive impacts of digital reading among adolescents. [D] Journal of Educational Psychology, 115(4), 512–526.
Book Entry: [E] Alvarez, M. J. (2021). [F] The architecture of memory: Neural pathways and learning strategies [G] (2nd ed.). [H] Oxford University Press.
1. Article Title: ___
2. Publication Year: ___
3. Journal Periodical: ___
4. Joint Authors: ___
5. Book Title: ___
6. Edition Notation: ___
7. Publisher: ___
8. Sole Author: ___
2 In-Text Citation Lab: Narrative vs. Parenthetical
(6 Points • 2 pts each)
Draft the accurate APA 7 in-text citation format for each research scenario. Mind the punctuation, author connective (& vs. and), and page placement.
Scenario A: Direct Quote (Parenthetical Citation) Source: Morrison & Chen (2023), page 518
Students were found to suffer when "screen-based multi-tasking produced an 18% reduction in narrative comprehension scores"
Write the correct parenthetical citation and terminal punctuation for this direct quote:
Scenario B: Paraphrased Claim (Narrative Citation) Source: Alvarez (2021)
Draft a sentence introducing Alvarez as the signal author, stating that memory consolidation requires undisturbed deep sleep.
Write your narrative citation sentence:
Scenario C: Three or More Authors Rule (APA 7 In-Text) Source: Gomez, Wright, Tanaka, & Patel (2022)
Under APA 7, what is the exact parenthetical citation format used on the very first mention of this 4-author paper?
Source Detective • APA 7th Edition Student Worksheet Turn over for Reference Construction & Error Audit →
Source Detective • Page 2
Reference Construction & Error Audit
Name:
16 pts remaining
3 Reference Construction: From Raw Metadata to APA Entry
(8 Points • 4 pts each)
Transform the raw catalog details into complete, publication-ready APA 7th references. Remember sentence case for titles and hanging indent alignment.
Author: Dr. Elena Vance Year: 2022 Title: Ecology of the River Delta: Human Impact and Restoration Publisher: Horizon Academic Press City: Boston (trap!)
Formatted Reference:
Authors: Marcus J. Sterling & Priya Patel Year: 2024 Article: Urban Agriculture and Heat Island Mitigation in Coastal Cities Journal: Environmental Research Letters, Vol. 19, No. 3, pp. 145–158 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ad201
Formatted Reference:
4 Citation Crime Scene: Identify & Repair Violations
(6 Points • 2 pts each)
Each citation has two distinct APA violations. Identify both errors, then write the corrected entry below.
Davis, Arthur. (2020). The Secrets of Marine Biology: Deep Sea Exploration. Oceanic Press.
Error 1:
Error 2:
Kim, S. H. (2021). Sleep patterns and academic performance in college students. Journal of Health Sciences, 42, 88-99.
Error 1:
Error 2:
According to & Vance (2022), "wetlands filter up to 80% of runoff." (p. 112)
Error 1:
Error 2:
5 Rule Master Quick Check
(2 Points • 1 pt each)
1. Sentence Case Rule:
Which words are capitalized in an APA book or article title?
2. Parenthetical vs. Narrative Ampersand:
When do you write "&" versus the spelled-out word "and"?
Source Detective • APA 7th Edition Assessment Total Score: ____ / 30 • Grade: ______
