The APA (American Psychological Association) specifies the format for papers in the "Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association." This manual provides specific guidelines on how to include information from tests and questionnaires in a paper. APA style requires authors to cite the author(s) of questionnaires and tests as well as sources for any other information.
Test Questions
APA guidelines indicate that when including a test or scale item or question in a paper, you should use quotation marks around the material that is a direct quotation from the test. For example, you could say -- The question was, "which of the following best represents your evaluation of...?" You must cite the author of the questionnaire. The citation should include the author's last name and the year of publication, for example, Phillips, 2010.
Responses to Questions
Indicate the responses to questions in italics. For example, the word was rated on a scale from 1 (strongly disagree -- in italics) to 5 (strongly agree -- in italics). Multiple choice items should be similar. The responses to the question, "how would you evaluate the behavior," range from 1) I would behave the same way, 2) I have no opinion, 3) I do not approve of the behavior. Type the verbal responses in italics.
Multiple Choice Questions as Tables
You can include multiple choice questions in the text as a table. Label the tables with numbers and provide a title in italics. For example, Table 1, Attitudes toward Foreign Words. Place the headings in the next line, for example, "Questions" as the heading in the left hand column and "Multiple Choice Responses" as the heading in the right hand column. List each question in the left hand column and the multiple choice responses in the right hand column.
Multiple Choice Questions in Appendices
You can include multiple choice tests, questions or scales as appendices to a paper. If you have only one appendix, title it Appendix (in italics). If you have two or more appendices, label each with capital letters in the order in which you discuss in the text. For example, Appendix A and Appendix B (the word Appendix and the capital letter are in italics). Give each appendix a title. Refer to the appendix in the text by the label, for example, see Appendix C.
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References
- American Psychological Association: APA style
- "Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association:" American Psychological Association; 2009
Writer Bio
Linda Foley has been writing about psychology and the justice system since 1974. Her articles have been published in the "Journal of Forensic Psychology," "Trial Lawyer" and the "Journal of Social Behavior and Personality." Foley holds a Doctor of Philosophy in social psychology from the University of Florida.