Journal article summary apa

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 LRC 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 LRC

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

How do you write an article summary in APA?

State the main ideas of the article. Identify the most important details that support the main ideas. Write your summary in your own words; avoid copying phrases and sentences from the article unless they're direct quotations. Express the underlying meaning of the article, not just the superficial details.

What is a journal article summary?

Summarizing a journal article is the process of presenting a focused overview of a completed research study that is published in a peer-reviewed, scholarly source. A journal article summary provides potential readers with a short descriptive commentary, giving them some insight into the article's focus.

Does APA format have a summary?

A summary is not a typical type of APA paper. According to the Purdue Online Writing Lab, typical APA papers include literature reviews and experimental reports. Most papers also include four main sections: the title page, abstract, main body, and references.

What is an APA summary?

APA Style Guide: Summary Summarizing is very similar to paraphrasing, in that it also involves putting someone else's ideas into your own words in order to condense the material (and to show that you understand the source material).