Eighty years later: The APA publication manual rides again...and again and again and again and again.
Sternberg, Robert J.; Sternberg, Karin; No authorship indicated. PsycCRITIQUES 55.5 (2010).
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Abstract
Reviews the book, Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (6th ed.) by the American Psychological Association (see record 2009-16118-000). The sixth edition of the Publication manual of the American Psychological Association has been published 80 years after the publication of the original APA publication manual. There are a number of changes in the new edition and from the reviewers' point of view, the changes are welcome ones. Some of the welcomed changes include reduced length, modification of paper headings, increased orientation toward electronic submission, expanded coverage of ethical issues, and expanded material on the use and reporting of statistical methods. However, the reviewers also point out several problems with the new edition, and focus on the fact that this book can be very overwhelming and does not always make writing easier for authors. On the whole, the reviewers believe that the APA publication manual continues to be an excellent and indispensable reference work. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved) _______________________________________________________________
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PsycCRITIQUES1554-0138American Psychological AssociationFebruary3, 2010555 psq_2010_4513_1_410.1037/a00187652010-00585-001reviewBook Review12010American
Psychological AssociationEighty Years LaterThe APA Publication ManualRides Again . . . and Again and Again and Again and AgainPublication Manual of the American Psychological
Association (6th ed.)the American Psychological AssociationWashington, DC: American
Psychological Association, 2010. 272 pp.ISBN 978-1-4338-0559-2(hardcover); ISBN 978-14338-0562-2(spiral bound); ISBN 978-1-4338-0561-5(paperback). $39.95, hardcover;
$36.95, spiral bound; $28.95, paperbackRobert J.SternbergKarinSternberg
The sixth edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association
(henceforth referred to in this review as the APA Publication Manual) has been published 80 years after the publication of the original APA Publication Manual. Sometimes, readers wonder whether a new edition of a book is “worth it” or rather represents an attempt by a publisher to increase its revenue by forcing users of the book to buy a new edition. In the
case of the APA Publication Manual, the book is definitely “worth it,” for the reasons described below.
This latest APA Publication Manualgot off to a rough start. The first printing was beset by errors—generally quite minor ones—but enough of them so that users complained and the
American Psychological Association (APA) decided to release a second printing correcting the errors. It sent the new printing free so long as the purchaser returned the earlier printing.
In this way, it got the first printing “off the streets.” The association handled the matter in an ethical, responsible, and professional way and thereby largely put the unfortunate event behind it.
The APA Publication Manualis used by most psychological journals and by journals in many other fields as well, including nursing, education, and social work. There are many competing professional organizations with their own goals and, quite frankly, their own need for revenue from publications. The APA Publication Manualreached its position of preeminence because of its usefulness to authors and journal editors, not because
