What does APA say about writing style?

Answer

APA's 7th Edition Publication Manual has a section titled "Writing Style and Grammar." Within that section there is a subsection titled "Effective Scholarly Writing" (p. 111-117).

In a nutshell, APA points out that your "main objective...is clear communication" (p. 111). To that end:

  • Seek continuity in the presentation of your ideas. There should be an uninterrupted, logical flow of ideas from the beginning of your paper to the end
  • Seek "smoothness of expression." There should be no surprises and no sudden shifts.
  • Seek an informational, professional "tone."
  • Strive for "economy of expression." "Say only what needs to be said;" avoid wordiness, redundancy, and overly complex sentence structure.
  • Precision and clarity of language is of utmost importance.
  • Last Updated Jul 06, 2020
  • Views 915
  • Answered By Kerry Louvier

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