Hello Vicki Kahl:
Greetings! I am one of the reference librarians, and I am more than happy to work with you. The American Psychological Association (APA) published the current edition (i.e., the 6th ed.) of the Publication manual of the American Psychological Association in 2010. One of the rules introduced in this edition is the inclusion of a doi number in a journal article citation. A doi (digital object identifier) is a unique code used by the publisher in the identification of a digital publication. However, not all journal publishers assign doi codes for their publications. Therefore, you will need to verify whether there is a doi code assigned for a specific journal article. If there is, you must include the doi code in the citation. There are several ways to verify whether a doi is assigned for a journal article:
- Read the journal article in full-text format
This is the best way to identify whether there is a doi code assigned for an article. You can find a lot of journal articles in full-text format online on the library website.
- Verify the inclusion of the doi in a citation retrieved from an electric information system
Many electronic systems include the doi codes in the citation entries. When you search an information system, please read the results carefully. There is an instructional video on how to prepare a journal article citation in APA style format available on the library website. I will include the link to access it in this message. I have several follow-up questions:
- Do you have any experience in accessing electronic journal articles in full-text format on the library website?
- Have you used the electronic information systems available on the library website before?
I hope that you can tell me more about your needs. Any information you give me can help determine whether my answers meet your needs. Would you please e-mail me again?
If you need further help, please e-mail us again.
Sincerely,
Feili Tu-Keefner, Reference Librarian
Thomas Cooper Library
University of South Carolina
Columbia, SC 29208
Voice: 803-777-1026
FAX: 803-777-7938
E-mail: slis703teamb@gmail.com
