Do you think that psychology is just for students, academics and therapists? Then think again. Because psychology is both an applied and a theoretical subject, it can be utilized in a number of ways. While research studies aren't exactly light reading material for the average person, the results of these experiments and studies can have important applications in daily life. Learn more by checking out this article on some of the best ways to apply psychology in everyday life.

Teachers, students and researchers in a wide variety of fields rely on the guidelines established by the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association. What happens, though, when the style manual itself contains errors?

Since the recent publication of the sixth edition of the APA style manual, the publishers have issued numerous corrections to the first printing. The corrections include five pages of content and example errors, four pages of "nonsignificant typographical errors" and several corrected sample papers.

APA style is used in psychology as well as other social sciences including education, economics, sociology and nursing. For psychology students, it is essential to have an error-free copy of the publication manual to refer to when writing psychology papers.

In order to deal with the issue, the APA Style website contains a list of frequently asked questions about the corrections. Individuals who purchased a first edition copy of the APA style manual can download a PDF file containing the corrections, or obtain a printed supplement to the book via the APA Service Center.

In addition to these options, the APA is also allowing anyone who purchased a first-edition copy to exchange their book for corrected copy up through December 15, 2009. Visit the APA Style website to learn more about your options and the corrections.

One Space or Two?

One controversial change in the sixth edition of the APA style manual is the switch to requiring two spaces at the end of a sentence instead of just one. According to the APA's style blog, "...this new recommendation will help ease their reading by breaking up the text into manageable, more easily recognizable chunks...APA thinks the added space makes sense for draft manuscripts in light of those manuscript readers who might benefit from a brief but refreshing pause."

The change has stirred up some debate among students, teachers, scholars and the writing community. According to Mignon Fogarty of Grammar Girl, placing two spaces at the end of a sentence was a good strategy back in the days of typewriters and monospaced fonts because it helped give readers a visual break. "When you're typing on a computer, most fonts are proportional fonts, which means that characters are different widths. An "i" is more narrow than an "m," for example, and putting extra space between sentences doesn't do anything to improve readability," Mignon writes.

More About APA Format

• Examples of APA Format
• An Overview of APA Format
• General Rules for APA Style

Do you need a little extra help reviewing psychology and preparing for exams? Now is a great time to review your notes, old exams and other study materials to start preparing for those end-of-term tests. Get started by exploring the following study guides designed to boost your understanding of psychology topics including human development and research methods.

1. Psychology of Learning Study Guide

What exactly is learning? Behaviorism is the branch of psychology most strongly associated with this topic, but the subject of learning is the focus of many psychology courses. Brush up on your understanding of learning in this student study guide.

2. Personality Psychology Study Guide

Personality psychology seeks to understand and describe the development of personality. This study guide offers an overview, timeline, theories, important figures and study questions about personality.

Read more...

Definition: A survey is a data collection tool used to gather information about individuals. Surveys are commonly used in psychology research to collect self-report data from study participants. A survey may focus on factual information about individuals, or it may aim to collect the opinions of the survey takers. Learn more about some of the advantages and disadvantages of using surveys in psychological research. Read more...

Psychology Research Methods

• Introduction to Research Methods
• How to Conduct a Psychology Experiment
• Correlational Studies

_{Image courtesy Piotr Bizior}