Mastering the APA Citation Style: The Experiences of Undergraduate IT Students in Kazakhstan

Aim/Purpose: This study investigates the challenges undergraduate IT students in Kazakhstan face in mastering APA citation style and evaluates the impact of introducing citation instruction earlier in the curriculum. Background: In English-medium instruction (EMI) contexts, particularly in post-Soviet educational systems, students often have limited prior exposure to international academic writing conventions. As a result, mastering citation practices presents both technical and conceptual challenges. Methodology: A mixed-methods, two-stage comparative design examined 200 student essays (100 from 2020 and 100 from 2021) across nine APA formatting categories. Semi-structured interviews with 15 students provided qualitative insights into their learning experiences. Chi-square tests assessed the statistical significance of differences between cohorts. Contribution: This study contributes empirical evidence on citation learning in STEM-oriented, non-Anglophone, post-Soviet contexts. It demonstrates the differential impact of early instructional interventions on various dimensions of citation competence. Findings: Earlier APA instruction was associated with lower error rates across most categories. The largest improvement was in page numbering, χ²(1, N = 200) = 106.70, p < .001, V = .73, followed by margins and font formatting, indicating strong gains in mechanical aspects of citation. Moderate improvements were found in paraphrasing and quotations, while smaller significant effects appeared in reference formatting and the alignment of in-text citations with reference lists. Title page formatting showed no statistically significant change. These results suggest that early instruction improves rule-based formatting, while more complex citation practices remain challenging. Recommendations for Practitioners: Citation instruction should be introduced early and reinforced through scaffolded practice, with particular emphasis on higher-order skills such as paraphrasing and reference construction. Recommendation for Researchers: Future research should examine the longitudinal development of citation skills and explore how linguistic, cultural, and institutional factors influence the acquisition of citation skills across diverse contexts. Impact on Society: Improving citation literacy supports academic integrity, enhances the quality of student writing, and facilitates integration into global academic standards.