In academic writing, properly citing your sources is crucial for giving credit to the original authors and avoiding plagiarism. This guide provides a foundational understanding of the American Psychological Association (APA) citation style, a widely used format in social sciences, psychology, education, and business. While this serves as an introduction, for detailed guidelines and further examples, consult the official Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association.
In-Text Citations: Crediting Sources Within Your Work
In-text citations are brief references within the body of your paper that point your readers to the full bibliographic entry in your reference list. They allow readers to quickly identify the source of information you are using.
Basic Format: Generally, in-text citations in APA format include the author’s last name and the year of publication, and the page number for direct quotes. The format is: (Author’s last name, year, p. #). If you mention the author’s name directly in your sentence, you only need to include the year in parentheses immediately after the name. (APA Manual p. 174)
Examples:
- When quoting directly: “The impact of social media on teenagers’ self-esteem is a growing concern in modern society” (Smith, 2023, p. 45).
- When paraphrasing: Smith (2023) suggests that social media significantly influences how teenagers perceive themselves.
Citing Works with Multiple Authors:
- Two Authors: Always cite both authors’ last names every time you reference their work in the text. Example: (Jones & Davis, 2022).
- Three to Five Authors: The first time you cite the source, list all authors’ last names. In subsequent citations, use the first author’s last name followed by “et al.” (Latin for “and others”).
- First citation: (Miller, Chang, Lee, & Rossi, 2021)
- Subsequent citations: (Miller et al., 2021)
- Six or More Authors: From the first citation, use the first author’s last name followed by “et al.” Example: (Garcia et al., 2020). (APA Manual p. 175)
Creating Your APA Reference List: A Guide to Different Source Types
The reference list, located at the end of your paper, provides complete bibliographic information for all the sources you cited in-text. It allows readers to find and consult your sources themselves. References are organized alphabetically by the first author’s last name.
Books: Citing Books in APA Format
General Book Format: Author’s Last name, Initial(s). (Year). Book title. Publisher City, State: Publisher. (APA manual p. 202)
Examples:
Book with a Single Author: (APA manual p. 203)
Smith, J. (2023). The digital self: Identity in the age of social media. New York, NY: Penguin Books.
Book with Two Authors: (APA manual p. )
Johnson, A., & Williams, B. (2022). Research methods in psychology: A practical guide. London, England: Sage Publications.
Book by a Corporate Author: (APA manual p. 205)
American Psychological Association. (2020). Concise rules of APA style (7th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.
Book with an Editor: (APA manual)
Clark, L. A. (Ed.). (2021). Personality disorders: DSM-5 update. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
Chapter in an Edited Book: (APA manual p. 204)
Davidson, R. J. (2019). Emotion and affective style: Integrating neuroscience perspectives. In P. Ekman & R. J. Davidson (Eds.), The nature of emotion: Fundamental questions (pp. 345-351). New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
Entry in an Encyclopedia (Print): (APA manual p. 204)
Kahneman, D. (2017). Heuristics and biases. In R. Pohl (Ed.), Cognitive illusions: A handbook on fallacies and biases in thinking, judgement and memory (pp. 3-24). Hove, UK: Psychology Press.
Entry in an Online Reference Work: (APA manual p. 205)
Spielman, R. M. (2022). Classical conditioning. In OpenStax psychology. Retrieved from https://openstax.org/books/psychology-2e/pages/6-1-classical-conditioning
Electronic Book with a DOI: (APA manual p. 198)
Brown, T. L. (2015). Organizational behavior and management [Adobe Digital Editions version]. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119208503
Electronic Book without a DOI: (APA manual p. 199, 203)
Mitchell, M. (2018). Artificial intelligence: A guide for thinking humans [Kindle DX version]. Retrieved from Amazon.com
Periodical Articles: Citing Journals, Magazines, and Newspapers
General Format for Periodical Articles: Author’s Last name, Initial(s). (Year). Article title. Periodical Title, volume(issue), page range.
Examples:
Journal Article with DOI: (APA manual p. )
Rogers, C. R. (1959). A theory of therapy, personality and interpersonal relationships, as developed in the client-centered framework. Psychology: A Journal of Human Behavior, 16(3), 84-95. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-006X.67.4.401
Journal Article without DOI (Retrieved from Database): (APA manual p. 198-199)
Anderson, L. A., & Bushman, B. J. (2001). Effects of violent video games on aggressive behavior, aggressive cognition, aggressive affect, physiological arousal, and prosocial behavior: A meta-analytic review of the scientific literature. Psychological Science, 12(5), 353–359. Retrieved from PsycINFO database.
Newspaper Article (Print): (APA manual p. 200 )
Garcia, J. (2024, March 15). New study links exercise to improved mental health. The Washington Post, p. A1.
Online Newspaper Article: (APA manual p. 200)
Nguyen, V. (2023, November 20). The future of remote work after the pandemic. The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved from https://www.wsj.com/articles/remote-work-future-trends
Websites, Blogs, and Online Content
General Format for Websites: Author’s Last name, Initial(s). (Year, Month Day if available). Page title. Site Name. Retrieved from URL (APA manual p. 214)
Examples:
- National Institute of Mental Health. (2023, July). Anxiety disorders. Retrieved from https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/anxiety-disorders
- Smithsonian Institution. (n.d.). About us. Retrieved May 15, 2024, from https://www.si.edu/about (Use “n.d.” if no date is available).
- Psychology Today. (2024, May 10). The power of positive thinking. Psychology Today Blog. Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-power-positive-thinking/202405/the-power-of-positive-thinking
Conclusion
Mastering APA citation style is an essential skill for academic success and scholarly communication. This guide provides a starting point for understanding the basics of APA formatting for in-text citations and reference lists across various source types. Remember to always double-check your citations against the latest edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association for the most accurate and comprehensive guidance. By consistently and accurately citing your sources, you uphold academic integrity and contribute to the scholarly conversation.
