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APA Formatting and Style Guide (7th Edition)
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In-Text Citations
Resources on using in-text citations in APA style
Reference List
Resources on writing an APA style reference list, including citation formats
Other APA Resources
- MJC Library & Learning Center
- Research Guides
Format Your Paper & Cite Your Sources
- APA Style, 7th Edition
- Citing Sources
- Avoid Plagiarism
- MLA Style (8th/9th ed.)
APA Tutorial
Formatting your paper, headings organize your paper (2.27), video tutorials, reference list format (9.43).
- Elements of a Reference
Reference Examples (Chapter 10)
Dois and urls (9.34-9.36), in-text citations.
- In-Text Citations Format
- In-Text Citations for Specific Source Types
NoodleTools
- Chicago Style
- Harvard Style
- Other Styles
- Annotated Bibliographies
- How to Create an Attribution
What is APA Style?
APA style was created by social and behavioral scientists to standardize scientific writing. APA style is most often used in:
- psychology,
- social sciences (sociology, business), and
If you're taking courses in any of these areas, be prepared to use APA style.
For in-depth guidance on using this citation style, refer to Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association , 7th ed. We have several copies available at the MJC Library at the call number BF 76.7 .P83 2020 .
APA Style, 7th ed.
In October 2019, the American Psychological Association made radical changes its style, especially with regard to the format and citation rules for students writing academic papers. Use this guide to learn how to format and cite your papers using APA Style, 7th edition.
You can start by viewing the video tutorial .
For help on all aspects of formatting your paper in APA Style, see The Essentials page on the APA Style website.
- sans serif fonts such as 11-point Calibri, 11-point Arial, or 10-point Lucida Sans Unicode, or
- serif fonts such as 12-point Times New Roman, 11-point Georgia, or normal (10-point) Computer Modern (the default font for LaTeX)
- There are exceptions for the title page , tables , figures , footnotes , and displayed equations .
- Margins : Use 1-in. margins on every side of the page.
- Align the text of an APA Style paper to the left margin . Leave the right margin uneven, or “ragged.”
- Do not use full justification for student papers.
- Do not insert hyphens (manual breaks) in words at the end of line. However, it is acceptable if your word-processing program automatically inserts breaks in long hyperlinks (such as in a DOI or URL in a reference list entry).
- Indent the first line of each paragraph of text 0.5 in . from the left margin. Use the tab key or the automatic paragraph-formatting function of your word-processing program to achieve the indentation (the default setting is likely already 0.5 in.). Do not use the space bar to create indentation.
- There are exceptions for the title page , section labels , abstract , block quotations , headings , tables and figures , reference list , and appendices .
Paper Elements
Student papers generally include, at a minimum:
- Title Page (2.3)
- Text (2.11)
- References (2.12)
Student papers may include additional elements such as tables and figures depending on the assignment. So, please check with your teacher!
Student papers generally DO NOT include the following unless your teacher specifically requests it:
- Running head
- Author note
For complete information on the order of pages , see the APA Style website.
Number your pages consecutively starting with page 1. Each section begins on a new page. Put the pages in the following order:
- Page 1: Title page
- Page 2: Abstract (if your teacher requires an abstract)
- Page 3: Text
- References begin on a new page after the last page of text
- Footnotes begin on a new page after the references (if your teacher requires footnotes)
- Tables begin each on a new page after the footnotes (if your teacher requires tables)
- Figures begin on a new page after the tables (if your teacher requires figures)
- Appendices begin on a new page after the tables and/or figures (if your teacher requires appendices)
Sample Papers With Built-In Instructions
To see what your paper should look like, check out these sample papers with built-in instructions.
APA Style uses five (5) levels of headings to help you organize your paper and allow your audience to identify its key points easily. Levels of headings establish the hierarchy of your sections just like you did in your paper outline.
APA tells us to use "only the number of headings necessary to differentiate distinct section in your paper." Therefore, the number of heading levels you create depends on the length and complexity of your paper.
See the chart below for instructions on formatting your headings:
Use Word to Format Your Paper:
Use Google Docs to Format Your Paper:
Placement: The reference list appears at the end of the paper, on its own page(s). If your research paper ends on page 8, your References begin on page 9.
Heading: Place the section label References in bold at the top of the page, centered.
Arrangement: Alphabetize entries by author's last name. If source has no named author, alphabetize by the title, ignoring A, An, or The. (9.44-9.48)
Spacing: Like the rest of the APA paper, the reference list is double-spaced throughout. Be sure NOT to add extra spaces between citations.
Indentation: To make citations easier to scan, add a hanging indent of 0.5 in. to any citation that runs more than one line. Use the paragraph-formatting function of your word processing program to create your hanging indent.
See Sample References Page (from APA Sample Student Paper):
Elements of Reference List Entries: (Chapter 9)
References generally have four elements, each of which has a corresponding question for you to answer:
- Author: Who is responsible for this work? (9.7-9.12)
- Date: When was this work published? (9.13-9.17)
- Title: What is this work called? (9.18-9.22)
- Source: Where can I retrieve this work? (9.23-9.37)
By using these four elements and answering these four questions, you should be able to create a citation for any type of source.
For complete information on all of these elements, checkout the APA Style website.
This infographic shows the first page of a journal article. The locations of the reference elements are highlighted with different colors and callouts, and the same colors are used in the reference list entry to show how the entry corresponds to the source.
To create your references, you'll simple look for these elements in your source and put them together in your reference list entry.
American Psychological Association. Example of where to find reference information for a journal article [Infographic]. APA Style Center. https://apastyle.apa.org/style-grammar-guidelines/references/basic-principles
Below you'll find two printable handouts showing APA citation examples. The first is an abbreviated list created by MJC Librarians. The second, which is more comprehensive, is from the APA Style website. Feel free to print these for your convenience or use the links to reference examples below:
- APA Citation Examples Created by MJC Librarians for you.
- Common References Examples (APA Handout) Printable handout from the American Psychological Association.
- APA Style Quick Reference Guide See how to format three typical types of references.
- Journal Article
- Magazine Article
- Newspaper Article
- Edited Book Chapter
- Webpage on a Website
Classroom or Intranet Sources
- Classroom Course Pack Materials
- How to Cite ChatGPT
- Dictionary Entry
- Government Report
- Legal References (Laws & Cases)
- TED Talk References
- Religious Works
- Open Educational Resources (OER)
- Archival Documents and Collections
You can view the entire Reference Examples website below and view a helpful guide to finding useful APA style topics easily:
- APA Style: Reference Examples
- Navigating the not-so-hidden treasures of the APA Style website
- Missing Reference Information
Sometimes you won't be able to find all the elements required for your reference. In that case, see the instructions in Table 9.1 of the APA style manual in section 9.4 or the APA Style website below:
- Direct Quotation of Material Without Page Numbers
The DOI or URL is the final component of a reference list entry. Because so much scholarship is available and/or retrieved online, most reference list entries end with either a DOI or a URL.
- A DOI is a unique alphanumeric string that identifies content and provides a persistent link to its location on the internet. DOIs can be found in database records and the reference lists of published works.
- A URL specifies the location of digital information on the internet and can be found in the address bar of your internet browser. URLs in references should link directly to the cited work when possible.
When to Include DOIs and URLs:
- Include a DOI for all works that have a DOI, regardless of whether you used the online version or the print version.
- If an online work has both a DOI and a URL, include only the DOI.
- For works without DOIs from websites (not including academic research databases), provide a URL in the reference (as long as the URL will work for readers).
- For works without DOIs from most academic research databases, do not include a URL or database information in the reference because these works are widely available. The reference should be the same as the reference for a print version of the work.
- For works from databases that publish original, proprietary material available only in that database (such as the UpToDate database) or for works of limited circulation in databases (such as monographs in the ERIC database), include the name of the database or archive and the URL of the work. If the URL requires a login or is session-specific (meaning it will not resolve for readers), provide the URL of the database or archive home page or login page instead of the URL for the work. (See APA Section 9.30 for more information).
- If the URL is no longer working or no longer provides readers access to the content you intend to cite, try to find an archived version using the Internet Archive , then use the archived URL. If there is no archived URL, do not use that resource.
Format of DOIs and URLs:
Your DOI should look like this:
https://doi.org/10.1037/a0040251
Follow these guidelines from the APA Style website.
APA Style uses the author–date citation system , in which a brief in-text citation points your reader to the full reference list entry at the end of your paper. The in-text citation appears within the body of the paper and briefly identifies the cited work by its author and date of publication. This method enables your reader to locate the corresponding entry in the alphabetical reference list at the end of your paper.
Each work you cite must appear in the reference list, and each work in the reference list must be cited in the text (or in a table, figure, footnote, or appendix) except for the following (See APA, 8.4):
- Personal communications (8.9)
- General mentions of entire websites, whole periodicals (8.22), and common software and apps (10.10) in the text do not require a citation or reference list entry.
- The source of an epigraph does not usually appear in the reference list (8.35)
- Quotations from your research participants do not need citations or reference list entries (8.36)
- References included in a statistical meta-analysis, which are marked with an asterisk in the reference list, may be cited in the text (or not) at the author’s discretion. This exception is relevant only to authors who are conducting a meta-analysis (9.52).
Formatting Your In-Text Citations
Parenthetical and Narrative Citations: ( See APA Section 8.11)
In APA style you use the author-date citation system for citing references within your paper. You incorporate these references using either a parenthetical or a narrative style.
Parenthetical Citations
- In parenthetical citations, the author name and publication date appear in parentheses, separated by a comma. (Jones, 2018)
- A parenthetical citation can appear within or at the end of a sentence.
- When the parenthetical citation is at the end of the sentence, put the period or other end punctuation after the closing parenthesis.
- If there is no author, use the first few words of the reference list entry, usually the "Title" of the source: ("Autism," 2008) See APA 8.14
- When quoting, always provide the author, year, and specific page citation or paragraph number for nonpaginated materials in the text (Santa Barbara, 2010, p. 243). See APA 8.13
- For most citations, the parenthetical reference is placed BEFORE the punctuation: Magnesium can be effective in treating PMS (Haggerty, 2012).
Narrative Citations
In narrative citations, the author name or title of your source appears within your text and the publication date appears in parentheses immediately after the author name.
- Santa Barbara (2010) noted a decline in the approval of disciplinary spanking of 26 percentage points from 1968 to 1994.
In-Text Citation Checklist
- In-Text Citation Checklist Use this useful checklist from the American Psychological Association to ensure that you've created your in-text citations correctly.
In-Text Citations for Specific Types of Sources
Quotations from Research Participants
Personal Communications
Secondary Sources
Use NoodleTools to Cite Your Sources
NoodleTools can help you create your references and your in-text citations.
- NoodleTools Express No sign in required . When you need one or two quick citations in MLA, APA, or Chicago style, simply generate them in NoodleTools Express then copy and paste what you need into your document. Note: Citations are not saved and cannot be exported to a word processor using NoodleTools Express.
- NoodleTools (Login Full Database) This link opens in a new window Create and organize your research notes, share and collaborate on research projects, compose and error check citations, and complete your list of works cited in MLA, APA, or Chicago style using the full version of NoodleTools. You'll need to Create a Personal ID and password the first time you use NoodleTools.
See How to Use NoodleTools Express to Create a Citation in APA Format
Additional NoodleTools Help
- NoodleTools Help Desk Look up questions and answers on the NoodleTools Web site
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- Last Updated: Mar 20, 2024 11:36 AM
- URL: https://libguides.mjc.edu/citeyoursources
Except where otherwise noted, this work is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 and CC BY-NC 4.0 Licenses .
APA Citation Style 7th Edition: Welcome
- Advertisements
- Books & eBooks
- Book Reviews
- Class Handouts, Presentations, and Readings
- Encyclopedias & Dictionaries
- Government Documents
- Images, Charts, Graphs, Maps & Tables
- Journal Articles
- Magazine Articles
- Newspaper Articles
- Personal Communication (Interviews, Emails)
- Social Media
- Videos & DVDs
- Paraphrasing
- No Author, No Date etc.
- Sample Papers
- Annotated Bibliography
What is APA?
APA style was created by the American Psychological Association. It is a set of rules for publications, including research papers.
In APA, you must "cite" sources that you have paraphrased, quoted or otherwise used to write your research paper. Cite your sources in two places:
- In the body of your paper where you add a brief in-text citation.
- In the Reference list at the end of your paper where you give more complete information for the source.
Acknowledgement
What's new in the 7th edition of apa.
Below is a summary of the major changes in the 7th edition of the APA Publication Manual.
Essay Format:
- Font - While you still can use Times New Roman 12, you are free to use other fonts. Calibri 11, Arial 11, Lucida Sans 10, and Georgia 11 are all acceptable.
- Headers - No running headers are required for student papers.
- Tables and Figures - There is a standardized format for both tables and figures.
Style, Grammar, Usage:
- Singular "they" required in two situations: when used by a known person as their personal pronoun or when the gender of a singular person is not known.
- Use only one space after a sentence-ending period.
Citation Style:
- Developed the 'Four Elements of a Reference" (Author, Date, Title, Source) to help writers to create references for source types not explicitly examined in the APA Manual.
- Three or more authors can be abbreviated to First author, et al. on the first citation.
- Up to 20 authors are spelled out in the References List.
- Publisher location is not required for books
- Ebook platform, format, or device is not required for eBooks.
- Library database names are generally not required
- No "doi:" prefix, simply include the doi.
- All hyperlinks retain the https://
- Links can be "live" in blue with underline or black without underlining
Commonly Used Terms
Citing : The process of acknowledging the sources of your information and ideas.
DOI (doi) : Some electronic content, such as online journal articles, is assigned a unique number called a Digital Object Identifier (DOI or doi). Items can be tracked down online using their doi.
In-Text Citation : A brief note at the point where information is used from a source to indicate where the information came from. An in-text citation should always match more detailed information that is available in the Reference List.
Paraphrasing : Taking information that you have read and putting it into your own words.
Plagiarism : Taking, using, and passing off as your own, the ideas or words of another.
Quoting : The copying of words of text originally published elsewhere. Direct quotations generally appear in quotation marks and end with a citation.
Reference : Details about one cited source.
Reference List : Contains details on ALL the sources cited in a text or essay, and supports your research and/or premise.
Retrieval Date : Used for websites where content is likely to change over time (e.g. Wikis), the retrieval date refers to the date you last visited the website.
- Next: How Do I Cite? >>
- Last Updated: Apr 8, 2024 4:30 PM
- URL: https://libguides.msubillings.edu/apa7
- USU Library
Citations: Citing Sources in APA Style: Citing Sources in APA
Citing sources in apa.
- Automatically Creating Citations
According to APA 7th Edition guidelines you need to find out as much information as you can about who created and published a source and when. You communicate this to your audience through in-text and Reference List citations which your readers can look up themselves.
Recommended sources for help with APA style guidelines:
- APAstyle.org Free online help directly from the American Psychological Association. Scroll down to "Quick Answers" section for help with references and formatting.
- Purdue OWL APA Formatting & Style Guide Free APA help online from Purdue's Online Writing Lab (OWL). Provides examples and instructions for commonly cited materials, as well as a sample APA paper and tips for avoiding plagiarism. The left-hand menu has guidance for both in-text citations and the references list at the end of your paper.
Below are a just a few examples of APA citations. There are many situations which you might run into that don't fit the formats listed below - for more help visit the APA website to learn about specific rules and tips!
Format (Multiple Authors)
Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Year). Title of the article. Name of the Periodical, volume (issue), #–#. https://doi.org/xxxx
Albert, R., McKnight, A. G., Perez, C., & Yelinek, J. (2019). Thoughts in literature: A review of literature that presents ethnic and racial representation in groups across Oregon. Psychology of Popular Media Culture , 8 (4), 210–217. https://doi.org/10.8909/ppm0000345
Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Copyright Year). Title of the book (6th ed.). Publisher. DOI or URL
Sapolsky, R. M. (2017). Behave: The biology of humans at our best and worst. Penguin Books.
Webpage on a Website
Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Date Published). Title of the webpage . Publisher of the Website. URL
Kuzmich, F. D. (2019, April 1). Nursing mental health . OER Commons. https://www.oercommonly.edu/authors/89037-nursing-mental-health/view
Newspaper Articles
Author, A. A., & Author B, B,. (Date Published). Title of news article. Newspaper Publisher . URL
Carey, B. (2019, March 22). Can we get better at forgetting? The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/22/health/memory-forgetting-psychology.html
Library Help
APA style requires that a Digital Object Identifier (DOI) be included in your citation, if available. To see if a journal article has been assigned a DOI, you can look it up on CrossRef or Ask a Librarian .
For more information about the DOI system, see http://www.doi.org .
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- Last Updated: Aug 1, 2023 3:19 PM
- URL: https://libguides.usu.edu/apa
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Citing Sources: APA, MLA & Chicago Styles
Apa 7 handouts and additional sources, apa 7 manual in print, apa 7 paper format, why citations, quoting, paraphrasing and summarizing, in-text citations: 2 types, in-text citation format, reference list: basic principles, reference list: basic format, author format, dois and how to find them, print books, edited book as a whole, part of an edited book (chapters/essays/articles), dictionaries/encyclopedias (including wikipedia), journal articles, magazine articles, newspaper articles, news webpage (online news sources), social media, audiovisual materials, personal communications (including interviews), dissertations and theses, government reports, legal sources, creating flawless citations.
- PREVIOUS APA Style (6th Edition)
- MLA Style, 9th edition (work in progress)
- MLA Style (8th edition)
- Citing Legal Materials (Bluebook)
- Chicago Style
- Citation Tools in Databases and on the Web
- Avoiding Plagiarism
APA 7 HANDOUTS: If your professor requests APA 6th edition, please click here for our APA Style 6th edition . For further assistance, contact a John Jay librarian or the John Jay Writing Center .
APA 7 Reference List: Common Sources (click for handout)
APA 7 Reference List: Social Media and Audiovisual Materials (click for handout)
APA 7 In-Text Citations (click for handout)
Additional sources:
APA Style Blog and APA Twitter Feed (American Psychological Association)
APA 7th Style (Excelsior College Online Writing Lab)
APA 7th Style Referencing Guide , AUT Library (Auckland University of Technology):
APA Style (7th ed.) , Albert S. Cook Library (Towson University):
APA Style (7th ed.) , OWL (Online Writing Lab at Purdue University)
Many databases now create a citation for you. Watch our video, How to Use Citation Tools in Databases and read the screen carefully in each database to locate the citation tool. ALWAYS check the database citation for errors by checking it against our Library citation guides--learn how by watching our video Creating Flawless Citations .
Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (7th edition)
APA 7 is the CURRENT version of APA style. Print copies are available in our Library both on reserve (3 hour loan) and at the Reference Desk (2nd floor) under the call number BF76.7 .P83 2020
APA 7 has two paper formats--student and professional. This guide presents how to format student papers . *
APA format dictates the style of your title page, headings and References list. Consult the APA Style Blog for how to format tables, figures and abstract if requested by your professor. Requirements for how many and what kind of sources, sections and number of pages, etc. are determined by your professor.
View SAMPLE STUDENT PAPERS from the APA Style Blog:
Sample Paper ( DOCX , 38KB )
Sample Paper with explanation (PDF, 2MB)
ORDER OF ARRANGEMENT:
- abstract (if requested)
TITLE PAGE :
APA r equires a title page. Students should follow the student format unless otherwise requested by their professor. (Find additional s tudent title page example from the APA Style Blog .)
(Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association p. 32)
Title : c entered, bold print, 3-4 lines from top of page. Capitalize major words.
Author's name : centered and 2 d oubled space lines under title.
Author's affiliation : centered and 1 double spaced line under author's name. Include d epartment and institution separated by comma.
Course number and name (separated by a colon) centered and 1 double spaced line under author's affiliation, as they are written on course material.
Instructor name : centered on 1 d ouble spaced line under course information, as it is written on course material.
Assignment due date : centered on separate line under instructor's name.
PAGINATION:
Title page is page number 1 .
Set HEADER to add page numbers in sequence in the top right hand corner of each page. HEADER IS PAGE NUMBER ONLY.
LINE SPACING:
Double-space all parts of an APA Style paper--abstract, text, block quotations, table and figure (numbers, titles, and notes) and reference list. See APA Style Blog for line spacing exceptions .
Running title headers are NOT required for student papers. HEADER IS PAGE NUMBER ONLY .
S hort student papers may not require any headings .
Headings outline different sections in your paper. Make headings concise and descriptive. There are 5 heading levels (see APA Style Blog information on headings for more details) . Use only when necessary to differentiate distinct parts of your paper.
Your first paragraph is understood to be the introduction--the heading “Introduction” is not needed. Do not use numbers or letters in your headings. Double space headings with no added blank lines above or below.
Use title case for all headings--most words are capitalized (e.g., Beyond the Melting Pot).
( Format of Headings , APA Style)
- * Consult the APA Style Blog for specifics on an APA professional paper with examples: Professional Paper (DOCX, 96KB) and Annotated Professional Paper (PDF, 3MB)
When using outside sources or others’ ideas to strengthen an argument in your paper, you must give the author(s) credit to avoid any charges of plagiarism (see John Jay College’s policy on Academic Integrity ).
APA (American Psychological Association) is one style of formatting citations for outside sources for your Reference list (list of your sources at the end of your paper) and in-text citations (references, within the body of your paper, to a source you have listed on your Reference list).
This guide provides citation examples to the most common sources. Use the tabs on the left for help with formatting your paper, citing different types of source and creating in-text citations.
If you need more guidance, contact your instructor, a Lloyd Sealy librarian or the John Jay Writing Center .
Quoting, paraphrasing, and summarizing are three ways to incorporate outside sources into your paper. See In-Text Citations: 2 Ways for options in the placement of your in-text citations and the In-Text Citation Format box for proper formatting.
Quoting is reproducing text verbatim (exactly as written) from another source. You must include an in-text citation to direct quotes that gives credit to the author/source AND refers the reader to you r References page so they may find that source and the quote you've included.
(a) Short Quotations fewer than 40 words : Incorporate the quote into the narrative of your text by using quotation marks. Place the in-text citation in parentheses after the author's name or at the end of the quote:
According to Geppert (2019, p. 116) , "it is imperative that development economists extend their research beyond purely economic factors and focus their attention on creating more inclusive, and hence more accurate, measures of development and national well-being."
In ancient Egypt, black pigment “was the best-known form of makeup…used by people of all classes” ("Egyptian Body Decorations," 2013, p. 39).
(b) Long Quotations more than 40 words : Separate the quote by creating a double-spaced indented block without quotation marks . Indent 5 spaces from the left margin. Place the in-text citation in parentheses after the author's name or at the end of the quote:
According to Geppert:
Although this analysis has revealed that there is a statistically significant relationship between a variety of economic, political and social factors and happiness, it is important to note it is almost impossible to make a clear distinction between economic, political and social variables (2019, p. 116).
Jewelry was a form of body decoration ("Egyptian Body Decorations," 2013, p. 39):
Another way that Egyptians ornamented themselves was through the use of jewelry. The best-known pieces of jewelry were the highly decorated collars and pectorals (jewelry that was hung over the chest by a chain around the neck) that both men and women wore on their upper chests, under and around their necks.
Paraphrasing and Summarizing
Paraphrasing is using your own words to present someone else's idea(s). Summarizing is stating the essence of another's idea(s). You need an in-text citation each time you paraphrase or summarize another's idea. The citation refers the reader to that source on your References list and may include the specific page, chapter, section, etc. of the source being discussed. Use quotation marks for original words or phrases that come directly from the author or source:
According to Zapf & Jung (2006), “criminal responsibility” can be evaluated by referring to information from the defendant’s interview, and forensic test results (p.340).
Clifford Geertz (1973) is well known for discussing ethnography as “thick description.”
When incorporating external sources in the body of your paper you must include in-text citations that gives credit to those sources. In-text citations refer the reader to the source's listing on your References list . It, therefore, helps to complete your References page listing all your sources first.
There are two ways to incorporate your in-text citations:
Parenthetical Citations: Using parentheses ( within or at the end of a sentence) with author(s) or title, publication year, and part quoted, summarized or paraphrased without naming that work in your sentence:
Among ancient Egyptians, "kohl, a black pigment, was the best-known form of makeup" ("Egyptian Body Decorations," 2013, p. 39).
- Author : follow Author Format in box below
- Shorten long titles
- Use title case *
- Use italics if the title is italicized on your References list OR q uotation marks if not italicized
- Publication YEAR only
- Usually page number(s)--s ee APA 7 Manual for citing a paragraph (para.), major heading (Introduction), entire chapter, figure or table as well as sources with no pagination
- Use timestamp f or video/audio sources
- Use slide number for PowerPoint sources
Narrative Citations: Some examples:
Smith (2015) surveyed this phenomenon.
A famous survey of this phenomenon (Smith, 2015) showed that...
In 2015, Smith demonstrated that...
"White rats are the best subjects for this test," said Smith (2015, pp. 50-51).
Smith went on to explain, "Hamsters make better pets than lab rats" (2015, p.51).
(from APA Style (7th Edition , Albert S. Cook Library, Towson University)
* TITLE CASE: Beyond the Melting Pot . (m ost words are capitalized)
SENTENCE CASE: Beyond the melting pot. (only f irst word is capitalized with the exception of proper nouns)
Formating In-text Citations
See the Quoting, Paraphrasing and Summarizing: Incorporating External Source s box in this guide for how to properly incorporate outside sources within the body of your paper. See the In-Text Citations: 2 Types box in this guide for detailed information. For information and examples of how to cite parts of a source ot her than page numbers , see the APA Style Blog: https://apastyle.apa.org/style-grammar-guidelines/citations/basic-principles/parts-source
APA 7 Basic Rules
Follow author Reference List: Author Format in this guide for author(s) name--lastname, initial(s).
Capitalize group author (s) such as an organization, association, corporation, government agency, etc. as a proper name.
Use title of the work when there is no author. Make sure to check the About section of websites for group author if you do not see named individual(s).
When citing an edited work as a whole , format editor name(s) same as author(s)--lastname, initial(s). See Edited Book as a Whole in this guide.
When citing part of an edited work (essay/article/chapter) the author of the part is listed first. Editor(s) of the work as a whole is named as initial(s). lastname. Include page number(s) for part you are citing. See Part of an Edited Book in this guide.
Include those separately credited (translators/introduction or foreword authors) with name and role in parentheses after the title as follows: (with A. A. Author, Trans.).
Include edition information (revised/update/number) after title of work.
List publisher name only ; do not include place of publication.
If author and publisher are the same, omit the publisher.
DOIs and URLs (for PRINT and ELECTRONIC sources)
Include DOI (digital objective identifier) as a hyperlink if available (p: https://doi.org/xxxxxxx. See DOIs and How to Find Them in this guide for more information.
Include URL only if link is stable and material is freely accessible to everyone.
Do NOT include database name or database URL.
Avoid punctuation after the DOI or URL to avoid corrupting the link.
If URL is neither stable nor freely accessible to everyone, treat as print source even if you read it online.
WEBSITES:
- If you mention a website in your paper without quoting or paraphrasing , simply provide the website name and URL in parentheses--not necessary to list it in your References page.
Use Webpage format ONLY when no other format applies ---follow other formats in this guide if your source is an eBook ; online Dictionary/Encyclopedia ; online Journal , Magazine or Newspaper article; article from an Online News Source ; Social Media page/post; Audiovisual item, or online government report.
Follow Newspaper Article format ONLY for online articles published from a newspaper website associated with a daily or weekly newspaper .
Follow News Webpage (Online News Sources) format for articles from ONLINE NEWS SOURCES such as CNN, BBC, Bloomberg, Reuters or HuffPost, that are NOT associated with a daily or weekly newspaper .
* List sources on separate page at end of your paper with title, References (centered in bold)
* List sources alphabetically by author (last name or group author) or title when there is no author (ignore initial articles like "A," "An," or "The")
* Double space throughout
* Follow examples for how to cite different types of sources using the format tabs on the left in this guide
* Use sentence case * --capitalize ONLY first word of title AND subtitle (word after a colon : or dash -), all other title words are lower case except for proper nouns
* Format entires with a hanging indent
* SENTENCE CASE: Beyond the melting pot. (only first word is capitalized with the exception of proper nouns)
TITLE CASE: Beyond the Melting Pot. (most words are capitalized)
Format author(s) name(s) as last name, first initial. middle initial. (if provided):
Single author:
Schutt, R. K.
2 authors: List both authors, separated by a comma and an ampersand (&) instead of “and:”
Bachman, R., & Schutt, R. K.
3 to 20 authors: List each author up to 19 authors, separated by a comma, adding an ampersand (&) before the last author’s name:
Kan, K. J., Beijsterveldt, C., Bartels, M., & Boomsma, D.
More than 20 authors: List first 19 authors, separated by a comma. Use an ellipsis (...) in the place of all additional authors, ending with the final author's name directly after the ellipsis (no ampersand):
Juárez, U., Riyaziyyat, E., Wang, C., Zhang, I., Li, P., Yang, R., Kumar, B., Xu, A., Martinez, R., McIntosh, V., Ibáñez, L. M., Mäkinen, G., Virtanen, E., . . . Kovács, A. *
*Source provided by the APA Style website
Scholarship is becoming more available online often with an assigned DOI or "digital object identifier." A DOI is a unique alphanumeric string and persistent link to a permanent location on the internet.
APA recommends ending each citation with a DOI if available. DOIs remains fixed over a publication's lifetime where URLs may change over time.
Not every publication has a DOI but many databases do include them. You may also find DOIs online by viewing the publication's webpage o r searching here: https://doi.crossref.org/simpleTextQuery
DOIs may look like any of the following formats ( “xxxxx” refers to the DOI number) :
https://doi.org/ xxxxx
http:/dx.doi.org/xxxxx
doi:xxxxx or DOI: xxxxx
Whatever version you find, APA recommends using this format :
https://doi.org/xxxxx
See Reference List: Basic Principles , Reference List: Basic Format and Reference List: Author Format for additional information.
Author, A. A. (Year). Title of book: Subtitle of book . Publisher. DOI (if available)
Single Author
Saunders, G. (2000). Pastoralia : Stories. Riverhead Books.
Two Authors *
Anaya , R., & Márquez , A. (1984). Cuentos Chicanos: A short story anthology (Rev. ed.). University of New Mexico Press.
Group Author ( include DOI if available for print books)
American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5 th ed.). https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.books.9780890425596 **
Additional Named Authors and Reprint
Weber, M. (with Giddons , A.). (1992). The Protestant ethic and the spirit of capitalism (T. Parsons, Trans.). Routledge . (Original work published 1930).
* see Reference List: Author Format in this guide for 3 to 20 authors, and 21 or more authors
** Omit publisher name when same as author
See Reference List: Basic Principles , Reference List: Basic Format and Reference List: Author Format for additional information.
Author, A. A. (Year). Title of book: Subtitle of book. Publisher. DOI (if available) or URL (if stable and freely accessible)
eBook with DOI
Thomas, H., & Ahmed, J. (Eds.). (2004). Cultural bodies: Ethnography and theory . Blackwell Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1002/9780470775837
eBook with URL (stable and freely accessible)
Haffner-Ginger, B. (2012). California Mexican-Spanish cook book: Selected Mexican and Spanish recipes . Citizen Print Shop. https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/39586
eBook without DOI or URL (treat as print book)
Menendez, D., & Marcella, A. J. (2008). Cyber forensics: A field manual for collecting, examining, and preserving evidence of computer crimes (2nd ed.). Auerbach Publications.
Saunders, G. (2000). Pastoralia: Stories. Riverhead Books.
See Reference List: Basic Principles , Reference List: Basic Format and Reference List: Author Format for additional information.
Editor, A. A. (Ed.). (Year). Title of book: Subtitle of book. Publisher. DOI (if available) or URL (if stable and freely accessible)
Two Editors (without DOI or stable and freely accessible URL)
Bowers, J. M., & Tick, J. (Eds.). (1986). Women making music: The Western art tradition, 1150-1950. University of Illinois Press.
Three to 20 Editors *
Cullen, F., Agnew, R., & Wilcox, P. (Eds.). (2018). Criminological theory: Past to present: Essential readings (6th ed.). Oxford University Press.
Edited eBook with DOI
Thomas, H., & Ahmed, J. (Eds.). (2004). Cultural bodies: Ethnography and theory . Blackwell Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1002/9780470775837
Edited eBook with URL (stable and freely accessible)
Kroop, S., Mikroyannidis, A., & Wolpers, M. (Eds.). (2015). Responsive open learning environments: Outcomes of research from the ROLE project . SpringerLink. https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007%2F978-3-319-02399-1
* see Reference List: Author Format in this guide for 21 or more authors
Author, A. A. (Year). Title of part: Subtitle of part. In Editor Name (Ed.), Title of book: Subtitle of book (pp. pages). Publisher. DOI (if available) or URL (if stable and freely accessible)
Part in Edited work (within specific edition)
Anderson, E. (2018). The code of the street. In F. Cullen, R. Agnew, & P. Wilcox (Eds.), Criminological theory: Past to present--Essential readings (6th ed., pp. 93-104). Oxford University Press.
Part in Edited work with DOI
Ali, S. (2004). Reading radicalized bodies. In H. Thomas & J. Ahmed (Eds.), Cultural bodies: Ethnography and theory (pp. 76-97). Blackwell Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1002/9780470775837
Part in Edited work with URL (stable and freely accessible)
Nussbaumer, A., Dahn, I., Kroop, S., Mikroyannidis, A., & Albert, D. (2015). Supporting self-regulated learning. In S. Kroop, A. Mikroyannidis & M. Wolpers (Eds.), Responsive open learning environments: Outcomes of research from the ROLE project (pp. 17 48). SpringerLink. https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-02399-1_2
*Compare these entries with their Edited Book as a Whole counterpart above.*
PRINT, DATABASE or without DOI/URL (stable and freely accessible) :
Author, A. A. (Date). Title of entry. In Title of book: Subtitle of book (Edition, Vol., p. page or pp. pages). Publisher (if not au thor).
Named Author (with volume number)
Collins, E. F. (2012). Tattooing and piercing. In M. Juergensmeyer & W. C. Roof (Eds.), Encyclopedia of global religion (Vol. 2, pp. 1265-1267). SAGE Reference.
Publisher as Author (omit publisher name, with edition)
Merriam-Webster. (1997). Goat. In Merriam Webster’s collegiate dictionary (10th ed., pp. 499-500).
Individually Titled Volume
St. George, J., & Canavan, F. P. (2005). Crisis Intervention. In L. E. Sullivan & M. S. Rosen (Eds.), Encyclopedia of law enforcement: Vol. 1. State and local (pp. 122-125). SAGE Reference.
ONLINE Exact date:
Author, A. A. (Date). Title of entry. In Title of book or Website name (Edition, Vol.). Publisher (if not author) . DOI (if available) OR URL (if stable and freely accessible)
ONLINE NO DATE:
Author, A. A. (n.d.). Title of entry. In Title of book or Website name (Edition, Vol.) . Publisher (if not author) . Retrieved date, from URL (if stable and freely accessible) *
Named Author (with date and edition)
Speaks, J. (2019). Theories of meaning. In E. N. Zalta (Ed.), The Stanford encyclopedia of philosophy (Winter 2019 ed). Stanford University. https://plato.stanford.edu/archives/win2019/entries/meaning/
Publisher as Author (omit publisher name, no date)
American Psychological Association. (n.d.). Phobic avoidance. In APA dictionary of psychology . Retrieved January 18, 2020, from https://dictionary.apa.org/phobic-avoidance *
Title Entry (no author, no date)
Force majeure. (n.d.). In Thesaurus.com. Retrieved April 9, 2020, from https://www.thesaurus.com/browse/force%20majeure?s=t *
Wikipedia Title Entry for Archived Page **
Folk music. (2020, February 16). In Wikipedia . https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Folk_music
* If there is no date, use n.d. for “no date” and add “Retrieved” followed by your date of access before the URL.
** Use a permanent (archived) page with date and URL whenever possible. For Wikipedia, click "View History” for archived pages.
Author, A. A. (Year). Title of article: Subtitle of article. Title of Journal , Vol. Number (Issue Number), Pages. DOI (if available) or URL (if stable and freely accessible)
Print Article, Article from Database without DOI or Online without (stable or freely accessible) URL
Lawson, N. (2016). It’s a man’s prison: How the traditional incarceration model fails female offenders in Kansas. Kansas Journal of Law & Public Policy, 25 (2), 273–288.
Article with DOI (print or electronic)
Abraham, M., Bahr, S., & Trappmann , M. (2019, June 25). Gender differences in willingness to move for interregional job offers. Demographic Research, 40 , 1537-1602. https://doi.org/10.4054/DemRes.2019.40.53
Article with URL (no DOI and only stable and freely accessible URL)
Geppert , K. (2019). Does money buy happiness? A cross-country look at the relationship between income and happiness. Issues in Political Economy, 28 (2), 102–121. https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/ Does-money-buy-happiness-A-cross-country- look-at-Geppert / d1e15e62f5d4457c769d96ae5c0a11bc473ef464
Article with 3 to 20 authors (with DOI)
Philips, L., Allen, R., Bull, R., Hering , A . , Kliegel , M., & Channon , S. (2015). Older adults have difficulty in decoding sarcasm. Developmental Psychology, 51 (12), 1840-1852. https://doi.org/10.1037 / dev0000063
Article with 21 or more authors (with DOI)
Pegion , K., Kirtman , B. P., Becker, E., Collins, D. C., LaJoie , E., Burgman , R., Bell, R., DelSole , R., Min, D., Zhu, Y., Li, W., Sinsky , E., Guan , H., Gottschalck , J., Metzger , E. J., Barton, N. P., Achuthavarier , D., Marshak , J., Koster , R., . . . Kim, H. (2019). The subseasonal experiment ( SubX ): A multimodel subseasonal prediction experiment. Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, 100 (10), 2043-2061. https://doi.org/10.1175/BAMS-D-18-0270.1 *
Article, Online Advance Publication
Standaert, W., Vlerick, S. M., & Cox, A. B. (2021). Business meetings in a post-pandemic world: When and how to meet virtually? Business Horizons . Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bushor.2021.02.047
Article in Press
Pachur, T., & Scheibehenne, B. (in press). Unpacking buyer-seller differences in valuation from experience: A cognitive modeling approach. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review . **
* source provided by Owl Purdue Online Writing Lab
** source from APA 7 Publication Manual, p. 318
Author, A. A. (Year, Month Day). Article title. Magazine Title , Vol. Number (Issue Number), Pages. URL (if stable and freely accessible)
Article in Print, from Database or without DOI or URL (stable and freely accessible)
Shell, E. R. (2019). Obesity on the brain. Scientific American, 321 (4), 38–45.
Online Article without Page Number(s) * (with stable and freely accessible URL)
Gregory, S. (2020, March 26). ‘Without empathy, nothing works.’ Chef Jose Andres wants to feed the world through the pandemic. Time, 195 (12). https://time.com/5810564/without- empathy-nothing-works-chef-jose-andres-wants-to-feed-the-world-through-the- pandemic/
Online Article without Volume and Issue Number * (with stable and freely accessible URL)
Austen, B. (2018, June 21). Peace officers. New Republic . https://newrepublic.com/article/148854/peace-officers
* When missing volume, issue and/or page number(s) simply omit that piece of information.
IMPORTANT: ONLY articles published in print newspapers or from a newspaper website associated with a daily or weekly newspaper . Follow News Webpage format in this guide for articles from ONLINE NEWS SOURCES such as CNN, BBC, Bloomberg, Reuters or HuffPost, that is, news websites NOT associated with a daily or weekly newspaper .
Author, A. A. (Year, Month Day). Article title. Newspaper Title , section/page(s) . URL (if stable and freely accessible)
Article in Print, from Database OR no DOI or URL (stable and freely accessible)
Johnson, C. Y. (2019, October 20). 'Use it or lose it'? Study links excessive brain activity to shortened life. The Washington Post , A3.
Printz , L. (2012, September 30). Ready to plug in? Knowledge is power: Plenty to ponder if you plan to own electric car. Chicago Tribune. *
Article with URL (stable and freely accessible)
Hilts, P. J. (1999, February 16). In forecasting their emotions, most people flunk out. The New York Times , F2. https://www.nytimes.com/1999/02/16/science/in-forecasting-their-emotions-most-people-flunk-out.html
Article with No Author from Database or without URL (stable and freely accessible)
Voice of the people: Close Rikers, rethink mental health [Editorial]. (2019, February 18). New York Daily News, 20.
* If section and/or page number(s) information is missing, omit that piece of information
IMPORTANT: ONLY online news websites such as BBC, MSNBC, Salon or HuffPost not associated with a published newspaper . Use the Newspaper Articles format in this guide for websites that are online versions of daily or weekly newspapers.
See R eference List: Basic Principles , Reference List: Basic Format and Reference List: Author Format for additional information.
Author, A. A. (Year, Month Day). News article title. News Website Name. URL (if stable and accessible)
Named Author
Heilweil , R. (2020, April 8). 6 things to know about telehealth : Due to Covid-19 , video chats with doctors are becoming mainstream. Here’s how it all works . Vox. https://www.vox.com/ recode /2020/4/8/21212432/telemedicine-how-to-video-chat- doctors
Oliver, T. (2020, April 5). Why overcoming racism is essential for humanity’s survival . BBC. https://www.bbc.com/fu ture/article/20200403-how-to-overcome-racism-and-tribalism
No Author (Publisher/Organization as Author—omit Website Name)
BBC. (2016, May 17). How much of your body is your own? http://www.bbc.com/earth/story/the-making-of-me-and-you
Group Author (Publisher/Organization as Author different from Website Name)
The Associated Press. (2016, February 22). Judge bans enforcement of Biden’s 100-day deportation pause. NBC News. https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/immigration/judge-bans-enforcement-biden-s-100-day-deportation-pause-n1258707
IMPORTANT: Use ONLY when no other format applies ---follow other formats in this guide if your source is an eBook ; online Dictionary/Encyclopedia ; online Journal , Magazine or Newspaper article; article from an Online News Source ; Social Media page/post; Audiovisual item, or online government report.
Read “About Us” section for author and website information---it may be a person, institution, association, organization, government agency, etc. When no author is listed for the specific page you are viewing, list the organization/institution/government agency/association in the "About Us" section as the author.
Author, A. A. (Year, Month Day). Webpage title: Webpage subtitle . Website Name. URL
Named Author(s)
Brown, M., & Mendis, N. (2018, July 25). The separation of immigrant families: Historical anecdotes. Center for Migration Studies. http://cmsny.org/ from-the-cms-archive- separation-of-families /
Group Author with Date (omit Website Name if same as Author)
Bloomberg. (2020, April 7). SBA computers crash in fresh blow to companies seeking virus aid . https://www.americanbanker.com/articles/sba-computers-crash-in-fresh-blow-to-companies-seeking-virus-aid
Division of Foodborne, Waterborne and Environmental Diseases. (2019, June 13). Food safety: A changing landscape in a global world . Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/foodsafety/features/worldfoodsafetyday.html
Group Author without Date (omit Website Name if same as Author, use n.d. for no date, add “Retrieved” date ONLY for webpages that may change over time)
Amnesty International. (n.d.). Cuba . Retrieved April 13, 2020, from https://www.amnesty.org/en/countries/americas/cuba/
U.S. Census Bureau. (n.d.). U.S. and world population clock . U.S. Department of Commerce. Retrieved January 9, 2020, from https://www.census.gov/popclock/ *
*source provided by the APA Style website
ONLY for content o riginally published on a social media site . For sources you find through a particular social media post such as an article or video, make sure to cite that original source directly.
There are two formats for social media:
1. PROFILE, PAGE OR ACCOUNT: (“n.d.” for date with “Retrieved” and date of access because social media pages change over time).
Author, A. A. or Group Name. (n.d.). Profile/Account/Page Title [Description]. Title of Platform. Retrieved date, from URL
American Library Association. (n.d.). Home [Facebook page]. Facebook. Retrieved April 14, 2020, from https://www.facebook.com/ AmericanLibraryAssociation/
John Jay College Library. (n.d.) . Photos [Facebook page]. Facebook. Retrieved April 16, 2020, from https://www.facebook.com/pg/johnjaylibrary/photos/?ref=page_internal
Twitter:
Brooklyn Museum [@brooklynmuseum]. (n.d.). Tweets [Twitter profile]. Twitter. Retrieved April 24, 2020, from https://twitter.com/brooklynmuseum
Lloyd Sealy Library [@JohnJayLibrary]. (n.d.). Likes [Twitter profile]. Twitter. Retrieved April 16, 2020, from https://twitter.com/JohnJayLibrary/likes
Food Network [@foodnetwork]. (n.d.). Posts [Instagram profile]. Instagram. Retrieved April 16, 2020, from https://www.instagram.com/foodnetwork/?hl=en
National Geographic [@natgeo]. (n.d.). IGTV [Instagram profile]. Instagram. Retrieved December 8, 2019, from https://www.instagram.com/natgeo/channel/ *
Witherspoon, R. [@officialreesetiktok]. (n.d.). vsco mom [TikTok profile]. TikTok. Retrieved January 12, 2020, from https://vm.tiktok.com/xS3B86 *
2. Post or published CONTENT (title is first 20 words of text; include hashtags, links and emojis, counting them as one word; provide name or description or emoji ( https://unicode.org/emoji/charts/emoji-list.html ) in square brackets (e.g. [winking face]) if unable to include actual emoji)
Author, A. A. or Group Name. (Date). Content exactly as written up to first 20 words [Description][Post type]. Title of Platform. URL
John Jay College Library. (2020, April 2). Did you know that #johnjaylibrary # digitalcollections has a collection of images from 1940-1945 of #mugshots #rapsheets & #criminalinvestigation #documents? [Images attached] [Facebook post]. Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/pg/johnjaylibrary/posts/?ref=page_internal
Official Jackson Browne. (2020, February 9) Photo from “A Human Touch” video, with @lesliemendelson. The song was written by Leslie, Steven McEwan and @jackson.browne.official for the [Image attached] [Photograph]. Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/OfficialJacksonBrowne/photos/a.1015022333865708 /101 57241626597087/?type=3&theater
Tweet:
New York Times Arts [@nytimesarts]. (2019, February 1). Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera’s Blue House in Mexico City travels to the United States for the first time. Unearthed [Thumbnail with link attached] [Tweet]. Twitter. https://twitter.com/nytimesarts/ status/1091546540215283712
NPR's Latino USA [@LatinoUSA]. (2019, February 11). A first-of-its-kind exhibit opened at the Brooklyn Museum gives fans of iconic artist Frida Kahlo a chance. [Thumbnail with link attached] [Tweet]. Twitter. https://twitter.com/LatinoUSA/ status/1095087584609517568
BBC [@bbc]. (2020, January 12). Skywatchers have been treated to the first full moon of 2020-known as a “wolf moon”-at the same time as a [Photograph]. Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/p/B7OkWqbBwcf/ **
The New York Public Library [@nypl]. (2020, January 4). Happy #NationalTriviaDay! Patience and Fortitude are the beloved lions located outside of our 42nd Street location. These timeless lions have [Photograph]. Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/p/B66XsTilYZG/
Washington Post [@washingtonpost]. (2019, December 3). News is all around us #frozen #newsroom #newspaper [Video]. Tik Tok. https://vm.tiktok.com/x2sKUu *
*source provided by the APA Style website
**source provided by Purdue Owl Writing Lab
APA distinguishes between works that stand alone works (television series, music album, YouTube video, etc.) and works that are part of a whole (episode in a series, song from a music album or cd, etc.).
It is not necessary to indicate how or where you listened to or viewed source.
AUTHOR: Creator(s) except YouTube (and other streaming videos platforms) where uploader (account holder) is named author. Sources may have multiple authors and/or author roles. Some common author categories for audiovisual works:
Film (Director) Television Series (Executive Producer) Television Episode (Writer and/or Director) YouTube or other Streaming Video (Uploader) TED Talk (Speaker if from TED website/Uploader if from YouTube) Podcast (Host) Webinar (Speaker/Instructor) Music Album or Song (Recording Artist or Composer) Artwork (Photographer, Painter, Illustrator, etc.) Conference/Presentation (Presenter) PowerPoint (Creator)
DATE: may be range (e.g. 2001-2003 or 2017-present)
DESCRIPTION: add a description of the source's format in brackets
PUBLISHER: production company, record label, museum, university department, etc. Sources may have multiple production companies (separate by semicolon)
URL: ONLY if so urce is online, stable and freely accessible to everyone
FILM/MOVIE:
Director, A. A. (Director). (Date). Title of film [Film]. Production Company/Companies.
Dahl, R. (Writer), & Stuart, M. (Director). (1971). Willy Wonka and the chocolate factory [Film]. Wolper Pictures; The Quaker Oats Company.
Fleming, V. (Director). (1939). Gone with the wind [Film]. Selznick International Pictures; Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.*
YouTube or STREAMING VIDEO:
Uploader/Account Holder, U. U. (Date of publication). Title of video [Video]. Website host. URL (if available, stable and freely accessible)
Caged Bird Songs. (2014, September 23). Still I rise by Maya Angelou (official lyric video) [Video ]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UFMB4i1AJo&feature=emb_title
Chance The Rapper. (2019, July 26). All day long [Video] . https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V846b5ETp-c
John Jay College. (2019, October 1). Get to know the Prisoner Reentry Institute with Ann Jacob s [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch ?v=-3RD1n8j-gw
Producer, A.A. (Producer(s)/Executive Producer(s)). (Date range). Title of series [TV series]. Production Company; Companies.
Gorden, H., & Gansa, A. (Executive Producers). (2011-2020). Homeland [TV series]. Fox 21; Fox Television Studios.
Serling, R. (Executive Producer). (1959–1964). The twilight zone [TV series]. Cayuga Productions; CBS Productions.*
TV EPISODE:
Writer, A.A. (Writer), & Director, A.A. (Director). (Original Air Date). Title of episode (Season No., Episode No.) [TV series episode]. In A.A. Producer (Executive Producer), Title of TV series . Production Company; Companies.
Serling, R., Bixby, J., (Writers), & Sheldon, J. (Director). (1961, November 3). It's a good life (Season 3, Episode 8) [TV series episode]. In R. Serling (Executive Producer), The twilight zone . Cayuga Productions; CBS Productions.
Stiehm, M. (Writer), & Cuesta, M. (Director). (2011, November 13). The weekend (Season 1, Episode 7) [TV series episode]. In H. Gorden & A. Gansa (Executive Producers), Homeland . Fox 21; Fox Television Studios.
TED TALK: Author is speaker when video is directly from TED website . Author is uploader/account holder if video is from YouTube --add speakers' name in the tile of the talk.
Speaker, A. A. (Year, Month Day). Title of talk [Video]. TED Conferences. URL
Uploader, U. U. (Year, Month Day). Speaker: Title of talk [Video]. YouTube. URL
Foss, A. (2016, February). A prosecutor’s vision for a better justice system [Video]. TED Conferences. https://www.ted.com/talks/ adam_foss_a_prosecutor_s_vision_for_a_better_justice_system
TEDx Talks. (2018, May 23). Michiel Vandeweert: Life's short, make the most of it [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFZvLeMbJ_U
PODCAST: Format differs for a podcast episode or episode within a series AND podcast series .
Host, H. H. (Host). (Date). Title of podcast episode [Audio podcast episode]. Production company. URL (if accessed online)
Host, H. H. (Host). (Date). Title of podcast episode (Episode number if available) [Audio podcast episode]. In Title of podcast series. Production Company. URL (if accessed online)
Vedantam, S., Penman, M., & Boyle, T. (2020, February 17). Liar, liar, liar [Audio podcast episode]. In Hidden brain . NPR. https://www.npr.org/2020/02/13/805808486/ liar-liar-liar
Host, H. H. (Host). (Date range). Title of podcast series [Audio podcast series]. Production company. URL (if accessed online)
Vedantam, S. (2015-present). Hidden brain . [Audio podcast series]. NPR. https://www.npr.org/podcasts/ 510308/hidden-brain
WEBINAR (archived and available online) :
Author, A. A. (Date). Title of webinar [Webinar]. Producer. URL
American Psychological Association. (2019, October 24). What’s new in APA style—Inside the seventh edition of the Publication Manual of the APA. [Webinar]. American Psychological Association. https://apastyle.apa.org/instructional-aids/tutorials-webinars
ARTWORK (Painting, photograph, illustration, infographic, etc.) : Format differs for artwork associated with a museum or gallery (part of a whole) and art that stands on its own, not associated with a museum or gallery. Do not use database name or database URL.
Artist, A. A. (Date). Title of work [Medium]. Museum Name, Museum Location. URL (if viewed online, stable and freely accessible)
Klimt, G. (1907). Adele Bloch-Bauer I [Painting]. Neue Gallery, New York, NY, United States. https://www.neuegalerie.org/content/adele-bloch-bauer-i
Mitchell, T. (2019). Untitled [Group hula hoop] [Photograph]. International Center of Photography, New York, NY, United States. https://www.icp.org/exhibitions/ tyler-mitchell-i-can-make-you-feel-good
Artist, A. A. (Date). Title of work [Medium]. Source. URL (if viewed online, stable and freely accessible)
Day, B. (2014, August 20). Don't shoot . [Political cartoon]. Cale Cartoons. http://caglecartoons.com/sku/152568/
The Sentencing Project. (2001). Lifetime likelihood of imprisonment for U.S. residents born in 2001 [Infographic]. https://www.sentencingproject.org/ wpcontent/uploads/2015/10/lifetime-likelihood-of-imprisonment-by-race.png
MUSIC: Format differs between the whole (e.g. album or musical score) and piece of the whole.
Artist, A. A. (year). Title of whole [Description]. Recording Label.
The Beatles. (1968). The white album [Album]. Apple.
Haydn, F. J. (2001). The creation [Musical score]. Dover Publications. (Original work published 1798).*
Artist, A. A. (year). Title of song [Song]. On Title of whole . Recording Label.
The Beatles. (1968). Blackbird [Song]. On The white album. Apple.
Los Angeles Percussion Quartet. (2017). Fear release [Song]. On Beyond. Sono Luminus.
POWERPOINT or GOOGLE SLIDES/CLASS LECTURE NOTES:
Author, A. A. (Date). Title of slides or lecture [Description]. Source or Platform. URL (use login page for sources requiring a login)
Mack, R., & Spake, G. (2018). Citing open source images and formatting references for presentations [PowerPoint slides]. Canvas@FNU. https://fnu.onelogin.com/login *
McNeel, R. (n.d.) New hope for fading memories: Alzheimer's disease
[PowerPoint slide]. BioEd Online. http://www.bioedonline.org/slides/hot-topics/ new-hope-for-fading- memories-alzheimers-disease /
According to APA, personal communication is defined as those conversations or statements that are not published and, therefore, cannot be retrieved or accessed by others. They are “nonrecoverable” pieces of information.
Examples include:
- Text Messages
- Online Conversations
- Personal Interviews (not published)*
- Telephone Conversations
- Live Speeches
- Unrecorded Lectures
Because these sources cannot be retrieved, they are not listed in your References page . Instances of personal communication such as interviews should, however, be followed by an in-text citation — citation within the body of your paper. Follow the format below and include the following information within parentheses: **
(Author’s first initial. Author’s last name, personal communication, Date as exact as possible)
Narrative citation: E.-M. Paradis (personal communication, August 8, 2019)
Parenthetical citation: (T. Nguyen, personal communication, February 24, 2020)
*Instances of personal communication retrieved from published sources will require a citation in your References list. Follow the specific reference format for that published source as a whole. For example, if you are mentioning or including the text of an interview or email found in a magazine article add a citation for that magazine article in your References list in addition to an APA in-text citation in the body of your paper.
** examples from the APA Style Blog
These sources may be published or unpublished. Unpublished most likely in print at author’s institution. Published sources generally found in databases ( ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global , EBSCO Open Dissertations , PQDT Open ) , institutional repositories or archives, and/or personal websites. Some descriptions: “Doctoral dissertation,” “Master’s thesis,” "Unpublished dissertation," "Unpublished master's thesis" and “ Undergraduate honors thesis.”
Unpublished:
Author, A. A. (Date). Title of dissertation/thesis: Subtitle of dissertation/thesis [Unpublished doctoral dissertation/master's thesis]. Institution Name.
Harris, L. (2014). Instructional leadership perceptions and practices of elementary school leaders [Unpublished doctoral dissertation]. University of Virginia.*
Author, A. A. (Date). Title of dissertation/thesis: Subtitle of dissertation/thesis (Publication No. xxxxxx) [Description, Institution Name]. Source. URL (if stable and freely accessible)
Dajani, D. (2017). Tattoos and criminal behavior: An examination of the relationship between body art and crime (Publication No. 10285487). [Master’s thesis, City University of New York, John Jay College of Criminal Justice]. ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global.
Zambrano-Vazquez, L. (2016). The interaction of state and trait worry on response monitoring in those with worry and obsessive-compulsive symptoms [Doctoral dissertation, University of Arizona]. UA Campus Repositor y. https://repository.arizona.edu/handle/10150/620615 **
Zhou, X. (2018). Leggings are the new denim: An investigation of consumer activewear experience (Publication No. 10840578) [Doctoral dissertation, Temple University]. PQDT Open. https://pqdtopen.proquest.com/pubnum/10840578.html
* source from APA Style Blog
** source from Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association , 7th edition.
Author may be an individual(s) or government agency/department. U se the most specific agency listed on the source as author and parent agency as publisher. Omit publisher name if same as author.
Author, A. A. (Date). Title of report: Subtitle of report (Report No. if available). Publisher Name. URL (if stable and freely available to all)
Named Individual Author
Rantala, R. R. (2004, March 1). Cybercrime against businesses: Pilot test results, 2001 computer security survey (NCJ 200639). Bureau of Justice Statistics. http://www.bjs.gov/index.cfm?ty=pbdetail&iid=770
Agency Author (o mit publisher name if same as author)
National Cancer Institute. (2019). Taking time: Support for people with cancer (NIH Publication No. 18-2059). U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health. https://www.cancer.gov/publications/patient-education/takingtime.pdf *
New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. (2019). Health of older adults in New York City . https://www1.nyc.gov/assets/doh/downloads/pdf/episrv/2019-older-adult-health.pdf
APA recommends consulting The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation (legal citation standard) or Cornell University's Legal Information Institution's Basic Legal Citation : https://www.law.cornell.edu/citation/
Find print copies of The Bluebook in the Lloyd Sealy Library at the 2nd floor Reference Desk (KF245 .B58). Consult The Bluebook for abbreviations and symbols. Arrange citations alphabetically by the first significant word or abbreviation. URLs are not required-- add when useful, if stable and freely accessible, after the date.
See the Citing Legal Materials tab in this guide for more detailed information. Consult In-text Citations: 2 Types in this guide for the difference between parenthetical and narrative citations.
The abbreviation chart below and most of the following citation examples come from The Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association , 7th edition. Consult Chapter 11 (Legal References) for more information.
Court Decisions:
U.S. Supreme Court (published in the United States Reports --abbreviate as “U.S.”)
Reference page: Name v. Name, Volume U.S. Page (Year).
Brown v. Board of Education, 347 U.S. 483 (1954).
Obergefell v. Hodges, 576 U.S___(2015). *
*include three underscores for page number for cases after 2012 published without page numbers
Parenthetical citation: ( Name v. Name , Year)
( Brown v. Board of Education , 1954)
( Obergefell v. Hodges , 2015)
Narrative citation: Name v. Name (Year)
Brown v. Board of Education (1954)
Obergefell v. Hodges (2015)
U.S. Circuit Court ( published in the Federal Reporter --abbreviate as "F.2d" or "F.3d.")
Reference page : Name v. Name, Volume F. [or F.2d, F.3d] Page (Court Year).
Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 951 F.2d 1128 (9th Cir. 1991).
Parenthetical citation : ( Name v. Name , Year)
( Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals, Inc. , 1991)
Narrative citation: Name v. Name (Year)
Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (1991)
U.S. District Court (published in the Federal Supplements --abbreviate as "F. Supp.")
Reference page: Name v. Name, Volume F. Supp. Page (Court Year).
Burriola v. Greater Toledo YMCA, 133 F. Supp. 2d 1034 (N.D. Ohio 2001).
( Burriola v. Greater Toledo YMCA , 2001)
Burriola v. Greater Toledo YMCA (2001)
State Court Decisions (find state reporter abbreviations in The Bluebook )
Reference page: Name v. Name, Volume Reporter Page (Court Year).
Tarasoff v. Regents of the University of California, 17 Cal.3d 425, 131 Cal. Rptr. 14, 551 P.2d 334 (1976).
Parenthetical citat ion: ( Name v. Name , Year)
( Tarasoff v. Regents of the University of California , 1976)
Narrative citation: Name v. Name (Year)
Tarasoff v. Regents of the University of California (1976)
Federal and State Statutes (l aws or acts passed by a federal or state legislative body): Federal statutes are officially published in the United States Code (U.S.C.). There are official and unofficial (commercial and/or electronic versions) publications of both federal and state codes. The Bluebook recommends citing official codes whenever possible--c onsult The Bluebook T able 1 for preferred state code publications . If citing unofficial/commercial codes, include the publisher in the parenthesis before the date (see the Equal Opportunity for Individuals with Disabilities example below). Statutes are divided into sections called titles. Begin with the popular name of the act, if available and commonly used. Begin with the title number and abbreviation of the code source if a popular name is neither available nor commonly used. URLs are not necessary but may be added if helpful and freely available to all.
State statutes citations generally follow federal statute citations. For NYS statutes, see specific information at the bottom of this section.
Statutes Codified in Single Section/Range of Sections: Not necessary to include public law number .
Reference page: Name of Act, Title#/Source § Section Number (Year). URL (if freely accessible)
Every Student Succeeds Act, 20 U.S.C. § 6301 (2015).
Equal Opportunity for Individuals with Disabilities, 42 U.S.C.A. § 12101 et seq. (West, 2005).
42 U.S.C. § 12101 (2006).
Parenthetical citation: (Name of Act, Year)
(Every Student Succeeds Act, 2015)
(Equal Opportunity for Individuals with Disabilities, 2005)
Narrative citation: Name of Act (Year)
Every Student Succeeds Act (2015)
Equal Opportunity for Individuals with Disabilities (2005)
Statutes not Codified/Codified in Scattered Sections: Add public law number to Reference page citation
Reference page :
Civil Rights Act of 1964, Pub. L. No. 88-352, 78 Stat. 241 (1964).
Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009, Pub. L. No. 111-2, 123 Stat. 5 (2009).
Florida Mental Health Act, Fla. Stat. § 394 (1971 & rev. 2009).
Parenthetical citation :
(Civil Rights Act, 1964)
(Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, 2009)
(Florida Mental Health Act, 1971/2009)
Narrative citation :
Civil Rights Act (1964)
Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act (2009)
Florida Mental Health Act (1971/2009)
*NYS statutes*: There are two official annotated codifications of New York State laws: McKinney's Consolidated Laws of New York Annotated and the New York Consolidated Laws Service . A free unannotated electronic version of New York Consolidated Laws Service is available on the New York Senate website: https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/all
Cornell's Legal Information Institute, following The Bluebook guidance, calls for including the publisher and/or brand of any commercial compilation in parenthesis before the date. Click here for Cornell's Legal Information Institute examples: https://www.law.cornell.edu/citation/3-300#3-320_New_York or consult Cynthia Pittson's 2017 Basic Bluebooking in Legal Documents .
Bills and Resolutions: Includes bills and resolutions not yet passed through both houses of Congress AND enacted bills and resolutions that have not yet been signed into law. Precede bill or resolution number by “H.R.” for House of Representatives or “S.” for Senate to indicate where the bill/resolution originated. Enacted resolutions are reported in the Congressional Record , abbreviated as “Cong. Rec.”
Unenacted federal bill/resolution: (not yet passed in both houses)
Unenacted bill: Title [if relevant], H.R. or S. bill number, xxx Cong. (Year). Unenacted resolution: Title [if relevant], H.R. or S. Res. resolution number, xxx Cong. (Year).
Reference page: Mental Health on Campus Improvement Act, H.R. 1100, 113th Cong. (2013).
Parenthetical citation: (Mental Health on Campus Improvement Act, 2013)
Narrative citation: Mental Health on Campus Improvement Act (2013)
Enacted federal resolution: (passed in both houses but not signed into law)
Senate: S. Res. xxx, xxx Cong., Volume Cong. Rec. Page (Year) (enacted). House of Representatives: H.R. Res. xxx, xxx Cong., Volume Cong. Rec. Page (Year) (enacted).
Reference page : S. Res. 438, 114th Cong., 162 Cong. Rec. 2394 (2016) (enacted).
Parenthetical citation : (S. Resolution 438, 2016)
Narrative citation: Senate Resolution 438 (2016)
Federal Regulations: Rules and regulations; and executive orders. Include the URL of regulation if available online.
Federal Regulation (Codified): (published in the Code of Federal Regulations , abbreviated as "C.F.R.”)
Title or Number, Volume C.F.R. § xxx (Year).
Reference page :
Protection of Human Subjects, 45 C.F.R. § 46 (2009). https://www.hhs.gov/ohrp/sites/default/files/ohrp/policy/ohrpregulations.pdf
Parenthetical citation: (Protection of Human Subjects, 2009)
Narrative citation: Protection of Human Subjects (2009)
Federal Regulation (Not Codified) : (published in the Federal Register , abbreviated as "F.R.")
Title or Number, Volume F.R. Page (proposed Month Day, Year) (to be codified at Volume C.F.R. § xxx).
Defining and Delimiting the Exemptions for Executive, Administrative, Professional, Outside Sales and Computer Employees, 81 F.R. 32391 (proposed May 23, 2016) (to be codified at 29 C.F.R. § 541).
Parenthetical citation : (Defining and Delimiting, 2016)
Narrative citation : Defining and Delimiting (2016)
Executive Orders:
Executive order: Exec. Order No. xxxxx, 3 C.F.R. Page (Year).
Reference page: Exec. Order No. 13,676, 3 C.F.R. 294 (2014).
Parenthetical citation: (Exec. Order No. 13,676, 2014)
Narrative citation: Executive Order No. 13,676 (2014)
Constitution: You do not need a citation in your Reference page if you are merely mentioning a federal or state constitution: "The U.S. Constitution has 26 amendments." or "The Massachusetts Constitution was ratified in 1780." You need a citation when discussing specific articles or amendments. The U.S. Constitution is abbreviated as “U.S. Const.” Consult Cornell’s Legal Information Institute for state abbreviations when citing state constitutions: https://www.law.cornell.edu/citation/4-500
U.S. Constitution article and amendment numbers are Roman numerals. State constitution article numbers are Roman numerals, amendment numbers are Arabic numerals. It is not necessary to include a date unless an amendment has been repealed (see below). URLs are not necessary.
U.S. Constitution : U.S. Const. art. xxx, § x.
Reference page: U.S. Const. art. I, § 3.
Parenthetical citation: (U.S. Const. art. I, § 3) Narrative citation: Article I, Section 3, of the U.S. Constitution
State constitution: State Const. art. xxx, § x.
Reference page: S.C. Const. art. XI, § 3.
Parenthetical citation: (S.C. Const. art. IX, § 3) Narrative citation: Article IX, Section 3, of the South Carolina Constitution
Amendment to the U.S. Constitution: U.S. Const. amend. xxx.
Reference page: U.S. Const. amend. XIX. Parenthetical citation : (U.S. Const. amend. XIX) Narrative citation : Amendment XIX to the U.S. Constitution
Repealed amendment to the U.S. Constitution: U.S. Const. amend. xxx (repealed year).
Reference page: U.S. Const. amend. XVIII (repealed 1933). Parenthetical citation : (U.S. Const. amend. XVIII, repealed 1933) Narrative citation : Amendment XVIII to the U.S. Constitution was appealed in 1933
Include the title as it appears on the document. Add subcommittee and/or committee names, separating multiple names by a comma. Indicate number of the Congress, the year in parentheses, and “testimony of” with name of the person who gave the testimony in separate parentheses. If the testimony is online, include a URL.
Federal testimony:
Title of testimony , xxx Cong. (Year) (testimony of Testifier Name).
References page : Federal real property reform: How cutting red tape and better management could
achieve billions in savings, U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs ,
114th Cong. (2016) (testimony of Norman Dong).
Parenthetical citation: ( Federal Real Property Reform , 2016) Narrative citation: Federal Real Property Reform (2016)
Full federal hearing:
Title of hearing , xxx Cong. (Year).
Reference page: Strengthening the federal student loan program for borrowers: Hearing before the U.S.
Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions , 113th Cong. (2014).
Parenthetical citation: ( Strengthening the Federal Student Loan Program , 2014) Narrative citation: Strengthening the Federal Student Loan Program (2014)
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APA Citation Guide
APA (American Psychological Association) style is used to cite sources in the field of social sciences. It can be used for research papers in the subjects of social anthropology, sociology, social psychology, political science, and economics.
In this guide, our law essay writing services team will provide you with specific directions on how to organize and properly cite different types of sources in APA format — along with citation examples. This article is a good aid for anyone who wishes to live up to high academic standards, avoid plagiarism, and cite their sources in accordance with the latest APA style rules.
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The following guide is based on the most recent 6th edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological association.
APA Referencing Basics: Reference List
A reference list is a list of all the sources one has used in their essay. Everything in other citation styles, such as the bibliography or works cited page, are simply called a reference list in the APA format. In order to make it easier for a reader to navigate your essay and look for cited sources, there are specific rules to follow to organize it:
- First, the reference page is always the last page in your essay. At the top of the page, place the word “References”. Do not make it bold or underline it. All the text on this page should have the same spacing as the rest of your essay.
- In the reference list, the author's last name goes first and then the first name.
- Each source on the reference page must start on a new line. If the source takes up more than one line, all the lines following the first one must be indented one-half inch from the left.
- If there are multiple works by the same author, they should be listed in chronological order, from earliest to latest.
- On the reference page, the sources should be alphabetized according to the last names of the authors (or the first author, if there are multiple authors for one source).
- Always write out every title in full, and make sure to stick to the punctuation and capitalizations used by the author.
- Titles of longer sources, like books and journals, should be italicized.
You might also be interested in discovering ACADEMIC WRITING STYLE GUIDE: HOW TO FORMAT AN APA PAPER
APA Referencing Basics: In-Text Citation
- Two authors. In order to do the in-text citation, both authors should be named in parentheses after the thought is finished. Instead of using “and”, use an ampersand to combine the two last names. Then, put a coma and include the year of publication.
Example: (Smith & Jones, 2002)
If you choose to use a signal phrase, you should use “and”, and only put the year of publication in parentheses:
Example: According to Smith and Jones (2002), the circumstances of…
- Three, four or five authors. All of the authors should be listed regardless of whether you choose to do an in-text citation or signal phrase while citing your quote or information. List them all except the last one—using commas. The last one should have a comma AND ampersand in front of it, followed by the year:
Example: (Brooks, Jones, Smith, & Orozco, 2009)
In any follow-up citations throughout the text, instead of listing all of the authors, you should simply include the first name followed by “et al.” and the year:
Example: (Brooks et al., 2009)
- Six or more authors. In this case, you should not list all of the authors in the in-text citation. In parentheses, or in a signal phrase, put the last name of the first author and “et al.”, along with the year. This is the correct way to do an in-text citation for a publication with multiple authors:
Examples: Brooks et al. (2009) suggested… (Brooks et al., 2009)
- No authors. If it appears that some of your sources do not have an author, the in-text citation should be done using the name of the publication. In parentheses, you should include the two first words from the name of the publication in quotation marks, followed by the year. The same goes for a signal phrase in-text citation, but without the use of parentheses:
Example: The research was conducted in a suitable environment (“Deduction Methods”, 1996)
- Citing authors with multiple works from the same year. In the rare case you are citing multiple works by the same author, that also have the same publication date, you should use lower-case letters after the year (a, b, c, etc.)—depending on the order the sources are put in the reference list:
Examples: Findings of this research were outstanding (Brooks, 1972a)… The finding of Brooks’ research (1972a)…
- Citing multiple works in one parentheses. If a statement you created was composed out of several different sources, you need to include all of them in the parentheses of your in-text citation. You should list them alphabetically, the same way they are rendered in the reference list:
Example: (Brooks, 1995; Gandhi, 2004)
- Citing a group or organization . If the author of a publication is not a person, but rather an organization or a group, you should include the full name of the organization, along with the year of publication, in the parentheses of your in-text citation:
Examples: The laws followed by Internal Revenue Service (2002)… The laws followed by this organization (IRS, 2002)…
- Citing a secondary source. In order to cite a source that you have found within another source, you should name your source in the signal phrase. Then, mention the secondary source in parentheses, followed by the phrase “as cited”, the year of publication, and the page number:
Example: Brooks suggested that…(as cited in Smith, 2002, p.459)
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How to Cite Different Source Types
In this section you will discover how to cite different printed and digital sources.
How to Cite a Book in APA Format
- Citing a book in print. Citing a book follows this specific format:
Author, A. A. (Year of publication). Title of work: Capital letters also for subtitles. Location: Publisher.
First, put the last name of the author, followed by a comma, then initial(s). In parentheses, put the year of publication. Next, the title of the book. Italicize the title — although the only capitalized letters are the first letters of the title and subtitle. Then, you should include the location of where the book was published, along with the publisher, separated by a semicolon:
Citation example: Smith, A. J. (2009). Economic in modern life: Guide to success. New York City; Manhattan press.
- Citing an e-book from an e-reader. If your source is a book from an e-reader like a Kindle, the following information has to be included: the author, date of publication in parentheses, title, e-book version, and the Digital Object Identifier (DOI) number or place where you downloaded the book. This information is used instead of the information about the publisher.
Citation example: Salinger, J. J. (1897). Glass Family [Kindle DX version]. Retrieved from Amazon.com
- Citing a book found in a database. If the book you are using in your essay comes from a school library database or and online database, you should cite it in the following format: Last name of the author, initial(s), italicized name of the publication, and “retrieved from”, followed by a link to the website. If the book you are using has to be purchased, it is suggested to put “available from”, rather than “retrieved from”.
Citation example: De Puff, E. W. (n.d.). Indian Lifestyle: Traditions and myths. Retrieved from https://digital.library.sdsu.edu/indians.html
Read also about essay titles on our blog, it might be helpful for you.
How to Cite a Journal Article in APA Format
- Citing a journal article in print. For a printed article to be cited, the following format should be used: author with initial(s), date of publication in parentheses, title, title of journal (italicized), volume number (italicized), issue number, and page range:
Citation example: Scraton, J. (1993). The eclipse of understanding. The New Yorker Style, 21(4) , 5-13.
- Citing a journal article found online. According to the APA format guide, if the journal article was found online, the following format should be followed: author with initial(s), date of publication in parentheses, title, title of journal (italicized), volume number (italicized), issue number, page range, and DOI.
A DOI, or Digital Object Identifier, is a tool used in the APA format, instead of a URL. URLs tend to change; therefore, the reader is not always able to retrieve a certain online source. DOIs, on the other hand, have a long-lasting link that is unique to a specific article. If a DOI is unavailable, the use of a URL is permitted.
Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Date of publication). Title of article. Title of Journal, volume number (issue number, if available), page range. doi:0000000/000000000000 or https://doi.org/10.0000/0000
Citation example: Brownie, D. (2007). French economics: An annotated bibliography. European Journal of Marketing, 41 , 1245-1283. doi:10.1108/03090560710821161
We also advise you to read about what is a definition essay .
How to Reference a Newspaper in APA Format
- Citing a newspaper article in print. According to the APA format guide, an article retrieved from a newspaper in print should be cited as follows: author, year and month of publication, the name of the article, the name of the newspaper (italicized), and pages:
Citation example: Curtis, S. (2005, October 22). Fields grown to thrive. The Country Today , pp. 1A, 2A.
- Citing a newspaper article found online is identical to a printed version, although the home address should be added. APA style format guidelines suggest using the homepage instead of the URL itself:
Author, A. A. (Year, Month Day). Title of article. Title of Newspaper . Retrieved from https://www.homeaddress.com/
Example: Galveston, T. (2008, August 6). Psychology newsletter. The New York Times . Retrieved from https://well.blogs.nytimes.com/
How to Reference a Magazine in APA Format
- Citing a magazine article in print. A magazine article in print is required to have the following structure (according to the APA format guide): author, year and month of publication in parentheses, the name of the article, the name of the magazine (italicized), issue number (italicized), and page range:
Citation example: Henry, W. A., (1990, April). Making the grade in today's schools. Time , 135, 28-31.
- Citing a magazine article found online. For a magazine article found online, you need to have the following components, in accordance with the APA format guide: author, year and month of publication in parentheses, the name of the article, the name of the magazine (italicized), issue number (italicized) and page range, followed by the DOI:
Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Date of publication). Title of article. Title of Magazine, issue number , page range. doi:0000000/000000000000 or https://doi.org/10.0000/0000
Citation example: Henry, W. A., (1990, April). Making the grade in today's schools. Time, 135 , 28-31. doi: 10.1108/03090560710821161
How to Cite a Movie/Film in APA Format
- Citing a film / Citing a movie. If a film is one of the sources of your essay, it might be challenging to cite. In order to do so in accordance with the APA format guide, you need to put the following information on the reference page: producer’s name—followed by “producer” in parentheses, director’s name—followed by “director” in parentheses, date of publication in parentheses, title (italicized)-followed by “motion picture” in brackets, country of origin, and finally, studio.
Producer, P. P. (Producer), & Director, D. D. (Director). (Date of publication). Title of motion picture [Motion picture]. Country of origin: Studio or distributor.
Citation example: Carroll, G., Giler, D., & Hill, W. (Producers), & Scott, R. (Director). (1979). Alien [Motion Picture]. United States: Twentieth Century Fox.
- Citing a film from YouTube. If you find a YouTube video that looks like a credible academic source, do not hesitate to include it. According to the APA format guide, you should start off with the name of the person who published the video, followed by their nickname or username is brackets, date of publication in parentheses, italicized name of the video and the type of media in brackets, and the URL for it.
Last Name, F.M. [Username]. (Year, Month Date). Title of video [Video File]. Retrieved from URL
Citation example: Apolon, M. [marsolon]. (2011, October 9). The tape 14 [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6nyGC848/
How to Cite a TV/Radio Broadcast in APA Format
- Citing an episode from TV or a radio show. Citing an episode from a TV or radio show should be done in the following format: writer’s last name and initial(s), followed by (Writer); director’s last name and initial(s), followed by (Director); the year of publication in parentheses; the name of the episode; type of series; producer’s name, followed by (Producer); italicized title; city and state of origin; and studio or distributor’s name:
Writer, W. W. (Writer), & Director, D. D. (Director). (Date of publication). Title of episode [Television series episode]. In P. Producer (Producer), Series title . City, state of origin: Studio or distributor.
Citation example: Dick, L. (Writer), & Yaitanes, G. (Director). (2009). Simple explanation [Television series episode]. In P. Attanasio (Executive producer), House, M.D. . Los Angeles, CA: Fox Broadcasting..
How to Cite a Website in APA Format
- Citing a website article with an author. If you find an article online that is not from a newspaper, magazine, or any kind of periodical, the best way to cite it is as follows (according to the APA format guide): author, date of publication in parentheses, title, format description, and “retrieved from” with the URL:
Author, A. A. & Author B. B. (Date of publication). Title of page [Format description when necessary]. Retrieved from https://www.someaddress.com/full/url/
Citation example: Eco, U. (2015). How to write a thesis [PDF file]. (Farina C. M. & Farina F., Trans.) Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/How_to_write_a_thesis/.../Umberto+Eco-How+to+Write/
- Citing a website article without an author. If the article does not have an author, cite it with the name of the page, date in parentheses or “n.d” for “no date”, and “retrieved from” with the URL:
Citation example: Spotlight Resources. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/about/information/spotlight_resources.html/
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APA Style 7th Edition Tutorials for Students in Psychology and Social Work
What is apa style.
- The Importance of Citing
Why is APA Style needed?
How do i get started with apa style, let us practice what we have learned, attribution and acknowledgement.
- Basics of APA Style Tutorial
- Reference Entry Elements
- Reference Examples
- Reference List
- In-Text Citations
- Student Paper Format
- Managing References - Zotero
Origination of APA Style
- Where did APA Style come from?
Commonly Used APA Related Terms
Abstract : Abstract is a brief synopses of article. It provides a brief but comprehensive summary of the article.
Citing : In the context of academic writing, citing is the act of acknowledging the sources of information you have used when writing your work.
Citation: A citation gives credit to a source, and contains publication information such as author(s), title and date.
DOI (digital object identifier): It is a unique alphanumeric string assigned to a digital object, mainly a scholarly article, to provide a persistent link to its location on the internet.
In-Text Citation : It is a brief note that appears within the body of the paper and briefly identifies the cited work by its author and date of publication. An in-text citation should always match the corresponding entry in the reference list at the end of paper.
Paraphrasing : A paraphrase restates another’s idea (or your own previously published idea) in your own words.
Plagiarism : It is the act of presenting the words, ideas, or images of another as your own; it denies creators of content the credit they are due.
Quoting : It is the act of reproducing the exact wording used by the original author. Direct quotations appear within quotation marks and end with a citation.
Reference : It contains details about one cited work, generally including four elements: author, date, title, and source.
Reference List : It identifies all the sources you cited in the text of your paper. It generally is at the end of the paper and definitely on a new page after the text of your paper.
APA Style is the most common writing style used in college and career. Its purpose is to promote excellence in communication by helping writers create clear, precise, and inclusive sentences with a straightforward scholarly tone. It addresses areas of writing such as how to
- format a paper so it looks professional;
- credit other people’s words and ideas via citations and references to avoid plagiarism; and
- describe other people with dignity and respect using inclusive, bias-free language.
APA Style is primarily used in the behavioral sciences, which are subjects related to people, such as psychology, education, and nursing. It is also used by students in business, engineering, communications, and other classes. Students use it to write academic essays and research papers in college, and professionals use it to conduct, report, and publish scientific research.
In addition, APA Style provides you with a powerful tool that will hep you avoid deliberate or unintentional plagiarism. Please review the Avoiding Plagiarism Guide created by the APA experts to understand what two common types of plagiarism are and how to avoid them.
Why is learning citations important? Citations help readers understand where the information used in your paper comes from, enabling them to trace the path of that information. When readers wish to explore a specific point or reference cited in the text, citations make it easier by providing information about your sources in a standardized format.
Besides showing readers where you obtained information, using citations also has a strong ethical purpose. In academic writing, it is important to credit ideas that are not your own. Citations allow you to integrate the ideas of others with your own thoughts in a fair and honest way.
The reference formats for APA Style manuals are as follows:
APA Style provides a foundation for effective scholarly communication because it helps authors present their ideas in a clear and concise, and organized manner. Uniformity and consistency enable readers to (a) focus on the ideas being presented rather than formatting and (b) scan works quickly for key points, findings, and sources. When style works best, ideas flow logically, sources are credited appropriately, and papers are organized predictably and consistently.
Students are encouraged to first learn about APA Style by reading works written in APA Style. A couple of guides created by APA experts from the American Psychological Association can help you with that:
Anatomy of a Journal Article https://apastyle.apa.org/instructional-aids/anatomy-journal-article.pdf
Scholarly journal articles share a common anatomy or structure. Each part of an article serves a specific purpose. The handout of Anatomy of a Journal Article explains how journal articles are structured and how to become more efficient at reading and understanding them. Understanding the structure of a scholarly article and the purpose of each part helps you grasp a strategy called targeted reading. Targeted reading means to read specific sections of research articles first to determine if the article seems useful for your research topic. This way you will save time, find useful article faster, and choose which articles to read in full.
Reading and Understanding Abstracts https://apastyle.apa.org/instructional-aids/reading-abstracts.pdf
Abstracts are short summaries of scientific research articles. The handout of Reading & Understanding Abstracts explains the definition and purpose of abstracts and the benefits of reading them, including analysis of a sample abstract. The skill of reading and understanding abstracts of scholarly articles not only saves time but also helps you conduct better research and write more effectively.
APA Style Writing Principles https://apastyle.apa.org/instructional-aids/writing-principles.pdf
The poster created by APA experts shows the three main principles of APA Style: clarity, precision, and inclusion and lists steps on how to achieve them. As a student writer, you always should write your academic paper with clarity, precision, and inclusion.
Research Article Activity https://apastyle.apa.org/instructional-aids/apa-style-research-activity.pdf
Reading research articles is not an easy task for you as a student. The Research Article Activity designed by APA Style experts aims to make it easy to read and understand a scholarly article. This activity worksheet helps you find, cite, analyze, and summarize a research article. Completing this activity breaks down a lengthy research article into easily understandable chunks. This way helps you better understand the study in the article before you write about it.
The information in this Guide is courtesy of the official APA Style website by the American Psychological Association.
Source Credit: Information on this LibGuide comes from APA Style website https://apastyle.apa.org/ This website has a wealth of free and authoritative resources designed to help anyone new to APA Style.
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- Last Updated: Apr 6, 2024 12:06 PM
- URL: https://research.ewu.edu/APAStyleTutorial
APA In-Text Citations and Sample Essay 7th Edition
This handout focuses on how to format in-text citations in APA.
Proper citation of sources is a two-part process . You must first cite each source in the body of your essay; these citations within the essay are called in-text citations . You MUST cite all quoted, paraphrased, or summarized words, ideas, and facts from sources. Without in-text citations, you are technically in danger of plagiarism, even if you have listed your sources at the end of the essay.
In-text citations point the reader to the sources’ information on the references page. The in-text citation typically includes the author's last name and the year of publication. If you use a direct quote, the page number is also provided.
More information can be found on p. 253 of the 7th edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association.
Citation Rules
Direct quotation with the author named in the text.
Heinze and Lu (2017) stated, “The NFL shifted its responses to institutional change around concussions significantly as the field itself evolved” (p. 509).
Note: The year of publication is listed in parenthesis after the names of the authors, and the page number is listed in parenthesis at the end of the quote.
Direct Quotation without the Author Named in the Text
As the NFL developed as an organization, it “shifted its responses to institutional change around concussions significantly” (Heinze & Lu, 2017, p. 509).
Note: At the end of the quote, the names of the authors, year of publication, and page number are listed in parenthesis.
Paraphrase with 1-2 Authors
As the NFL developed as an organization, its reactions toward concussions also transformed (Heinze & Lu, 2017).
Note: For paraphrases, page numbers are encouraged but not required.
Paraphrase with 3 or More Authors
To work toward solving the issue of violence in prisons begins with determining aspects that might connect with prisoners' violent conduct (Thomson et al., 2019).
Direct Quotation without an Author
The findings were astonishing "in a recent study of parent and adult child relationships" ("Parents and Their Children," 2007, p. 2).
Note: Since the author of the text is not stated, a shortened version of the title is used instead.
Secondary Sources
When using secondary sources, use the phrase "as cited in" and cite the secondary source on the References page.
In 1936, Keynes said, “governments should run deficits when the economy is slow to avoid unemployment” (as cited in Richardson, 2008, p. 257).
Long (Block) Quotations
When using direct quotations of 40 or more words, indent five spaces from the left margin without using quotation marks. The final period should come before the parenthetical citation.
At Meramec, an English department policy states:
To honor and protect their own work and that of others, all students must give credit to proprietary sources that are used for course work. It is assumed that any information that is not documented is either common knowledge in that field or the original work of that student. (St. Louis Community College, 2001, p. 1)
Website Citations
If citing a specific web document without a page number, include the name of the author, date, title of the section, and paragraph number in parentheses:
In America, “Two out of five deaths among U.S. teens are the result of a motor vehicle crash” (National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, 2004, Overview section, para. 1).
Here is a print-friendly version of this content.
Learn more about the APA References page by reviewing this handout .
For information on STLCC's academic integrity policy, check out this webpage .
For additional information on APA, check out STLCC's LibGuide on APA .
Sample Essay
A sample APA essay is available at this link .
APA 7th Edition Citation Examples
- Volume and Issue Numbers
- Page Numbers
- Undated Sources
- Citing a Source Within a Source
Citing a Source within a Source
- In-Text Citations
- Academic Journals
- Encyclopedia Articles
- Book, Film, and Product Reviews
- Online Classroom Materials
- Conference Papers
- Technical + Research Reports
- Court Decisions
- Treaties and Other International Agreements
- Federal Regulations: I. The Code of Federal Regulations
- Federal Regulations: II. The Federal Register
- Executive Orders
- Charter of the United Nations
- Federal Statutes
- Dissertations and Theses
- Interviews, E-mail Messages + Other Personal Communications
- Social Media
- Business Sources
- PowerPoints
- AI: ChatGPT, etc.
Scenario: You read a 2007 article by Linhares and Brum that cites an earlier article, by Klein. You want to cite Klein's article, but you have not read Klein's article itself.
Reference list citation
Linhares, A., & Brum, P. (2007). Understanding our understanding of strategic scenarios: What role do chunks play? Cognitive Science , 31 (6), 989-1007. https://doi.org/10.1080/03640210701703725
Your Reference list will contain the article you read, by Linhares and Brum. Your Reference list will NOT contain a citation for Klein's article.
In-text citation
Klein's study (as cited in Linhares & Brum, 2007) found that...
Your in-text citation gives credit to Klein and shows the source in which you found Klein's ideas.
See Publication Manual , p. 258.
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- Last Updated: Mar 18, 2024 12:55 PM
- URL: https://libguides.umgc.edu/apa-examples
Home / Guides / Citation Guides / How to Cite Sources
How to Cite Sources
Here is a complete list for how to cite sources. Most of these guides present citation guidance and examples in MLA, APA, and Chicago.
If you’re looking for general information on MLA or APA citations , the EasyBib Writing Center was designed for you! It has articles on what’s needed in an MLA in-text citation , how to format an APA paper, what an MLA annotated bibliography is, making an MLA works cited page, and much more!
MLA Format Citation Examples
The Modern Language Association created the MLA Style, currently in its 9th edition, to provide researchers with guidelines for writing and documenting scholarly borrowings. Most often used in the humanities, MLA style (or MLA format ) has been adopted and used by numerous other disciplines, in multiple parts of the world.
MLA provides standard rules to follow so that most research papers are formatted in a similar manner. This makes it easier for readers to comprehend the information. The MLA in-text citation guidelines, MLA works cited standards, and MLA annotated bibliography instructions provide scholars with the information they need to properly cite sources in their research papers, articles, and assignments.
- Book Chapter
- Conference Paper
- Documentary
- Encyclopedia
- Google Images
- Kindle Book
- Memorial Inscription
- Museum Exhibit
- Painting or Artwork
- PowerPoint Presentation
- Sheet Music
- Thesis or Dissertation
- YouTube Video
APA Format Citation Examples
The American Psychological Association created the APA citation style in 1929 as a way to help psychologists, anthropologists, and even business managers establish one common way to cite sources and present content.
APA is used when citing sources for academic articles such as journals, and is intended to help readers better comprehend content, and to avoid language bias wherever possible. The APA style (or APA format ) is now in its 7th edition, and provides citation style guides for virtually any type of resource.
Chicago Style Citation Examples
The Chicago/Turabian style of citing sources is generally used when citing sources for humanities papers, and is best known for its requirement that writers place bibliographic citations at the bottom of a page (in Chicago-format footnotes ) or at the end of a paper (endnotes).
The Turabian and Chicago citation styles are almost identical, but the Turabian style is geared towards student published papers such as theses and dissertations, while the Chicago style provides guidelines for all types of publications. This is why you’ll commonly see Chicago style and Turabian style presented together. The Chicago Manual of Style is currently in its 17th edition, and Turabian’s A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations is in its 8th edition.
Citing Specific Sources or Events
- Declaration of Independence
- Gettysburg Address
- Martin Luther King Jr. Speech
- President Obama’s Farewell Address
- President Trump’s Inauguration Speech
- White House Press Briefing
Additional FAQs
- Citing Archived Contributors
- Citing a Blog
- Citing a Book Chapter
- Citing a Source in a Foreign Language
- Citing an Image
- Citing a Song
- Citing Special Contributors
- Citing a Translated Article
- Citing a Tweet
6 Interesting Citation Facts
The world of citations may seem cut and dry, but there’s more to them than just specific capitalization rules, MLA in-text citations , and other formatting specifications. Citations have been helping researches document their sources for hundreds of years, and are a great way to learn more about a particular subject area.
Ever wonder what sets all the different styles apart, or how they came to be in the first place? Read on for some interesting facts about citations!
1. There are Over 7,000 Different Citation Styles
You may be familiar with MLA and APA citation styles, but there are actually thousands of citation styles used for all different academic disciplines all across the world. Deciding which one to use can be difficult, so be sure to ask you instructor which one you should be using for your next paper.
2. Some Citation Styles are Named After People
While a majority of citation styles are named for the specific organizations that publish them (i.e. APA is published by the American Psychological Association, and MLA format is named for the Modern Language Association), some are actually named after individuals. The most well-known example of this is perhaps Turabian style, named for Kate L. Turabian, an American educator and writer. She developed this style as a condensed version of the Chicago Manual of Style in order to present a more concise set of rules to students.
3. There are Some Really Specific and Uniquely Named Citation Styles
How specific can citation styles get? The answer is very. For example, the “Flavour and Fragrance Journal” style is based on a bimonthly, peer-reviewed scientific journal published since 1985 by John Wiley & Sons. It publishes original research articles, reviews and special reports on all aspects of flavor and fragrance. Another example is “Nordic Pulp and Paper Research,” a style used by an international scientific magazine covering science and technology for the areas of wood or bio-mass constituents.
4. More citations were created on EasyBib.com in the first quarter of 2018 than there are people in California.
The US Census Bureau estimates that approximately 39.5 million people live in the state of California. Meanwhile, about 43 million citations were made on EasyBib from January to March of 2018. That’s a lot of citations.
5. “Citations” is a Word With a Long History
The word “citations” can be traced back literally thousands of years to the Latin word “citare” meaning “to summon, urge, call; put in sudden motion, call forward; rouse, excite.” The word then took on its more modern meaning and relevance to writing papers in the 1600s, where it became known as the “act of citing or quoting a passage from a book, etc.”
6. Citation Styles are Always Changing
The concept of citations always stays the same. It is a means of preventing plagiarism and demonstrating where you relied on outside sources. The specific style rules, however, can and do change regularly. For example, in 2018 alone, 46 new citation styles were introduced , and 106 updates were made to exiting styles. At EasyBib, we are always on the lookout for ways to improve our styles and opportunities to add new ones to our list.
Why Citations Matter
Here are the ways accurate citations can help your students achieve academic success, and how you can answer the dreaded question, “why should I cite my sources?”
They Give Credit to the Right People
Citing their sources makes sure that the reader can differentiate the student’s original thoughts from those of other researchers. Not only does this make sure that the sources they use receive proper credit for their work, it ensures that the student receives deserved recognition for their unique contributions to the topic. Whether the student is citing in MLA format , APA format , or any other style, citations serve as a natural way to place a student’s work in the broader context of the subject area, and serve as an easy way to gauge their commitment to the project.
They Provide Hard Evidence of Ideas
Having many citations from a wide variety of sources related to their idea means that the student is working on a well-researched and respected subject. Citing sources that back up their claim creates room for fact-checking and further research . And, if they can cite a few sources that have the converse opinion or idea, and then demonstrate to the reader why they believe that that viewpoint is wrong by again citing credible sources, the student is well on their way to winning over the reader and cementing their point of view.
They Promote Originality and Prevent Plagiarism
The point of research projects is not to regurgitate information that can already be found elsewhere. We have Google for that! What the student’s project should aim to do is promote an original idea or a spin on an existing idea, and use reliable sources to promote that idea. Copying or directly referencing a source without proper citation can lead to not only a poor grade, but accusations of academic dishonesty. By citing their sources regularly and accurately, students can easily avoid the trap of plagiarism , and promote further research on their topic.
They Create Better Researchers
By researching sources to back up and promote their ideas, students are becoming better researchers without even knowing it! Each time a new source is read or researched, the student is becoming more engaged with the project and is developing a deeper understanding of the subject area. Proper citations demonstrate a breadth of the student’s reading and dedication to the project itself. By creating citations, students are compelled to make connections between their sources and discern research patterns. Each time they complete this process, they are helping themselves become better researchers and writers overall.
When is the Right Time to Start Making Citations?
Make in-text/parenthetical citations as you need them.
As you are writing your paper, be sure to include references within the text that correspond with references in a works cited or bibliography. These are usually called in-text citations or parenthetical citations in MLA and APA formats. The most effective time to complete these is directly after you have made your reference to another source. For instance, after writing the line from Charles Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities : “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…,” you would include a citation like this (depending on your chosen citation style):
(Dickens 11).
This signals to the reader that you have referenced an outside source. What’s great about this system is that the in-text citations serve as a natural list for all of the citations you have made in your paper, which will make completing the works cited page a whole lot easier. After you are done writing, all that will be left for you to do is scan your paper for these references, and then build a works cited page that includes a citation for each one.
Need help creating an MLA works cited page ? Try the MLA format generator on EasyBib.com! We also have a guide on how to format an APA reference page .
2. Understand the General Formatting Rules of Your Citation Style Before You Start Writing
While reading up on paper formatting may not sound exciting, being aware of how your paper should look early on in the paper writing process is super important. Citation styles can dictate more than just the appearance of the citations themselves, but rather can impact the layout of your paper as a whole, with specific guidelines concerning margin width, title treatment, and even font size and spacing. Knowing how to organize your paper before you start writing will ensure that you do not receive a low grade for something as trivial as forgetting a hanging indent.
Don’t know where to start? Here’s a formatting guide on APA format .
3. Double-check All of Your Outside Sources for Relevance and Trustworthiness First
Collecting outside sources that support your research and specific topic is a critical step in writing an effective paper. But before you run to the library and grab the first 20 books you can lay your hands on, keep in mind that selecting a source to include in your paper should not be taken lightly. Before you proceed with using it to backup your ideas, run a quick Internet search for it and see if other scholars in your field have written about it as well. Check to see if there are book reviews about it or peer accolades. If you spot something that seems off to you, you may want to consider leaving it out of your work. Doing this before your start making citations can save you a ton of time in the long run.
Finished with your paper? It may be time to run it through a grammar and plagiarism checker , like the one offered by EasyBib Plus. If you’re just looking to brush up on the basics, our grammar guides are ready anytime you are.
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- How to Paraphrase | Step-by-Step Guide & Examples
How to Paraphrase | Step-by-Step Guide & Examples
Published on April 8, 2022 by Courtney Gahan and Jack Caulfield. Revised on June 1, 2023.
Paraphrasing means putting someone else’s ideas into your own words. Paraphrasing a source involves changing the wording while preserving the original meaning.
Paraphrasing is an alternative to quoting (copying someone’s exact words and putting them in quotation marks ). In academic writing, it’s usually better to integrate sources by paraphrasing instead of quoting. It shows that you have understood the source, reads more smoothly, and keeps your own voice front and center.
Every time you paraphrase, it’s important to cite the source . Also take care not to use wording that is too similar to the original. Otherwise, you could be at risk of committing plagiarism .
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Table of contents
How to paraphrase in five easy steps, how to paraphrase correctly, examples of paraphrasing, how to cite a paraphrase, paraphrasing vs. quoting, paraphrasing vs. summarizing, avoiding plagiarism when you paraphrase, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about paraphrasing.
If you’re struggling to get to grips with the process of paraphrasing, check out our easy step-by-step guide in the video below.
Prevent plagiarism. Run a free check.
Putting an idea into your own words can be easier said than done. Let’s say you want to paraphrase the text below, about population decline in a particular species of sea snails.
Incorrect paraphrasing
You might make a first attempt to paraphrase it by swapping out a few words for synonyms .
Like other sea creatures inhabiting the vicinity of highly populated coasts, horse conchs have lost substantial territory to advancement and contamination , including preferred breeding grounds along mud flats and seagrass beds. Their Gulf home is also heating up due to global warming , which scientists think further puts pressure on the creatures , predicated upon the harmful effects extra warmth has on other large mollusks (Barnett, 2022).
This attempt at paraphrasing doesn’t change the sentence structure or order of information, only some of the word choices. And the synonyms chosen are poor:
- “Advancement and contamination” doesn’t really convey the same meaning as “development and pollution.”
- Sometimes the changes make the tone less academic: “home” for “habitat” and “sea creatures” for “marine animals.”
- Adding phrases like “inhabiting the vicinity of” and “puts pressure on” makes the text needlessly long-winded.
- Global warming is related to climate change, but they don’t mean exactly the same thing.
Because of this, the text reads awkwardly, is longer than it needs to be, and remains too close to the original phrasing. This means you risk being accused of plagiarism .
Correct paraphrasing
Let’s look at a more effective way of paraphrasing the same text.
Here, we’ve:
- Only included the information that’s relevant to our argument (note that the paraphrase is shorter than the original)
- Introduced the information with the signal phrase “Scientists believe that …”
- Retained key terms like “development and pollution,” since changing them could alter the meaning
- Structured sentences in our own way instead of copying the structure of the original
- Started from a different point, presenting information in a different order
Because of this, we’re able to clearly convey the relevant information from the source without sticking too close to the original phrasing.
Explore the tabs below to see examples of paraphrasing in action.
- Journal article
- Newspaper article
- Magazine article
Once you have your perfectly paraphrased text, you need to ensure you credit the original author. You’ll always paraphrase sources in the same way, but you’ll have to use a different type of in-text citation depending on what citation style you follow.
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- Missing commas and periods
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- Ampersands (&) in narrative citations
- Missing reference entries
It’s a good idea to paraphrase instead of quoting in most cases because:
- Paraphrasing shows that you fully understand the meaning of a text
- Your own voice remains dominant throughout your paper
- Quotes reduce the readability of your text
But that doesn’t mean you should never quote. Quotes are appropriate when:
- Giving a precise definition
- Saying something about the author’s language or style (e.g., in a literary analysis paper)
- Providing evidence in support of an argument
- Critiquing or analyzing a specific claim
A paraphrase puts a specific passage into your own words. It’s typically a similar length to the original text, or slightly shorter.
When you boil a longer piece of writing down to the key points, so that the result is a lot shorter than the original, this is called summarizing .
Paraphrasing and quoting are important tools for presenting specific information from sources. But if the information you want to include is more general (e.g., the overarching argument of a whole article), summarizing is more appropriate.
When paraphrasing, you have to be careful to avoid accidental plagiarism .
This can happen if the paraphrase is too similar to the original quote, with phrases or whole sentences that are identical (and should therefore be in quotation marks). It can also happen if you fail to properly cite the source.
Paraphrasing tools are widely used by students, and can be especially useful for non-native speakers who may find academic writing particularly challenging. While these can be helpful for a bit of extra inspiration, use these tools sparingly, keeping academic integrity in mind.
To make sure you’ve properly paraphrased and cited all your sources, you could elect to run a plagiarism check before submitting your paper. And of course, always be sure to read your source material yourself and take the first stab at paraphrasing on your own.
If you want to know more about ChatGPT, AI tools , citation , and plagiarism , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.
- ChatGPT vs human editor
- ChatGPT citations
- Is ChatGPT trustworthy?
- Using ChatGPT for your studies
- What is ChatGPT?
- Chicago style
- Critical thinking
Plagiarism
- Types of plagiarism
- Self-plagiarism
- Avoiding plagiarism
- Academic integrity
- Consequences of plagiarism
- Common knowledge
To paraphrase effectively, don’t just take the original sentence and swap out some of the words for synonyms. Instead, try:
- Reformulating the sentence (e.g., change active to passive , or start from a different point)
- Combining information from multiple sentences into one
- Leaving out information from the original that isn’t relevant to your point
- Using synonyms where they don’t distort the meaning
The main point is to ensure you don’t just copy the structure of the original text, but instead reformulate the idea in your own words.
Paraphrasing without crediting the original author is a form of plagiarism , because you’re presenting someone else’s ideas as if they were your own.
However, paraphrasing is not plagiarism if you correctly cite the source . This means including an in-text citation and a full reference, formatted according to your required citation style .
As well as citing, make sure that any paraphrased text is completely rewritten in your own words.
Plagiarism means using someone else’s words or ideas and passing them off as your own. Paraphrasing means putting someone else’s ideas in your own words.
So when does paraphrasing count as plagiarism?
- Paraphrasing is plagiarism if you don’t properly credit the original author.
- Paraphrasing is plagiarism if your text is too close to the original wording (even if you cite the source). If you directly copy a sentence or phrase, you should quote it instead.
- Paraphrasing is not plagiarism if you put the author’s ideas completely in your own words and properly cite the source .
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To present information from other sources in academic writing , it’s best to paraphrase in most cases. This shows that you’ve understood the ideas you’re discussing and incorporates them into your text smoothly.
It’s appropriate to quote when:
- Changing the phrasing would distort the meaning of the original text
- You want to discuss the author’s language choices (e.g., in literary analysis )
- You’re presenting a precise definition
- You’re looking in depth at a specific claim
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Basic guidelines for formatting the reference list at the end of a standard APA research paper Author/Authors Rules for handling works by a single author or multiple authors that apply to all APA-style references in your reference list, regardless of the type of work (book, article, electronic resource, etc.)
On the first line of the page, write the section label "References" (in bold and centered). On the second line, start listing your references in alphabetical order. Apply these formatting guidelines to the APA reference page: Double spacing (within and between references) Hanging indent of ½ inch.
Throughout your paper, you need to apply the following APA format guidelines: Set page margins to 1 inch on all sides. Double-space all text, including headings. Indent the first line of every paragraph 0.5 inches. Use an accessible font (e.g., Times New Roman 12pt., Arial 11pt., or Georgia 11pt.).
A parenthetical citation can appear within or at the end of a sentence. When the parenthetical citation is at the end of the sentence, put the period or other end punctuation after the closing parenthesis. If there is no author, use the first few words of the reference list entry, usually the "Title" of the source: ("Autism," 2008) See APA 8.14
Citation Style: Developed the 'Four Elements of a Reference" (Author, Date, Title, Source) to help writers to create references for source types not explicitly examined in the APA Manual. Three or more authors can be abbreviated to First author, et al. on the first citation. Up to 20 authors are spelled out in the References List.
The following are guidelines to follow when writing in-text citations: Ensure that the spelling of author names and the publication dates in reference list entries match those in the corresponding in-text citations. Cite only works that you have read and ideas that you have incorporated into your writing. The works you cite may provide key ...
This guide will show you how to structure APA citations according to the Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (7th edition) and will show you example citations for different source types. For information on other APA topics—such as formatting your paper, creating a title page, etc.—check out the EasyBib APA format guide. . It even has an example pa
In this situation the original author and date should be stated first followed by 'as cited in' followed by the author and date of the secondary source. For example: Lorde (1980) as cited in Mitchell (2017) Or (Lorde, 1980, as cited in Mitchell, 2017) Back to top. 3. How to Cite Different Source Types.
According to APA 7th Edition guidelines you need to find out as much information as you can about who created and published a source and when. You communicate this to your audience through in-text and Reference List citations which your readers can look up themselves. Citing in APA 7th Edition. Watch on.
Quoting, paraphrasing, and summarizing are three ways to incorporate outside sources into your paper. See In-Text Citations: 2 Ways for options in the placement of your in-text citations and the In-Text Citation Format box for proper formatting.. Quoting. Quoting is reproducing text verbatim (exactly as written) from another source.You must include an in-text citation to direct quotes that ...
According to the APA format guide, an article retrieved from a newspaper in print should be cited as follows: author, year and month of publication, the name of the article, the name of the newspaper (italicized), and pages: Citation example: Curtis, S. (2005, October 22). Fields grown to thrive.
Abstract: Abstract is a brief synopses of article.It provides a brief but comprehensive summary of the article. Citing: In the context of academic writing, citing is the act of acknowledging the sources of information you have used when writing your work.. Citation: A citation gives credit to a source, and contains publication information such as author(s), title and date.
To quote a source, copy a short piece of text word for word and put it inside quotation marks. To paraphrase a source, put the text into your own words. It's important that the paraphrase is not too close to the original wording. You can use the paraphrasing tool if you don't want to do this manually.
Figure 8.1 in Chapter 8 of the Publication Manual provides an example of an appropriate level of citation. The number of sources you cite in your paper depends on the purpose of your work. For most papers, cite one or two of the most representative sources for each key point. Literature review papers typically include a more exhaustive list of ...
In-text Citation. The in-text component of APA citation includes two main elements: the author's last name and the year of the publication (Ross, 1997), and a third: the page number, whenever quoting directly or paraphrasing a specific section of the text (Ross, 1997, p. 2).
In-text citations point the reader to the sources' information on the references page. The in-text citation typically includes the author's last name and the year of publication. If you use a direct quote, the page number is also provided. More information can be found on p. 253 of the 7th edition of the Publication Manual of the American ...
If the quotation precedes the narrative citation, put the page number or location information after the year and a comma. If the citation appears at the end of a sentence, put the end punctuation after the closing parenthesis for the citation. If the quotation includes citations, see Section 8.32 of the Publication Manual.
Scenario: You read a 2007 article by Linhares and Brum that cites an earlier article, by Klein. You want to cite Klein's article, but you have not read Klein's article itself. Reference list citation. Linhares, A., & Brum, P. (2007).
On the APA reference page, you list all the sources that you've cited in your paper. The list starts on a new page right after the body text. Follow these instructions to set up your APA reference page: Place the section label "References" in bold at the top of the page (centered). Order the references alphabetically. Double-space all text.
The Chicago/Turabian style of citing sources is generally used when citing sources for humanities papers, and is best known for its requirement that writers place bibliographic citations at the bottom of a page (in Chicago-format footnotes) or at the end of a paper (endnotes). The Turabian and Chicago citation styles are almost identical, but ...
What is an APA In-Text Citation? An in-text citation is a citation within your writing that shows where you found your information, facts, quotes, and research. All APA in-text citations require the same basic information: Year of publication (or "n.d." if there is "no date": (LastName, n.d., p.#)) To see how to format MLA in-text ...
Revised on January 17, 2024. APA website citations usually include the author, the publication date, the title of the page or article, the website name, and the URL. If there is no author, start the citation with the title of the article. If the page is likely to change over time, add a retrieval date. If you are citing an online version of a ...
APA Citation Style - tutorials.lib.asu.edu
Paraphrasing means putting someone else's ideas into your own words. Paraphrasing a source involves changing the wording while preserving the original meaning. Paraphrasing is an alternative to quoting (copying someone's exact words and putting them in quotation marks ). In academic writing, it's usually better to integrate sources by ...