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How to Cite a Research Paper in APA
Last Updated: October 19, 2022 Fact Checked
This article was reviewed by Gerald Posner . Gerald Posner is an Author & Journalist based in Miami, Florida. With over 35 years of experience, he specializes in investigative journalism, nonfiction books, and editorials. He holds a law degree from UC College of the Law, San Francisco, and a BA in Political Science from the University of California-Berkeley. He’s the author of thirteen books, including several New York Times bestsellers, the winner of the Florida Book Award for General Nonfiction, and has been a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in History. He was also shortlisted for the Best Business Book of 2020 by the Society for Advancing Business Editing and Writing. There are 12 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 161,865 times.
If you’re citing a research article or paper in APA style, you’ll need to use a specific citation format that varies depending on the source. Assess whether your source is an article or report published in an academic journal or book, or whether it is an unpublished research paper, such as a print-only thesis or dissertation. Either way, your in-text citations will need to include information about the author (if available) and the date when your source was published or written.
Sample Citations
![how to cite a reference in a research paper apa how to cite a reference in a research paper apa](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/a/a8/In-Text-Citations-for-a-Research-Paper-in-APA_sample.png/340px-In-Text-Citations-for-a-Research-Paper-in-APA_sample.png)
Writing an In-Text Citation
![how to cite a reference in a research paper apa Step 1 Name the author and the publication date in-text before a quote.](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/4/4f/Cite-a-Research-Paper-in-APA-Step-1.jpg/v4-460px-Cite-a-Research-Paper-in-APA-Step-1.jpg)
- For example, you may write, “Gardener (2008) notes, ‘There are several factors to consider about lobsters’ (p. 199).”
![how to cite a reference in a research paper apa Step 2 Include the author’s last name in the citation if you don’t list it in-text.](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/2/23/Cite-a-Research-Paper-in-APA-Step-2.jpg/v4-460px-Cite-a-Research-Paper-in-APA-Step-2.jpg)
- For example, you may write, “‘There are several factors to consider about lobsters’ (Gardner, 2008, p. 199).” Or, “The paper claims, ‘The fallen angel trope is common in religious and non-religious texts’ (Meek & Hill, 2015, p.13-14).”
- For articles with 3-5 authors, write out the names of all the authors the first time you cite the source. For example: (Hammett, Wooster, Smith, & Charles, 1928). In subsequent citations, write only the first author’s name, followed by et al.: (Hammett et al., 1928).
- If there are 6 or more authors for the paper, include the last name of the first author listed and then write "et al." to indicate that there are more than 5 authors.
- For example, you may write, "'This is a quote' (Minaj et al., 1997, p. 45)."
![how to cite a reference in a research paper apa Step 3 Write the name of the organization if there is no author.](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/b/ba/Cite-a-Research-Paper-in-APA-Step-3.jpg/v4-460px-Cite-a-Research-Paper-in-APA-Step-3.jpg)
- For example, you may write, “‘The risk of cervical cancer in women is rising’ (American Cancer Society, 2012, p. 2).”
![how to cite a reference in a research paper apa Step 4 Use 1-4 words from the title in quotation marks if there is no author or organization.](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/6/6a/Cite-a-Research-Paper-in-APA-Step-4.jpg/v4-460px-Cite-a-Research-Paper-in-APA-Step-4.jpg)
- For example, you may write, “‘Shakespeare may have been a woman’ (“Radical English Literature,” 2004, p. 45).” Or, “The paper notes, ‘There is a boom in Virgin Mary imagery’ (“Art History in Italy,” 2011, p. 32).”
![how to cite a reference in a research paper apa Step 5 Include the year of publication for the paper.](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/8/8c/Cite-a-Research-Paper-in-APA-Step-5.jpg/v4-460px-Cite-a-Research-Paper-in-APA-Step-5.jpg)
- For example, you may write, “‘There are several factors to consider about lobsters’ (Gardner, 2008, p. 199).” Or, “The paper claims, ‘The fallen angel trope is common in religious and non-religious texts’ (“Iconography in Italian Frescos,” 2015, p.13-14).”
![how to cite a reference in a research paper apa Step 6 Use “n.d.”](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/c/c9/Cite-a-Research-Paper-in-APA-Step-6.jpg/v4-460px-Cite-a-Research-Paper-in-APA-Step-6.jpg)
- For example, you may write, “‘There are several factors to consider about lobsters’ (Gardner, 2008, p. 199).” Or, “The paper claims, ‘The fallen angel trope is common in religious and non-religious texts’ (“Iconography in Italian Frescos,” 2015, p.145-146).”
![how to cite a reference in a research paper apa Step 8 Use “para.”](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/d/d4/Cite-a-Research-Paper-in-APA-Step-8.jpg/v4-460px-Cite-a-Research-Paper-in-APA-Step-8.jpg)
- For example, you may write, “‘The effects of food deprivation are long-term’ (Mett, 2005, para. 18).”
Creating a Reference List Citation for a Published Source
- Material on websites is also considered “published,” even if it’s not peer-reviewed or associated with a formal publishing company.
- While academic dissertations or theses that are print-only are considered unpublished, these types of documents are considered published if they’re included in an online database (such as ProQuest) or incorporated into an institutional repository.
![how to cite a reference in a research paper apa Step 2 Note the author of the paper by last name and first 2 initials.](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/d/df/Cite-a-Research-Paper-in-APA-Step-9.jpg/v4-460px-Cite-a-Research-Paper-in-APA-Step-9.jpg)
- For example, you may write, “Gardner, L. M.” Or, “Meek, P. Q., Kendrick, L. H., & Hill, R. W.”
- If there is no author, you can list the name of the organization that published the research paper. For example, you may write, “American Cancer Society” or “The Reading Room.”
- Formally published documents that don’t list an author or that have a corporate author are typically reports or white papers .
![how to cite a reference in a research paper apa Step 3 Include the year the paper was published in parentheses, followed by a period.](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/f/fe/Cite-a-Research-Paper-in-APA-Step-10.jpg/v4-460px-Cite-a-Research-Paper-in-APA-Step-10.jpg)
- For example, you may write, “Gardner, L. M. (2008).” Or, “American Cancer Society. (2015).”
![how to cite a reference in a research paper apa Step 4 List the title of the paper.](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/3/38/Cite-a-Research-Paper-in-APA-Step-11.jpg/v4-460px-Cite-a-Research-Paper-in-APA-Step-11.jpg)
- For example, you may write, “Gardner, L. M. (2008). Crustaceans: Research and data.” Or, “American Cancer Society. (2015). Cervical cancer rates in women ages 20-45.”
![how to cite a reference in a research paper apa Step 5 Note the title of the publication in which the paper appears.](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/8/86/Cite-a-Research-Paper-in-APA-Step-12.jpg/v4-460px-Cite-a-Research-Paper-in-APA-Step-12.jpg)
- For example, for a journal article, you may write, “Gardner, L. M. (2008). Crustaceans: Research and data. Modern Journal of Malacostracan Research, 25, 150-305.”
- For a book chapter, you could write: “Wooster, B. W. (1937). A comparative study of modern Dutch cow creamers. In T. E. Travers (Ed.), A Detailed History of Tea Serviceware (pp. 127-155). London: Wimble Press."
![how to cite a reference in a research paper apa Step 6 Include the website where you retrieved the paper if it is web-based.](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/6/63/Cite-a-Research-Paper-in-APA-Step-14.jpg/v4-460px-Cite-a-Research-Paper-in-APA-Step-14.jpg)
- For example, you may write, “Kotb, M. A., Kamal, A. M., Aldossary, N. M., & Bedewi, M. A. (2019). Effect of vitamin D replacement on depression in multiple sclerosis patients. Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders, 29, 111-117. Retrieved from PubMed, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30708308.
- If you’re citing a paper or article that was published online but did not come from an academic journal or database, provide information about the author (if known), the date of publication (if available), and the website where you found the article. For example: “Hill, M. (n.d.). Egypt in the Ptolemaic Period. Retrieved from https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/ptol/hd_ptol.htm”
Citing Unpublished Sources in Your Reference List
![how to cite a reference in a research paper apa Step 1 Determine that your source is unpublished.](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/2/28/Cite-a-Research-Paper-in-APA-Step-15.jpg/v4-460px-Cite-a-Research-Paper-in-APA-Step-15.jpg)
- Print-only dissertations or theses.
- Articles or book chapters that are in press or have been recently prepared or submitted for publication.
- Papers that have been rejected for publication or were never intended for publication (such as student research papers or unpublished conference papers).
![how to cite a reference in a research paper apa Step 2 Indicate the status of papers that are in the process of publication.](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/d/d8/Cite-a-Research-Paper-in-APA-Step-16.jpg/v4-460px-Cite-a-Research-Paper-in-APA-Step-16.jpg)
- If the paper is currently being prepared for publication, include the author’s name, the year when the current draft was completed, and the title of the article in italics, followed by “Manuscript in preparation.” For example: Wooster, B. W. (1932). What the well-dressed man is wearing. Manuscript in preparation.
- If the paper has been submitted for publication, format the citation the same way as if it were in preparation, but instead follow the title with “Manuscript submitted for publication.” For example: Wooster, B. W. (1932). What the well-dressed man is wearing. Manuscript submitted for publication.
- If the paper has been accepted for publication but is not yet published, replace the date with “in press.” Do not italicize the paper title, but do include the title of the periodical or book in which it will be published and italicize that. For example: Wooster, B. W. (in press). What the well-dressed man is wearing. Milady’s Boudoir.
![how to cite a reference in a research paper apa Step 3 Note the status of papers that were never intended for publication.](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/b/bb/Cite-a-Research-Paper-in-APA-Step-17.jpg/v4-460px-Cite-a-Research-Paper-in-APA-Step-17.jpg)
- If the paper was written for a conference but never published, your citation should look like this: Riker, W. T. (2019, March). Traditional methods for the preparation of spiny lobe-fish. Paper presented at the 325th Annual Intergalactic Culinary Conference, San Francisco, CA.
- For an unpublished paper written by a student for a class, include details about the institution where the paper was written. For example: Crusher, B. H. (2019). A typology of Cardassian skin diseases. Unpublished manuscript, Department of External Medicine, Starfleet Academy, San Francisco, CA.
![how to cite a reference in a research paper apa Step 4 Clarify the status of unpublished dissertations and theses.](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/a/a8/Cite-a-Research-Paper-in-APA-Step-18.jpg/v4-460px-Cite-a-Research-Paper-in-APA-Step-18.jpg)
- For example, you may write, “Pendlebottom, R. H. (2011). Iconography in Italian Frescos (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). New York University, New York, United States.”
Community Q&A
![how to cite a reference in a research paper apa Community Answer](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/0/0a/CommunityAvatar1.png/-crop-104-104-104px-CommunityAvatar1.png)
- If you want certain information to stand out in the research paper, then you can consider using a block quote. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
![how to cite a reference in a research paper apa how to cite a reference in a research paper apa](https://www.wikihow.com/images/9/99/News_v01_0420x0250.jpg)
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- ↑ https://libraryguides.vu.edu.au/apa-referencing/7JournalArticles
- ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_formatting_and_style_guide/in_text_citations_author_authors.html
- ↑ https://bowvalleycollege.libguides.com/c.php?g=714519&p=5093747
- ↑ https://guides.libraries.psu.edu/apaquickguide/intext
- ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_formatting_and_style_guide/in_text_citations_the_basics.html
- ↑ https://libguides.southernct.edu/c.php?g=7125&p=34582#1951239
- ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_formatting_and_style_guide/reference_list_electronic_sources.html
- ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_formatting_and_style_guide/reference_list_articles_in_periodicals.html
- ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_formatting_and_style_guide/reference_list_books.html
- ↑ https://morlingcollege.libguides.com/apareferencing/unpublished-or-informally-published-work
- ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_formatting_and_style_guide/general_apa_faqs.html
- ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_formatting_and_style_guide/reference_list_other_print_sources.html
About This Article
![how to cite a reference in a research paper apa Gerald Posner](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/3/38/Gerald_Posner.png/-crop-100-100-100px-Gerald_Posner.png)
To cite a research paper in-text in APA, name the author in the text to introduce the quote and put the publication date for the text in parentheses. At the end of your quote, put the page number in parentheses. If you don’t mention the author in your prose, include them in the citation. Start the citation, which should come at the end of the quote, by listing the author’s last name, the year of publication, and the page number. Make sure to put all of this information in parentheses. If there’s no author, use the name of the organization that published the paper or the first few words from the title. To learn how to cite published and unpublished sources in your reference list, keep reading! Did this summary help you? Yes No
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Reference List: Basic Rules
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This page is brought to you by the OWL at Purdue University. When printing this page, you must include the entire legal notice.
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This resourse, revised according to the 7 th edition APA Publication Manual, offers basic guidelines for formatting the reference list at the end of a standard APA research paper. Most sources follow fairly straightforward rules. However, because sources obtained from academic journals carry special weight in research writing, these sources are subject to special rules . Thus, this page presents basic guidelines for citing academic journals separate from its "ordinary" basic guidelines. This distinction is made clear below.
Note: Because the information on this page pertains to virtually all citations, we've highlighted one important difference between APA 6 and APA 7 with an underlined note written in red. For more information, please consult the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association , (7 th ed.).
Formatting a Reference List
Your reference list should appear at the end of your paper. It provides the information necessary for a reader to locate and retrieve any source you cite in the body of the paper. Each source you cite in the paper must appear in your reference list; likewise, each entry in the reference list must be cited in your text.
Your references should begin on a new page separate from the text of the essay; label this page "References" in bold, centered at the top of the page (do NOT underline or use quotation marks for the title). All text should be double-spaced just like the rest of your essay.
Basic Rules for Most Sources
- All lines after the first line of each entry in your reference list should be indented one-half inch from the left margin. This is called hanging indentation.
- All authors' names should be inverted (i.e., last names should be provided first).
- For example, the reference entry for a source written by Jane Marie Smith would begin with "Smith, J. M."
- If a middle name isn't available, just initialize the author's first name: "Smith, J."
- Give the last name and first/middle initials for all authors of a particular work up to and including 20 authors ( this is a new rule, as APA 6 only required the first six authors ). Separate each author’s initials from the next author in the list with a comma. Use an ampersand (&) before the last author’s name. If there are 21 or more authors, use an ellipsis (but no ampersand) after the 19th author, and then add the final author’s name.
- Reference list entries should be alphabetized by the last name of the first author of each work.
- For multiple articles by the same author, or authors listed in the same order, list the entries in chronological order, from earliest to most recent.
- Note again that the titles of academic journals are subject to special rules. See section below.
- Italicize titles of longer works (e.g., books, edited collections, names of newspapers, and so on).
- Do not italicize, underline, or put quotes around the titles of shorter works such as chapters in books or essays in edited collections.
Basic Rules for Articles in Academic Journals
- Present journal titles in full.
- Italicize journal titles.
- For example, you should use PhiloSOPHIA instead of Philosophia, or Past & Present instead of Past and Present.
- This distinction is based on the type of source being cited. Academic journal titles have all major words capitalized, while other sources' titles do not.
- Capitalize the first word of the titles and subtitles of journal articles , as well as the first word after a colon or a dash in the title, and any proper nouns .
- Do not italicize or underline the article title.
- Deep blue: The mysteries of the Marianas Trench.
- Oceanographic Study: A Peer-Reviewed Publication
Please note: While the APA manual provides examples of how to cite common types of sources, it does not cover all conceivable sources. If you must cite a source that APA does not address, the APA suggests finding an example that is similar to your source and using that format. For more information, see page 282 of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association , 7 th ed.
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- 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.
- 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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APA Style (7th Edition) Citation Guide: Introduction
- Introduction
- Journal Articles
- Magazine/Newspaper Articles
- Books & Ebooks
- Government & Legal Documents
- Biblical Sources
- Secondary Sources
- Films/Videos/TV Shows
- How to Cite: Other
- Additional Help
Who Should Use APA Style?
APA style is used by social science disciplines such as communication studies, economics, education, psychology, and sociology; it is also used by business and nursing.
What is APA Style?
APA style, created by the American Psychological Association, is a set of rules for formatting manuscripts, 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 References list at the end of your paper where you give more complete information for the source.
- APA 7th ed. Sample Paper
- APA Style Paper template (Microsoft Word)
- APA 7th. ed. Journal Article Reference Checklist
- APA 7th. ed. Student Paper Checklist
APA Style Guide (7th Edition)
Four Elements of a Reference
A reference generally has these four elements: author, date, title, and source. Each element answers a question and is listed in your citation in the following order:
- author : Who is responsible for this work?
- date : When was this work published?
- title : What is the work called?
- source : Where can I retrieve this work?
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APA Citation (7th edition): Home
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What is APA?
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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.
Commonly Used Terms
Citing : The process of acknowledging the sources of your information and ideas.
D O I (doi) : Some electronic content, such as online journal articles, is assigned a unique number called a Digital Object Identifier (D O I 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.
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.
Introduction to APA Style
The APA citation style is primarily used by disciplines in the business, social sciences, health, and education fields. The official guide is published by the American Psychological Association:
The main navigation links at the top of this guide will show you how to set up your paper in APA format, and how to properly cite a variety of resources, both in your references list and within your paper using in-text citations.
There are also several official resources online to help you with APA:
- APA Style and Grammar Guidelines The style and grammar guidelines pages present information about APA Style as described in the 7th edition of the Publication Manual.
- APA Style Blog The official blog for the 7th edition, answering and clarifying questions about APA.
- Quick Reference Guide [PDF] APA Style's quick reference instructional aid
- APA 7e Quick Guide A quick reference guide compiled by the Cardinal Stritch University Library
- To Cite or Not to Cite A quick guide from the Simmons University Writing Center to cite when appropriate and avoid plagiarism
Plagiarism is a violation of Phillips Academy Academic Standards and Policies ( Academic Integrity ) and is defined as intentionally or unintentionally using someone else's words, works, thoughts, or expression of ideas without giving proper credit. Plagiarism also includes reusing one's own content from another assignment without citation or using one assignment for more than one class without authorization to do so.
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- APA Citation Guide (Seneca Libraries) APA 7th Edition guide compiled by Seneca Libraries
- APA Style 7th Edition (MGH Bellack Library) APA 7th Edition guide compiled by the Massachusetts General Hospital Institute Library
- APA Citation Bootcamp APA 7th edition guide and tutorials created by Florida Atlantic University Libraries
- Plagiarism Tutorials Indiana University's plagiarism tutorial library and certification tests
Guide Attribution & License
This guide is used and has been adapted with the permission of Santa Fe College Tyree Library . For information about reusing the guide, please contact [email protected] .
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Fundamentals of APA
American Psychological Association (APA) style includes parenthetical in-text citations and a reference list .
APA uses parenthetical citations as its form of in-text citation. Provide a parenthetical citation before the period directly following the information you are citing. These citations should correspond to a more detailed citation in the reference list but only need to specify a page number if directly quoting or borrowing from the source material. The essential elements for this in-text citation are the author's last name and the date for the specific publications. The last name may be omitted if the sentence states or makes clear the source material.
APA uses a reference list , an alphabetized list of sources following the end of the book or paper, for its complete list of sources referenced. This list should be titled "References" in bold and alphabetized by the first item in the citation, which, in most cases, is the author's last name. Each reference from this list must be cited in your paper and vice versa.
Basic Format
Author Last Name, Author First Initial. (Year of publication). Title . Publisher Name.
Print Articles
Author Last Name, Author First Initial, & Author Last Name, Author First Initial. (Year). Article Title. Periodical Title , volume number(issue number), pages.
Electronic Articles
Author Last Name, Author First Initial. (Year). Article Title. Periodical Title , volume number(issue number), pages. doi or static url.
Physical Images/Artwork
Artist Last Name, Artist First Initial. (Year). Artwork Title [medium]. Host Institution Name, City, State, Country. URL of institution.
Electronic Images/Artwork
Artist Last Name, Artist First Initial. (Year). Image Title [medium]. Source Title. URL of image.
In-text Citation Examples
Standard case :
"Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet , consectetur adipiscing elit" (Last name, 2000, p.10).
If the author is not available , the title of the source may be used:
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet , consectetur adipiscing elit ("Source title", 2000, pp.10-11).
If multiple authors cited have the same last name , use the author's first initial along with their last name:
"Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet , consectetur adipiscing elit" (E. Bronte, 1847, p.10).
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet , consectetur adipiscing elit (C. Bronte, 1847, p.10).
Full Citation Examples for the Reference List
Archival material :
Child, J. (1974). Journal, 1974 . [Unpublished journal]. Papers of Julia Child, 1925-1993(MC 644, item 4). Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America, Radcliffe Institute, https://id.lib.harvard.edu/ead/c/ sch00222c00006 /catalog .
Child, P. (1967). Julia Child at the White House [Photograph]. Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America, Radcliffe Institute, https://id.lib.harvard.edu/images/olvwork539731/urn-3:RAD.SCHL:4510469/catalog.
Beck, S., Bertholle, L., & Child, J. (1961). Mastering the art of French cooking. Knopf.
Child, J. & Child, P. (1968). The French chef cookbook . Alfred A. Knopf .
Journal article :
Muneal, M. (2011). Studies in Popular Culture , 34(1), 152–154. www.jstor.org/stable/23416357.
Nussbaum, D. (2005). "In Julia Child's Kitchen, October 5 1998". Gastronomica , 5(3), 29-38. doi: 10.1525/gfc.2005.5.3.29.
- APA Style website The online version of the APA Style Manual, this website offers to help with the technical elements of formatting in APA as well as writing and citing your work.
- Purdue OWL APA Guide The Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL) is one of the most complete citation guides available online. The APA Guide explains how to format a paper in APA and breaks down citations by type with numerous examples.
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APA 7th Edition Citation Examples
- Volume and Issue Numbers
- Page Numbers
- Undated Sources
- Citing a Source Within a Source
- In-Text Citations
- Academic Journals
- Encyclopedia Articles
- Book, Film, and Product Reviews
- Online Classroom Materials
- Conference Papers
Format for technical and 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.
Author last name, first initial. (Date). Title of report (Publication No.). Publisher. DOI or URL
- Author: List the last name, followed by the first initial (and second initial). See Authors for more information.
- Date: List the date between parentheses, followed by a period
- Title of report: In italics. Capitalize the first word of the title, subtitle, and proper nouns.
- Publication number: Omit if unavailable for the source that you're citing
- Publisher: List the report's publisher. If the publisher is the same as the author, do not list the name a second time.
- DOI or URL: List DOI or URL if available
See specific examples below.
U.S. Government Accountability Office. (2010). Information security: Concerted effort needed to consolidate and secure Internet connections at federal agencies (Publication No. GAO-10-237). http://www.gao.gov/assets/310/301876.pdf
U.S. Government Accountability Office. (2010). Information security: Concerted effort needed to consolidate and secure Internet connections at federal agencies (Publication No. GAO-10-237).
See Publication Manual , 10.4.
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APA : Style and Citation Guide
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APA Resources
General websites .
- APA Formatting and Style Guide (Purdue OWL)
- APA Style Citation Guide (Seattle)
- APA Citation Guide
- APA Style Guide
- APA Style Help
Formatting Citations and the Works Cited/Reference List
- In-Text Citations: The Basics
- In-Text Citations: Authors
- APA In-Text Citations
- How to Cite Parenthetical [In-Text] Citations in APA
- APA Reference List: Basic Format (from OWL)
- Writing In-Text Citations in APA Style & When and How to Include Page Numbers in APA Style Citations
- DOI, URL, Database Name, Accession Number or Permalink
- APA style citations handout from Coates Library at Trinity University.
- Citing Sources: APA Style
- APA Citation Examples
Formatting the Title Page/Headers
- Formatting Title Page and Headers in APA from Clark College Libraries
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Capitalization and Grammar Formatting
- Capitalization Rules from the APA Style Blog
Other Resources
- Frequently Asked Questions about APA Style
- Sample research papers; Skyline College
- APA Style Sample Paper OWL (Online Writing Lab) at Purdue University
APA Tutorials
APA Tutorials and Webinars : Various tutorials produced by the American Psychological Association .
- APA Tutorials from the Suffolk County Community College Library
- APA Video Tutorials (from Memorial University of Newfoundland Library
Niche Academy Tutorials
- Find Academic Coaching help with APA style and citations
- Log into the Library Catalog
- Full Research Guide list
- Library Homepage
- WNC Homepage
APA Publication Manual
The library has copies of the most recent version of the APA guide available.
Publication Manual (OFFICIAL) 7th Edition of the American Psychological Association
[T]he Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, Seventh Edition is the style manual of choice for writers, researchers, editors, students, and educators in the social and behavioral sciences, natural sciences, nursing, communications, education, business, engineering, and other fields... More than 100 new reference examples covering periodicals, books, audiovisual media, social media, webpages and websites, legal resources, and many other document types Guidelines that support accessibility for all users, including simplified reference, in-text citation, and heading formats as well as additional font options
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- Writing Tips
How to Cite an Unpublished Paper or Manuscript in APA Referencing
- 3-minute read
- 23rd June 2020
Did you know that you can cite unpublished works, such as in-progress research papers or manuscripts, in an essay? Well, you can! The key is citing them correctly. And in this post, we will look at how to cite an unpublished paper or manuscript in APA referencing .
How to Cite an Unpublished Paper in APA referencing
In APA referencing, you can cite an unpublished work in the same way as you would a published one. This means giving an author’s name and a date in brackets . The only difference is that you give a year of production (i.e., when the paper was written) rather than a year of publication:
Few fully understand the publication process (Clarke, 2020).
Like other sources, if you name the author in the text, you do not need to repeat it in the brackets. And if you quote an unpublished paper, you should give page numbers. For example:
According to Clarke (2020), publication “is a complex process” (p. 20).
When a paper has been accepted for publication but not yet published, however, you should use the term “in press” in place of a year in citations:
Few fully understand the publication process (Clarke, in press).
How to Reference an Unpublished Work in APA Referencing
When adding an unpublished paper to an APA reference list , the correct format will depend on where it is in the publication process. But let’s start with works that will not be published at all (e.g., a paper that the author never submitted or that the publisher rejected).
In this case, the correct format is:
Author Surname, Initial(s). (Year of Production). Title of manuscript [Unpublished manuscript]. Department, University Name.
So, in practice, we could cite an unpublished paper like this:
Clarke, J. (2020). The publication process explained [Unpublished manuscript]. School of Journalism, Media and Performance, University of Central Lancashire.
Referencing a Work Submitted for Publication
If a paper has been submitted for publication but not yet accepted, the reference should state “manuscript submitted for publication.” However, you should not include any other information about the submission, such as where it was submitted, as this information could go out of date quickly.
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The correct format in this case is therefore:
Author Surname, Initial(s). (Year of Production). Title of manuscript [Manuscript submitted for publication]. Department, University Name.
For example, we would list the paper above as follows:
Clarke, J. (2020). The publication process explained [Manuscript submitted for publication]. School of Journalism, Media and Performance, University of Central Lancashire.
Referencing a Paper in Press
If a paper has been accepted for publication, use the following format:
Author Surname, Initial(s). (in press). Title. Periodical or Journal Title .
As you can see, we now include both:
- The phrase “in press” to show that the paper has been accepted by the journal and is now awaiting publication.
- The title of the journal that accepted it (note, too, that we only use italics for the journal title here, not the title of the paper itself).
In practice, then, we would reference a paper awaiting publication like this:
Clarke, J. (in press). The publication process explained, Publishing Research Quarterly .
It is always worth checking the status of submitted papers before finalizing your reference list, too, as they can go from “submitted for publication” to “in press” quite suddenly, leaving your reference out of date.
Hopefully, you will now be able to cite an unpublished paper or manuscript correctly. But if you would like any further help with your writing, why not submit a document for proofreading ?
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Remember that no one expects you to be an expert in everything. You are, therefore, expected to give credit where credit is due. Citing sources makes you look more knowledgeable and professional. When in doubt, cite it.
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Visual guide to citing books, articles, websites, blogs, and more in APA format. | In depth guidance from Purdue University's Online Writing Lab (OWL) |
- Best Practices to Avoid Plagiarism from Purdue University's Online Writing Lab (OWL)
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Citing Sources
- Citation Guide for AMA Style This link opens in a new window
- Vancouver Style/NLM Style
- Citation Tools
Suggested Online Resources
- APA Style Examples from Saskatchewan Health Authority Various examples of citations in APA format
- APA Style and Grammar Guidelines This resource, from the APA, provides a concise reference guide to using APA 7th edition for citations and writing.
- APA Style Introduction and Sample Resources This introduction to APA Style 7th edition, from the Purdue OWL, provides guidance on citations as well as sample papers, presentations, and posters prepared according to APA Style.
- APA Style Tutorials and Webinars From the APA, this site includes a free tutorial on use of APA 7th edition (Academic Writer Tutorial) as well as recorded webinars to reference.
- In-Text Citation Checklist From the APA, this is a link to a PDF of the 7th edition In-Text Citation Checklist.
- Quick Reference Guide to APA 7th Edition From the APA, this links to a PDF of a quick reference guide to APA 7th edition, providing sample citations for a variety of common sources.
- Student Paper Checklist, APA 7th From the APA, this is a link to the PDF of the Student Paper Checklist in APA 7th format. Includes references to the official publication manual.
- APA Style Information from Waggoner Library Includes information about DOIs, citing course resources, annotated bibliographies, and other resources to help learn about APA Style
Publication Manual
In-Text Citations
General information.
- Can be used for a variety of content including text, figures, boxes, and table
- Organizations can be authors
When using direct quotes
- Surname of author and publication year of work
- Direct quotes of 40+ words require a block quote. Block quotes should be indented 5 spaces rather than utilizing quotation marks.
When paraphrasing
- Place the publication year in parentheses after the author's name. Example: Smith (2020) argues...
When using citing multiple references at once
- Separate each author with a semi colon, with surnames in alphabetical order. Example: (Jones, 2019; Smith, 2020)
For more special circumstances regarding authors and in-text citations, consult the Purdue OWL linked below.
- Purdue OWL - In-Text Citations/APA 7th
Reference List
Basic Format: Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Date). Title of the work. Source where you can retrieve the work . URL or DOI if available
- The word "References" should be bolded and centered at the top of the page in Title Case.
- Place all references in alphabetical order by the last name (surname) of the first author of the work.
- Both an annotated bibliography and a reference list can be included in one document.
- Double space entries in a reference list.
Annotated Bibliography
- All sources that you do not cite, but that inspired, informed, or influenced your work should be listed in an Annotated Bibliography.
- This may include items like suggested readings.
- Entries in a bibliography should be formatted like entries in a reference list.
- Annotated Bibliography looks like a Reference List but contains an annotation after each source cited.
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Finding and Evaluating Information: Using APA
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- What Do You Need?
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- Internet Searching
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About This Page
This page provides information on citing journals, books, websites and other sources using APA.
If you're not sure what you need, or how to begin, come in to the RTC Library, call us at (425) 235-2331, or email us at [email protected] . We'll be glad to help!
Library Resource
- APA Guidelines - 7th Edition : A QuickStudy Digital Reference Guide Quick reference guide to the 7th edition of the American Psychological Association's publication manual for rules of punctuation, reference citation, structure and format in 6 digital pages filled with the answers you need for these commonly used guidelines.
APA stands for the A merican P sychological A ssociation. The APA publishes a manual that offers a standard for writers in the medical and biological sciences to use when formatting research papers and bibliographies. The APA citation style is also used by writers in many more academic fields.
The APA Publication Manual describes how to format your paper, how to cite the resources you use within the body of the paper, and how to create the references list - the bibliography of sources you used - at the end of the paper.
Recommended resources to help you with APA:
NoodleTools - This tool can help you format your APA reference list. Sign up for a free account through the RTC database page and save your citations for up to a year. RTC Library videos on using NoodleTools, the easy way to create a bibliography:
- NoodleTools - How to Register
- NoodleTools - Starting a New Project
- NoodleTools - Adding A Source
- NoodleTools - Exporting a Reference
The Citation Machine - Another web resource to help you format an APA citation (comes with a 30-second commercial). Citation Machine won't save your citations, but you don't need to log-in to use it.
OWL - The Online Writing Lab at Purdue University. Covers both APA and MLA citation styles, as well as much more information about writing.
Your References List
The References list is the bibliography - the list of sources you used for your paper - at the end of your paper. This is a sample of a References list:
Creating Citations for the References List
A book citation
These elements go in this order: The Author's last name, Author's First and Middle Initials. (Year of Publication). Book Title. City of Publication: Publisher Name.
Example 1: Finer, K. (1995). Tuberculosis. New York: Columbia.
A Journal article from an online database
These elements go in this order: The Author's last name, Author's First and Middle Initials. (Year of Publication). Title of the article. Title of the journal, volume (issue), pages. Name of the database from which the article was retrieved.
Example 1:
Griffith, R. (2009, July). Role of the law in controlling the spread of tuberculosis.
Nurse Prescribing, 7 (7), 320-324. Retrieved from CINAHL database.
An article from a paper journal
These elements go in this order: The Author's last name, Author's First and Middle Initials. (Year of Publication). Title of the article. Title of the journal, volume (issue), pages.
Henderson, D.A. (2008). Smallpox: Dispelling the myths. Bulletin of the World Health Organization, 86 (12), 917-19.
These elements go in this order: The Author's last name, Author's First and Middle Initials. (Year published or updated). Title of the page. Date retrieved.
Clay, G. (2009). Menstuff: The national men's resource. Retrieved November 3,
2009, from http://www.menstuff.org/frameindex.html.
Showing Your Sources Within Your Paper - In-Text Citations
When quoting or paraphrasing a book, journal article, website, or other sources in your paper, you need to signal that these words or ideas are not yours. This is usually done by listing the author's last name, page number, and the year after the sentence. This is called an in-text citation, because you are citing the work in your text.
Example 1: “The best known lipids are fats." (Finer, 2008, p. 25).
Example 2: According to Finer (2008) “the best known lipids are fats (p. 25).”
If the work has multiple authors , list all of the authors unless there are six or more.
Example 3: Two authors: “The best known lipids are fats." (Smith & Jones, 2008, p. 29).
Example 4: Three to five authors; “The best known lipids are fats." (Smith, Jones, Baker, Taylor & Miller, 2008, p. 31).
Example 5: Six or more authors – list the first author and then “et al.” for the remaining authors: “The best known lipids are fats." (Smith et al., 2001, p. 52).
Short Quotes and Long Quotes
Short Quotes - For a short quote like "The best known lipids are fats." (Smith et al., 2001, p. 52). just put the quote in the main body of your paper. Include quotation marks and your in-text citation, but you don't have to do anything more.
Long Quotes - Put long quotes of over 40 word in a separate paragraph. Put in one blank line, indent the quote 5 spaces from the left margin, and put in another blank line at the end of the quote. Leave out the quotation marks.
The text of the paper. This is your writing. Then comes the long quote. You include a blank line, indent five spaces and then:.
Scientists believe that malaria originated in Africa around 30 million years ago. Human malaria perhaps evolved into its current state along with our anthropoid and early human ancestors, although no one really knows when. There is no record of its presence in Europe until the first century A.D., when it was first recorded in Rome. (Marcus, 2004, p. 38.)
After a blank space, the text of your paper - your writing - continues.
Paraphrases
Paraphrases are when you use your own words to tell the reader what someone said. We often do this to for clarity or to shorten an explanation. For paraphrases, include author and date. The page number is recommended but optional.
Example 1: Others who have studied the coast feel that currents are too strong to make this feasible (McFarlaine, 2008, p. 13).
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- Free Tools for Students
- APA Citation Generator
Free APA Citation Generator
Generate citations in APA format quickly and automatically, with MyBib!
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🤔 What is an APA Citation Generator?
An APA citation generator is a software tool that will automatically format academic citations in the American Psychological Association (APA) style.
It will usually request vital details about a source -- like the authors, title, and publish date -- and will output these details with the correct punctuation and layout required by the official APA style guide.
Formatted citations created by a generator can be copied into the bibliography of an academic paper as a way to give credit to the sources referenced in the main body of the paper.
👩🎓 Who uses an APA Citation Generator?
College-level and post-graduate students are most likely to use an APA citation generator, because APA style is the most favored style at these learning levels. Before college, in middle and high school, MLA style is more likely to be used. In other parts of the world styles such as Harvard (UK and Australia) and DIN 1505 (Europe) are used more often.
🙌 Why should I use a Citation Generator?
Like almost every other citation style, APA style can be cryptic and hard to understand when formatting citations. Citations can take an unreasonable amount of time to format manually, and it is easy to accidentally include errors. By using a citation generator to do this work you will:
- Save a considerable amount of time
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In academia, bibliographies are graded on their accuracy against the official APA rulebook, so it is important for students to ensure their citations are formatted correctly. Special attention should also be given to ensure the entire document (including main body) is structured according to the APA guidelines. Our complete APA format guide has everything you need know to make sure you get it right (including examples and diagrams).
⚙️ How do I use MyBib's APA Citation Generator?
Our APA generator was built with a focus on simplicity and speed. To generate a formatted reference list or bibliography just follow these steps:
- Start by searching for the source you want to cite in the search box at the top of the page.
- MyBib will automatically locate all the required information. If any is missing you can add it yourself.
- Your citation will be generated correctly with the information provided and added to your bibliography.
- Repeat for each citation, then download the formatted list and append it to the end of your paper.
MyBib supports the following for APA style:
⚙️ Styles | APA 6 & APA 7 |
---|---|
📚 Sources | Websites, books, journals, newspapers |
🔎 Autocite | Yes |
📥 Download to | Microsoft Word, Google Docs |
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Daniel is a qualified librarian, former teacher, and citation expert. He has been contributing to MyBib since 2018.
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How to Write Your Research Paper in APA Format
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The American Psychological Association (APA) is an official style format that is used by researchers and authors for academic and scientific writing. It is basically a standardized style guide used in psychology, education, and social science. It provides a framework for structuring research papers, presenting findings in a clear and concise manner and for accurately cite sources. The other commonly used style guides are the MLA and the Chicago style formats.
How to write your research paper in APA format
In the APA style, you need to adhere to specific formats and guidelines throughout the research paper. Some of these are explained below:
The APA format allows different types of fonts. Some of the recommended ones include 12-point Times New Roman, 11-point Georgia, 11-point Calibri and 11-point Arial. The chosen font should be consistently used throughout the document. Figure images have to be in sans serif font with size between 8 and 14 points. Footnotes should be smaller than the text font and the line spacing will also be different.
APA style provides for five levels of headings, each having its own format. Level 1 is the main heading, level 2 corresponds to the sub-heading of level 1, level 3 corresponds to the sub-heading of level 2 and so on. The headings should be double spaced and should not be numbered or lettered.
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Line spacing:
Generally, the APA format recommends double spacing throughout the text with few exceptions.
A one inch margin is to be provided on each side of the paper. For dissertations and thesis, experts’ advice considering specific instructions provided by your institution.
Paragraph alignment and indentation:
Text should be aligned to the left margin leaving the right margin uneven or “ragged”. The first line of each paragraph in the text should be indented 0.5 inches from the left margin.
Under the APA format , there are also certain guidelines to be followed while preparing different sections of the research paper. These include –
- Title page: All manuscripts must have a title page. The title should be concise, and must accurately reflect the contents of the paper. The author’s name and institutional affiliation should be centred, and positioned just below the title.
- Abstract: A key part of academic manuscripts, an abstract must provide a brief summary of the research paper, including the purpose, methodology, results, and conclusions. It should be written within 250 words and should be the second page of your paper. The heading needs to be given as “Abstract” which is centred and bold. The text of the abstract should be written in a single paragraph, double spaced and must not be indented. Three to five keywords can be given one line below the abstract. These should not be italicized or bold but must be written in lower case. They should be separated by commas and there should not be any ending punctuation at the end of the keywords.
- Introduction: The introduction is an essential part of scientific manuscripts and should be presented in an interesting and engaging manner. It should be able to convey clearly a critical overview of existing empirical knowledge and highlight knowledge gaps in the topic of study. Additionally, the aim of the research, a well formulated hypothesis, and a description of what you intend to address in the study must be clearly mentioned.
- Methods: This is another critical part of an academic paper that requires researchers to describe the methods and procedures that were used during the study or experiment. Providing a detailed description contributes to ensuring the reproducibility and replicability of the study. The methods section should explain the research design that was adopted, details of the participants of the study, the equipment or materials used and the variables of the study.
- Results: Here, researchers have to provide a brief summary of the results of their study. It is important that data is presented in a tabular format or in the form of graphs and figures to make it more interesting and to be easily understood by the reader. It is important to keep in mind that a clear narrative must accompany the statistics provided.
- Discussion: Researchers must use the discussion section to provide their interpretation of the results of their research and explain its significance. Subsequently, it is in this section that they must present whether or not their results support their hypothesis.
- References: Each and every source mentioned in a research paper must be referenced and accurately cited in this section.
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References and citations in APA format
In the APA format, the author-date citation system is followed. Here, a brief in-text citation is provided in the text of your paper of a research paper. It can even appear in tables, figures, footnotes or appendix. Only the author and date of publication is provided here. The readers can refer to the corresponding entry in the reference list where the full citation is provided.
While writing in-text citations, it is important to ensure that spelling of author names and publication dates are same in the in-text and reference list. The reference provides an alphabetical listing. Following are some examples of citations in APA format for different sources.
- Books : The author surname with first and middle initials is written first. Only the title of the book is italicized. For eg: Author Surname, A.B. (Publication Year). Title of the book . Publisher.
- Journal article: Author surname, A.B. (Publication Year). Article Title: Subtitle. Journal title, Volume (issue), page range. URL or DOI.
- Newspaper or magazine article : Surname. (Date of Publication). Title of the article. Title of the Newspaper or Magazine . URL.
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Generate accurate APA citations for free
- Knowledge Base
- How to cite a website in APA Style
How to Cite a Website in APA Style | Format & Examples
Published on November 5, 2020 by Jack Caulfield . 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 print publication (e.g. a newspaper , magazine , or dictionary ), use the same format as you would for print, with a URL added at the end. Formats differ for online videos (e.g. TED Talks ), images , and dissertations .
Use the buttons below to explore the format, or use our free APA Citation Generator to automatically create citations.
Cite a website in APA Style now:
Table of contents, citing an entire website, how to cite online articles, websites with no author, websites with no date, how to cite from social media, frequently asked questions about apa style citations.
When you refer to a website in your text without quoting or paraphrasing from a specific part of it, you don’t need a formal citation. Instead, you can just include the URL in parentheses after the name of the site:
One of the most popular social media sites, Instagram (http://instagram.com), allows users to share images and videos.
For this kind of citation, you don’t need to include the website on the reference page . However, if you’re citing a specific page or article from a website, you will need a formal in-text citation and reference list entry.
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Various kinds of articles appear online, and how you cite them depends on where the article appears.
Online articles from newspapers, magazines, and blogs
Articles appearing in online versions of print publications (e.g. newspapers and magazines) are cited like their print versions, but with an added URL.
APA format | Last name, Initials. (Year, Month Day). Article title. . URL |
---|---|
Greenhouse, S. (2020, July 30). The coronavirus pandemic has intensified systemic economic racism against black Americans. . https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/the-pandemic-has-intensified-systemic-economic-racism-against-black-americans | |
(Greenhouse, 2020) |
The same format is used for blog posts. Just include the blog name where you would usually put the name of the magazine or newspaper.
APA format | Last name, Initials. (Year, Month Day). Article title. . URL |
---|---|
Lee, C. (2020, February 19). A tale of two reference formats. . https://apastyle.apa.org/blog/two-reference-formats | |
(Lee, 2020) |
Articles from online-only news sites
For articles from news sites without print equivalents (e.g. BBC News, Reuters), italicize the name of the article and not the name of the site.
APA format | Last name, Initials. (Year, Month Day). . Site Name. URL |
---|---|
Rowlatt, J. (2020, October 19). BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/news/health-54531075 | |
(Rowlatt, 2020) |
When a web page does not list an individual author, it can usually be attributed to an organization or government . If this results in the author name being identical to the site name, omit the site name, as in the example below.
APA format | Organization Name. (Year, Month Day). . Site Name. URL |
---|---|
Scribbr. (n.d.). . https://www.scribbr.com/proofreading-editing/ | |
(Scribbr, n.d.) |
If you can’t identify any author at all, replace the author name with the title of the page or article.
In the in-text citation , put the title in quotation marks if it is in plain text in the reference list, or in italics if it is in italics in the reference list. Note that title case is used for the title here, unlike in the reference list. Shorten the title to the first few words if necessary.
APA format | . (Year, Month Day). Site Name. URL |
---|---|
. (2020, October 19). BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/news/election-us-2020-54596667 | |
( , 2019) |
When a web page or article does not list a publication or revision date, replace the date with “n.d.” (“no date”) in all citations.
If an online source is likely to change over time, it is recommended to include the date on which you accessed it.
APA format | Last name, Initials. (n.d.). . Site Name. Retrieved Month Day, Year, from URL |
---|---|
University of Amsterdam. (n.d.). . Retrieved October 19, 2020, from https://www.uva.nl/en/about-the-uva/about-the-university/about-the-university.html | |
(University of Amsterdam, n.d.) |
As social media posts are usually untitled, use the first 20 words of the post, in italics, as a title. Also include any relevant information about the type of post and any multimedia aspects (e.g. videos, images, sound, links) in square brackets.
APA format | Last name, Initials. (Year, Month Day). [Description of multimedia aspects] [Type of post]. Site Name. URL |
---|---|
American Psychological Association. (2020, October 14). [Link with thumbnail attached] [Status update]. Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/AmericanPsychologicalAssociation/posts/10158794205682579 | |
(American Psychological Association, 2020) |
On some social media sites (such as Twitter ), users go by usernames instead of or in addition to their real names. Where the author’s real name is known, include it, along with their username in square brackets:
In some cases, you’ll want to cite a whole social media profile instead of a specific post. In these cases, include an access date, because a profile will obviously change over time:
When citing a webpage or online article , the APA in-text citation consists of the author’s last name and year of publication. For example: (Worland & Williams, 2015). Note that the author can also be an organization. For example: (American Psychological Association, 2019).
If you’re quoting you should also include a locator. Since web pages don’t have page numbers, you can use one of the following options:
- Paragraph number: (Smith, 2018, para. 15).
- Heading or section name: ( CDC, 2020, Flu Season section)
- Abbreviated heading: ( CDC, 2020, “Key Facts” section)
When you quote or paraphrase a specific passage from a source, you need to indicate the location of the passage in your APA in-text citation . If there are no page numbers (e.g. when citing a website ) but the text is long, you can instead use section headings, paragraph numbers, or a combination of the two:
(Caulfield, 2019, Linking section, para. 1).
Section headings can be shortened if necessary. Kindle location numbers should not be used in ebook citations , as they are unreliable.
If you are referring to the source as a whole, it’s not necessary to include a page number or other marker.
When no individual author name is listed, but the source can clearly be attributed to a specific organization—e.g., a press release by a charity, a report by an agency, or a page from a company’s website—use the organization’s name as the author in the reference entry and APA in-text citations .
When no author at all can be determined—e.g. a collaboratively edited wiki or an online article published anonymously—use the title in place of the author. In the in-text citation, put the title in quotation marks if it appears in plain text in the reference list, and in italics if it appears in italics in the reference list. Shorten it if necessary.
APA Style usually does not require an access date. You never need to include one when citing journal articles , e-books , or other stable online sources.
However, if you are citing a website or online article that’s designed to change over time, it’s a good idea to include an access date. In this case, write it in the following format at the end of the reference: Retrieved October 19, 2020, from https://www.uva.nl/en/about-the-uva/about-the-university/about-the-university.html
Instead of the author’s name, include the first few words of the work’s title in the in-text citation. Enclose the title in double quotation marks when citing an article, web page or book chapter. Italicize the title of periodicals, books, and reports.
No publication date
If the publication date is unknown , use “n.d.” (no date) instead. For example: (Johnson, n.d.).
Cite this Scribbr article
If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.
Caulfield, J. (2024, January 17). How to Cite a Website in APA Style | Format & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved August 5, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/apa-examples/website/
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IMAGES
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APA in-text citations The basics. In-text citations are brief references in the running text that direct readers to the reference entry at the end of the paper. You include them every time you quote or paraphrase someone else's ideas or words to avoid plagiarism.. An APA in-text citation consists of the author's last name and the year of publication (also known as the author-date system).
When using APA format, follow the author-date method of in-text citation. This means that the author's last name and the year of publication for the source should appear in the text, like, for example, (Jones, 1998). One complete reference for each source should appear in the reference list at the end of the paper.
Resources on writing an APA style reference list, including citation formats. Basic Rules 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 ...
1. Name the author and the publication date in-text before a quote. To simplify the in-text citation, place the last name of the author in the text to introduce the quote and then the publication date for the text in parentheses. You can then leave the author's name and the publication date out of the quote itself. [1]
How to Cite an Edited Book in APA Format. This reference format is very similar to the book format apart from one extra inclusion: (Ed(s)). The basic format is as follows: Edited book example: Williams, S.T. (Ed.). (2015). Referencing: A guide to citation rules (3rd ed.). New York, NY: My Publisher . How to Cite a Chapter in an Edited Book in ...
Reference List: Basic Rules. This resourse, revised according to the 7 th edition APA Publication Manual, offers basic guidelines for formatting the reference list at the end of a standard APA research paper. Most sources follow fairly straightforward rules. However, because sources obtained from academic journals carry special weight in research writing, these sources are subject to special ...
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.).
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 ...
APA Style uses the author-date citation system, in which a brief in-text citation directs readers to a full reference list entry.The in-text citation appears within the body of the paper (or in a table, figure, footnote, or appendix) and briefly identifies the cited work by its author and date of publication.
There are several steps you must take to prepare a new document for APA style before you start writing your paper: Make sure the paper size is 8.5" x 11" (known as 'Letter' in most word processors). Set the margin size to 1" on all sides (2.54cm). Change the line spacing to double-spaced.
More than 100 reference examples and their corresponding in-text citations are presented in the seventh edition Publication Manual.Examples of the most common works that writers cite are provided on this page; additional examples are available in the Publication Manual.. To find the reference example you need, first select a category (e.g., periodicals) and then choose the appropriate type of ...
APA style, created by the American Psychological Association, is a set of rules for formatting manuscripts, 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.
If you want to cite a special issue of a journal rather than a regular article, the name (s) of the editor (s) and the title of the issue appear in place of the author's name and article title: APA format. Last name, Initials. (Ed. or Eds.). ( Year ). Title of issue [Special issue]. Journal Name, Volume ( Issue ).
References provide the information necessary for readers to identify and retrieve each work cited in the text. Check each reference carefully against the original publication to ensure information is accurate and complete. Accurately prepared references help establish your credibility as a careful researcher and writer. Consistency in reference ...
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 ...
APA Style is described in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, which is a reference book that contains comprehensive guidelines on how to set up a scholarly paper; format a title page, tables, figures, and other paper elements; create references and in-text citations; and write without bias, as well as on ...
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.
APA uses a reference list , an alphabetized list of sources following the end of the book or paper, for its complete list of sources referenced. This list should be titled "References" in bold and alphabetized by the first item in the citation, which, in most cases, is the author's last name. Each reference from this list must be cited in your ...
Format: Author last name, first initial. (Date). Title of report (Publication No.).Publisher. DOI or URL. Elements: Author: List the last name, followed by the first initial (and second initial).See Authors for more information.; Date: List the date between parentheses, followed by a period Title of report: In italics.Capitalize the first word of the title, subtitle, and proper nouns.
Publication Manual (OFFICIAL) 7th Edition of the American Psychological Association [T]he Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, Seventh Edition is the style manual of choice for writers, researchers, editors, students, and educators in the social and behavioral sciences, natural sciences, nursing, communications, education, business, engineering, and other fields...
How to Cite an Unpublished Paper in APA referencing. In APA referencing, you can cite an unpublished work in the same way as you would a published one. This means giving an author's name and a date in brackets. The only difference is that you give a year of production (i.e., when the paper was written) rather than a year of publication:
Research: START Here; Cite Sources - APA. A Friendly Reminder; APA Common Citation Examples - How to Format References; APA Style 7th ed. [2023] How to Paraphrase [APA] Avoiding Plagiarism; Do I Need to Cite This? You Quote It, You Note It - Interactive Tutorial; APA Formatting Guidance - Reasearch Papers; APA Formatting Guidance - Annotated ...
The word "References" should be bolded and centered at the top of the page in Title Case. Place all references in alphabetical order by the last name (surname) of the first author of the work. Both an annotated bibliography and a reference list can be included in one document. Double space entries in a reference list. Annotated Bibliography
APA Style and Grammar Guidelines gives an overview of writing in the APA style including paper format, in-text citations & References, mechanics of style & grammar, bias-free language, and tables & figures. APA Style and Grammar Guidelines - Reference Examples offers a handy introduction to citing in APA format. Scroll down to find examples of ...
APA stands for the American Psychological Association. The APA publishes a manual that offers a standard for writers in the medical and biological sciences to use when formatting research papers and bibliographies. The APA citation style is also used by writers in many more academic fields.
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.
Our APA generator was built with a focus on simplicity and speed. To generate a formatted reference list or bibliography just follow these steps: Start by searching for the source you want to cite in the search box at the top of the page. MyBib will automatically locate all the required information. If any is missing you can add it yourself.
In the APA format, the author-date citation system is followed. Here, a brief in-text citation is provided in the text of your paper of a research paper. It can even appear in tables, figures, footnotes or appendix. Only the author and date of publication is provided here. The readers can refer to the corresponding entry in the reference list ...
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 ...
IN-TEXT CITATION FOR SOURCE WITH UNKNOWN AUTHOR. These citations need to include the title or shortened title of the work in either the signal phrase or in the citation itself, the date when the information was published, and the page/paragraph number on which the information was found.