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APA Style Guide

This guide is an introduction to APA 7th edition.

This page is under construction. Stay tuned for additional information.

Formatting Your References

In scholarly writing, acknowledging the sources that have enriched your work is paramount. Your reference page, thus, becomes a vital element, meticulously detailing each source to provide your readers with a roadmap to explore them further.

The Anatomy of a Reference Entry

While different sources require different formats, a generic APA reference entry often adheres to the following structure:

Author's last name, first initial. (year). Title of article. Title of Journal, volume number(issue number), page number(s), URL address or DOI number

Example:

Roby, J. L., Rotabi, K., & Bunkers, K. M. (2013). Social justice and intercountry adoptions: The role of the U.S. social work community. Social Work, 58(4), 295-303. https://doi.org/10.1093/sw/swt033

Types of Sources

 

Books

APA book references typically follow this structure:

Author's last name, initials. (year). Title of book. Publisher

Different types of book citations

Book with One Author

Format:

Author's last name, initials. (year). Title of book. Publisher.

Example:

Smith, J.L. (2010). Exploring the world of aquatic life. Oceanic Press.

 

Chapter in an Edited Book

Format:

Author's last name, initials. (year). Title of chapter. In Editor's initials and last name (Ed.), Title of book (pp.xx–xx). Publisher.

Example:

Doe, M.E. (2019). The enigma of underwater caves. In L.J. White & T.O. Grey (Eds.), The hidden sea (pp. 102–124). Oceanic Press.

 

Edited Book

Format:

Editor's last name, initials. (Ed.) (year). Title of book. Publisher.

Example:

White, L.J. & Grey, T.O. (Eds.) (2019). The hidden sea. Oceanic Press.

 

Newspaper or Magazine Article Published Online

Format:

Author's last name, first initial. (year, month day). Title of article. Title of Newspaper or Magazine. URL address

Example:

Bustillos, M. (2013, March 19). On video games and storytelling: An interview with Tom Bissell. The New Yorker. https://www.newyorker.com/books/page-turner/on-video-games-and-storytelling-an-interview-with-tom-bissell

 

Website with a Group Author (e.g., government agencies, associations, etc.)

Format:

Groups' full name. (year). Title of article. URL address

Example:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024, September 11). People at increased risk for flu complications. https://www.cdc.gov/flu/highrisk/

Additional Tips and Considerations

  • Location: Ensure to provide a location (e.g., page number, paragraph number, heading, or timestamp) when directly quoting a source.
  • PowerPoint Slides: If citing an instructor’s PowerPoint, provide the name of the website or LMS and its URL.

Example:

Reference: King,T. (2020). Integrating source material and formatting in-text citations [PowerPoint slides]. Schoology. https://celticonline.schoology.com/login