APA Citation Guide

APA Citation Guide (7th Edition)

The American Psychological Association (APA) 7th Edition citation style is one of the most widely adopted citation styles in the social sciences, education, business, and nursing. It employs an author–date citation system, where the author's last name and the year of publication appear in in-text citations, while the full details of the source are provided in a References list at the end of the document. This guide offers a comprehensive overview of APA citation rules, covering a variety of sources such as books, journal articles, websites, multimedia sources, and in-text citation formats.

In addition to basic citation rules, this guide includes tips on formatting entries, structuring in-text citations, and understanding the rationale behind each citation element. By following this guide, writers can ensure that their citations are clear, consistent, and formatted correctly, providing credibility and acknowledging the work of others.

In-Text Citations

In APA style, in-text citations are used to acknowledge the sources of information used within the body of a paper. These citations typically consist of the author's last name and the year of publication, and they must match an entry in the References list at the end of the paper. There are two primary types of in-text citations:

  • Parenthetical citation: The author's last name and the year of publication appear within parentheses at the end of a sentence (Taylor, 2020).
  • Narrative citation: The author's name is integrated into the sentence, with the year in parentheses immediately following (e.g., Taylor, 2020, found that...).

When directly quoting from a source, include the page number or paragraph number where the quote can be found: (Taylor, 2020, p. 45).

Books

In APA 7th edition, book references are formatted with the author's last name, followed by their initials, the year of publication, the title of the book (in italics), and the name of the publisher. Importantly, APA does not require the city of publication in book citations.

Single-Author Book

Use for: A book authored by a single individual.

Reference List:

King, S. (2000). *On writing: A memoir of the craft*. Scribner.

Explanation: The author's last name comes first, followed by their initials. The title of the book is italicized and written in sentence case (only the first word and proper nouns capitalized). The publisher name appears last, without the city of publication.

In-Text Citation:

  • Parenthetical: (King, 2000)
  • Narrative: King (2000) explores his approach to writing.

Edited Book

Use when: Citing a whole book edited by someone, containing contributions from multiple authors.

Reference List:

Thomas, J. (Ed.). (2012). *The Victorian world*. Routledge.

Explanation: Use “(Ed.)” for a single editor and “(Eds.)” for multiple editors. The rest of the citation follows the general book format.

In-Text Citation:

  • Parenthetical: (Thomas, 2012)
  • Narrative: Thomas (2012) provides an overview of Victorian culture.

Chapter in an Edited Book

Use when: Citing a specific chapter within an edited book.

Reference List:

Green, S. (2015). Gothic architecture. In I. Brown (Ed.), *European art movements* (pp. 75–100). Thames Press.

Explanation: The author of the chapter is listed first, followed by the editor(s) of the book, with the title of the book in italics. Include the page range of the chapter, and the publisher’s name.

In-Text Citation:

  • Parenthetical: (Green, 2015)
  • Narrative: Green (2015) outlines the development of Gothic architecture.

Book with Two Authors

Use for: A book authored by exactly two individuals.

Reference List:

Dorris, M., & Erdrich, L. (1991). *The crown of Columbus*. HarperCollins.

Explanation: Use an ampersand (&) between the authors' names in the reference list. In narrative citations, use "and" instead.

In-Text Citation:

  • Parenthetical: (Dorris & Erdrich, 1991)
  • Narrative: Dorris and Erdrich (1991) examine Native American identities.

Journal Articles

For journal articles, include the author(s), year, article title (in sentence case), journal title (italicized, title case), volume number (italicized), issue number (in parentheses, if applicable), page range, and the DOI (if available).

Print Journal Article

Lane, M. (2013). Geographies of Mars. *Geographical Review*, *103*(3), 365–385.

Explanation: The journal name is italicized and written in title case. The volume number is italicized, and the issue number (if applicable) appears in parentheses. Full page range must be included.

  • Parenthetical: (Lane, 2013)
  • Narrative: Lane (2013) discusses the geography of Mars.

Online Journal Article with DOI

Tan, E. (2022). Digital futures in education. *EdTech Quarterly*, *14*(1), 20–35. https://doi.org/10.1234/etq.2022.14.1.22

Explanation: For online articles with DOIs, include the full DOI as a clickable link at the end of the reference. This replaces the need for a URL.

  • Parenthetical: (Tan, 2022)
  • Narrative: Tan (2022) discusses new educational technologies.

Websites

For web pages, provide the author or organization, the full date (year, month, day), the title of the page (italicized), the site name if different, and the direct URL. If no author is provided, move the title to the author position.

Web Page with Author

Smith, A. (2024, January 12). History of AI research. *Tech Archives*. https://www.techarchives.org/ai-history
  • Parenthetical: (Smith, 2024)
  • Narrative: Smith (2024) provides an overview of AI research.

Web Page with No Author

*History of AI research*. (2024, January 12). *Tech Archives*. https://www.techarchives.org/ai-history

Explanation: If no author is provided, begin the citation with the title of the webpage. The rest of the citation follows the standard format.

  • Parenthetical: (*History of AI research*, 2024)
  • Narrative: *History of AI research* (2024) details the development of artificial intelligence.

Multimedia Sources

Multimedia sources, such as films, podcasts, or YouTube videos, have unique citation rules. The key elements include the creator, year, title of the source, and the format (if applicable). For films or videos, include the role of the creator (e.g., director, producer) if relevant.

Film or Video

Spielberg, S. (Director). (1993). *Schindler's list* [Film]. Universal Pictures.

Explanation: Start with the director's name, followed by the year of release in parentheses, the title of the film in italics, and the format in square brackets (e.g., Film). Include the name of the production company at the end.

  • Parenthetical: (Spielberg, 1993)
  • Narrative: Spielberg (1993) directed the critically acclaimed *Schindler's List*.

Podcast Episode

Rogan, J. (Host). (2023, March 15). *Elon Musk on innovation* [Audio podcast episode]. *The Joe Rogan Experience*. https://www.joerogan.com/elon-musk

Explanation: Start with the host's name, followed by the episode title in italics, the medium in square brackets, the podcast title in italics, and the direct URL to the episode.

  • Parenthetical: (Rogan, 2023)
  • Narrative: Rogan (2023) hosts an engaging conversation with Elon Musk on innovation.

YouTube Video

Ruth, D. (Producer). (2022, November 5). *The future of quantum computing* [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abc123xyz

Explanation: For YouTube videos, the producer's name comes first, followed by the date in parentheses, the video title in italics, and the format in square brackets. End with the URL.

  • Parenthetical: (Ruth, 2022)
  • Narrative: Ruth (2022) explores the future of quantum computing in a YouTube video.

Formatting and General Guidelines

APA style has specific rules for formatting the paper and citations to ensure consistency and readability. Below are the main points for formatting and general citation guidelines:

  • Title Case: Titles of books, articles, and other works should be capitalized in title case, meaning that major words are capitalized. For example: *The Great Gatsby*.
  • Italics: Titles of longer works (e.g., books, journals, films) should be italicized. Shorter works (e.g., articles, chapters) should not be italicized.
  • Hanging Indentation: In the reference list, use a hanging indent, where the first line of each reference is flush left, and subsequent lines are indented by 0.5 inches.
  • Author Names: Use the author's last name followed by their initials. For multiple authors, use commas to separate names, and include an ampersand (&) before the final author's name.
  • DOI: For electronic sources, always include a DOI (Digital Object Identifier) if available. If no DOI is available, provide a URL instead.
  • Capitalization: Capitalize only the first word of the title and subtitle, and any proper nouns. Do not capitalize the first letter of each word.

Final Notes on APA Citation Style

Following APA style correctly is crucial for academic writing. This ensures that sources are properly credited and that readers can locate the original sources. For more complex citations or updates on APA rules, refer to the official APA Style website.

This guide aims to provide clarity and examples of the most common types of citations. Keep in mind that exceptions may apply depending on the source type, so it's always best to consult the official APA manual or trusted online resources for additional guidance.