How to Cite Sources in APA Citation Format

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Frequently Asked Questions

Your in-text citations are just as important as your reference section. APA format establishes clear rules forhow to cite works using author information. The specific APA citation format you use will vary depending upon the source and the number of authors to whom the source is attributed.

APA Citation Format For Sources

The second way that sources should be cited inAPA formatis to include a reference section at the end of your paper that provides the full reference for any and every source cited in your paper’s body.

Always remember, if you cited a source in your paper, then it must also be included in thereference section. Personal communications are the one exception to this rule.

If you are citing information with one or more authors, there are guidelines you should follow depending on how many authors are listed.

While most articles, books, and other reference materials will include author attribution, some sources lack information on authorship. How do you cite these resources in APA format?

In-text citations for journal or newspaper articles should use a short article title enclosed in parentheses and the date. When article titles are long, simply use the first word or two of the title. Book titles should be in italics.

ExampleThe study revealed a strong positive correlation between the two variables (“Learn APA,” 2006).

Example

The study revealed a strong positive correlation between the two variables (“Learn APA,” 2006).

Examples…students demonstrated solid understanding of the concepts and information (Jones, 2001).orJones (2001) found that students demonstrated a solid understanding of the concepts and information.

Examples

…students demonstrated solid understanding of the concepts and information (Jones, 2001).orJones (2001) found that students demonstrated a solid understanding of the concepts and information.

…students demonstrated solid understanding of the concepts and information (Jones, 2001).

Jones (2001) found that students demonstrated a solid understanding of the concepts and information.

When a source lists two authors, your in-text citations should provide the last names of both authors and the publication date.

Examples…later studies demonstrated a similar effect (Ross & Hudson, 2004).orRoss and Hudson (2004) found a similar effect in later studies.

…later studies demonstrated a similar effect (Ross & Hudson, 2004).orRoss and Hudson (2004) found a similar effect in later studies.

…later studies demonstrated a similar effect (Ross & Hudson, 2004).

Ross and Hudson (2004) found a similar effect in later studies.

Proper APA format for sources with three or more authors requires listing the last name of the first author as well as the publication date.

Examples…students demonstrated competence after reading about APA format (Smith et al., 2005).orSmith et al., (2005) found that…

…students demonstrated competence after reading about APA format (Smith et al., 2005).orSmith et al., (2005) found that…

…students demonstrated competence after reading about APA format (Smith et al., 2005).

Smith et al., (2005) found that…

Note that this is a change from earlier versions APA citation formatting.

To create an in-text citation in APA format when the author is an organization or entity, always include the full name of the organization the first time you cite the source in-text.

The citation should also include the acronym of the organization if one is available. Subsequent citations can simply list the acronym and the publication date.

ExamplesThe American Psychological Association (APA, 2000) reported that…or…found that students responded positively (American Psychological Association [APA], 2000).and subsequent citationsAPA (2000)…or(APA, 2000).

The American Psychological Association (APA, 2000) reported that…or…found that students responded positively (American Psychological Association [APA], 2000).and subsequent citationsAPA (2000)…or(APA, 2000).

The American Psychological Association (APA, 2000) reported that…

…found that students responded positively (American Psychological Association [APA], 2000).

and subsequent citations

APA (2000)…

(APA, 2000).

Be sure to check your references andcitationsusing the officialPublication Manual of the American Psychological Association.

APA Citation Format for Books

The APA citing format you use forbookscan vary depending upon the number of authors that are listed.

APA Citation Format for Articles in Journals, Magazines, and Other Periodicals

Examples…as Smith and Jones (2005) described…or…the study found a statistically significant relationship between the two variables (Smith & Jones, 2005).

…as Smith and Jones (2005) described…or…the study found a statistically significant relationship between the two variables (Smith & Jones, 2005).

…as Smith and Jones (2005) described…

…the study found a statistically significant relationship between the two variables (Smith & Jones, 2005).

For example:

…the findings were contradicted previous research on the subject (“New Research,” 2009).

Example…the findings were consistent with previous research (“New Study,” 2003).

…the findings were consistent with previous research (“New Study,” 2003).

If you use a direct quotation, your APA citing should always include the page number where the source can be found. In cases where you are citing an organization such as the American Psychological Association (APA), spell out the entire name the first time you cite the source. All further citations should use the appropriate acronym.

APA Citation Format for Electronic Sources

The exact format you use for APAciting of electronic mediadepends on the type of source that is used. In many cases, the format will be very similar to that of books or journal articles, but you should also include the URL of the source and the date it was accessed in the reference section.

How to Cite Videos in APA Format

You should include an APA format in-text citation whenever you summarize, paraphrase, quote, or refer to information from another source. And any time you include a citation in the text of your paper, there should be a corresponding reference included in the reference section at the end of your paper.Personal communications, such as email or personal interviews, should only be cited parenthetically in text and not included in the reference list.

If the author is unknown, include the first word or two of the article title in quotation marks. If you are citing an organization, mention the source in-text and include a parenthetical citation with the year of publication. For example: According to the American Psychological Association (2019),…

2 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Nicoll LH, Oermann MH, Chinn PL, Conklin JL, Amarasekara S, Mccarty M.Guidance provided to authors on citing and formatting references in nursing journals.J Nurses Prof Dev. 2018;34(2):54-59. doi:10.1097/NND.0000000000000430American Psychological Association.Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association(7th ed.). Washington DC: The American Psychological Association; 2019.

2 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Nicoll LH, Oermann MH, Chinn PL, Conklin JL, Amarasekara S, Mccarty M.Guidance provided to authors on citing and formatting references in nursing journals.J Nurses Prof Dev. 2018;34(2):54-59. doi:10.1097/NND.0000000000000430American Psychological Association.Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association(7th ed.). Washington DC: The American Psychological Association; 2019.

Nicoll LH, Oermann MH, Chinn PL, Conklin JL, Amarasekara S, Mccarty M.Guidance provided to authors on citing and formatting references in nursing journals.J Nurses Prof Dev. 2018;34(2):54-59. doi:10.1097/NND.0000000000000430American Psychological Association.Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association(7th ed.). Washington DC: The American Psychological Association; 2019.

American Psychological Association.Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association(7th ed.). Washington DC: The American Psychological Association; 2019.

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APA Citation Format For Sources#

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Examples#

APA Citation Format for Books#

APA Citation Format for Articles in Journals, Magazines, and Other Periodicals#

APA Citation Format for Electronic Sources#