APA citations are widely used in psychology, education, engineering, ness, and the
social sciences. Like MLA citations, they are in-text. use notes only for analysis and
commentary, not to cite references. U MLA, however, APA emphasizes the year of
publication, which come mediately after the author’s name. That’s probably because as
schola cumulates in the sciences and empirical social sciences (where APA is u it is
important to know whether the research was conducted recently whether it came
before or after other research. At least that’s the ratioDetailed information on the APA system is available in
Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 5 ed. (Washington, DC:
American Psychological Association, 20
Like The Chicago Manual of Style and MLA style books, the manual should be
available in your library’s reference section. For details on engineering papers, you can
also consult an online g from the American Society of Civil Engineers, available at
http://.pubs.asce.org/authors/index.html#manreq.
To get started, let’s look at APA references for a journal article, a ch in an edited book, and a book as they appear at the end of a paper. calls this a “Reference List.” (MLA calls it “Works Cited,” and Chicago it a “Bibliography.”)
Lipson, C. (1991). Why are some international agreements inform
International Organization, 45, 495–538.
Lipson, C. (1994). Is the future of collective security like the past? G. Downs (Ed.), Collective security beyond the cold war (pp. 10 131). Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press.
Lipson, C. (2003). Reliable partners: How democracies have made a separate peace.
Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
also capitalized. Proper nouns are capitalized, of course, just as sentences.
In these reference lists, single-author entries precede thos authors. So Pinker,
S. (as a sole author) would proceed Pinker, B. In the APA system, multiple
authors are joined by an amp rather than the word “and.” It is not clear why.
Just accept it as how many minutes are in a soccer game.
The authors’ first names are always reduced to initials. Pa not included for in-
text references, except for direct quotes pages are preceded by “p.” or “pp.”).
That makes it different fro systems, as does its frequent use of commas and
parentheses.
When works are cited in the text, the citation includes the aut for example (Wilson, 2004d), unless the author’s name has al mentioned in that sentence. If the sentence includes the auth the citation omits it. For instance: Nye (2004) presents consid to back up his claims.
The examples in this section focus on the social sciences, engineering, and business, where APA citations are most w just as the MLA examples focus on the humanities, where t common.
To make it easy to find the APA citations you need, I’ve listed alphabetically,
along with the pages where they are described.
index of apa citations in this chapter
Abstract 82 multivolume work several by sBook 77 75
chapter in edited book no author 77 single volu78 one author 75 multivolu
edited 77 online 77 78multiple authors 76 reference book 83 translatedmultiple editions 76 reprint 78 Chart 86
Encyclopedia 82 article Television program 8Figure 86 no author 80 WebFilm 85 online 80 page 89Government document with author 80 page, no author 89
86 Paper, unpublished 81 site 88Graph 86 Personal communication 85 Weblog comment 89Interview 84 Photograph 85 Weblog entry 89
apa: reference list and in-text citations
Book, Reference Mandelbaum, M. (2002). The ideas thatone author list conquered the world: Peace, democracy, a
free markets in the twenty-first century. NeYork: Public Affairs.
Lundy, C. (2003). Social work and social justicstructural approach to practice. PeterboroON: Broadview Press.
Canadian provinces are abbreviated with twletters.
In-text (Mandelbaum, 2002)(Lundy, 2003)
Books, Reference Elster, J. (1989a). The cement of society: A stuseveral by list social order. Cambridge: Cambridge Univesame author Press.
Elster, J. (1989b). Nuts and bolts for the socialsciences. Cambridge: Cambridge UniversitPress.
Elster, J. (1989c). Solomonic judgements: Stuin the limitations of rationality. CambridgeCambridge University Press; Paris: Editionla Maison des sciences de l’homme.
title). Label them as “a,” “b,” and “c.item by Elster is not labeled “d” becauthorship is different.
Coauthored books like Elster & Mowriter’s single-author ones, in the alorder of the second author’s name.
In-text (Elster, 1989a, 1989b, 1989c; Elster &1989)
Book, Reference Reiter, D., & Stam, A. C. (2002). Demmultiple list war. Princeton, NJ: Princeton Univauthors Name the first six authors, then add
In-text (Reiter & Stam, 2002)For two to five authors, name all au
first citation. Beginning with the secreference, name only the first autho“et al.”
For six or more authors, name onlyauthor, then add “et al.” for all citati
Use “&” within parenthetical referein the text itself.
Book, Reference Strunk, W., Jr., & White, E. B. (2000). Tmultiple list of style (4th ed.). New York: Longmeditions If it says “revised edition” rather tha
edition, use (Rev. ed.) in the same s
In-text (Strunk & White, 2000)To refer to a specific page for a quot(Strunk & White, 2000, p. 12)
In-text (National Partnership for Immunization [NPI],2003)Subsequent references are (NPI, 2003)
(American Psychological Association [APA], 2Subsequent references are (APA, 2001)
Book, Reference Shweder, R. A., Minow, M., & Markus, H. (Edsedited list (2002). Engaging cultural differences: The
multicultural challenge in liberal democraNew York: Russell Sage Foundation Press.
Katznelson, I., & Shefter, M. (Eds.). (2002).Shaped by war and trade: Internationalinfluences on American political developmPrinceton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
In-text (Shweder, Minow, & Markus, 2002)(Katznelson & Shefter, 2002)
Book, Reference Reed, J. (1922). Ten days that shook the worldonline list Project Gutenberg. Etext 3076. Retrieved
January 12, 2004, from ftp://ibiblio.org/pdocs/books/gutenberg/etext02/10daz10
APA does not put a period after the URL, mit different from most other reference styles.
In-text (Reed, 1922)
Multivolume Reference Pflanze, O. (1963–1990). Bismarck and thework list development of Germany (Vols. 1–3). Prin
NJ: Princeton University Press.
In-text (Pflanze, 1963–1990)
earlier list causes of the wealth of nations. E. Cedition Chicago: University of Chicago Pres
work published 1776)
In-text (Smith, 1776/1976)
Translated Reference Weber, M. (1958). The Protestant ethicvolume list spirit of capitalism. T. Parsons (Tran
York: Charles Scribner’s Sons. (Origpublished 1904–1905)
In-text (Weber, 1904–1905/1958)
Chapter in Reference Keohane, R. (1983). The demand for intedited book list regimes. In S. Krasner (Ed.), Interna
regimes (pp. 56–67). Ithaca, NY: CoUniversity Press.
In-text (Keohane, 1983)
Journal Reference Lipson, C. (1991). Why are some internarticle, one list agreements informal? Internationalauthor organization, 45, 495–538.
Notice that article titles are not in quThe journal’s volume number is italic
issue number and pages are not. The“volume” (or “vol.”) is omitted.
There’s no need to name a specific issjournal pages are numbered continuothroughout the year. However, if eachwith page 1, then the issue’s numbernecessary to find the article: 45(2), 15
In-text (Lipson, 1991)
Name up to six authors, then add “et al.”
In-text (Koremenos, Lipson, & Snidal, 2001) for first refer(Koremenos et al., 2001) for second reference and
Journal Reference Conway, P. (2003). Truth and reconciliation: The roarticle, list not taken in Namibia. Online Journal of Peace aonline Conflict Resolution, 5(1). Retrieved December 2
2003, from http://www.trinstitute.org/ojpcr/5 1conway.htm
Mitchell, T. (2002). McJihad: Islam in the U.S. globorder. Social Text, 20(4), 1–18. RetrievedDecember 28, 2003, from JSTOR database:http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/xsocial text/v020.4mitchell.html
Your can omit the URL when citing well-knowndatabases, such as JSTOR or PsycARTICLES.
In-text (Conway, 2003)(Mitchell, 2002)
Journal Reference Maignan, I., & Swaen, V. (2004). La responsabilite´article, list sociale d’une organisation: Integration´ desforeign perspectives marketing et manageriale´. Revuelanguage Franca¸ ise du Marketing, 200, 51–66.
Or
Maignan, I., & Swaen, V. (2004). La responsabilite´sociale d’une organisation: Integration´ desperspectives marketing et manageriale´ [The soresponsibility of an organization: Integration omarketing and managerial perspectives]. RevuFranca¸ ise du Marketing, 200, 51–66.
In-text (Maignan & Swaen, 2004)
In-text (United States and the Americas, 2003(Strong aftershocks, 2003)
Newspaper Reference Bruni, F. (2003, December 26). Pope plor magazine list end to terrorism and war. New Yorkarticle, [national ed.], p. A21.with author
In-text (Bruni, 2003) or, if necessary, (Bruni, 2December 26)
Newspaper Reference Vick, K. (2003, December 27). Quake inor magazine list at least 5,000: Temblor devastatesarticle, city; officials appeal for assistance.online Washington Post [online], p. A01. R
January 2, 2004, from http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articA31539-2003Dec26.html
Jehl, D. (2004, January 1). U.S. hunts tein case of 2 brothers. New York Tim[online], p. A10. Retrieved Februaryfrom ProQuest Newspapers databa
In-text (Vick, 2003) or (Vick, 2003, December( Jehl, 2004) or ( Jehl, 2004, January 1)
Review Reference Orr, H. A. (2003, August 14). What’s nolist genes. [Review of the book Nature v
nurture: Genes, experience, and whus human]. New York Review of Boo38–40.
In-text (Orr, 2003)
Richards, J. A., Knight, D. C., Rao, S. M., et(2003, June). Differential reinforcement of
stimulus dimensions during human Pavlov
fear conditioning. Poster session presente at
the 9th Annual Meeting of the Organizat for
Human Brain Mapping, New York, NY.
Reid, P. (1998). Beginning therapists and diffi
clients: An exploratory study. Unpublishedmaster’s thesis, University of MassachuseAmherst.
Gomez, C. (2003). Identifying early indicatorsautism in self-regulatory difficulties.Unpublished doctoral dissertation. AuburUniversity, AL.
In-text (Tsygankov, 2004)(Cheng et al., 2003)(Reid, 1998)(Gomez, 2003)
Preprint Reference Williams, A., Leen, T. K., Roberts, P. D. (2003).list Random walks for spike-timing dependent
plasticity. Preprint. arXiv: q-bio.NC/03120Retrieved December 26, 2003, from http:/xxx.lanl.gov/PS cache/q-bio/pdf/0312/0312038.pdf
arXiv is a collection facility for scientificpreprints. The “q-bio” number is itsidentification number there. ID numbers anURLs are valuable to readers who wish to folyour citation to the database itself.
In-text (Williams, Leen, & Roberts, 2003)
cooperation: Global public goods anReview of International Studies, 29, 3Abstract obtained from Peace ResearJournal, 42, 2005, 6, Abstract No. 23
Abstract obtained from secondary sou
In-text (Kremer & Zwane, 2005)(Albin, 2003/2005)If the secondary abstract source is pub
different year than the primary source,dates, separated by a slash.
Microfilm, Reference U.S. House of Representatives. Recordsmicrofiche list Claims Commission. (1871–1880). Fir
(1871). Washington, DC: National ArcMicrofilm Publication, P2257, Frames
Conservative Party (UK). (1919). Annualexecutive committee to central counc11–November 18, 1919. Archive of thConservative Party, Microfiche card 1Woodbridge, CT: Gale/Primary Sourc1998. (Original material located in CParty Archive, Bodleian Library, Oxfo
You do not need to include the locatiooriginal material, but you are welcome
In-text (U.S. House, 1871–1880)(Conservative Party, 1919)
Encyclopedia, Reference Balkans: History. (1987). In Encyclopaedhard copy list Britannica (15th ed., Vol. 14, pp. 570and online Chicago: Encyclopaedia Britannica.
In-text (Balkans: History, 1987)(Balkans, 2003)(Graham, 2002)
Reference Reference Pendergast, S., & Pendergast, T. (Eds.). (2003).book, hard list Reference guide to world literature (3rd ed.,copy and 2 vols.). Detroit: St. James Press/ Thomson-online Pendergast, S., & Pendergast, T. (Eds.). (2003).
Reference guide to world literature. E-Book.(3rd ed.). Detroit: St. James Press.
Colman, A. M. (2001). A Dictionary of PsychologOxford: Oxford University Press. Retrieved M16, 2004, from http://www.oxfordreference.views/BOOK SEARCH.html?book=t87
Woods, T. (2003). The social contract (du contrasocial), prose by Jean-Jacques Rousseau, 17Pendergast, S., & Pendergast, T. (Eds.), Refeguide to world literature (3rd ed., Vol. 2, pp.1513). Detroit: St. James Press/ Thomson-Ga
Great Britain: Queen’s speech opens Parliamen(2003, November 26). FirstSearch. Facts Ondatabase. Accession no. 2003302680.
In-text (Pendergast & Pendergast, 2003)(Colman, 2001)(Woods, 2003)(Great Britain: Queen’s speech, 2003)
Dictionary, Reference Gerrymander. (2003). Merriam-Webster’s colleghard copy, list dictionary (11th ed.). Springfield, MA:online, and Merriam-Webster.CD-ROM
search?q=classAnxious. (2000). American heritage dictio
English language (4th ed.). CD-ROM. BHoughton Mifflin.
In-text (Protest, 1971)
Speech, Reference Szelenyi, I. (2003, August 17). Presidentialacademic list American Sociological Association. Antalk, or convention. Atlanta, GA.course Woodward, A. (2004, April 14). Course leclecture University of Chicago. Chicago, IL.
In-text (Szelenyi, 2003)(Woodward, 2004)
Interview Reference Arroyo, Gloria Macapagal. (2003). A Timelist Interview with Michael Schuman. Time
2003. Retrieved Jan. 13, 2004, fromhttp://www.time.com/time/nation/art0,8599,471205,00.html
In-text (Arroyo, 2003)(E. O. Wilson, personal interview, FebruarThe reference list includes printed interv
Arroyo’s, but not personal communicatioprivate conversation, faxes, letters, or intsince they cannot be accessed by other inTherefore, in-text citations for personalcommunications (like the one for E. O.should fully describe the item, includingdate.
a fax, a phone call, a memo, or a smoke sig
Television Reference Long, T. (Writer), & Moore, S. D. (Director).program list (2002). Bart vs. Lisa vs. 3rd Grade [Telev
series episode]. In B. Oakley & J. Weinst(Producers), The Simpsons. Episode: 140F55079. Fox.
In-text (Simpsons, 2002) or (Bart vs. Lisa, 2002)
Film Reference Huston, J. (Director/Writer). (1941). The Maltlist falcon [Motion picture]. Perf. Humphrey
Bogart, Mary Astor, Peter Lorre, SydneyGreenstreet, Elisha Cook Jr. Based on noDashiell Hammett. Warner Studios. U.S.:Warner Home Video, DVD (2000).
Required: You must include the title, directstudio, and year released.
Optional: the actors, producers, screenwriteditors, cinematographers, and otherinformation. Include what you need for anin your paper, in order of importance to yoanalysis. Their names appear between the tand the distributor.
In-text (Maltese falcon, 1941) or (Maltese falcon, 20
Photograph Reference Adams, Ansel. (1927). Monolith, the face oflist Dome, Yosemite National Park [photogra
Art Institute, Chicago.
In-text (Adams, 1927)
power in the Persian Gulf War and the fwarfare, International Security 26 (Fall
Give a descriptive title to your maps,graphs, and tables. With this descripreader should understand the item whaving to refer to the text.
Note: All figures are rounded to nearepercentile.This is a general note explaining info
table.∗ p < .05 ∗∗ p < .01. Both are two-
tailedThis is a probability note for a table
Reference Electoral vote map (2000). Election 20list Retrieved August 30, 2004, from h
.usatoday.com/news/vote2000/electfront.htm
Press, Daryl G. (2001). The myth of airthe Persian Gulf War and the futureInternational Security 26 (Fall): 5–4
In-text (Electoral vote map [2000], 2004)(Press, 2001)
Government Reference A bill to promote the national securitydocument, list for a national defense establishmehard copy on S. 758 before the Committee onand online Service, Senate. 80th Cong., 1 (194
“80th Cong., 1” refers to page one (nsession). If the reference was to testispecific individual, that would appeadate: (1947) (testimony of Gen. GeoMarshall).
For documents printed by the GoverPrinting Office, give the full name rainitials GPO.
of Charles “Lucky’’ Luciano. Part 1A. RetrievedJanuary 2, 2004, from http://foia.fbi.gov/luciluciano1a.pdf
In-text (Bill to Promote National Security, 1947)(U.S. Census Bureau, 2006)(U.S. Dept. of Commerce, 2002)(FBI, 2001)
Software Reference Dreamweaver MX 2004 [Computer software]. (20list San Francisco: Macromedia.
SPSS regression models (12.0 for Windows)[Computer software]. (2003). Chicago: SPSS.
In-text (Dreamweaver MX 2004, 2003)(SPSS Regression Models, 2003)
Database Reference Bedford, VA, city of. (2004). Property tax databaslist Retrieved March 15, 2004, from http://www
.ci.bedford.va.us/proptax/lookup.shtmlIntellectual Property Treaties, InterAm Database.
(2004). Tucson, AZ: National Law Center forInter-American Free Trade. Retrieved March 12004, from http://www.natlaw.com/databas
In-text (Bedford, 2004)(Intellectual Property Treaties, 2004)
Diagnostic Reference Tellegen, A., Ben-Porath, Y. S., McNulty, J. L., Arbtest list P. A., Graham, J. R., & Kaemmer, B. (2001). M
restructured clinical (RC) scales. MinneapolisUniversity of Minnesota Press and PearsonAssessments.
Tellegen, A., Ben-Porath, Y. S., McNultArbisi, P. A. & Graham, J. R. (2003).restructured clinical (RC) scales: Dvalidation, and interpretation. MinUniversity of Minnesota Press andAssessments.
Interpretive manual for the test.
Microtest Q assessment system softwMMPI-2. (2003). Version 5.07. MinPearson Assessments.
Scoring software for the test.
In-text (MMPI-2 RC Scales, 2001)(MMPI-2 RC Scales, 2003)(Microtest Q, 2003)
Diagnostic Reference American Psychiatric Association. (20manual list Diagnostic and statistical manual
disorders (4th ed. text revision [DSWashington, DC: American PsychiaAssociation Press.
In-text (American Psychiatric Association, Distatistical manual of mental disordersthe first use only(DSM-IV-TR ) for second use and later.italicized.
Web site, Reference Digital History Web site. (2004). S. Mientire list Retrieved January 10, 2004, from h
.digitalhistory.uh.edu/index.cfm?Internet Public Library (IPL) (2003, No
Retrieved January 5, 2004, from ht.ipl.org/
(Internet Public Library, 2003) or (IPL, 2003)(Yale History Department home page, 2003)
Web page, Reference Lipson, C. (2004). Advice on getting a greatwith author list recommendation. Retrieved February 1, 2
from http://www.charleslipson.com/courGetting-a-good-recommendation.htm
In-text (Lipson, 2004)
Web page, Reference I Love Lucy: Series summary. (2004). Sitcomno author list Online. Retrieved May 4, 2005, from
http://www.sitcomsonline.com/ilovelucy
In-text (I Love Lucy: Series summary, 2004)
Weblog, Reference Drezner, D. (2004, February 1). Entry post.entry or list Retrieved February 2, 2004, from http://comment .danieldrezner.com/blog/
In-text (Drezner, 2004)
E-mail or Reference Personal e-mails and non-archived discussielectronic list groups are not included in the reference listnewsgroup because they cannot be retrieved by third p
You should include newsgroups, Listservs, aarchived discussions if they can be accessed
Chicago Council on Foreign Relations. (200527). Blending Islam and democracy: SoutAsia’s unique experience [Msg]. e-ChroniMay 2005. Posted to Chicago Council onForeign Relations electronic mailing list,archived at http://www.ccfr.org/publicatpdf/may05.pdf
(Chicago Council on Foreign Relations
APA does not permit very many abbreviations in its refe When it does, it sometimes wants them capitalized and som Who knows why?
apa: common abbreviations in reference lists
chapter chap. pages pp. supplementedition ed. part Pt. translated byeditor Ed. revised edition Rev. ed. volumenumber No. second edition 2nd ed. volumespage p.
Top Related