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A Comprehensive Guide to APA Citations and Format
Overview of this guide:
This page provides you with an overview of APA format7th edition. Included is information about referencingvarious citation formats with examples for each source typeand other helpful information.
If you’re looking for MLA formatcheck out the Citation Machine MLA Guide. Alsovisit the Citation Machine homepage to use the APA formatterwhich is an APA citation generatorand to see more s.
Being responsible while researching
When you’re writing a research paper or creating a research projectyou will probably use another individual’s work to help develop your own assignment. A good researcher or scholar uses another individual’s work in a responsible way. This involves indicating that the work of other individuals is included in your project (i.e.citing)which is one way to prevent plagiarism.
Plagiarism? What is it?
The word plagiarism is derived from the Latin wordplagiarewhich means “to kidnap.” The term has evolved over the years to now mean the act of taking another individual’s work and using it as your ownwithout acknowledging the original author (American Psychological Association2020 p. 21). Plagiarism can be illegal and there can be serious ramifications for plagiarizing someone else’s work. Thankfullyplagiarism can be prevented. One way it can be prevented is by including citations and references in your research project. Want to make them quickly and easily? Try the Citation Machine citation generatorwhich is found on our homepage.
All about citations & references
Citations and references should be included anytime you use another individual’s work in your own assignment. When including a quoteparaphrased informationimagesor any other piece of information from another’s workyou need to show where you found it by including a citation and a reference. This guide explains how to make them.
APA citations are added in the body of a research paper or project and references are added to the last page.
Citationswhich are called in-text citationsare included when you’re adding information from another individual’s work into your own project. When you add text word-for-word from another source into your projector take information from another source and place it in your own words and writing (known as paraphrasing)you create an in-text citation. These citations are short in length and are placed in the main part of your projectdirectly after the borrowed information.
References are found at the end of your research projectusually on the last page. Included on this reference list page is the full information for any in-text citations found in the body of the project. These references are listed in alphabetical order by the author's last name.
An APA in-text citation includes only three items: the last name(s) of the author(s)the year the source was publishedand sometimes the page or location of the information. References include more information such as the name of the author(s)the year the source was publishedthe full title of the sourceand the URL or page range.
Here is the text description of the in-text citation examples.
Here is the text description of the reference examples.
Why is it important to include citations & references
Including APA citations and references in your research projects is a very important component of the research process. When you include citationsyou’re being a responsible researcher. You’re showing readers that you were able to find valuablehigh-quality information from other sourcesplace them into your project where appropriateall while acknowledging the original authors and their work.
Common ways students and scholars accidentally plagiarize
Believe it or notthere are instances when you could attempt to include in-text and full references in the appropriate placesbut still accidentally plagiarize. Here are some common mistakes to be aware of:
Mistake #1 - Misquoting sources: If you plan to use a direct quotemake sure you copy it exactly as is. Sureyou can use part of the full quote or sentencebut if you decide to put quotation marks around any wordsthose words should match exactly what was found in the original source.
Here’s a line from The Little Princeby Antoine de Saint-Exupéry:
“Grown-ups never understand anything by themselvesand it is tiresome for children to be always and forever explaining things to them.”
Here’s an acceptable option:
“Grown-ups never understand anything by themselves,” stated de Saint-Exupéry (1943p. 3).
Here’s a misquote:
“Grown-ups barely ever understand anything by themselves,” stated de Saint-Exupéry (1943p. 3).
Notice the slight change in the words. The incorrect phrasing is an instance of accidental plagiarism.
Mistake #2 - Problems with paraphrasing: When we paraphrasewe restate information using our own words and writing . It’s not acceptable to substitute words from the original source with synonyms.
Let’s use the same sentence from The Little Prince.
A correct paraphrase could be:
de Saint-Exupéry (1943) shares various ways adults frustrate children. One of the biggest being that kids have to explain everything. It’s too bad adults are unable to comprehend anything on their own (p. 3).
An incorrect paraphrase would be:
de Saint-Exupéry (1943) shares that adults never understand anything by themselvesand it is exhausting for kids to be always and forever clarifying things to them (p.3).
Notice how close the incorrect paraphrase is from the original. This is an instance of accidental plagiarism.
Make sure you quote and paraphrase properly in order to prevent accidental plagiarism.
If you’re having a difficult time paraphrasing properlyit is acceptable to paraphrase part of the text AND use a direct quote. Here’s an example:
de Saint-Exupery (1943) shares various ways adults frustrate children. One of the biggest being that kids have to explain everythingand “it is tiresome for children to be always and forever explaining things to them” (p. 3).
Information About APA
Who created it?
The American Psychological Association is an organization created for individuals in the psychology field. With close to 121,000 membersthey provide educational opportunitiesfundingguidanceand research information for everything psychology-related. They also have numerous high-quality databasespeer-reviewed journalsand books that revolve around mental health.
The American Psychological Association is also credited with creating their own specific citation and reference . Todaythis format is used by individuals not only in the psychology fieldbut many other subject areas as well. Educationeconomicsbusinessand social sciences also use APA quite frequently. Click here for more information. This guide covers general information about the but is not affiliated with the American Psychological Association.
Why was this created?
This format was first developed in 1929 to form a standardized way for researchers in science fields to document their sources. Prior to the inception of these standards and guidelinesindividuals were recognizing the work of other authors by including bits and pieces of information in random order. There wasn’t a set way to format citations and references. You can probably imagine how difficult it was to understand the sources that were used for research projects!
Having a standard format for citing sources allows readers to glance at a citation or APA reference and easily locate the titleauthoryear publishedand other critical pieces of information needed to understand a source.
The evolution of this
The guide below is based on APA 7th editionwhich was released in 2020. In previous versions of APA formatresearchers and scholars were required to include the publisher location for books and the date that an electronic resource was accessed. Both are no longer required to be included.
Details on the differences between the 6th and 7th editions is addressed later in this guide.
Citations & References
The appearance of citations & references
The format for references variesbut most use this general format:
%%Author’s Last nameFirst initial. (Date published). Title. URL
Researchers and scholars must look up the proper format for the source that they’re attempting to cite. Books have a certain formatwebsites have a different formatperiodicals have a different formatand so on. Scroll down to find the proper format for the source you’re citing or referencing.
If you would like help citing your sourcesCitationMachine.com has a citation generator that will help make the APA citation process much easier for you. To startsimply click on the source type you're citing:
In-text citations
An APA in-text citation is included in research projects in three instances: When using a direct quoteparaphrasing informationor simply referring to a piece of information from another source.
Quite oftenresearchers and scholars use a small amount of textword for wordfrom another source and include it in their own research projects. This is done for many reasons. Sometimesanother author’s words are so eloquently written that there isn’t a better way to rephrase it yourself. Other timesthe author’s words can help prove a point or establish an understanding for something in your research project. When using another author’s exact words in your research projectinclude an APA in-text citation directly following it.
In addition to using the exact words from another source and placing them into your projectthese citations are also added anytime you paraphrase information. Paraphrasing is when you take information from another source and rephrase itin your own words.
When simply referring to another piece of information from another sourcealso include a citation directly following it.
Citations in the text are found near a direct quoteparaphrased informationor next to a mention of another source. To see examples of some narrative/parenthetical citations in actionlook at the image aboveunder “All About Citations & References.”
Note: *Only include the page or paragraph number when using a direct quote or paraphrase. Page numbers have a p. before the numberpp. before the page rangeand para. before the paragraph number. This information is included to help the reader locate the exact portion of text themselves. It is unnecessary to include this information when you’re simply referring to another source.
Examples of APA in-text citations:
“Wellyou’re about to enter the land of the free and the brave. And I don’t know how you got that stamp on your passport. The priest must know someone” (Tóibín2009p. 52).
and
Student teachers who use technology in their lessons tend to continue using technology tools throughout their teaching careers (Kent & Giles2017p. 12).
If including the author’s name in the sentenceplace the year in the parentheses directly next to his or her name. Add the page number at the endunless it’s a source without any pages or paragraph numbers (See Section 8.10 of the Publication manual for more details).
In-text citation APA example:
According to a study done by Kent and Giles (2017)student teachers who use technology in their lessons tend to continue using technology tools throughout their teaching careers.
The full referencesor citationsfor these sources can be found on the last part of a research projecttitled the “References.”
Here’s how to create in-text citations for specific amounts of authors:
APA citation with no author
When the source lacks an author’s nameplace the titleyearand page number (if available) in the text. The title should be in italics if it sits alone (such as a moviebrochureor report). If the source is part of a whole (as many web pages and articles are)place the title in quotation marks without italics (See Section 8.14 of the Publication manual).
Structure of an APA format citation in the text narrativelywith the author's name missing:
Title of Source (Year) or “Title of Source” (Year)
OR
Structure of an APA format citationin parentheses at the end of the sentencewith the author’s name missing:
(Title of SourceYear) or (“Title of Source,” Year)
Structure for one author
In the textnarratively:
Last name of Author (Year)...(page number).
OR
In parenthesesat the end of the sentence:
(Last name of AuthorYearpage number).
Structure for two authors
Place the authors in the order they appear on the source. Only use the ampersand in the parenthetical citations (see Section 8.17 of the Publication manual). Use ‘and’ to separate the author names if they’re in the text of the sentence.
In the textnarratively:
Last name of Author 1 and Last name of Author 2 (Year)....(page number).
OR
In parenthesesat the end of the sentence:
(Last name of Author 1 & Last name of Author 2Yearpage number).
Structure for three or more authors
Only include the first listed author’s name in the first and any subsequent citations. Follow it with et al.
(Last name Author 1 et al.Yearpage number)
(Agbayani et al.2020p. 99)
OR
Last name of Author 1 et al. (Year)...(page).
Agbayani et al. (2020)...(p. 99)
One authormultiple workssame year
What do you do when you want to cite multiple works by an authorand the sources all written in the same year?
Include the letters ‘a’ ‘b’ ‘c’ and so on after the year in the citation.
(Jackson2013a)
OR
Jackson (2013a)
Writers can even lump dates together.
Example: Jackson often studied mammals while in Africa (2013a2013b).
On the APA reference pageinclude the same letters in the full references.
Groups and organizations
Write out the full name of the group or organization in the first citation and place the abbreviation next to it in brackets. If the group or organization is cited againonly include the abbreviation. If it doesn’t have an abbreviation associated with itwrite out the entire organization’s name each and every time (see Section 8.21 of the Publication manual).
Example:
First APA citation for an organization with an abbreviation: (World Health Organization [WHO]Year)
OR
World Health Organization (WHOYear)
Notice in the example directly abovethe name of the organization is written out in full in the text of the sentenceand the abbreviation is placed in parentheses next to it.
Subsequent APA citations in the text for an organization with an abbreviation: (WHOYear) OR WHO (Year)
Example:
All citations in the text for an organization without an abbreviation: (Citation MachineYear) or Citation Machine (Year)
One in-text citationmultiple works
Sometimes you’ll need to cite more than one work within an in-text citation. Follow the same format (authoryear) format but place semicolons between works (p. 263).
Example:
(Obama2016; Monroe et al.1820; Hoover & Coolidge1928)
Reminder: There are many citation tools available on CitationMachine.com. Head to our homepage to learn morecheck out our APA citation websiteand cite your sources easily! The most useful resource on our website? Our APA citation generatorwhich doesn’t just create full referencesit’s also an APA in-text citation website! It’ll do both for you!
Click here to learn more about crediting work.
Reference list citation components
References display the full information for all the citations found in the body of a research project.
Some things to keep in mind when it comes to the references:
- All references sit together on their own pagewhich is usually the last page(s) of a paper.
- Title the page ‘References’
- Place ‘References’ in the center of the page and bold it. Keep the title in the same font and size as the references. Do not italicizeunderlineplace the title in quotation marksor increase the font size.
- The entire page is double spaced.
- All references are listed in alphabetical order by the first word in the referencewhich is usually the author’s last name. If the source lacks an authoralphabetize the source by the title (ignore AAnor The)
- All references have a hanging indentmeaning that the second line of text is indented in half an inch. See examples throughout this guide.
- Remembereach and every citation in the text of the paper MUST have a full reference displayed in the reference list. The citations in the text provide the reader with a quick glimpse about the sources usedbut the references in the reference list provide the reader with all the information needed to seek out the source themselves.
Learn more about each component of the reference citation and how to format it in the sections that follow. See an APA sample paper reference list at the end of this entire section.
Author’s names
The names of authors are written in reverse order. Include the initials for the first and middle names. End this information with a period (see Section 9.8 of the Publication manual).
Format: Last nameF. M.
Example:
Two or more authors
When two or more authors work together on a sourcewrite them in the order in which they appear on the source. You can name up to 20 authors in the reference. For sources with 2 to 20 authorsplace an ampersand (&) before the final author. Use this format:
Last nameF. M.& Last nameF. M.
OR
Last nameF. M.Last nameF. M.Last nameF. M.Last nameF. M.& Last nameF. M.
KentA. G.GilesR. M.ThorpeA.LukesR.BeverD. J.& HeY.
If there are 21 or more authors listed on a sourceonly include the first 19 authorsadd three ellipsesand then add the last author’s name.
RobertsA.JohnsonM. C.KleinJ.ChengE. V.ShermanA.LevinK. K. ...LopezG. S.
If you plan on using a free APA citation toollike the one at CitationMachine.comthe names of the authors will format properly for you.
###No authors
If the source lacks an authorplace the title in the first position in the reference (Section 9.12 of the Publication manual). When the source’s title begins with a number (Such as 101 Dalmatians)place the reference alphabetically as if the number was spelled out. 101 Dalmatians would be placed in the spot where ‘One hundred’ would gobut keep the numbers in their place.
Additionallyif the title begins with the words ‘A’‘An,’ or ‘The,’ ignore these words and place the title alphabetically according to the next word.
See the “Titles” section below for more information on formatting the title of sources.
###Corporate/Organization authors
On an APA reference pagecorporate authors are always written out in full. In the text of your paperyou may have some abbreviations (such as UN for United Nations)but in the full referencesalways include the full names of the corporation or organization (following Section 9.11 of the official Publication manual).
Example:
%%United Nations. (2019). Libya: $202 million needed to bring life-saving aid to half a million people hit by humanitarian crisis. https://news.un.org/en/story/2019/02/1031981
Publication date & retrieval date
Directly after the author’s name is the date the source was published. Include the full date for newspapers and magazine articlesand only the year for journals and all other sources. If no date is found on the sourceinclude the initialsn.d. for “no date.”
Newspaper:
%% NarducciM. (2017May 19). City renames part of 11th Street Ed Snider Way to honor Flyers founder. The Philadelphia Inquirer. http://www.philly.com/
If using our APA Citation Machineour citation generator will add the correct format for you automatically.
Giving a retrieval date is not needed unless the online content is likely to be frequently updated and changed (e.g.encyclopedia articledictionary entryTwitter profileetc.).
%%Citation Machine [@CiteMachine]. (n.d.). Tweets [Twitter profile]. Twitter. Retrieved October 102019from https://twitter.com/CiteMachine
Titles
When writing out titles for booksarticleschaptersor other non-periodical sourcesonly capitalize the first word of the title and the first word of the subtitle. Names of peopleplacesorganizationsand other proper nouns also have the first letter capitalized.
For books and reportsitalicize the title in the APA citation.
Examples:
Strange case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
Roots: The saga of an American family.
For articles and chapters in APA referencingdo not italicize the title.
Examples:
Wake up the nation: Public librariespolicy makingand political discourse.
For newspapersmagazinesjournalsnewslettersand other periodicalscapitalize the first letter in each word and italicize the title.
Example:
The Seattle Times.
A common question is whether to underline your title or place it in italics or quotation marks in the reference list. Here’s a good general rule: When a source sits alone and is not part of a larger wholeplace the title in italics. If the source does not sit alone and is part of a larger wholedo not place it in italics.
Booksmoviesjournalsand television shows are placed in italics since they stand alone. Songs on an albumepisodes of television showschapters in booksand articles in journals are not placed in italics since they are smaller pieces of larger wholes.
The Citation Machine citation generator will format the title in your citations automatically.
Additional information about the title
If you feel it would be helpful to include additional information about the source typeinclude a descriptive noun or two in brackets immediately following the title. Capitalize the first letter.
Example:
%%KennedyK.& MolenG. R. (Producers)& SpielbergS. (Director). (1993). Jurassic Park [Film]. USA: Universal.
Besides [Film]other common notations include:
- [Audio podcast]
- [Brochure]
- [Letter to the editor]
- [Television series episode]
- [Tweet]
- [Facebook page]
- [Blog post]
- [Lecture notes]
- [PowerPoint presentation]
- [Video file]
If you are using Citation Machine citing toolsadditional information about the title is automatically added for you.
Publisher information
For books and reportsinclude the publisher name but not the location (see Section 9.29 of the Publication manual). Older editions of the required the citystate and/or countrybut this hasn't been the case since the 7th edition was released.
It is not necessary to include the entire name of the publisher. It is acceptable to use a briefintelligible form. Howeverif Books or Press are part of the publisher’s nameskeep these words in the reference. Other common termssuch as Inc.Co.Publishersand others can be omitted.
For newspapersjournalsmagazinesand other periodicalsinclude the volume and issue number after the title. The volume number is listed firstby itselfin italics. The issue number is in parentheses immediately after itnot italicized. There is no space after the closing parenthesis and before the volume number.
Example:
%%GiannoukosG.BesasG.HictourV.& GeorgasT. (2016). A study on the role of computers in adult education. Educational Research and Reviews11(9)907-923. https://doi.org/10.5897/ERR2016.2688
After including the publisher informationend this section with a period.
Examples:
Pearson.
Perseus Books.
Electronic source information:
For online sourcesthe URL or DOI (Direct Object Identifier) are included at the end of an APA citation.
DOI numbers are often created by publishers for journal articles and other periodical sources. They were created in response to the problem of broken or outdated links and URLs. When a journal article is assigned a DOI numberit is static and will never change. Because of its permanent characteristicDOIs are the preferred type of electronic information to include in APA citations. When a DOI number is not availableinclude the source’s URL (see Section 9.34 in the Publication manual).
For DOIsinclude the number in this format:
http://doi.org/xxxx
For URLstype them in this format:
http:// or https://
Other information about electronic sources:
- If the URL is longer than a linebreak it up before a punctuation mark.
- Do not place a period at the end of the citation/URL.
- It is unnecessary to include retrieval datesunless the source changes often over time (like in a Wikipedia article).
- It is not necessary to include the names of databases
If using the Citation Machine APA citation website autocite featuresthe online publication information will be automatically replaced by the DOI. The Citation Machine APA template will properly cite your online sources for you.
Sample - Student Paper Reference Page APA:
Make sure you run your completed paper through the Citation Machine Plus smart proofreaderwhich scans for grammarspellingand plagiarism. Whether it’s an adjectiveverbor pronoun out-of-placeour technology helps edits your paper for you!
Annotated bibliographies:
An APA annotated bibliography is a full bibliography that includes a small note for each reference citation. Each note should be short (1-2 paragraphs) and contain a summary or your evaluation about each source. When creating your citations on CitationMachine.netthere is a field at the bottom of each form to add your own annotations.
Follow the publication manual guidelines on paper format and writing . Let your instructor guide other details about your annotations. Still confused? Read our guide on annotated bibliographies.
These types of projects look different depending on the you’re using. Use the link at the top of the page to access resources related to the Modern Language Association’s . Here’s information related to Chicago citation .
Page formatting
Need help with the design and formatting of your paper? Look no further! This section provides the ins and outs of properly displaying the information in your APA essay.
- Font = Here are the recommended fonts and sizes (from Section 2.19 of the Publication manual):
- Times New Roman12-point size.
- CalibriArialor Georgia11-point size
- LucidaSans Unicodeor Computer Modern10-point size
- Indents = Every paragraph should start with an indent.
- Margins = 1 inch around the entire document
- Spacing = Double space everything!
Arrange your pages in this order:
- Page 1 - APA Title Page (see below for information on the title page)
- Page 2 - Abstract (If your professor requests one)
- Page 3 - First page of text
- References begin on their own page. Include the list of references on the page after the text.
- Tables and figures
Keep in mind that the order above is the recommendation for papers being submitted for peer review. If you’re writing an APA paper for a classyour professor may be more lenient about the requirements. Alsoif you’re submitting your paper for a specific journalcheck the requirements on the journal’s website. Each journal has different rules and procedures.
Just a little nudge to remind you about the Citation Machine Plus smart proofreader. Whether it’s a conjunction or interjection out of placea misspelled wordor an out of place citationwe’ll offer suggestions for improvement! Don’t forget to check out our APA citation maker while you’re at it!
Running heads
In older editions of APArunning heads were required for all papers. Since the 7th editionthat’s changed.
- Student paper: No running head
- Professional paper: Include a running head
The running head displays the title of the paper and the page number on all pages of the paper. This header is found on every page of a professional paper (not a student paper)even on the title page (sometimes called an APA cover page) and reference list (taken from Section 2.8 of the Publication manual).
It's displayed all in capital letters at the top of the page. Across from the running headalong the right marginis the page number.
- Use the header feature in your word processor. Both Google Docs and Word have these features available.
- Use one for the recommended fonts mentioned under "Page formatting."
Title pages
A title pagesometimes called an APA cover pagegraces the cover of an essay or paper. An APA title page should follow rules from Section 2.3 of the official Publication manual and include:
- Page numberwhich is page 1
- Title of your project
- Use title case and bold font
- The title should be under 12 words in length
- The title should be a direct explanation of the focus of the paper. Do not include any unnecessary descriptors such as “An Analysis of…” or “A Study of…”
- Names of the authors
- Exclude any labels such as Mr.Ms.DrPhD...
- Name of the school or institution
- Course number and/or class name
- Name of your instructorincluding their preferred honorifics (e.g.PhDDr.etc.)
- Paper’s due date
- If this is a professional paperalso include a running head. If this is a student paperdo not include one.
Follow the directions for the running head and page number in the section above. Below the running heada few lines beneathand centered in the middle of the pageshould be the title. The next line below is the author’s name(s)followed by the name of the school or institutionthe class or course nameyour instructor’s nameand the paper’s due date.
All components on this page should be written in the same font and size as the rest of your paper. Double space the titlenamesname of school or institutionand all other information on the page (except for the running head and page number).
Example - Student Title Page APA:
Example - Professional Title Page APA:
If you’re submitting your paper to a journal for publicationcheck the journal’s website for exact requirements. Each journal is different and some may request a different type of APA format cover page.
Looking to create an APA format title page? Head to CitationMachine.com’s homepage and choose “Title Page” at the top of the screen.
Abstracts
An abstract briefly but thoroughly summarizes dissertation contents. It’s found in the beginning of a professional paperright after the title page. Abstracts are meant to help readers determine whether to continue reading the entire document. With that in mindtry to craft the lead sentence to entice the reader to continue reading.
Here are a few tips:
- Be factual and keep your opinions out. An abstract should accurately reflect the paper or dissertation and should not involve information or commentary not in the thesis.
- Communicate your main thesis. What was the examined problem or hypothesis? A reader should know this from reading your abstract.
- Keep it brief. Stick to the main points and don’t add unnecessary words or facts. It should not exceed 250 words.
- Consider your paper’s purpose. It’s important to cater your abstract to your paper type and think about what information the target audience for that paper type would want. For examplean empirical article may mention methodology or participant description. A quantitative or qualitative meta-analysis would mention the different variables considered and how information was synthesized.
- Use verbs over noun equivalentsand active voice. Example: “There was research into…” becomes “We researched…”
Formatting guidelines:
- The abstract goes after the title page.
- It should have the same font (size and type) as the rest of the paper.
- It should stick to one page.
- Double-space all page text.
- Center and bold the word “Abstract” at the top of the paper.
- Don’t indent the first line of the abstract body. The body should also be in plain text.
- For the keywordsplace it on the line after the abstract and indent the first line (but not subsequent lines). The word “Keywords:” is capitalizeditalicizedand followed by a colon. The actual keywords are sentence case and in plan font.
- List each keyword one after the otherand separate them by a comma.
- After the last keywordno ending punctuation is needed.
Example abstract:
Tables & Figures
If your paper includes a lot of numerical information or datayou may want to consider placing it into a table or a figurerather than typing it all out. A visual figure or simpleorganized table filled with numerical data is often easier for readers to digest and comprehend than tons of paragraphs filled with numbers. Chapter 7 of the Publication manual outlines formatting for tables and figures. Let's cover the basics below.
If you’d like to include a table or figure in your paperhere are a few key pieces of information to keep in mind:
- Either place all tables and figures:
- At the end of the paper after the APA reference page
- In the text after it is first mentioned
- The table first mentioned in the text should be titled ‘Table 1.’ The next table mentioned in the text is ‘Table 2,’ and so on. For figuresit would be 'Figure 1,' 'Figure 2,' and so forth.
- Even though every table and figure is numberedalso create a title for each that describes the information it contains. Capitalize all important words in the title.
- For tablesdo not use any vertical linesonly use horizontal to break up information and headings.
- Single spacing is acceptable to use in tables and figures. If you prefer double spacing your informationthat is okay too.
- Do not include extra information or “fluff.” Keep it simple!
- Do not include the same exact information in the paper. Only include the complete information in one area—the table or the text.
- All tables and figures must be referenced in the text. It is unacceptable to throw a table or figure into the back of the paper without first providing a brief summary or explanation of its relevance.
Example:
Here is the text description of the APA table example.
Publication Manual 6th Edition vs 7th Edition
The 6th edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association was released in 2009. The current 7th edition came out in the fall of 2019 and was designed to be more student focusedprovide more guidance on accessibilityand address changes that have developed over the last 10 years.
Belowwe’ve listed what we feel are the most relevant changes related to APA format.
Journals and DOIs
DOI stands for “digital object identifier.” Many journal articles use and have a unique DOI that should be included in a full citation.
When including a DOI in a citationformat it as a URL. Do not label it “DOI.” Articles without DOIs from databases are treated as print works. For example:
6th edition:
%%GänsickeB. T.SchreiberM. R.TolozaO.FusilloN. P. G.KoesterD.& ManserC. J. (2019). Accretion of a giant planet onto a white dwarf star. Nature576(7785)61–64. doi: 10.1038/s41586-019-1789-8
7th edition:
%%GänsickeB. T.SchreiberM. R.TolozaO.FusilloN. P. G.KoesterD.& ManserC. J. (2019). Accretion of a giant planet onto a white dwarf star. Nature576(7785)61–64. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-019-1789-8
Citing Books
There are few new guidelines when you are citing a book. Firstthe publisher location no longer needs to be indicated.
6th edition:
%%ZackP. O. (2001). The shoals of time. BloomingtonIN: First Books Library.
7th edition:
%%ZackP. O. (2001). The shoals of time. First Books Library.
Secondthe format of an ebook (e.g.Kindleetc.) no longer needs to be indicated.
6th edition:
%%NivenJ. (2012). Ada Blackjack: A true story of survival in the Arctic [Kindle].
7th edition:
%%NivenJ. (2012). Ada Blackjack: A true story of survival in the Arctic.
Lastlybooks from research databases without DOIs are treated the same as print works.
URLs
When using a URL in a citationyou no longer need to include the term “Retrieved from” before URLs (except with retrieval dates). The font should be blue and underlinedor black and not underlined.
6th Edition:
%%FloodA. (2019December 6). Britain has closed almost 800 libraries since 2010figures show. The Guardian. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/books/2019/dec/06/britain-has-closed-almost-800-libraries-since-2010-figures-show
7th Edition:
%%FloodA. (2019December 6). Britain has closed almost 800 libraries since 2010figures show. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/books/2019/dec/06/britain-has-closed-almost-800-libraries-since-2010-figures-show
Authors
Within a full APA citationyou may spell out up to 20 author names. For two to 20 authorsinclude an ampersand (&) before the name of the last author. For sources with 21 or more authorsstructure it as follows:
Structure: First 19 authors’ names. . . Last author’s name.
7th edition example:
WashingtonG.AdamsJ.JeffersonT.MadisonJ.MonroeJ.AdamsJ. Q.JacksonA.Van BurenM.HarrisonW. H.TylerJ.PolkJ. K.TaylorZ.FilmoreM.PierceF.BuchananJ.LincolnA.JohnsonA.GrantU. S.HayesR. B.Garfield. . . TrumpD.
When creating an in-text citation for a source with 3 or more authorsuse “et al.” after the first author’s name. This helps abbreviate the mention.
6th Edition: (HondaJohnsonProsserRossi2019)
7th Edition: (Honda et al.2019)
Tables and Figures
Instead of having different formats for tables and figuresboth use one standardized format. Now both tables and figures have a numbera titlename of the table/figureand a note at the bottom.
If you’re still typing into Google “how to cite a website APA” among other related questions and keywordsclick here for further reading on the .
When you’re through with your writingtoss your entire paper into the Citation Machine Plus plagiarism checkerwhich will scan your paper for grammar edits and give you up to 5 suggestions cards for free! Worry less about a determinerprepositionor adverb out of place and focus on your research!
References
American Psychological Association. (2020). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.) (2020). American Psychological Association. https://doi.org/10.1037/0000165-000
Updated March 32020
Written and edited by Michele Kirschenbaum and Wendy Ikemoto. Michele Kirschenbaum has been an awesome school librarian since 2006 and is an expert in citing sources. Wendy Ikemoto has a master’s degree in library and information science and has been working for Citation Machine since 2012.
