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APA Style Guide

This is a guide to the most frequently used citation types. based on both the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 5th edition, 2001 and the APA Style Guide to Electronic References, 2007 [PDF]. Check these resources for additional citation formats.

Please note: In a manuscript, references should be double-spaced and in a hanging indent format; the first line of each reference is set flush left and subsequent lines are indented.

New in 2008: For journal articles, include issue number only if each issue begins with page 1.

Citing Print Resources


Type of Entry
Reference List
Reference
Citation in Text
Book with 1 to 2 authors
Cohen, L.G., & Spenciner, L.J. (1994). Assessment of young children. White Plains, NY: Longman.
(Cohen & Spenciner, 1994)
Book with 3 to 5 authors
Pratkanis, A.R., Brekler, S.J., & Greenwald, A.G. (1989). Attitude structure and function. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.
(Pratkanis, Breckler, & Greenwald, 1989) first citation
(Pratkanis et al., 1989) subsequent citations
Edited book
Gibbs, J.T., & Huang, L.N. (Eds.). (1991). Children of color: Psychological interventions with minority youth. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
(Gibbs & Huang, 1991)
Chapter from a book
Masaro, D. (1992). Broadening the domain of the fuzzy logical model of perception. In H.L. Pick, Jr., P. van den Broek, & D.C. Knill (Eds.). Cognition: Conceptual and methodological issues (pp. 51-84). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
(Masaro, 1992)
Journal article with 2 authors
Klimoski, R., & Palmer, S. (1993). The ADA and the hiring process in organizations. Consulting Psychology Journal: Practice and Research, 45, 10-36.
(Klimoski & Palmer, 1993)
Journal article with 3 to 6 authors
Kendall, P.C., Stark, K.D., & Adam, T. (1990). Cognitive deficit or cognitive distortion of childhood depression. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 18, 255-270.
(Kendall, Stark, & Adam, 1990) first citation
(Kendall et al., 1990) subsequent citations
Newspaper article with no author
New drug appears to sharply cut risk of death from heart failure. (1993, July 15). The Washington Post, p. A12.
("New Drug," 1993)
Magazine article
Posner, M.I. (1993, October 29). Seeing the mind. Science, 262, 673-674.
(Posner, 1993)
Encyclopedia article
Bergmann, P.G. (1993). Relativity. In The new encyclopaedia Britannica (Vol. 26, pp. 501-508). Chicago: Encyclopaedia Britannica.
(Bergmann, 1993)
Monographic series
Davidoff, R.A. (1995). Migraine: Manifestations, pathogenesis, and management (Contemporary Neurology Series No. 42). Philadelphia: F.A. Davis.
(Davidoff, 1995)
ERIC document
Mead, J.V. (1992). Looking at old photographs: Investigating the teacher tales that novice teachers bring with them (Report No. NCRTL-RR-92-4). East Lansing, MI: National Center for Research on Teacher Learning. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED346082)
(Mead, 1992)

Citing Electronic Resources

The APA Style Guide to Electronic References [PDF] updates section 4.16, pp. 268-281 of the Publication Manual of the APA, 5th ed.

Regardless of format, authors using and citing Internet sources should observe the following guidelines:

  1. In general, include the same elements, in the same order, as you would for a print source, and add as much information as needed for others to locate this source.
  2. Direct readers as closely as possible to the information being cited; whenever possible, reference specific documents rather than home or menu pages.
  3. When a DOI (digital object identifier) is available, include the DOI instead of the Web site address in the reference.
Type of Entry
Reference List
Reference
Citation in Text
Electronic book retrieved from database
Nieswiadomy, R.M. (2008). Foundations of nursing research (5th ed.). Retrieved from STAT!Ref database.
(Nieswiadomy, 2008)
Electronic chapter retrieved from database
Marion, D.W. (2008). Diaphragmatic pacing. In: B.D. Rose (Ed.), UpToDate. Retrieved from UpToDate database.
(Marion, 2008)
Electronic journal article with 1 to 2 authors, retrieved from database, with DOI
Wilens, T.E., & Biederman, J. (2006). Alcohol, drugs, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: A model for the study of addictions in youth. Journal of Psychopharmacology, 20, 580-588. doi:10.1177/0269881105058776
(Wilens & Biederman, 2006)
Electronic journal article, 3-5 authors, retrieved from database, without DOI
Tang, P., Yuan, W., & Tseng, H. (2005). Clinical follow-up study on diabetes patients participating in a health management plan. Journal of Nursing Research, 13, 253-261. Retrieved from CINAHL database.
(Tang, Yuan, & Tseng, 2005)
first citation
(Tang et al., 2005) subsequent citations

Electronic journal article with 1 to 2 authors, freely available, without DOI
Sillick, T.J., & Schutte, N.S. (2006). Emotional intelligence and self-esteem mediate between perceived early parental love and adult happiness. E-Journal of Applied Psychology, 2(2), 38-48. Retrieved from http://ojs.lib.swin.edu.au/index.php/ejap/article/view/71/100
(Sillick & Schutte, 2006)
Web page
Russo, C.A. & Andrews, R.M. (2008). Hospital stays for stroke and other cerebrovascular diseases, 2005. (Statistical Brief #51). Retrieved from Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality: http://www.hcup-us.ahrg.gov/reports/staffbriefs/sbsl.jsp
(Russo & Andrews, 2008)
Web page from a university website
Vachani, C. (2007). Non-Hodgkin's lymphomas: The basics. Retrieved July 9, 2008, from University of Pennsylvania, Abramson Cancer Center OncoLink http://cancer.med.upenn.edu/types/article.cfm?c=10&s=36&ss=820&id=9539
(Vachani, 2007)

Revised November 2008.