APA formatestablishes a number of clear rules for how to list reference works using author information.
How you reference different sources varies depending on the number of authors to whom the source is attributed.
The following guidelines can help you prepare a reference section for your APA format paper.
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If the title is a book, list the title initalics.
For example:
Works by a single author should list the author’s last name and initials.
Books and journal titles should be listed initalics.
For example:
Single-author in-text citations should include the surname and the date of publication in parentheses.
For example:
The APA format for multiple authors varies depending on how many authors a publication has.
These names should be followed by the date of publication enclosed in parentheses.
After the authors and date are listed, the rules are the same as for single authors.
For example: Alper, Schloss, Etscheidt, et al.
(1995) discovered…or (Alper, Schloss, Etscheidt, et al., 1995).
and then the final author.
(Note: there was no ampersand in this listing).
The remainder of the reference follows the same format as that for 20 or fewer authors.
For example:
In-text citations should list the first author’s name, followed by “et al.”
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I cite an author with two last names?
For example:
How do I cite an author with a particle before their name?
Suffixes (example: Jr., Sr., II, III, etc.)
should be included with the author’s surname on the References list.
However, suffixes arenotincluded along with the surname in the in-text citation.
A simple last name with the year will suffice.
For example:
Anonymous.
(2024).Journey through the mindfield.
How do I cite a website with no author in APA format?
APA website citations will also include the website name and URL.
For example:
How do I cite a publication with no author in APA format?
If it’s a book, the title should be in italics and followed by the publisher’s name.
For example:
American Psychological Association.Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association(7th ed.).
Washington DC: The American Psychological Association; 2019.
