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Referencing Style Guide: APA

The APA 7th style was developed by the American Psychological Association. It is widely used in the sciences and social sciences.

APA Referencing

APA uses the author-date system. There are two parts to referencing: 

In-text citation: It consists mainly of the authors' last name and the year of publication (and page numbers if it is directly quoted) in round brackets and placed within the text. If there is no noticeable author, the title and date are used.

Reference list: The reference list should be ordered alphabetically by the last name of the first author of each work. References with no author are ordered in the reference list alphabetically by the first significant word of the title.

Tips for using APA

In-text citation:

Insert an in-text citation when using someone else’s work, for example:

  • when you directly quote someone else's work or
  • when you paraphrase someone else's work

The in-text citation consists of author surname(s)/family name(s), in the order that they appear on the actual publication, followed by the year of publication of the source that you are citing.

  • For direct quotes, make sure to include page or paragraph number. eg.(Weston, 1988, p. 45). Page numbers are not normally included when paraphrasing but may be included if desired. 

In-text citations are usually included in the word count of your document.

For citations in brackets with two authors the ‘&’ symbol is used. If the author citation forms part of your sentence the word ‘and’ must be used,  e.g. (White & Black, 2018) OR “White and Black (2018) indicate that…”

Reference List:

  • Arrange references in alphabetical order by the first word, which is usually an author's last or family name. Ignore A, An or The as first words of a title for the list order.
  • Electronic books -  The URL provided should be the website of the main publisher or provider. The Digital Object Identifier (DOI), is a string of numbers, letters and symbols used to permanently identify an article or document. A DOI will help your reader easily locate a document from your citation.

Examples

Print Book (single author):

In-text citation

(Format)

 According to Author last name (year of publication)…..

 OR

 …..is evident (Author last name, year of publication, page number).

 Add page number for direct quotes. If page number is not available provide paragraph number. Page   number is not required for paraphrasing.

In-text citation

(Example)

 

 According to Hoang (2014)…..

 OR

 ….is evident (Hoang, 2014, p. 71).

Reference list

(Format)

 Author, A. (year of publication). Title of book. Publisher.

Reference list

(Example)

 Hoang, P. (2014). Business management. IBID Press.

 

Edited Book:

In-text citation

(Format)

 According to Editor last name (year of publication)….

 OR

 ….this is evident (Editor last name, year of publication, page number).

 Add page number for direct quotes. If page number is not available provide paragraph   number. 

In-text citation

(Example)

 According to Miller (2013)…..

 OR

 ….this is evident (Miller, 2013, p. 71).

Reference list

(Format)

 Editor, A. (Ed.). (year of publication). Title of book (edition). Publisher.

Reference list

(Example)

 Miller, D (Ed.). (2013). Pakistan. Greenhaven Press.

 

Books/Edited Books (with 2 authors):

In-text citation

(Format)

 According to Author and Author (year of publication)…

 OR

 ….is evident (Author & Author, year of publication, page number).

 Cite both authors each time the reference occurs.

In-text citation

Example

 According to Bohlmeijer and Hulsbergen (2018)…..

 OR

 …..is evident (Bohlmeijer & Hulsbergen, 2018, p.14).

Reference list

(Format)

 Author, A., & Author B. (year of publication). Book title (edition). Publisher.

Reference list

(Example)

 Bohlmeijer, E., & Hulsbergen, M. (2018). Using positive psychology every day: Learn how to flourish.   Routledge.

 

Books/Edited Books (with 3 or more  authors):

In-text citation

(Format)

 According to Author, Author and Author (year of publication)…..

 OR

 .…is evident (Author, Author & Author, 2018, page number).

In-text citation

(Example)

  According to Aron et al. (2011)….

 OR

 ….is evident (Aron et al., 2011, p. 10).

Reference list

(Format)

 Author, A., Author B., & Author., C. (year of publication). Book title. Publisher.

Reference list

(Example)

 Aron, Arthur., Coups, E., & Aron, Elaine. (2011). Statistics for the behavioural and social sciences:  A   brief course. Pearson.

 

Chapter in Print Book:

In-text citation

(Format)

 According to Author & Author (year of publication)…

 OR

 ….is evident (Author & Author, year of publication, page number).

In-text citation

(Example)

 According to Kerr & Nikitin (2013)…

 OR

 ….is evident (Kerr & Nikitin, 2013, p. 94).

Reference list

(Format)

 Author, A., & Author, B. (Year of publication). Title of chapter. In A. Editor (Eds), Title of book (pp. xxx-   xxx). Publisher.

Reference list

(Example)

 Kerr, P., & Nikitin, M. (2013). Continued instability in Pakistan could threaten its nuclear safeguards. In   D. Miller (Ed), Pakistan (pp. 93-100). Greenhaven Press.

 

Electronic Book:

In-text citation

(Format)

 According to Author & Author (year of publication)…..

 OR

 ….is evident (Author & Author, year of publication, page number)

In-text citation

(Example)

 According to Casper and Williams (2010)….

 OR

 ….is evident (Casper & Williams, 2010, p.12).

Reference list

(Format)

 Author, A., & Author, B. (year of publication). Title of book (edition). URL

 OR

 Author, A., & Author, B, (year of publication). Title of book (edition). doi:xxxx

Reference list

(Example)

 Casper, J., & Williams, D. (2010). Climate management: Solving the problem. https://ebooks.infobase.com/e_ViewEbook.aspx?ISBN=9781438127422

 

 

Journal Article (single author):

In-text citation

(Format)

 According to Author (year of publication)….

 OR

 …..is evident (Author, year of publication, page number/s).

 Include page numbers for direct quotes. 

In-text citation

(Example)

 According to Ingersoll (1999)….

 OR

 ….is evident (Ingersoll, 1999, p. 28).

Reference list

(Format)

 Author, A. A. (year of publication). Title of article. Journal Title, volume number(issue   number), page–page. URL

(Journal DOIs are now displayed as a doi.org URL instead of with the “DOI:” prefix).

Reference list

(Example)

 Ingersoll, R. M. (1999). The problem of underqualified teachers in American secondary   schools. Educational Researcher, 28(2), 26-37.   https://doi.org/10.3102/0013189X028002026

 

Journal article (2 authors):

In-text citation

(Format)

 According to Author & Author (year of publication)…

 OR

 ….is evident (Author & Author, year of publication, page numbers).

In-text citation

(Example)

 According to Srikanthan and Dalrymple (2003)…

 OR

 …. is evident (Srikanthan & Dalrymple, 2003, p. 127).

Reference list

(Format)

 Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (year of publication). Title of article. Journal Title, volume   number(issue number), page–page. URL

 When a reference has up to seven authors, spell out all authors' names in the reference     list.

Reference list

(Example)

 Srikanthan, G., & Dalrymple, J. (2003). Developing alternative perspectives for quality in   higher education. International Journal of Educational Management, 17(3), 126-136.   https://doi.org/10.1108/09513540310467804

 

 

Journal Article (3 to 5 authors)

In-text citation

(Format)

 According to Author, Author & Author (year of publication)…

 OR

 ….is evident (Author, Author & Author, year of publication, page numbers).

 Cite all surnames and publication year the first time, thereafter only the first surname   followed by et al.

In-text citation

(Example)

 According to Gold, Malhotra & Segars (2001)...

 OR

 …. is evident (Gold, Malhotra & Segars, 2001, p. 188).

 Cite all surnames and publication year the first time, thereafter only the first   surname     followed by et al.

 According to Gold et al. (2001)…

 OR

 ….is evident (Gold et al., 2001, p. 188)

Reference list 

(Format)

 Author, A. A., Author, B. B., & Author, C, C. (year of publication). Title of article. Journal       Title, volume number(issue number), page–page. doi:xxxx

 When a reference has up to seven authors, spell out all authors' names in the reference   list

Reference list

(Example)

 Gold, A. H., Malhotra, A., & Segars, A. H. (2001). Knowledge management: An                   organizational capabilities perspective. Journal of Management Information   Systems, 18(1), 185-214. doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/07421222.2001.11045669
   

 

Journal article (6 to 7 authors):

In-text citation

(Format)

 According to Author, et al. (1999)…..

 OR

 ….is evident (Author et al., year of publication, page number).

 Cite only the surname of the first author followed by et al. and the year from the citation.

 Follow example from Journal article (3 to 5 authors).

In-text citation

(Example)

 According to DiLorenzo et al. (1999)….

 OR

 ….is evident (DiLorenzo et al., 1999, p 77)

Reference list (Format)

 According to Author, A. A., Author, B. B., &  Author, C. C. (year of publication). Title of   article. Journal Title, volume number(issue number), page–page. URL

 

Reference list

(Example)

 DiLorenzo, T. M., Bargman, E. P., Stucky-Ropp, R., Brassington, G. S., Frensch, P. A., &   LaFontaine, T . (1999). Long-term effects of aerobic exercise on psychological     outcomes. Preventive Medicine, 28(1), 75-85.  https://doi.org/10.1006/pmed.1998.0385

 

Journal Article (8 or more authors)

In-text citation

(Format)

 (As per the same rule for 6 to 7 authors).

 Cite only the surname of the first author followed by et al. and the year from the   first   citation.

In-text citation

(Example)

 Please follow the same example as per 6 to 7 authors.

Reference list (Format)

 Author, A. A., Author, B. B., &  Author, C. C. (year of publication). Title of   article. Journal Title, volume number(issue number), page–page. URL

 When an article has more than eight or more authors, type the first six authors' names     followed by an ellipsis (...) then the last author's name.

Reference list

(Example)

 Mitchell, J, H., Zulkafli, S. L., Bosse, J., Campbell, B., Snell, P., Mace, E.,….Fukai, S   (2016). Rice-cold tolerance across reproductive stages. Crop and Pasture Science,   67(8), https: //doi.org/10/1071/CP15331

 

Electronic Journal article (with no DOI)

In-text citation

(Format)

 According to Author and Author (publication year)….

 OR

 ….is evident (Author & Author, year of publication, page number).

In-text citation

(Example)

 According to Trankle and Haw (2009)….

 OR

 ….is evident (Trankle & Haw, 2009, p.15)

Reference list

(Format)

 Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (year of publication). Title of article. Journal Title, volume   number(issue number), page–page. URL.

Reference list

(Example)

 Trankle, S. A., & Haw, J. (2009). Predicting Australian health behaviour from health   beliefs. Electronic Journal of Applied Psychology, 5(2), 9–17.  https://epubs.scu.edu.au/tourism_pubs/328/

 

Video (Youtube)

In-text citation

(Format)

 According to Last name, A. (year, time of quoted material within video, e.g. 1:25)….

 OR

 ….is evident (Last name, year, time of quoted material within video, e.g. 1:25).

In-text citation

(Example)

 According to Frank, A. (2017, 2:27)….

 OR

 ….is evident (Frank, 2017, 2:27)

Reference list

(Format)

 Publishing Author, A. A. (year. date of posting). Title of video [Format].  URL

Reference list

(Example)

 Frank, T. (2017, November 3, How to get better at math [Video file].         https://youtu.be/HPsazrVSjl8

 

Video (Web streaming)

In-text citation

(Format)

 According to Last name, A (year, time of quoted material within video, e.g. 1:10)….

 OR

 ….is evident (Last name, year, time of quoted material within video, e.g. 1:10).

In-text citation

(Example)

 According to Baricevic, T. (2019, 6:06)….

 OR

 ….is evident (Baricevic, 2019, 6:06)

Reference list

(Format)

 Publishing Author, A. (year). Title of video [Format]. Place of production: Production   company.  database name.

Reference list

(Example)

 Baricevic, T. (2019). Australia goes to war [Streaming video]. ClickView production.   ClickView database.

Document on the web

In-text citation

(Format)

 According to Author, A. (year of publication)…..

 OR

…..is evident (Author, year of publication, page number).

In-text citation

(Example)

  

 According to Fukuyama, F. (2014)…..

 OR

….is evident (Fukuyama, 2014, p. 3).

Reference list

(Format)

 Author, A. (year of publication). Title of work. URL

Reference list

(Example)

 Fukuyama, F. (1989). The end of history?,  https://www.embl.de/aboutus/science_society/discussion/discussion_2006/ref1-22june06.pdf

 

Web page

In-text citation

(Format)

 According to Author, A. (year of publication)…..

 OR

 …..is evident (Author, year of publication).

In-text citation

(Example)

 

 According to Pearson, H. (2019)…..

 OR

 ….is evident (Pearson, 2019).

Reference list

(Format)

 Author, A. (year of publication). Title of work. URL

Reference list

(Example)

 Pearson, H. (2019). Sea creatures store carbon in the ocean – could protecting them help slow   climate change?  https://theconversation.com/sea-creatures-store-carbon-in-the-  ocean-could-protecting-them-help-slow-climate-change-108872

 

Web page with organization as author

In-text citation  

(Format)

 According to Name of organisation (year of publication)…..

 OR

…..is evident (Name of organisation, year of publication).

In-text citation

(Example)

 

 The webpage on educational discounts offered by Apple (2019)…..

 OR

 ….is evident (Apple, 2019).

Reference list

(Format)

 Name of organization in full. (year of publication). Title of work. URL

Reference list

(Example)

 Apple Australia. (2019). Save on a new Mac and iPad for your studies.  https://www.apple.com/au-hed/shop

 

Images from the web

In-text citation

(Format)

 Figure 1. Image name (Artist/Owner, year).

In-text citation

(Example)

 Figure 1. Malaria lifecycle (Center for Disease Control 2016).

Reference list

(Format)

 Artist/Owner last name, initial. (year). Title of work [Format].  URL

Reference list

(Example)

 Center for Disease Control. (2016). Malaria lifecycle [Image].  https://www.cdc.gov/malaria/images/graphs/life_cycle/malaria_lifecycle.gif

 

Images/Figures from books/journal articles

In-text citation

(Format)

 Figure 3. Image name/description (Artist/Owner, year, page number).

In-text citation

(Example)

 Figure 1. changes (Tanaka & Seals, 2016).

Reference list

(Format)

 Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (year of publication). Title of article. Journal Title, volume number(issue   number), page–page. URL

Reference list

(Example)

 Tanaka, H, & Seals, D. R. (2008). Endurance exercise performance in masters athletes: Age-   associated changes and underlying physiological mechanisms. Journal of Physiology, 586(1), 55-63.   https://doi.org/10.1113/jphysiol.2007.141879

 

Work of Art (paintings, sculptures etc.). Print or online.

In-text citation

(Format)

 Figure 1. Image name (Artist/Owner, year).

In-text citation

(Example)

 Figure 1. The Thinker (Rodin,1902).

Reference list

(Format)

 Artist, A. A. (date of creation). Title of art [Format]. Place of publication: Publisher.

Reference list

(Example)

 Rodin, A.(1902). The Thinker [Bronze and marble sculpture]. Paris, France: Musée Rodin.

 The following is an example of a online work of art:

 Wyeth, A. (1948). Christina's world [Painting].  http://www.moma.org/explore/collection/index