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How to Cite a Book in APA

Book – A written work or composition that has been published – typically printed on pages bound together.

Understanding how to cite books will provide you with the basis for citation conventions in APA style. Books are key components of many papers and are often an invaluable resource, so this guide will show you how to format reference page citations and in-text citations for APA 7th edition.

Citing a book in which the chapters are written by different authors is a little more involved than citing other types of books. You will find information on this type of book in this guide, but you can find also find more in-depth information here, in the article How to Cite a Chapter in a Book APA . That article is also helpful for in-text citations that include page numbers.

Guide Overview

What you need.

  • Citing a book (print)
  • Citing an E-book (online or digital book)
  • Citing a book (found in a database)
  • Citing an audiobook
  • Citing a book with an editor credited on the cover
  • Citing an edited book

Troubleshooting

In APA, a basic book citation includes the following information:

  • Author’s name
  • Title of the book
  • Publisher of the book
  • Year published

Additional information is needed when citing:

  • DOI or stable URL if available
  • Name of the translator or editor
  • Title of the translator or editor (trans. or ed. respectively)
  • Name of the chapter author
  • Name of the chapter
  • Name of the book editor or author
  • Page numbers or ranges used
  • Volume numbers and/or edition numbers
  • New edition number
  • Name of forward or introduction author if applicable
  • Original publication date

Citing a book in APA (print)

Reference Page
Structure

Author, F. M. (Year of Publication). Publisher.

Example

James, Henry. (2009). Serenity Publishers.

View Screenshot

In-text citation
Parenthetical structure

Narrative structure

(Author Last Name, Publication Year)

Author Last Name (Publication Year)

Parenthetical citation example

Narrative citation example

(Henry, 2009)

Henry (2009)

Note: Capitalize the first letter of the first word of the title and any subtitles (the first word that follows a colon), as well as the first letter of any proper nouns. See our APA Citation Basics guide or the APA Publication Manual for more information.

Citing an E-book in APA (online or digital book)

An e-book is considered a written work or composition that has been digitized and is readable through computers or e-readers (Kindles, iPads,nooks etc.). As of the APA 7th edition, a special notation does not need to be made for e-reader versions. Simply include the book’s URL or DOI number at the end of the citation. However, if you’re citing an audiobook, scroll down this page to see the different citation structure for audiobooks.

Reference Page
Structure

Author, F. M. (Year of Publication). . Publisher. URL or DOI

Example

Stoker, B. (2000). Dover Publications. https://www.overdrive.com/

In-text citation
Parenthetical structure

Narrative structure

(Author Last Name, Publication Year)

Author Last Name (Publication Year)

Parenthetical citation example

Narrative citation example

(Stoker, 2000)

Stoker (2000)

Citing a book in APA (found in a database)

Some e-books may be available online through your library’s databases or catalogs. According to the 7th edition of APA style, most books found via academic databases do not need to include the database name or link in the citation. This is because these books are usually widely available in many place and resources.

Reference Page
Structure

Author, F. M. (Year of Publication). Publisher. DOI if available

Example

Rodriguez-Garcia, R., & White, E.M. (2005). The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development / The World Bank. doi:10.1596/9780-82136148-1

In-text citation
Parenthetical structure

Narrative structure

(Author Last Names, Publication Year)

Author Last Name (Publication Year)

Parenthetical citation example

Narrative citation example

(Rodriguez-Garcia & White, 2005)

Rodriguez-Garcia and White (2005)

Citing an audio book in APA

An audiobook is a book that has been converted into audio files or an audio format. They are also sometimes called “books on tape.”

Reference Page
Structure

Author, F. M. (Year of Publication). (F. M. Narrator, Narr.) [Audiobook]. Publisher. URL or DOI if available

Example

Gaiman, N. (2005). (L. Henry, Narr.) [Audiobook]. HarperAudio.

In-text citation
Parenthetical structure

Narrative structure

(Author Last Name, Publication Year)

Author Last Name (Publication Year)

Parenthetical citation example

Narrative citation example

(Gaiman, 2005)

Gaiman (2005)

Citing a book with an author and an editor

Reference Page
Structure

Author Surname, F. M. (Year of Publication). . (First name initial and last name of editor, Ed). Publisher. URL or DOI

Example

Stevens, E. (2011). (P. Alvarez, Ed) Mountain Publications.

In-text citation
Parenthetical structure

Narrative structure

(Author Surname, Year Published)

Author Last Name (Publication Year)

Parenthetical citation example

Narrative citation example

(Stevens, 2011)

Stevens (2011)

Citing an edited book (no single author credited)

Reference Page
Structure

Editor Surname, F. M. (Ed.). (Year of Publication). . Publisher. URL or DOI if it exists

Example

Mitchem, J., & Smithwick, L. (2019). Thomas Woodland LLC.

In-text citation
Parenthetical structure

Narrative structure

(Editor Surname, Year Published)

Editor Surname (Year Published)

Parenthetical example

Narrative example

(Mitchem & Smithwick, 2019)

Mitchem and Smithwick (2019)

book bibliography example apa

Here is a video that reviews book citations in APA style:

Solution #1: How to cite a book in another language

Books written in another language should contain the translation in brackets next to the title. If the language contains characters that are different from the Roman alphabet, transliterate the alphabet into the Roman alphabet for your citation.

Author’s last name, F. M. (Year). Title of the book in original language [Translated title]. Publisher.

Sanchez, E. (2018).  Yo no soy tu perfecta hija Mexicana  [I am not your perfect Mexican daughter]. Vintage Espanol.

Solution #2: How to cite a republished translated book

For translated books, include the name of the original author at the start of the citation, but for the year, include the date of publication for the version you are using. After the title, include the translator’s name, and after the publisher, provide the original publication date. For in-text citation, two dates are required. Write the date of the original publication first, then add a slash followed by the current version that you are using.

Reference page structure:

Author’s last name, F. M. (Year). Title of the work (Translator’s F. Last name, Trans.; Edition number ed.). Publisher. (Original work published Year)

Reference page example:

Freud, S. (1950). Beyond the pleasure principle (J. Strachey, Trans., 2nd ed.). Liveright. (Original work published 1920)

In-text citation structure:

Parenthetical structure: (Author last name, date of original publication/date of current version) Narrative structure: Author last name (date of original publication/date of current version)

In-text citation example:

                  Parenthetical example: (Freud, 1920/1950)

        Narrative example: Freud (1920/1950)

Solution #3: How to cite an ancient Greek or Roman work

Much like translated versions, include the original date of publication after the publisher (or DOI link). However, for ancient texts, be sure to include “ca.” (which stands for “circa”) with the date, followed by B.C.E. or C.E. For the in-text citation, you will also need to include ca. and B.C.E. or C.E. after the author’s name, followed by the date of the current version.

Author’s last name, F. M. (Year). Title of the work (Translator’s F. Last name, Trans.; Edition number ed.). Publisher. (Original work published ca. date)

Homer. (1990). The odyssey (R. Fitzgerald, Trans.). Vintage Books. (Original work published ca. 8 B.C.E.)

Parenthetical structure: Author last name, original date of the work/current version date

                     Narrative structure: Author last name (original date of the work/current version date)

                   Parenthetical example: (Homer, ca. 8 B.C.E./1990)

Narrative example: Homer (ca. 8 B.C.E./1990)

APA Formatting Guide

APA Formatting

  • Annotated Bibliography
  • Block Quotes
  • et al Usage
  • In-text Citations
  • Multiple Authors
  • Paraphrasing
  • Page Numbers
  • Parenthetical Citations
  • Reference Page
  • Sample Paper
  • APA 7 Updates
  • View APA Guide

Citation Examples

  • Book Chapter
  • Journal Article
  • Magazine Article
  • Newspaper Article
  • Website (no author)
  • View all APA Examples

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To cite a book in APA style, you need to have basic information including the authors, publication year, book title, and publisher. The templates for in-text citation and reference list entry of a book written by a single author along with examples are given below:

In-text citation template and example:

Author Surname (Publication Year)

Dean (2010)

Parenthetical

(Author Surname, Publication Year)

(Dean, 2010)

Reference list entry template and example:

Author Surname, F. M. (Publication Year). Book title: Subtitle of the book . Publisher Name.

Dean, J. (2010). Blog theory: Feedback and capture in the circuits of drive . Polity Press.

Set the book title in italics and sentence case. Capitalize the first word after a colon. If an edition number is given, place it after the title in parenthesis. The style should be, for example, (2nd ed.).

To cite a book chapter with multiple authors in APA style, you need to have basic information including the names of the authors, publication year, chapter title, editors, publisher, and place of publication. The templates for in-text citation and reference list entry of a book chapter along with examples are given below:

When the source has 3–20 authors

In the text, use the first author’s surname followed by “et al.”

First Author Surname et al. (Publication Year)

Rong et al. (2017)

(Author Surname et al., Publication Year)

(Rong et al., 2017)

List the names of all authors in the reference list. Use “&” before the last author’s name. The book title is set in italics. The word “In” is used before the editor’s name. Note that the style for setting the editors’ names is the initial of the first name (and if applicable, the middle name) followed by the surname. Use “(Eds.)” after the editors’ name. Do not include the publisher’s location in the reference. The example below is for three author names.

Author Surname, F. M., Author Surname, F.M., &  Author Surname, F.M. (Publication Year). Chapter title: Subtitle. In F. Editor1 & F. Editor2 (Eds.), Book title (pp. #–#). Publisher Name.

Rong, X. L., Hilburn, J., & Sun, W. (2017). Immigration, demographic changes, and schools in North Carolina from 1990 to 2015. In X. Rong & J. Hilburn (Eds.), Immigration and education in North Carolina (pp. 1–24). Sense.

When the source has more than 20 authors

In the text, use the first author’s surname followed by et al.

Alvarez et al. (2019)

(Alvarez et al., 2019)

List the first 19 author’s names in the reference list followed by an ellipsis. Then add the last author’s name.

Author Surname, F. M., Author Surname, F. M., Author Surname, F. M., Author Surname, F. M., Author Surname, F. M., Author Surname, F. M., Author Surname, F. M., Author Surname, F. M., Author Surname, F. M., Author Surname, F. M., Author Surname, F. M., Author Surname, F. M., Author Surname, F. M., Author Surname, F. M., Author Surname, F. M., Author Surname, F. M., Author Surname, F. M., Author Surname, F. M., . . . Author Surname, F. M. (Publication Year). Chapter title: Subtitle. In F. Editor1 & F. Editor2 (Eds.), Book title (pp. #–#). Publisher Name.

Alvarez, L. D., Peach, J. L., Rodriguez, J. F., Donald, L., Thomas, M., Aruck, A., Samy, K., Anthony, K., Ajey, M., Rodriguez, K. L., Katherine, K., Vincent, A., Pater, F., Somu, P., Pander, L., Berd, R., Fox, L., Anders, A., Kamala, W., . . . Nicole Jones, K. (2019). Unsung psychology pioneers: A content analysis of who makes history (and who doesn’t). In R. Lerner & W. Overton (Eds.), The handbook of life-span development (pp. 509–553). Wiley.

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APA Style (7th Edition) Citation Guide: Books & Ebooks

  • Introduction
  • Journal Articles
  • Magazine/Newspaper Articles
  • Books & Ebooks
  • Government & Legal Documents
  • Biblical Sources
  • Secondary Sources
  • Films/Videos/TV Shows
  • How to Cite: Other
  • Additional Help

Table of Contents

Book In Print With One Author

Book in Print More Than One Author

Chapters, Short Stories, Essays, or Articles From a Book (Anthology or Collection)

Article in an online reference book (e.g. encyclopedias, dictionaries).

Note: All citations should be double spaced and have a hanging indent in a Reference List.

A "hanging indent" means that each subsequent line after the first line of your citation should be indented by 0.5 inches.

This Microsoft support page contains instructions about how to format a hanging indent in a paper.

Authors/Editors

An author won't necessarily be a person's name. It may be an organization or company, for example Health Canada. These are called group or corporate authors.

If a book has no author or editor, begin the citation with the book title, followed by the year of publication in round brackets.

If an author is also the publisher, omit the publisher from the reference. This happens most often with corporate or group authors.

When a book has one to 20 authors or editors, all authors' names are cited in the Reference List entry. When a book has 21 or more authors or editors, list the first 19 authors followed by three spaced ellipse points (. . .) , and then the last author's name. Rules are different for in-text citations; please see the examples provided.

Cite author names in the order in which they appear on the source, not in alphabetical order (the first author is usually the person who contributed the most work to the publication).

Capitalize the first letter of the first word of the title. If there is a colon (:) in the title, also capitalize the first letter of the first word after the colon.

Capitalize the first letter of proper names in titles, such as names of places or people. 

Italicize titles of journals, magazines, newspapers, and books. Do not italicize the titles of articles or book chapters.

Capitalize only the first letter of the first word of the article title. If there is a colon in the article title, also capitalize the first letter of the first word after the colon.

Place of Publication

Do not include the publisher location in the reference. Only for works associated with a specific location, like conference presentations, include the location. For cities in the US and Canada list the city name and the province or state code. For other countries, list the city name and the country. Examples: Toronto, ON ; Tokyo, Japan

Electronic Books

Don't include the format, platform, or device (e.g. Kindle) in the reference. Include the publisher name. For audiobooks, include the narrator and audiobook notation.

Ebooks from Websites (not from library databases)

If an ebook from a website was originally published in print, give the author, year, title, edition (if given) and the url. If it was never published in print, treat it like a multi-page website.

Book In Print With One Author or Editor

Author's Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial if Given. (Year of Publication).  Title of book: Subtitle if given  (edition if given and is not first edition). Publisher Name.

Note: If the named person is an editor, place "(Ed.)." after the name.

Mulholland, K. (2003). Class, gender and the family business . Palgrave McMillan. 

In-Text Paraphrase:

(Author's Last Name, Year)

Example: (Mulholland, 2003)

In-Text Quote:

(Author's Last Name, Year, p. Page Number)

Example: (Mulholland, 2003, p. 70)

Book in Print More Than One Author or Editor

Last Name of First Author, First Initial. Second Initial if Given, & Last Name of Second Author, First Initial. Second Initial if Given. (Year of Publication).  Title of book: Subtitle if given  (edition if given and is not first edition). Publisher Name.

Note: Authors' names are separated by commas. Put a comma and an ampersand (&) before the name of the last author cited.

Note : For works with three or more authors, the first in-text citation is shortened to include the first author's surname followed by "et al."

Note: If the listed names are editors rather than authors, include "(Eds.)." at the end of the list of names. The below example shows a list of editors.

Reference List Example:

Kaakinen, J., Coehlo, D., Steele, R., Tabacco, L., & Hanson, H. (Eds.). (2015). Family health care nursing: Theory, practice, and research (5th ed.). F.A. Davis Company.

In-text Citation

Two Authors/Editors

(Kaakinen & Coehlo, 2015)

Direct quote: (Kaakinen & Coehlo, 2015, p. 57)

Three or more Authors/Editors

(Kaakinen et al., 2015)

Direct quote: (Kaakinen et al., 2015, p. 57)

Author's Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial if Given. (Year of Publication).  Title of book: Subtitle if given  (edition if given and is not first edition). Publisher Name. URL

Example from Website:

Rhode, D. L. (2002). Divorce, American style . University of California Press. http://www.escholarship.org/editions/view?docId=kt9z09q84w;brand=ucpress

Example: (Rhode, 2002)

Example: (Rhode, 2002, p. 101)

If no author or creator is provided, start the citation with the title/name of the item you are citing instead. Follow the title/name of the item with the date of publication, and the continue with other citation details.

Remember: an author/creator may be an organization or corporation, for example Health Canada. If you don't have a person's name as the author, but do have the name of an organization or corporation, put that organization/corporation's name as the author.

If and only if an item is signed as being created by Anonymous, use "Anonymous" where you'd normally put the author's name.

When you have no author, use a shortened version of the title where you'd normally put the author's name.

If you're citing something which is part of a bigger work, like an article from a magazine, newspaper, journal, encyclopedia, or chapter/short story from a book, put the shortened title in quotation marks in your in-text citation:

Example, paraphrase: ("A few words," 2014)

If you're citing an entire work, like a book, website, video, etc., italicize the shortened title in your in-text citation:

Example, paraphrase: ( A few words , 2014)

Author's Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial if Given. (Year of Publication). Title of chapter, article, essay or short story. In Editor's First Initial. Second Initial if Given. Editor's Last Name (Ed.),  Title of book: Subtitle if given (edition if given and is not first edition, pp. first page number-last page number). Publisher Name.

Note:  If you have more than one editor list their name(s) after the first editor listed in the book, giving their initials and last name. Put an ampersand (&) before the last editor's name.

When you have one editor the short form (Ed.) is used after the editor's name. If you have more than one editor use (Eds.) instead.

O'Neil, J. M., & Egan, J. (1992). Men's and women's gender role journeys: A metaphor for healing, transition, and transformation. In B. R. Wainrib (Ed.), Gender issues across the life cycle (pp. 107-123). Springer. 

Note: If there is no editor given you may leave out that part of the citation.

(Author's Last Name, Year) 

Example (2 authors): (O'Neil & Egan, 1992)

(Author's Last Name, Year, p. Page Number) 

Example (2 authors): (O'Neil & Egan, 1992, p. 998)

Author's Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial if Given. (Year of Publication). Title of article. In Editor's First Initial. Second Initial if Given. Editor's Last Name (Ed.),  Title of book: Subtitle if given (edition if given and is not first edition). Publisher Name. URL or DOI

Caviness, L. B. (2008). Brain-relevant education. In N. J. Salkind (Ed.), Encyclopedia of educational psychology . Sage Publications. https://login.uportland.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search.credoreference.com/content/entry/sageedpsyc/brain_relevant_education/0?institutionId=5407

Example (1 author): (Caviness, 2008)

Example (1 author): (Caviness, 2008, Focus on the brain section, para. 2)

Note: When there are no visible page numbers or paragraph numbers, you may cite the section heading and the number of the paragraph in that section to identify where your quote came from.

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How to Cite a Book in APA

Use the following template to cite a book using the APA citation format. We also provide style guides for the MLA and Chicago styles. To have your bibliography or works cited list automatically made for you, check out our free APA citation generator .

Once you’re finished with your citations, we can also help you with creating an APA title page .

Citing a book in APA (print)

Author, A. (Year of Publication). Title of work . Publisher Name.

Finney, J. (1970). Time and again . Simon and Schuster.

Notes: When citing a book in APA, keep in mind:

  • The title of the book should be written in sentence case. This means you should capitalize the first letter of the first word of the title and any subtitles, as well as the first letter of any proper nouns.
  • The full title of the book, including any subtitles, should be stated and italicized .
  • You do not need to include the publisher location.

Citing an e-book in APA (digital or online)

E-book is short for “electronic book.” It is a digital version of a book that can be read on a computer, e-reader (Kindle, Nook, etc.), or other electronic device.

Author, A. (Year of Publication). Title of work (ed. if applicable). Publisher Name. URL

Coccia, E. (2021). The life of plants: The metaphysics of mixture (digital ed.). Hans Reitzel Forlag. https://planternesliv.digi.hansreitzel.dk/

  • If you need to distinguish the e-book version from the print version, this can be included in the “edition” slot of the citation. Otherwise, the citation format is the same for both print books and e-books.
  • If the e-book has a DOI or a stable URL, include it in the reference.
  • Do not include a period after the URL.

Citing a book from a database in APA

Author, A. (Year of Publication). Title of work . Publisher Name. URL or DOI

Sayre, R., Devercelli, A. E., Neuman, M. J., & Wodon, Q. (2015). Investment in early childhood development: Review of the world bank’s recent experience . World Bank Group. https://doi.org/10.1596/978-1-4648-0403-8

Notes: When citing an online book or e-book in APA, keep in mind:

  • A DOI (digital object identifier) is an assigned number that helps link content to its location on the Internet. It is therefore important, if one is provided, to use it when creating a citation.
  • If an e-book is from an academic database but does not have a DOI or stable URL, end the citation after the publisher name (the citation format will then be the same as for a print book). Do not include the name of the database.

Citing a single volume of a multivolume book in APA

Author, A. (Year of Publication). Title of work (Vol. #). Publisher Name.

Kemble, J. M. (2020). The Saxons in England: A history of the English commonwealth till the period of the Norman conquest (Vol. 2). Gutenberg.

Citing a several volumes of a multivolume book in APA

Author, A. (Year of Publication). Title of work . (Vols. #-#). Publisher Name.

Kemble, J. M. (2020). The Saxons in England: A history of the English commonwealth till the period of the Norman conquest   (Vols. 1-2). Gutenberg.

Citing an audiobook in APA

Author, A. (Year of Publication). Title of work (F. M. Narrator, Narr.) [Audiobook]. Publisher. URL or DOI (Original work published year if applicable)

Ruiz, D. M. (2005). The four agreements (P. Coyote, Narr.) [Audiobook]. Amber Allen Publishing. https://www.amazon.com/The-Four-Agreements-don-Miguel-Ruiz-audio/dp/B0007OB40E (Original work published 1997)

For more information on how to cite in APA, check out Cornell .

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When the book you quote has volume numbers or is a book from a series, then you need to mention them as part of your reference list entry. Use the format below to understand where and how.

Last Name, Initials. (Year). Title (Ed No., Vol no.). Publisher.

Creek, A.J. (1986). Handbook of mental disorders (5 th ed., Vol 3). Psychology Publishing Press.

In APA style, italicize sources that stand alone. Such works include books, reports, and websites. However, don’t italicize works that are part of the main source. Examples of such sources are journal articles and book chapters.

If an author name isn’t available, you may include a book, report, or website title in the in-text citation. In such cases, again only italicize sources that stand alone.

In APA style, italicize sources. Do not underline them.

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If you need a simple explanation about citing books using the APA format, this article is for you! Accurately referenced APA book citations give clarity to readers about the sources used. In this article, we’ll explain the guidelines for APA 7 book citation in detail. 

We’ve also included specific examples to help you understand how to cite a book in the APA format. From explaining how to write in-text citations to how to cite multivolume books, we’ve covered everything for you. Dive in to understand how to cite ebooks, online books, chapters from edited books, and much more! 

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How to cite a book in APA 7th edition 

An APA book citation usually begins with the author’s surname and first and middle name initials. If the middle initials aren’t mentioned, only the first and last names are cited. The book title is italicized whereas the publication year is written in parentheses (). An in-text citation for the book is also included where the author’s surname and the book’s publication year are cited. 

Following is the format for a simple APA 7th edition book citation: 

Author’s name, (year of publication), book title , (book edition), publisher, DOI (if available). 

Here’s an example of how to cite a book in an APA reference page: 

Chadee, D. (2022). Theories in social psychology (2nd ed.). John Wiley & Sons. 

         Parenthetical in-text citation: (Chadee, 2022) 

          Narrative in-text citation: Chadee (2022)

The APA book citation format to reference a direct quotation from a book is completely different from the above example. Given below is an example of how to cite a quotation in APA from a book. 

Reactance theory was developed by Jack W. Brehm and articulated in his Theory of  Psychological Reactance. (Chadee, D, 2022, p.15) 

        Parenthetical citation: (Chadee, 2022, p.15)

        Narrative citation: Chadee (2022, p.15) 

While the above examples show how to cite books with a single author, the APA format to cite books with multiple authors varies. If the book has two authors, their names are separated by an ampersand in the APA book citation. For example: 

Giddens, A., & Sutton, P. (2021). Essential concepts in sociology. Polity Press. 

Parenthetical citation: (Giddens & Sutton, 2021)

Narrative citation: Giddens & Sutton, (2021) 

If there are more than two authors, the last names and initials of all authors are cited in the APA reference page. In the in-text citation, only the first author’s name is mentioned followed by the words et al and the publication year in parentheses. For example: 

Tomley, S., Hobbs, M., Todd, M., Weeks, M. (2015). The sociology book: big ideas  simply explained. Doring Kindersley Limited. 

Parenthetical citation: (Tomley et al., 2015) 

Narrative citation: Tomley et al. (2015) 

These examples accurately exhibit how to cite a book in APA in the text and reference page: Let us now see how to cite a book chapter in the APA format. 

Citing a book chapter in APA 

The APA citation for a chapter in a book includes the following details: : 

Author’s name, publication year, chapter title, editor/ editors names, book title , page range, publisher and DOI (if available). 

For example: 

Reed, I & Lamb-Books, B. (2011). Hermeneutics and Sociology: Deepening the  Interpretive Perspective. In I. Zake & M. DeCesare (Eds.), New Directions in Sociology: Essays on Theory and Methodology in the 21st Century (pp. 13-30)  McFarland & Company 

Parenthetical In-text citation: (Reed & Lamb-Books, 2011, p. 51) 

Narrative in-text citation: Reed & Lamb-Books (2011, p. 51) 

The above APA citation examples clearly demonstrate how to cite a chapter in a book. This format differs from how online books and ebooks are cited according to the APA style guide. Let’s now understand the APA book format for ebooks and online books in detail. 

Citing online books and ebooks in APA  

Following is the format to cite online books and ebooks in APA: 

Author’s Name, Publication Date, Book Title , Publisher, DOI (if available) 

Note: If the DOI is not available, you can link the URL where you viewed the book or the site from where the book can be purchased or accessed. 

Here is an APA citation example of an online book without DOI: 

Korgen, K. O., & Atkinson, M. P. (Eds.). (2020). Sociology in action . SAGE  Publications.  https://www.amazon.com/Sociology-Action-Kathleen-Odell-Korgen/dp/1071802283

          Parenthetical citation: (Korgen & Atkinson, 2020) 

         Narrative citation: Korgen & Atkinson (2020) 

Citing Single-volume Books in APA 

There are two ways to cite single-volume books. If the volume’s title is given, the APA format to cite the source is: 

Author’s name, publication year, volume number and title, publisher, and DOI (if available).  

The title and volume number are then italicized in the citation entry. For example: 

Kelly, G. (2005). The psychology of personal constructs. Vol. 1, A theory of personality . Routledge 

Parenthetical citation: (Kelly, 2005) 

Narrative citation: Kelly (2005) 

However, if the volume has no title, instead, it only has a number, then this number is written after the title and is not italicized. Here’s an example: 

‌Roth, I. (Ed). (2021). Introduction to psychology (Vol 1). Psychology Press

Parenthetical citation: (Roth, 2021) 

Narrative citation: Roth, (2021) 

Citing multi-volume books in APA 

The volumes need to be mentioned after the title in parentheses to cite a book with multiple volumes. The volume titles aren’t included in the citation entry for multiple volumes. The format to cite a multi-volume book is: 

Author’s name, first and middle initials, publication year, book title , volume number, publisher, DOI (if available).   

Graceffo, R. A. (2022). A Humane Vision of Clinical Psychology, (Volume 2). Taylor &  Francis 

If you wish to cite the entire multi-volume book, you need to cite the volumes in parentheses after the book title. For example: 

James, W. (2021). The principles of psychology , (Vols. 1–2) Henry Holt & Company  (Originally published 1890) 

Citing edited books with no authors in APA 

To cite edited books with no authors, the editors’ surnames and first name initials are written followed by an abbreviation for editors. If there is one editor, the word “Ed.” is written in parentheses. However, if there are two or more editors, the word “Eds.” is written in parentheses. Following is the format to cite edited books in APA format: 

Editors’ last names, first and middle initials, publication year, book title, publisher, and DOI (if available). 

Lamont, M. & Thevenot, L. (Eds.). (2000). Rethinking comparative cultural sociology. Cambridge University Press. doi: 10.1017/CBO9780511628108

Note: If you wish to cite an edition other than the first, you need to mention the edition number in the citation entry. Here is an APA book citation example for a book with an edition: 

Janoro, R. & Altshuler, T. (2016). The art of being human (11thed.). Pearson. 

Citing a textbook in APA format 

Since a textbook has more than one author, the citation for a textbook is different from that of a book with a single author. Let’s see the following format to understand how to cite a textbook according to APA’s style guide: 

Authors’ name, publication year, textbook title , edition, publisher, and DOI (if available). 

Dealey, J. Q., & Ward, L. F. (1905). A text-book of sociology. MacMillan Co.  https://doi.org/10.1037/13855-000

The in-text citations in APA format are written differently, depending on the number of authors to cite. If the textbook has only two authors, the surnames of both authors are written along with the year of publication. For example:

Parenthetical citation: (Dealey & Ward, 1905)

Narrative citation: Dealey & Ward. (1905) 

If the textbook has more than two authors, in the in-text citation, only the first author’s name is written, followed by the words “et al” and the publication date. For example: 

Parenthetical citation: (Brock et al. 2004) 

Narrative citation: Brock et al. (2004) 

Citing a book with a new foreword in APA 

The format for an APA citation for a book with a new foreword is: 

Original Author’s Name, Author of the New Foreword, the Publication Year of the Book with the New Foreword, book title, edition number, publisher, and the year the book was first published. 

Varisco, D. (with Majid, A.). (2018). Culture Still Matters: Notes From the Field . (121st  ed.) BRILL. (Original work published 2001)

For the in-text citation, you only need to mention the original author who wrote the book, the year the book was originally published and the year the book with the new foreword was published. For example: 

Parenthetical citation: (Varisco, 2001, 2018)

Narrative citation: Varisco (2001, 2018) 

Citing a translated book 

Following is the format to cite a translated book in APA style: 

Author’s last name, first initials, the year the translated book was published, name of the translator, publisher, the year when the book was first published. For example: 

Öcalan, A., (2020). The sociology of freedom. (Havin Guneser, Trans.). PM Press. (Original work published 2019) 

Parenthetical citation: (Öcalan, 2019/2020) 

Narrative citation: Öcalan (2019/2020) 

Here is an example of an APA citation for a chapter of a book, republished in translation: 

Freud, S. (2022). Group psychology and the analysis of the ego. (J. Strachey Trans.) In E.  Jones (Ed.), Le Bon’s description of the group mind (pp 5–23) Lector House (Original  work published 1921). 

Parenthetical citation: (Freud, 1921/2022) 

Narrative citation: Freud (1921/2022) 

We hope these APA book citation examples have cleared all your doubts about how to reference books. As editing and proofreading experts, we realize how citing sources in APA, MLA, Chicago, Harvard, and Oxford formats can seem tricky. 

To help you understand how to effectively cite sources, we have created a useful list of resources. Continue reading to brush up on your knowledge of various style guides! 

  • Research Paper Format: APA, MLA, & Chicago Style
  • MLA Annotated Bibliography | Guidelines and Examples
  • How to Create an MLA Header | Format Guidelines & Examples
  • How to Create an MLA Title Page | Format, Steps, & Examples
  • MLA Format: 9th Edition Paper Formatting Guidelines

Frequently Asked Questions

How to format an apa book citation for a single author, how to format a citation for a book with an unknown publication year, how to format an apa book citation for a book with multiple authors.

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Cite a Book

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Don't let plagiarism errors spoil your paper

Citing books in apa, print books with one author:.

APA citation format:

Author Last name, First initial. Middle initial. (Year Published). Title of work . Publisher.

Moriarty, L. (2014). Big little lies . G. P. Putnam’s Sons.

Print books with two or more authors:

Last name, First initial. Middle initial., Last name, First initial. Middle initial., & Last name, First initial. Middle initial. (Date). Title . Publisher.

Goldin, C. D., & Katz, L. F. (2008). The race between education and technology . Belknap Press of Harvard University Press.

Matthews, G., Smith, Y., & Knowles, G. (2009). Disaster management in archives, libraries and museums . Ashgate.

Full versions of E-books:

E-books are generally read either on a website, on an e-reader, or on a database.

Author Last Name, First initial. Middle initial. (Year Published). Title of work . https://doi.org/xxxx or http://xxxx

Auster, P. (2007). The Brooklyn follies . http://www.barnesandnoble.com/

To cite your ebooks automatically, use the “Book” form at CitationMachine.com, click “Manual entry mode,” and click the “E-book” tab. Everything will be properly formatted following APA bibliography guidelines.

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Citation Styles: A Brief Guide to APA, MLA and Turabian

Sample bibliography: apa.

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The basic format for a book citation requires listing the author's name, the title of the book, the publisher's name, and the date of publication. Edited books, when cited in full, will list the editor's name instead of an author’s name. 

Becsey, L., Wachsberger, P., Samuels, S., et al (Directors). (2008). In the valley of Elah . [DVD]. Warner Home Video.

Ginsberg, J. P., Ayers, E., Burriss, L., & Powell, D. A. (2008). Discriminative delay Pavlovian eye-blink conditioning in veterans with and without post-traumatic stress disorder. Journal of Anxiety Disorders , 22 , 809-823. https://doi:10.1016/j.janxdis.2007.08.009

Glantz, A. (2009). The war comes home: Washington's battle against America's veterans . University of California Press.

Jakupcak, M., Luterek, J., Hunt, S., Conybeare, D., & McFall, M. (2008). Post-traumatic stress and its relationship to physical health functioning in a sample of Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans seeking post-deployment VA health care. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease , 196 , 425-428.

Jensen, G. & Wiest, A. A. (2001). War in the age of technology myriad faces of modern armed conflict . New York University Press.

Killgore, W. D. S., Cotting, D. I., Thomas, J. L., Cox, A. L., McGurk, D., Vo, A. H., et al. (2008). Post-combat invincibility: Violent combat experiences are associated with increased risk-taking propensity following deployment. Journal of Psychiatric Research , 42 (13), 1112-1121. https://doi:10.1016/j.jpsychires.2008.01.001

Monson, C. M., Fredman, S. J., & Adair, K. C. (2008). Cognitive-behavioral conjoint therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder: Application to operation enduring and Iraqi freedom veterans. Journal of Clinical Psychology , 64 , 958-971. https://doi:10.1002/jclp.20511

Paulson, D. S., & Krippner, S. (2007). Haunted by combat : Understanding PTSD in war veterans including women, reservists, and those coming back from Iraq . Praeger Security International.

Tanielian, T. L., Jaycox, L., & Rand Corporation. (2008). Invisible wounds of war: Psychological and cognitive injuries, their consequences, and services to assist recovery . Rand.

United States. Congress. House Committee on Foreign Affairs. Subcommittee on the Middle East and South Asia. (2007). Working in a war zone: Post traumatic stress disorder in civilians returning from Iraq . G.P.O.

Van Winkle, C. (2009). Soft spots: A marine's memoir of combat and post-traumatic stress disorder . St. Martin's Press.

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APA Book Citation Examples

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Writing citations for your APA reference list is easy if you follow the basic format. Remember to use the author’s last name and then only the initials for the first and middle names. Also, include all the necessary elements so that your reader can find the exact source you used. The APA citation format for a book follows the author-date style, which means the year of publication will follow the author’s name.

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APA Book Citation – One Author

The basic format for citing a book with a single author in APA style is as follows:

Last Name of author, Initial first name, Initial middle name (if available). (Year of publication). Book title. Location: Publisher.

Author, A.A. (2001). Title of work . Location: Publisher.

Freire, P. (2000). Pedagogy of the oppressed.  New York, NY: Bloomsbury Academic.

Wright, S. (Ed.). (2004). The anthropology of organizations. London: Routledge.

Fleming, Q. (2003). Project procurement management: contracting, subcontracting, teaming  . PA: FMC Press .

Self-Published Example

Zamora, C.R. (2019). Walking my way home: A memoir.  Los Angeles, CA: Author.

Print Book With 2 to 7 Authors

When you want to create an APA citation for a book with between two and seven authors, use a comma and an ampersand (&) before the final author in the list. The format is otherwise identical to a print book with a single author.

Last Name of first author, Initial first name, Initial middle name (if available), & last name of second author, Initial first name, Initial middle name (Year of publication). Book title. Location: Publisher.

Author, A.A., & Author, B.B. (2000). Book title. Location: Publisher.

Troyna, B., & Hatcher, R. (2018). Racism in children’s lives : A study of mainly-white primary schools. Routledge. London.

Hoel, H., Rayner, C., & Cooper, C. L. (1999). Workplace bullying . Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Alberts B., Johnson, A., Lewis, J., Raff, M., Roberts, K.,  & Walter, P. (2002). Molecular biology of the c ell . New York: Garland Publishing.

Citing a Print Book With 8 or More Authors

Follow the format above up to and including seven authors. Beyond that, you should include the first six authors’ names, then insert three ellipsis points, and then the final author, followed by the rest of the citation data.

Author, A.A., Author, B.B., Author, C.C., Author, D.D., Author, E.E., Author, F.F.,…Author, G.G. (2001). Book title. Location: Publisher.

Jaramillo, C., Gilbert, A.N., Bulixi, T.P., Farland, N., Smith, L.J., Leland, K.,…Wintle, N. (2012). Understanding new technology. New York, NY: Neal-Schuman Publishers.

Book Citation Guidelines in APA

When formatting your book citations, be sure to follow these general rules:

  • Use the author’s last name, first initial, and middle initial, if available.
  • The title of book is in italics with only the first word capitalized.
  • The subtitle is also in italics, also with only first word capitalized (e.g.,  Book main title: Subtitle of this book ).
  • Double space your reference list entries.
  • Use a hanging indent.

Include Current Sources

Published books, both print and digital, can be valuable sources of information for your school paper. When gathering research materials, though, you shouldn’t rely on an APA book citation alone. Keep current by looking up academic journals and other articles too.

APA Style Guidelines for Multiple Authors

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MLA Citations for TV Shows Examples

Mla journal citation examples, movie mla citation examples, mla video citation examples.

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Free APA Citation Generator

Generate citations in APA format quickly and automatically, with MyBib!

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🤔 What is an APA Citation Generator?

An APA citation generator is a software tool that will automatically format academic citations in the American Psychological Association (APA) style.

It will usually request vital details about a source -- like the authors, title, and publish date -- and will output these details with the correct punctuation and layout required by the official APA style guide.

Formatted citations created by a generator can be copied into the bibliography of an academic paper as a way to give credit to the sources referenced in the main body of the paper.

👩‍🎓 Who uses an APA Citation Generator?

College-level and post-graduate students are most likely to use an APA citation generator, because APA style is the most favored style at these learning levels. Before college, in middle and high school, MLA style is more likely to be used. In other parts of the world styles such as Harvard (UK and Australia) and DIN 1505 (Europe) are used more often.

🙌 Why should I use a Citation Generator?

Like almost every other citation style, APA style can be cryptic and hard to understand when formatting citations. Citations can take an unreasonable amount of time to format manually, and it is easy to accidentally include errors. By using a citation generator to do this work you will:

  • Save a considerable amount of time
  • Ensure that your citations are consistent and formatted correctly
  • Be rewarded with a higher grade

In academia, bibliographies are graded on their accuracy against the official APA rulebook, so it is important for students to ensure their citations are formatted correctly. Special attention should also be given to ensure the entire document (including main body) is structured according to the APA guidelines. Our complete APA format guide has everything you need know to make sure you get it right (including examples and diagrams).

⚙️ How do I use MyBib's APA Citation Generator?

Our APA generator was built with a focus on simplicity and speed. To generate a formatted reference list or bibliography just follow these steps:

  • Start by searching for the source you want to cite in the search box at the top of the page.
  • MyBib will automatically locate all the required information. If any is missing you can add it yourself.
  • Your citation will be generated correctly with the information provided and added to your bibliography.
  • Repeat for each citation, then download the formatted list and append it to the end of your paper.

MyBib supports the following for APA style:

⚙️ StylesAPA 6 & APA 7
📚 SourcesWebsites, books, journals, newspapers
🔎 AutociteYes
📥 Download toMicrosoft Word, Google Docs

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Daniel is a qualified librarian, former teacher, and citation expert. He has been contributing to MyBib since 2018.

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APA Citation Guide (APA 7th Edition): When Formatting Citation Elements

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Formatting Citation Elements

The following are tips for formatting/styling citation elements (e.g., authors' names) in your reference list or in text.

  • Reference List: Ordering Citations

Authors' Names

 


Block, B. A.


(Block, 2008, p. 15)


Jamsa, K., & Anderson, A.


(Jamsa & Anderson, 2008, p. 37)


 Tobaldini, E., Costantino, G., Solbiati, M., Cogliati, C., Kara, T., Nobili, L., & Montano, N.



(Tobaldini et al.,  2017, p. 325)


 Wiskunde, B., Arslan, M., Fischer, P., Nowak, L., Van den Berg, O., Coetzee, L., Juárez, U., Riyaziyyat, E., Wang, C., Zhang, I., Li, P., Yang, R., Kumar, B., Xu, A., Martinez, R., McIntosh, V., Ibáñez, L. M., Mäkinen, G., Virtanen, E., . . . Kovács, A.


(Wiskunde et al.,  2019, p. 1937)


In the article, the publisher styled the author's last name in all capital letters: Smaranda ŞTEFANOVICI. In the reference list, only capitalize the first letter of the first initial and last name: Ştefanovici, S.

 


 

 


 

The American Psychological Association (APA, 2017) provided information on overcoming opioid abuse. 

 

. Toronto, ON: Fancy Publisher.

. Toronto, ON: Very Fancy Publisher.

 http://blogpostUR

 http://blogpostUR


 

Publication Dates

The date of publication in the reference list citation usually takes one of the following formats. For APA, spell out the full name of the month. See the Citation Examples for information on what parts of the date are included when citing your source.

Titles & Subtitles of Sources

 

.

, the main character...

 


. Ten Speed Press.

 Corgi.

URLs of Sources

APA recommends copying and pasting the URL or DOI directly from your browser into your reference list. Do not manually split the URL when adding it to your citation. However, it is acceptable if your word processing app automatically moves part of your URL into a new line.

When a URL or DOI is extremely long or complex, you may also use  shortDOIs  or shortened URLs (e.g.,  bit.ly ).

Accessible URLs

According to APA , those who are creating online-only materials can use descriptive links in their text and reference list.

Example of original citation:

Lane, J. D., & Williams, R. B. (1987). Cardiovascular effects of caffeine and stress in regular coffee drinkers.  Psychophysiology, 24 (2), 157-164.  https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-8986.1987.tb00271.x

Example of citation with descriptive link:

Lane, J. D., & Williams, R. B. (1987). Cardiovascular effects of caffeine and stress in regular coffee drinkers .  Psychophysiology, 24 (2), 157-164.

Publisher & Sponsoring Organizations

In APA style, the publisher refers to the organization or company responsible for making a work available.   

Ordering Citations in the Reference List

Generally, citations are arranged in alphabetical order by the authors' last names or name of the group author. If your citations include citations that begin with the title or description of the source, alphabetize them by the first letter of the first word, ignoring the articles  a ,  an , and  the .  

Diabetes Canada. (n.d.).  Preventing diabetes .  https://www.diabetes.ca/signs,-risks---prevention/preventing-diabetes

An introduction to food science . (2018). ABC Press.

Vincent, C., & Amalberti, R. (2016).  Safer healthcare: Strategies for the real world . Springer Open.  https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-25559-0

Vividata. (2018). Potato chips - prsnlly ate in the past 6 mths [Base: Age 14+] [Data set].  http://library.senecapolytechnic.ca/res/vividata

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APA Style: Writing & Citation

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Print Book with One Author

Print book with two authors, print book with three to twenty authors, ebook with one author, ebook with two authors, ebook with three to twenty authors, course packets, case studies, figures & tables, journal article from a database with a doi--one author, journal article from a database--two authors, journal article from a database--three to twenty authors, journal article from a database--twenty-one or more authors, journal article with no doi, magazine article from a database, magazine article from a website, magazine article in print, social media, citing sources with missing information.

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 (edition if given and is not first edition ed.). Publisher Name often shortened. https://doi.org/DOI-number (if given)


 (10th ed.). Cengage Learning.

 

 

 (edition if given and is not first edition). Publisher Name often shortened. https://doi.org/DOI-number (if given)


. Springer Open. 

 

 


 

 (edition if given and is not first edition). Publisher Name often shortened. https://doi.org/DOI-number (if given)


 (6th ed.). Cengage Learning.

 (4th Canadian edition). Pearson.

 

 

 (edition if given and is not first edition ed.). Publisher Name often shortened. https://doi.org/DOI-number-if-given


 Praeger.

 Author's Last Name, Year, Page Number
 

 Author's Last Name, Year
 

 (edition if given and is not first edition). Publisher Name often shortened. https://doi.org/DOI-number (if given)


. Springer Open. 

 Authors' Last Names, Year, Page Number
 

 Authors' Last Names, Year


 

 (edition if given and is not first edition). Publisher Name often shortened. https://doi.org/DOI-number-if-given


 (2nd ed.). Gulf Professional Publishing.

 

 Authors' Last Names, Year, Page Number
 

 Authors' Last Names, Year
 


 

(pp. first page of reading-last page of reading). Seneca Polytechnic.


 (pp.125-132). Seneca Polytechnic.

 

 Authors' Last Names, Year, Page Number


 Authors' Last Names, Year


 (edition if given and is not first edition). Publisher Name often shortened.


. Seneca Polytechnic. 



From a database: 

. Case Study Number (if given). Database main URL



.   

. Harvard Business School Case 822-122. 





From a Website: 

. Case study number (if given). URL



.   

. Case No. ETH33.   




From a Book: 

 (pp. Page Numbers). Publisher.


 (pp. 19-30). Springer.



 If you reproduce ("insert") a figure or table in your assignment:

  • Assign each a figure or table number, in bold and left-aligned.
  • Include a title (in your own words) of the figure or table in italics.
  • Insert the figure or table into your paper.
  • Create an attribution note underneath the figure or table to show where you found it.  See the box below, "Elements to Include in the Attribution under the Figure".
  • Cite the figure or table in your Reference List. Use the citation format of the source where the image is found. (e.g., if you find the image on a website, cite the website.)

Citing Information From an Image, Infographic, Chart, Table or Graph (Not Inserting It)

​ This happens if you only wish to cite information from an image, infographic, chart, table, or graph and are not inserting it in your paper:

  • Provide an in-text citation. Use the citation format of the source where the image is found. (e.g., if you find the image on a website, use the in-text citation of a website). 
  • Cite the image in your Reference List. Use the citation format of the source where the image is found. (e.g., if you find the image on a website, cite the website). 

Elements to Include in the Attribution under the Figure:

Begin the attribution with the word  Note.

►Description

Include a short description.

►"From" or "Adapted from"

If you are reusing the exact image, start the copyright attribution statement with  From . If you have modified the image, start the statement with  Adapted from . 

►Citation Information

Use the order of: "Title of Article" by A. Author and B. Author, year,  Title of Journal, Volume (Issue), p. xx.

"Sleep Deprivation in New Mothers" by R. Smith, 2016,  Postpartum Journal, 7 (4), p. 32.

►Copyright Information

Include one of the following at the end of the attribution under the figure:

Copyright year by Name of Copyright Holder.

The copyright holder of a journal article is the publisher of a journal, usually found at the bottom of the journal's website, next to the copyright symbol.

Example: Copyright 2020 by John Wiley & Sons. 

In the public domain.

Creative Commons license (e.g., CC BY) 

Example: Inserting a Table from a Journal

Comparison of Antimicrobial Resistant Genes in Chicken Gut Microbiome Grown on Organic and Conventional Diet

Antibiotics Conventional Diet
Amoxicillan
Penicillin

Note.  From "Comparison of Antimicrobial Resistant Genes in Chicken Gut Microbiome Grown on Organic and Conventional Diet," by N. V. Hegde, S. Kariyawasam, and C. DebRoy, 2016,  Veterinary and Animal Science ,  13 (2), p. 13 ( https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vas.2016.07.001 ). Copyright 2016 by Elsevier BV.

Example: Inserting a Stock Image or Image from a Website

Figure 3​

 From   [Photograph], by The City of Toronto, 2010, Flickr ( ). CC BY.

Example: Inserting an Image from an eBook 

Figure 2​


 Author last name, year, page number


 Author last name, year


(Issue Number if Page Numbering Begins at 1 for Each Issue in the Volume), first page number-last page number. https://doi.org/number


(2), 157-164.

 Authors' last names, year, page number


Authors' last names, year



 

(Issue Number if Page Numbering Begins at 1 for Each Issue in the Volume), first page number-last page number. https://doi.org/number

 

(5), 1052–1072. 

(2), 227-238. 

(Pt B), 321–329. 

 

 First author's last name, year, page number
 


First author's last name, year

 

 


(1), 1935–1968. 

First author's last name, year, page number


 First author's last name, year, page number


(Issue Number if Page Numbering Begins at 1 for Each Issue in the Volume), first page number-last page number.


(39), 18-19.

 Author last name, year, page number



(Issue Number if Page Numbering Begins at 1 for Each Issue in the Volume), first page number-last page number.





(2), 60-68.

(12), 58-69.

(8), 56-68.

 Author's last name(s), year, page number



 

 Author's last name(s), year



 


 

(Issue Number if given), first page number-last page number if given. http://UR


 

Author's last name(s), year, page number



Author's last name(s), year



(Issue Number if Page Numbering Begins at 1 for Each Issue in the Volume), first page number-last page number.


(20), 11-18.



Note:  Cite social media only when the material was originally published there, such as an original Instagram post. If the link to a resource was posted on social media, such a Pinterest pin or link in a Tweet, cite the resource directly. 

 [Description of attached content] [Post or Video]. LinkedIn. http://URL

Since posts don't have exact dates, use an approximate year for the date element. If the post includes other content, add this information in square brackets after the post element. Examples include [Image attached], [Thumbnail with link attached], [Video attached]. 


 

[Image attached] [Post]. 

 


 


 

LinkedIn Profile

 [LinkedIn page]. LinkedIn. Retrieved date, from http://URL

Since profiles don't have update dates, use n.d. in the date element. For page title, identify the section on the profile, such as  ,  ,  . 


 

 [LinkedIn page]. LinkedIn. Retrieved 22 September 2021, from  

 


 

 


 [Format of post, such as photograph(s), video]. Instagram. http://postURL


 

 [Infographic]. Instagram. 

 



X (formerly Twitter):

 [Post]. Twitter. http://XPostURL


 

 [Post]. 

Write out the actual text of the post in the citation and keep spelling and grammar the same as in the original, even if there are errors.

 




 

 [Image attached]. Facebook. 

 



 [Video]. TikTok. http://URL


 

 [Video]. 

Write out the actual text of the post in the citation and keep spelling and grammar the same as in the original, even if there are errors.

 


 


No Author: 

.


. (2018). ABC Press.

, 2018)

, 2018, p.25)


No Publication Date:

If your source doesn't have a date, write n.d. where you would normally provide the date.  For example:

Reference List Citation

Seneca Polytechnic. (n.d.).  Seneca's art collection .  https://www.senecapolytechnic.ca/collection/

In-text Citation

(Seneca Polytechnic, n.d.)

No Page Numbers:

If you're quoting from a source without page numbers, include the location where you found the information in your in-text citation. This includes the name of section/heading (if available) and paragraph number where you found the information. Count the paragraph from the beginning of the document or section (if available).

Although not required, APA encourages including the page number when paraphrasing if it will help the reader locate the information in a long text and distinguish between the information that is coming from you and the source.

(Diabetes Canada, n.d., Move More section, para. 2)

(World Health Organization, 2020, para. 10)

If you're citing a source without a title, include a description of the work in square brackets. For example:

Vividata. (2018). [Potato chips - personally ate in the past 6 months for all respondents 14+ in Ontario].  http://library.senecapolytechnic.ca/res/vividata.html

(Vividata, 2018)

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Examples

APA Book Citation

Ai generator.

Citing sources correctly is an essential aspect of academic writing, ensuring that ideas are attributed to their original authors and providing readers with a means to locate the referenced material. In the American Psychological Association (APA) style, book citations follow a specific format to maintain consistency and clarity. This article aims to guide you through the process of creating APA book citations, from understanding the components of an APA book citation to providing examples for different scenarios.

1. APA Book Citation

APA Book Citation

Size: 42 KB

2. APA Book In-Text Citation

APA Book In Text Citation

Size: 22 KB

3. APA Book Citation Example

APA Book Citation Example

Size: 725 KB

4. APA 6th Edition Book Citation

APA 6th Edition Book Citation

5. APA Book Citation Manual

APA Book Citation Manual

Size: 775 KB

6. APA Reference Book Citation

APA Reference Book Citation

7. APA Book Author Citation

APA Book Author Citation

Size: 945 KB

8. APA 7 Style Book Citation

APA 7 Style Book Citation

Size: 138 KB

9. APA Style Book Citation

APA Style Book Citation

Size: 752 KB

10. APA 7 Book Author Quick Sheet

APA 7 Reference Page Quick Sheet

Size: 173 KB

11. Basic APA Book Author

Basic APA 7 Reference Page

Size: 82 KB

12. APA Style Book Author Citation

APA Style Book Author Citation

13. APA Citation Style Guide Book Author

APA Citation Style Guide Book Author

14. APA 7th Book Author

APA 7th Book Author

Size: 356 KB

15. General APA Book Author

General APA Book Author

16. Standard APA Book Author

Standard APA Book Author

Size: 297 KB

17. APA Book Author Reference Citation

APA Book Author Reference Citation

Size: 572 KB

18. APA Book Author Citation Format

APA Book Author Citation Format

Size: 345 KB

19. APA Book Single Author Citation

APA Book Single Author Citation

20. APA Book Author Citation Fundamentals

APA Book Author Citation Fundamentals

21. APA Book Author Elements Citation

APA Book Author Elements Citation

Size: 169 KB

22. Printable APA Book Author Citation

Printable APA Book Author Citation

Size: 155 KB

23.  APA Book Author Journal Citation

APA Book Author Journal Citation

Size: 180 KB

24. Editable  APA Book Author Citation

Editable APA Book Author Citation

Size: 227 KB

25. APA Book Author Citation Layout

APA Book Author Citation Layout

Size: 797 KB

What is an APA Book Citation?

An APA book citation is a standardized method of acknowledging and referencing a book within an APA style paper . It consists of specific elements that allow readers to locate the book and verify the information used. Properly formatted book citations include the author’s name(s), publication year, book title, publisher name, and a unique identifier such as a DOI (Digital Object Identifier) or a URL (Uniform Resource Locator).

How to Write a Book Citation in APA Format

To create an accurate APA book citation, follow these steps:

Step 1: Begin with the author’s last name, followed by a comma and initials

Start the citation by mentioning the last name of the author or authors who contributed to the book. Follow it with a comma and the initials of their first and middle names (if available). For example, “Smith, J. D.”

Step 2: Include the publication year in parentheses:

After the author’s name, enclose the publication year of the book in parentheses. This information helps readers determine the currency of the source. For example, “(2021).”

Step 3: Provide the title of the book in sentence case and italics

Write the title of the book using sentence case, capitalizing only the first letter of the first word and any proper nouns. Italicize the title to distinguish it from the rest of the citation. For example, “The Art of Writing.”

Step 4: Include the publisher’s name, omitting any abbreviations

After the book title, mention the name of the publisher. Write out the full name of the publisher, avoiding any abbreviations. For example, “Publisher Name.”

Step 5: Add a DOI or a URL if available, providing a stable link to the book:

If the book has a DOI (Digital Object Identifier) or a stable URL (Uniform Resource Locator), include it at the end of the citation. This allows readers to easily access the book online. For example, “doi:10.xxxx/xxxxx” or “Retrieved from http://www.example.com/book”.

What is the purpose of in-text citations in APA style?

In-text citations in APA style serve the function of acknowledging the sources used in the text and allowing readers to locate the corresponding full reference in the reference list . They provide brief information about the source’s author(s) and publication year within the text structure , usually enclosed in parentheses.

Do I need to include all authors’ names in an APA book citation?

In APA book citations, include the names of up to 20 authors. If there are more than 20 authors, list the first 19, followed by an ellipsis (…) and the last author’s name.

How should I format the reference list entry for a book with multiple editions?

When citing a book with multiple editions, include the edition number after the book title in parentheses, without italics. Ensure you specify which edition you are referencing, even if it is the first edition.

Accurate and consistent APA book citations are essential in academic writing. They not only fulfill the function of acknowledging the original sources but also enable readers to locate and validate the information presented. By following the step-by-step guide provided here, you can confidently create APA book citations for various scenarios, enhancing the credibility and professionalism of your research. Remember to consult the APA Publication Manual or online resources for any additional nuances specific to your citation needs.

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How to Write a Bibliography [Tips with Examples]

Going through the process of writing a report as a student often feels like being thrown into the deep end without a map. While you're typically given a sample report to follow, it rarely provides the systematic guidance needed to tackle the task effectively. This lack of structured support can leave you feeling confused and unsure where to begin.

The same challenge extends to writing bibliographies. Without clear instructions, understanding how to compile and format references can be daunting. In this guide, I aim to demystify the art of how to write a bibliography, offering step-by-step instructions and additional tips to help you navigate this essential aspect of academic writing with confidence.

What is a Bibliography?

A bibliography serves as a crucial component of academic writing, which includes a detailed list of all sources consulted during research. It not only validates the credibility of your work but also aids readers in retracing your steps to verify facts, data, and insights you've presented. Here’s more on what’s the purpose of bibliographies and what does it include:

Purpose of a Bibliography:

A bibliography supports academic integrity by:

Demonstrating thorough research conducted for the assignment.

Crediting original authors for their contributions.

Enabling readers to locate and explore cited sources independently.

Providing a foundation for future scholars to build upon your research.

Components of a Bibliography:

Citation Details: Includes the author's name, title of the work, publication details (like publisher and year), and specific pages or chapters referenced.

Formatting: Follows specific style guides (e.g., MLA, APA, Chicago Manual of Style) for consistency and clarity.

Organizational Structure: Typically arranged alphabetically by author’s last name or chronologically for historical works.

Annotations (in annotated bibliographies): Brief evaluations summarizing each source’s relevance, scope, and potential bias.

Categories of Bibliographies:

Enumerative Bibliography: Lists sources categorically, such as by author or topic, without additional commentary.

Analytical Bibliography: Explores the physical attributes and evolution of a work, including details like publication history and format changes.

Annotated Bibliography: Provides annotations explaining each source's significance, aiding in understanding its relevance to the research topic.

Subject Bibliography: Organizes sources by subject matter, facilitating research within specific fields or disciplines.

National Bibliography: Compiles works published within a specific country or region, often including cultural or historical contexts.

How to Write a Bibliography Step by Step?

Learning how to write a bibliography is a crucial skill in academics. It's all about giving credit where it's due - acknowledging the sources you've used in your research. Whether you're crafting an essay bibliography or a reference list for a longer paper, the basics remain the same.

In this section, we'll explore these core elements of bibliography writing. By understanding these basics, you'll be equipped to create accurate citations regardless of the specific format required. A well-crafted bibliography not only prevents plagiarism but also demonstrates the depth of your research. So, let's have a look at the basics of how to write a bibliography for essays or research papers.

Step 1: Gather Your Resources

First things first, let's round up all the materials you've used for your research. This includes:

Books: Whether they're physical copies or e-books, make sure you've got them all listed.

Articles: This covers journal articles, magazine pieces, and newspaper reports.

Websites: Any online sources you've referenced should be included.

Other media: Don't forget about videos, podcasts, or interviews you might have used.

Maintain an ongoing list of sources as you research—it'll simplify your work later on!

Step 2: Record Citation Information

Now, here's where the real work begins. For each source, you'll need to jot down:

Author(s): Full names, please!

Title of the work: Whether it's a book title, article name, or website header.

Publication date: When was this information made available?

Publisher: Who put this information out there?

Page numbers: If you're using a physical book or a PDF with page numbers.

URL and access date: For online sources, note when you accessed the information.

Here's a quick example of what bibliographies for different sources might look like:

For a book:

Author: Jane Smith

Title: The Art of Bibliography Writing

Publication Date: 2022

Publisher: Academic Press

Pages:56-58

For a website:

Author: John Doe

Title: "10 Tips for Perfect Citations"

Publication Date: March 15, 2023

URL: www.citationtips.com

Accessed: July 17, 2024

Step 3: Format Your Bibliography

Next, we need to consider the formatting requirements. Remember, each academic style may have different formatting demands, but they all adhere to the same general rules:

Alphabetical order:

Arrange entries by the author's last name.

For works without an author, use the title (ignoring articles like "A," "An," or "The" at the beginning).

Hanging indent :

Set a hanging indent of 0.5 inches (1.27 cm) for each entry.

The first line of each entry should be flush left, with subsequent lines indented.

Double-space the entire bibliography for most styles.

Some styles may require single spacing within entries and double spacing between them.

Consistency:

Use the same punctuation, capitalization, and formatting throughout.

Pay attention to details like italicization and quotation marks.

Speaking of styles, there are several to choose from, and the one you use often depends on your field of study or your instructor's preference. The most common are:

APA (American Psychological Association)

MLA (Modern Language Association)

Don't worry – we'll look into each of these academic styles in the upcoming sections where we'll discuss the formatting requirements for each style in detail, along with a few examples to help you understand how to format a bibliography according to different academic styles!

Bibliographies in any format often involve formatting risks, especially when converting to PDF. That's why I'll demonstrate WPS Office to you, where not only will my formatting remain preserved, but it's also the ideal office suite for students. It offers free capabilities and is easily navigable

How to Write a Bibliography in APA Format?

APA (American Psychological Association) format is widely used in social sciences. Before we dive into examples, let's review the key formatting requirements:

APA Formatting Requirements:

Title the page "References" centered at the top.

Double-space all entries.

Use a hanging indent for each entry (first line flush left, subsequent lines indented 0.5 inches).

Alphabetize entries by the author's last name.

For multiple works by the same author, order chronologically from earliest to most recent.

Use only the initials for authors' first and middle names.

Now, let's look at how to cite different types of sources:

Author's last name, first initial. (Publication date). Book title. Additional information. City of publication: Publishing company.

Gladwell, M. (2008). Outliers: The story of success. Little, Brown and Company.

Journal Articles:

Author's Last Name, First Initial. Middle Initial. (Year). Title of article. Name of Journal, Volume(Issue), Page range. DOI if available

Krueger, R. F., & Markon, K. E. (2006). Reinterpreting comorbidity: A model-based approach to understanding and classifying psychopathology. Annual Review of Clinical Psychology, 2, 111-133. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.clinpsy.2.022305.095213

Author's Last Name, First Initial. Middle Initial. (Year, Month Day). Title of page. Website Name. URL

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2023, May 5). COVID-19 vaccination clinical and professional resources. https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/index.html

How to Write a Bibliography in MLA Format?

MLA (Modern Language Association) format is commonly used in humanities. Let's review the formatting requirements:

Formatting Requirements:

Title the page "Works Cited" centered at the top.

If no author is given, alphabetize by the title, ignoring articles (A, An, The).

Use the full first name of authors, not just initials.

Now, these are some ways on how to cite different types of sources:

Author's Last Name, First Name. Title of Book. Publisher, Year of Publication.

Austen, Jane. Pride and Prejudice. Penguin Classics, 2002.

Author's Last Name, First Name. "Title of Article." Name of Journal, vol. Volume Number, no. Issue Number, Year of Publication, pp. Page Range.

Poe, Edgar Allan. "The Philosophy of Composition." Graham's Magazine, vol. 28, no. 4, 1846, pp. 163-167.

Author's Last Name, First Name. "Title of Web Page." Name of Website, Date of Publication or Last Update, URL. Accessed Day Month Year.

Hollmichel, Stefanie. "The Reading Brain: Differences between Digital and Print." So Many Books, 25 Apr. 2013, somanybooksblog.com/2013/04/25/the-reading-brain-differences-between-digital-and-print/. Accessed 4 May 2023.

How to Write a Bibliography in Chicago Format?

Chicago style has two systems: notes and bibliography (used in humanities) and author-date (used in sciences and social sciences). We'll focus on the notes and bibliography system. First, the formatting requirements:

Title the page "Bibliography" centered at the top.

Single-space each entry, with a blank line between entries.

Here’s how you can cite different types of sources in Chicago format:

Last Name, First Name. Title of Book. Place of Publication: Publisher, Year of Publication.

Hemingway, Ernest. The Old Man and the Sea. New York: Scribner, 1952.

Last Name, First Name. "Title of Article." Name of Journal Volume Number, no. Issue Number (Year of Publication): Page Range.

Sontag, Susan. "Against Interpretation." Evergreen Review 34 (1964): 76-84.

Last Name, First Name. "Title of Web Page." Name of Website. Publishing Organization, Publication or Modified Date. URL.

Kenzie, Susan. "The Elements of Chicago Style." Writing Resources. University of Chicago, last modified March 23, 2022. https://writingresources.uchicago.edu/chicago-style-elements .

How to Write a Bibliography in Harvard Format?

Harvard referencing style is commonly used in the UK and Australia. Let's review the formatting requirements:

Title the page "Reference List" or "References" centered at the top.

You can site different type of sources in the following ways in Harvard format:

Author's Last name, Initial(s). (Year) Title of book. Edition (if not first edition). Place of publication: Publisher.

Hawking, S. (1988) A brief history of time. London: Bantam Books.

Author's Last name, Initial(s). (Year) 'Title of article', Journal Name, Volume(Issue), Page range.

Boughton, J.M. (2002) 'The Bretton Woods proposal: an in-depth look', Political Science Quarterly, 42(6), pp. 564-578.

Author's Last name, Initial(s). (Year) Title of web page. Available at: URL (Accessed: Day Month Year).

BBC News (2023) Climate change: Scientists warn of 'irreversible' impacts. Available at: https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-51742646 (Accessed: 17 July 2023).

Bonus Tips: Using WPS to Perfect your Bibliography

WPS Office is a golden ticket for academic success, especially for students navigating the intricacies of bibliography writing. Often, students struggle with formatting details, but WPS AI steps in as a reliable assistant, ensuring seamless document preparation.

1.Convert Word to PDF without Losing Format

One of WPS Office's standout features is its ability to convert Word documents to PDF flawlessly. Unlike Microsoft Word, which can sometimes disrupt formatting, WPS Office ensures that your meticulously formatted bibliographies in APA, MLA, or Chicago style are preserved without any loss of structure or design. This reliability is crucial as it saves students valuable time and effort, allowing them to focus on the content rather than technical adjustments.

2.Check the Format & Spelling

WPS AI goes beyond formatting; it also checks for spelling and grammar errors with precision. This feature guarantees that your bibliographies are not only visually polished but also linguistically flawless. Students can rest assured that their academic work meets the highest standards of clarity and correctness, enhancing both their academic credibility and professional presentation skills.

1. What is annotated bibliography?

An annotated bibliography is a collection of sources that provides a summary of research related to a specific topic. It includes a list of citations for each source, accompanied by a brief descriptive text (an annotation) that summarizes and evaluates the content. This annotation helps readers understand the source's relevance and usefulness. An annotated bibliography can function as a standalone assignment or be incorporated as part of a larger research project.

2. How can I cite without author name or date?

If the source lacks an author or date, incorporate the title into your signal phrase or within parentheses, using the abbreviation "n.d." (for "no date"). Another study focusing on students and their research choices found that those who received tutoring achieved success ("Tutoring and APA," n.d.).

Format Your Academic Research With WPS Office

Your research likely consumed a great deal of time, effort, and especially involved extensive digging into research papers, books, and other materials. And you took your time learning how to write a bibliography but to ensure your research is solid and authentic, it's crucial to include all these sources in the correct format on your bibliography page. Otherwise, your research may lack credibility. WPS Office helps restore that confidence by assisting you in formatting it correctly. Download WPS Office and discover how it can significantly aid you as a student.

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American Psychological Association

Webpage on a Website References

This page contains reference examples for webpages, including the following:

  • Webpage on a news website
  • Comment on a webpage on a news website
  • Webpage on a website with a government agency group author
  • Webpage on a website with an organizational group author
  • Webpage on a website with an individual author
  • Webpage on a website with a retrieval date

1. Webpage on a news website

Bologna, C. (2019, October 31). Why some people with anxiety love watching horror movies . HuffPost. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/anxiety-love-watching-horror-movies_l_5d277587e4b02a5a5d57b59e

Roberts, N. (2020, June 10). Trayvon Martin’s mother, Sybrina Fulton, qualifies to run for elected office . BET News. https://www.bet.com/news/national/2020/06/10/trayvon-martin-mother-sybrina-fulton-qualifies-for-office-florid.html

Toner, K. (2020, September 24). When Covid-19 hit, he turned his newspaper route into a lifeline for senior citizens . CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/04/us/coronavirus-newspaper-deliveryman-groceries-senior-citizens-cnnheroes-trnd/index.html

  • Parenthetical citations : (Bologna, 2019; Roberts, 2020; Toner, 2020)
  • Narrative citations : Bologna (2019), Roberts (2020), and Toner (2020)
  • Use this format for articles from news websites. Common examples are BBC News, BET News, Bloomberg, CNN, HuffPost, MSNBC, Reuters, Salon, and Vox. These sites do not have associated daily or weekly newspapers.
  • Use the newspaper article category for articles from newspaper websites such as The New York Times or The Washington Post .
  • Provide the writer as the author.
  • Provide the specific date the story was published.
  • Provide the title of the news story in italic sentence case.
  • List the name of the news website in the source element of the reference.
  • End the reference with the URL.

2. Comment on a webpage on a news website

Owens, L. (2020, October 7). I propose a bicycle race between Biden and Trump [Comment on the webpage Here’s what voters make of President Trump’s COVID-19 diagnosis ]. HuffPost. https://www.spot.im/s/00QeiyApEIFa

  • Parenthetical citation : (Owens, 2020)
  • Narrative citation : Owens (2020)
  • Credit the person who left the comment as the author using the format that appears with the comment (i.e., a real name and/or a username). The example shows a real name.
  • Provide the specific date the comment was published.
  • Provide the comment title or up to the first 20 words of the comment in standard font. Then in square brackets write “Comment on the webpage” and the title of the webpage on which the comment appeared in sentence case and italics.
  • Provide the name of the news website in the source element of the reference.
  • Link to the comment itself if possible. Otherwise, link to the webpage on which the comment appears. Either a full URL or a short URL is acceptable.

3. Webpage on a website with a government agency group author

National Institute of Mental Health. (2018, July). Anxiety disorders . U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/anxiety-disorders/index.shtml

  • Parenthetical citation : (National Institute of Mental Health, 2018)
  • Narrative citation : National Institute of Mental Health (2018)
  • For a page on a government website without individual authors, use the specific agency responsible for the webpage as the author.
  • The names of parent agencies not present in the author element appear in the source element (in the example, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health). This creates concise in-text citations and complete reference list entries.
  • Provide as specific a date as possible for the webpage.
  • Some online works note when the work was last updated. If this date is clearly attributable to the specific content you are citing rather than the overall website, use the updated date in the reference.
  • Do not include a date of last review in a reference because content that has been reviewed has not necessarily been changed. If a date of last review is noted on a work, ignore it for the purposes of the reference.
  • Italicize the title of the webpage.

4. Webpage on a website with an organizational group author

World Health Organization. (2018, May 24) . The top 10 causes of death . https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/the-top-10-causes-of-death

  • Parenthetical citation : (World Health Organization, 2018)
  • Narrative citation : World Health Organization (2018)
  • For a page from an organization’s website without individual authors, use the name of the organization as the author.
  • Because the author of the webpage and the site name are the same, omit the site name from the source element to avoid repetition.

5. Webpage on a website with an individual author

Horovitz, B. (2021, October 19). Are you ready to move your aging parent into your home? AARP. https://www.aarp.org/caregiving/home-care/info-2021/caregiving-questions.html

Schaeffer, K. (2021, October 1). What we know about online learning and the homework gap amid the pandemic. Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2021/10/01/what-we-know-about-online-learning-and-the-homework-gap-amid-the-pandemic/

  • Parenthetical citations : (Horovitz, 2021; Schaeffer, 2021)
  • Narrative citations : Horovitz (2021) and Schaeffer (2021)
  • When individual author(s) are credited on the webpage, list them as the author in the reference.
  • Provide the site name in the source element of the reference.

6. Webpage on a website with a retrieval date

U.S. Census Bureau. (n.d.). U.S. and world population clock . U.S. Department of Commerce. Retrieved January 9, 2020, from https://www.census.gov/popclock/

  • Parenthetical citation : (U.S. Census Bureau, n.d.)
  • Narrative citation : U.S. Census Bureau (n.d.)
  • When contents of a page are designed to change over time but are not archived, include a retrieval date in the reference.

Webpage references are covered in the seventh edition APA Style manuals in the Publication Manual Section 10.16 and the Concise Guide Section 10.14

book bibliography example apa

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How to cite in MLA format

MLA handbook 9th edition

MLA is one of the most common citation styles used by students and academics. This quick guide explains how to cite sources according to the 9th edition (the most recent) of the MLA Handbook . You can also use Scribbr’s free  citation generator to automatically generate references and in-text citations.

An MLA citation has two components:

  • In-text citation : Every time you quote or paraphrase a source, you cite the author and the page number in parentheses.
  • Works Cited : At the end of your paper, you give a full reference for every source you cited, alphabetized by the author’s last name.

MLA Works Cited list

The list of Works Cited (also known as the bibliography or reference page) gives full details of every source you cited in your text. Each entry is built from nine core elements:

Following this format, you can create a citation for any type of source—for example, a book , journal article , website , or movie . You only include information that’s relevant to the type of source you’re citing.

Missing information in MLA citations

Regardless of the source type, the most important elements of any MLA citation are the author , the source title , and the publication date. If any of these are missing from the source, the Works Cited entry will look slightly different.

What’s missing?What to doWorks Cited example
No authorStart with the source title instead. Alphabetize by the first word (ignoring ).“Australia fires: ‘Catastrophic’ alerts in South Australia and Victoria.” , 20 Nov. 2019, www.bbc.com/­news/­world-­australia-­50483410.
No titleGive a brief description of the source. Use sentence case and no italics or quotation marks.Mackintosh, Charles Rennie. Chair of stained oak. 1897–1900, Victoria and Albert Museum, London.
No dateLeave out the publication date. Add the date you accessed the source at the end of the citation.“Who are Scribbr Editors?” , www.scribbr.com/­about-­us/­editors/. Accessed 10 June 2019.

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MLA in-text citations

MLA in-text citations are brief references that direct your reader to the full source entry. You include them every time you quote , block quote , paraphrase or summarize a source.

The in-text citation must match the first word of the Works Cited entry—usually the author’s last name . It also includes a page number or range to help the reader locate the relevant passage.

AuthorWhat to doCitation example
1 authorGive the author’s last name.(Wallace 11–12)
2 authorsGive both author’s last names.(Wallace and Armstrong 11–12)
3+ authorsName the first author followed by “et al.”(Wallace et al. 11–12)
Corporate authorIf a source was created by an organization other than the publisher, use the organization name as author.(U.S. Global Change Research Program 22)
No authorIf the author is the same as the publisher, or if no author is credited, use the source title instead. Format the title the same as in the full Works Cited reference, and shorten if it is more than four words.(“Australia Fires”)
Multiple sources by the same authorInclude the title (or a shortened version) after the author’s name in each source citation.(Morrison, , 73)
(Morrison, , 45)

If you already named the author in your sentence, include only the page number in parentheses:

Sources with no page numbers

If the source has no page numbers, you either use an alternative locator, or leave the page number out of the citation:

Source typeWhat to doCitation example
Audiovisual source (e.g. a or )Give the time range of the relevant section.(Arnold 03:15–03:21).
Source with numbered sections (e.g. an )Give a paragraph, section, or chapter number.(Smith, par. 38)
(Rowling, ch. 6)
Source with no numbered sections (e.g. a )Leave out the page number.(Barker)

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  • Guides and videos : Explore hundreds of articles, bite-sized videos, time-saving templates, and handy checklists that guide you through the process of research, writing, and citation.

IMAGES

  1. Definition and Examples

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  2. APA Reference Page Examples and Format Guide

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  3. 🌷 How to write an annotation for a bibliography. How To Write an

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  4. Annotated Bibliography Book Apa

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  5. APA Format Annotated Bibliography Sample by Bibliography-Samples on

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VIDEO

  1. How To Create An Annotated Bibliography In APA Style?

  2. Referencing with MyBib (APA 7th)

  3. How do you reference a bibliography example?

  4. How to Write a Book Bibliography

  5. Reading Citations

  6. Citation for a Textbook Reading APA 6th edition

COMMENTS

  1. How to Cite a Book in APA Style

    Basic book citation format. The in-text citation for a book includes the author's last name, the year, and (if relevant) a page number. In the reference list, start with the author's last name and initials, followed by the year.The book title is written in sentence case (only capitalize the first word and any proper nouns).Include any other contributors (e.g. editors and translators) and ...

  2. Book/ebook references

    Book/Ebook References. Use the same formats for both print books and ebooks. For ebooks, the format, platform, or device (e.g., Kindle) is not included in the reference. This page contains reference examples for books, including the following: Whole authored book. Whole edited book. Republished book, with editor.

  3. How to Cite a Book in APA

    To cite a book in APA style, you need to have basic information including the authors, publication year, book title, and publisher. The templates for in-text citation and reference list entry of a book written by a single author along with examples are given below: Author Surname, F. M. (Publication Year).

  4. 8 APA Book Reference Examples

    To create a reference citation for a book in APA, you need the author, date, title, and publisher. Some books will require additional elements like editions and volumes but these are the basic components. An example of a basic book citation includes: Gareven, J. R. (2015). Investigating the stars.

  5. APA Style (7th Edition) Citation Guide: Books & Ebooks

    Put a comma and an ampersand (&) before the name of the last author cited. Note: For works with three or more authors, the first in-text citation is shortened to include the first author's surname followed by "et al." Note: If the listed names are editors rather than authors, include " (Eds.)." at the end of the list of names.

  6. PDF 7th edition Common Reference Examples Guide

    Common Reference Examples Guide. This guide contains examples of common types of APA Style references. Section numbers indicate where to find the examples in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.). More information on references and reference examples are in Chapters 9 and 10 of the Publication Manual as well ...

  7. PDF APA Style Reference Guide for Journal Articles, Books, and Edited Book

    Provide the title of the book in which the chapter appears. Capitalize only the first letter of the first word. For a two-part title, capitalize the first word of the second part of the title. Also capitalize proper nouns. Italicize the book title. Include the chapter page range. End with a period.

  8. How to Cite a Book

    A Chicago bibliography entry for a book includes the author's name, the book title and subtitle, the edition (if stated), the location and name of the publisher, and the year of publication. For an e-book, add the e-book format (e.g. "Kindle") at the end. Author last name, First name. Book Title: Subtitle.

  9. APA Book Citation

    Example: Finney, J. (1970). Time and again. Simon and Schuster. Notes: When citing a book in APA, keep in mind: The title of the book should be written in sentence case. This means you should capitalize the first letter of the first word of the title and any subtitles, as well as the first letter of any proper nouns.

  10. Reference List: Books

    The following contains a list of the most commonly cited print book sources. E-books are described on our "Electronic Sources" page . For a complete list of how to cite print sources, please refer to the 7 th edition of the APA Publication Manual. Note: If available, APA 7 requires a DOI for all works that have one — whether print or digital.

  11. APA Formatting and Style Guide (7th Edition)

    Basic guidelines for formatting the reference list at the end of a standard APA research paper Author/Authors Rules for handling works by a single author or multiple authors that apply to all APA-style references in your reference list, regardless of the type of work (book, article, electronic resource, etc.)

  12. APA Citation Examples

    APA Citation Examples | Books, Articles, Webpages, Reports. APA provides different reference formats for more than 100 source types. Therefore, it's essential to first determine what kind of source you're dealing with. In some cases, this isn't as easy as it sounds. Sources can take the form of a webpage or PDF file, but this is just the ...

  13. APA Book Citation Examples

    APA Book Citation Examples. APA book citations might look intimidating, but they aren't bad once you learn the basic format. APA 7 book citations include the author, publication year, book title, and publisher. Remember to use the author's last name and then only the initials for the first and middle names. The APA in-text citation format ...

  14. How to Cite a Book in APA Style

    The APA book citation format to reference a direct quotation from a book is completely different from the above example. Given below is an example of how to cite a quotation in APA from a book. Reactance theory was developed by Jack W. Brehm and articulated in his Theory of Psychological Reactance. (Chadee, D, 2022, p.15)

  15. Citing a Book in APA

    Citing books in APA Print books with one author: APA citation format: Author Last name, First initial. Middle initial. (Year Published). Title of work.

  16. Sample Bibliography: APA

    The basic format for a book citation requires listing the author's name, the title of the book, the publisher's name, and the date of publication. Edited books, when cited in full, will list the editor's name instead of an author's name. References. Becsey, L., Wachsberger, P., Samuels, S., et al (Directors). (2008). In the valley of Elah. [DVD].

  17. Reference examples

    More than 100 reference examples and their corresponding in-text citations are presented in the seventh edition Publication Manual.Examples of the most common works that writers cite are provided on this page; additional examples are available in the Publication Manual.. To find the reference example you need, first select a category (e.g., periodicals) and then choose the appropriate type of ...

  18. APA Book Citation Examples

    When you want to create an APA citation for a book with between two and seven authors, use a comma and an ampersand (&) before the final author in the list. The format is otherwise identical to a print book with a single author. Last Name of first author, Initial first name, Initial middle name (if available), & last name of second author ...

  19. Free APA Citation Generator [Updated for 2024]

    An APA citation generator is a software tool that will automatically format academic citations in the American Psychological Association (APA) style. It will usually request vital details about a source -- like the authors, title, and publish date -- and will output these details with the correct punctuation and layout required by the official ...

  20. LibGuides: APA Citation Guide (APA 7th Edition): When Formatting

    APA Citation Guide (APA 7th Edition): When Formatting Citation Elements. ... Example of original citation: Lane, J. D., & Williams, R. B. (1987). ... If the work is published by an imprint, use this as the publisher of the source. For example, if the book says "published by Ballantine Books, an imprint of Random House," use Ballantine Books as ...

  21. APA Citation Examples

    Example: Print book: Reference List Citation. Introduction to food science. (2018). ABC Press. In-text Citation. Paraphrase: (Introduction to Food Science, 2018) Direct Quote: (Introduction to Food Science, 2018, p.25) If the title of the source is Italicized in the reference list citation, remember to Italicize the title in your in-text citation.

  22. APA Formatting and Citation (7th Ed.)

    Throughout your paper, you need to apply the following APA format guidelines: Set page margins to 1 inch on all sides. Double-space all text, including headings. Indent the first line of every paragraph 0.5 inches. Use an accessible font (e.g., Times New Roman 12pt., Arial 11pt., or Georgia 11pt.).

  23. APA Book Citation

    In the American Psychological Association (APA) style, book citations follow a specific format to maintain consistency and clarity. This article aims to guide you through the process of creating APA book citations, from understanding the components of an APA book citation to providing examples for different scenarios. 1. APA Book Citation

  24. APA style

    APA style (also known as APA format) is a writing style and format for academic documents such as scholarly journal articles and books. It is commonly used for citing sources within the field of behavioral and social sciences, including sociology, education, nursing, criminal justice, anthropology, and psychology.It is described in the style guide of the American Psychological Association (APA ...

  25. Citing a Book in APA Style (6th Edition)

    Basic book citation format. The APA in-text citation for a book includes the author's last name, the year, and (if relevant) a page number.. In the reference list, start with the author's last name and initials, followed by the year.The book title is written in sentence case (only capitalize the first word and any proper nouns). Include other contributors (e.g. editors and translators) and ...

  26. How to Write a Bibliography [Tips with Examples]

    Going through the process of writing a report as a student often feels like being thrown into the deep end without a map. While you're typically given a sample report to follow, it rarely provides the systematic guidance needed to tackle the task effectively. This lack of structured support can leave you feeling confused and unsure where to begin.

  27. Webpage on a Website References

    Narrative citation: National Institute of Mental Health (2018) For a page on a government website without individual authors, use the specific agency responsible for the webpage as the author. The names of parent agencies not present in the author element appear in the source element (in the example, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services ...

  28. Free MLA Citation Generator

    How to cite in MLA format. MLA is one of the most common citation styles used by students and academics. This quick guide explains how to cite sources according to the 9th edition (the most recent) of the MLA Handbook.You can also use Scribbr's free citation generator to automatically generate references and in-text citations.. An MLA citation has two components: