purdue apa 6th edition

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APA 7th Edition

Purdue's OWL (Online Writing Lab) provides instruction on how to use APA 7th. Below are a few topics covered by the OWL.

• APA Style Introduction APA 7th
• APA Overview and Workshop APA 7th
• General Formatting APA 7th
• In-Text Citation: Authors APA 7th
• Foot Notes and Appendices APA 7th
• Changes in the 7th Edition APA 7th
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• Last Edited: Apr 5, 2024 9:55 AM
• URL: https://guides.lib.purdue.edu/Education_GraduateStudents

Writing Center

• Undergraduate Writing Lab
• Graduate Writing Lab
• APA (6th ed.)
• APA (7th ed.)
• Chicago & Turabian

• APA Style Blog
• APA Style Home

The American Psychological Association has released a new edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association. Graduate students currently enrolled in programs using the 6th edition will continue to use the 6th edition through the completion of the program. Undergraduate students will transition to the 7th edition in the spring 2020 semester. This guide will be updated to reflect the changes seen in the new edition. Here is a summary of some of the changes between the 6th and 7th editions.

Reference Examples (6th ed.)

• Print Book/eBook
• Article from a Reference Work
• Journal/Magazine/Newspaper Article
• UptoDate database
• Dissertation/Thesis
• YouTube/TedTalk Video
• ERIC Document

For additional source formats (not listed in the tabs above) and formatting refer to the Online Writing Lab (OWL) at Purdue , and/or the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (6th ed.). You may also consult with a librarian or Writing Center tutor regarding source citation formatting. Make sure to double space and insert the hanging indent for all sources .

Print Books and Ebooks

• Author, A. A. (date).  Title of work . Location (City, State): Publisher.
• Author, A. A. (date).  Title of work . Retrieved from https://www.xxxxxxxxxx 

Example:  Cunningham, H. (1995).  God and Caesar at the Rio Grande: Sanctuary and the politics of religion.  Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press. Retrieved from https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=nlebk&AN=56538&site=ehost-live&scope=site

NOTE: If you get the eBook through one of the library's vendors (EBSCO, eBook Central) make sure to remove the proxy prefix from the URL (everything from https:// to the = (equal) symbol). Contact a librarian if you have questions!

• Author, A. A. (date).  Title of work . doi: xxxxxxx

Example:  Bush, S., & Heck, A. L. (Eds.). (2018).  Forensic geropsychology: Practice essentials. https://dx.doi.org/10.137/0000082-000

• Editor, A. A. (Ed.). (date).  Title of work . Location (city, state): Publisher.

Chapter from a Book

• Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (date). Title of chapter or entry. In A. Editor, B. Editor, & C. Editor (Eds.),  Title of book  (pp. xxx-xxx). Location(city, state): Publisher.
• Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (date). Title of chapter or entry. In A. Editor, B. Editor, & C. Editor (Eds.),  Title of book  (pp. xxx-  xxx). Retrieved from https://www.xxxxxxxxxxxxxx (or, Available from Ebook Central)
• Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (date). Title of chapter or entry. In A. Editor, B. Editor, & C. Editor (Eds.),  Title of book  (pp. xxx-xxx). doi:xxxxxxxxxxx

If there is no author of the entry, use the following format:

• Title of entry. (date).  In A. Editor, B. Editor, & C. Editor (Eds.),  Title of book  (pp. xxx-xxx). Location(city, state) : Publisher.

NOTE: For more information about source formatting for eBooks, refer to the  APA-style Blog

[Taken from page 202, section 7.02, in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 6th ed.]

Always verify formatting of electronically generated citations with either the  Online Writing Lab (OWL) at Purdue , and/or the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (6th ed.). You may also consult with a librarian or Writing Center tutor regarding source citation formatting.  Make sure to double space and insert the hanging indent for all sources .

Chapter or entry from a book.

Example : Portes, P. R. (1996). Ethnicity and culture in educational psychology. In D. C. Berliner & R. C. Calfee (eds.),  Handbook of educational psychology  (pp. 331-357). New York, NY: Macmillan Library Reference.

• Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (date). Title of chapter or entry. In A. Editor, B. Editor, & C. Editor (Eds.),  Title of book  (pp. xxx-  xxx). Retrieved from https://www.xxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

Example:   Adamopoulos, J. (2004). Interpersonal behavior and culture. In C. D. Spielberger (Ed.),  Encyclopedia of applied psychology .  Retrieved from https://search.credoreference.com/content/entry/estappliedpsyc/interpersonal_behavior_and_culture/0?institutionId=4721

NOTE : Remove the proxy prefix from the beginning of the URL (everything between https:// and the = (equal) symbol). 

Several volumes in a multivolume work, use the following format:

• Editor. (date). T itle of work (Vols. 1-25). Location (city, state): Publisher.

Example: English, F. W. (Ed.). (2006).  Encyclopedia of educational leadership and administration  (Vols. 1-2). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Always verify formatting of electronically generated citations with either the  Online Writing Lab (OWL) at Purdue , and/or the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (6th ed.). You may also consult with a librarian or Writing Center tutor regarding source citation formatting.  Make sure to double space and insert the hanging indent for all sources .

Journal Article with DOI

• Author, A., & Author, B. (Date). Title of article.  Title of journal ,  volume (issue), page number(s). doi:xx.xxxxxxxxxx

Example:   Berger, I. (2015). Educational leadership with an ethics of plurality and natality.  Studies in Philosophy & Education ,  34 (5),  475-487. doi:10.1007/s11217-014-9448-x

Journal Article with DOI and More than Seven Authors

• Author, 1, Author, 2, Author, 3, Author, 4, Author, 5, Author, 6, . . . last author. (Date). Title of article. Title of journal, volume(issue), page numbers. doi:xx.xxxxxxxxxxxx

Example:   Tengbeh, A. F., Enria, L., Smout, E., Mooney, T., Callaghan, M., Ishola, D., . . . Lees, S. (2018). “We are the heroes because we are ready to die for this country”: Participants' decision-making and grounded ethics in an Ebola vaccine clinical trial.  Social Science & Medicine , 203 , 35-42.  doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2018.03.008

Journal Article without DOI (when DOI is not available)

• Author, A. (Date). Title of article. Title of journal , volume (issue), page numbers. Retrieved from [insert website URL of journal publisher).
• Author, A. (Date). Title of article .  Title of journal ,  volume (issue), page numbers.

Magazine Article

• Author, A. (Year, Month). Title of article. Title of magazine, volume(issue), page numbers.

Example: Turner, P. (2017, September/October). Catholics and the Protestant Reformation.  Holiness Today ​,  19 (5), 25-27.

Online Magazine Article

• Author., A. (Year, Month). Title of article.  Title of magazine . Retrieved from [insert URL of magazine].

Example: Wapner, J. (2018, June). Could fasting cure diabetes?: Evidence on not eating for long stretches is compelling-and controversial.  Newsweek . Retrieved from https://www.newsweek.com

Newspaper Article

• Author, A. (Year, Month Day). Title of article. Title of newspaper , page numbers.

Example: Wright, S. (2018, June 6). Non-native shrimp dumped in the Boise River are thriving.  Idaho Statesman , pp.4A.

Online Newspaper Article

• Author, A. (Year, Month Day). Title of article.  Title of newspaper.  Retrieved from (insert URL of newspaper website)

Example: Myers, S. L., & Perlez, J. (2018, June 6). A medical mystery grows as U.S. consulate workers in China fall ill.  The New York Times . Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com

[Taken from the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 6th ed., pp. 1 98-200 , section 7.01]

The UptoDate resource is unique in the sense that entries are peer-reviewed (like many journal articles), but it may also be considered an online reference work. The following outlines how you should cite an entry obtained through the UptoDate resource.

Author 1, & Author 2. (date). Title of entry. In first and middle initial last name (Ed.),  UpToDate.  Retrieved month day, year, from url of entry.

Twaddle, M. L., & McCormick, E. (2016). Palliative care delivery in the home. In D. M. F. Savarese (Ed.)  UpToDate . Retrieved October 29, 2018, https://www-uptodate-com.nnu.idm.oclc.org/contents/palliative-care-delivery-in-the-home?search=patient%20safety%20and%20bedside%20report&source=search_result&selectedTitle=24~150&usage_type=default&display_rank=24

The corresponding intext reference would be: (Twaddle & McCormick, 2016)

• APA Blog Entry for UpToDate

Always verify formatting of electronically generated citations with either the  Online Writing Lab (OWL) at Purdue , and/or the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (6th ed.). You may also consult with a librarian or Writing Center tutor regarding source citation formatting.  Make sure to double space and insert the hanging indent for all sources .

Doctoral Dissertation and Master's Thesis

• Author, A. (Year). Title of doctoral dissertation or master's thesis (Doctoral dissertation or master's thesis). Retrieved from Name of database (Accession or Order No.)

Unpublished Dissertation or Thesis

• Author, A. (Year).  Title of doctoral dissertation or master's thesis  (Unpublished doctoral dissertation or master's thesis). Name of institution. Location.

Doctoral dissertation , from an institutional database

Author, A. (Year).  Title of doctoral dissertation or master's thesis  (Doctoral dissertation). Retrieved from (insert source link)

From a Commercial Database

Hunt, J. J. (2009).  Characteristics of latinos with no usual source of care . Available from ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global  (Order No. 3481360).

From an Institutional Database

Sullivan, W. D. (2017). A case study exploring international student engagement at small, private colleges. Retrieved from https://nnu.whdl.org

[Taken from the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 6th ed., pp. 207-208 , section 7.05]

Always verify formatting of electronically generated citations with either the  Online Writing Lab (OWL) at Purdue , and/or the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (6th ed.). You may also  consult with a librarian  or  Writing Center  tutor regarding source citation formatting.  Make sure to double space and insert the hanging indent for all sources .

YouTube Videos

Author, A. (person or organization who posted the video) (Year, Month Day video posted). Title of video [Video file]. Retrieved from (insert URL for the video)

Example: Mind, the mental health charity.  (2014, October 8). Mental health: In our own words [Video file]. Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ y97VF5UJcc

Author, A. (speaker) (Year, Month). Title of video [Video file]. Retrieved from (insert URL of video).

Example:  Blum, N. (2017, January 19). The mental health system: A call for change [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gI9Ddz0yW7o

For more information on citing a TedTalk, refer to the APA Blog

[Taken from the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 6th ed., p.215 , section 7.11 #77; and the APA Blog ]

ERIC Documents (ED)

• Author, A. (Year).  Document title . Retrieved from ERIC database. (ED######)

Example:  Cochrane, T., Antonczak, L., Guinibert, M., & Mulrennan, D. (2014). Developing a mobile social media framework for creative pedagogies. Retrieved from ERIC database. (ED557171)

NOTE: If the item in the ERIC database has an EJ before the number it is a journal article. Cite it as a journal article, not as an ERIC document.

[Taken from the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 6th ed., p. 212 , section 7.09, #62]

There are a few ways for citing sources pulled from the Web. Listed below are a few examples:

Webpage or Portion of Online Content

Author, A. A. & Author B. B. (Date of publication). Title of page [Format description when necessary].

         Retrieved from  https://www.someaddress.com/full/url/

Elwell, N. (n.d.). Gender. Retrieved from https://www.wri.org/our-work/topics/gender

Chapter/Section of a Web Document or Online Book Chapter

Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Date of publication). Title of article. In  Title of book or larger document  (chapter

         or section number). Retrieved from https://www.someaddress.com/full/url/

1.  Engelshcall, R. S. (1997). Module mod_rewrite: URL Rewriting Engine. In  Apache HTTP Server version 1.3

        documentation  (Apache modules). Retrieved from https://httpd.apache.org/docs/1.3/mod/mod_rewrite.html

2.  Peckinpaugh, J. (2003). Change in the Nineties. In J. S. Bough and G. B. DuBois (Eds.),  A century of growth in

         America .  Retrieved from GoldStar database.

Note: Include an identifier for the chapter or section and a URL that points directly to the referenced item rather than to the main website.

United States Department of Housing and Urban Development. (2008).  Indiana income limits  [Data file]. Retrieved from

      https://www.huduser.org/Datasets/IL/IL08/in_fy2008.pdf

Blog (Weblog) or Video Blog Posts

J Dean. (2008, May 7). When the self emerges: Is that me in the mirror? [web log comment]. Retrieved from

      https://www.spring.org.uk/ the1sttransport

Psychology Video Blog #3 [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqM90eQi5-M

Note: If the author's name is not available, use the screen name.

Information taken from: Purdue Online Writing Lab (APA)  and the APA Publication Manual, page 205 (entry #29), page 211 (entry #54), and page 215 (entries #76 and #77).

APA Formatting for Papers, Dissertations, and Theses (6th ed.)

• Intext Citations
• Submitting Your Dissertation to ETD

Basic format rules for APA papers

• APA preferred typeface and font: Times New Roman, 12-point font.
• One-inch margins . Indent first word of each paragraph 5 spaces (one-half inch) from left margin.
• Double-space throughout.
• Running heads
• Figures and Tables
• Insert a hanging indent in Google Docs
• Insert a hanging indent in Word
• Sample APA-style Paper (courtesy of OWL Purdue) 

This 4 minute, 56 second video demonstrates how to create a template for APA-style margins, title page, and running heads.

Citing sources intext using APA-style can be confusing. The following text provides some examples. Additionally, the web links below provide some additional information on intext citations

Intext, or parenthetical references :

Use one of the following formats when citing a source in the context of a discussion board post, blog, or paper. The first two examples are if the idea of from the source is being paraphrased; the last two examples are if the source is directly quoted:

• Smith (2011) indicated that .......
• .............. (Smith, 2011).
• According to Smith (2011), ".............." (p.#).
• "...................." (Smith, 2011, p.#).

If you are including more than one citation in the parens ( ), the citations should be alphabetized and separated by a semicolon:

• (Abbot & Sims, 2011; Frank, 2014; Hapy & Gunter, 2014)
• CiteFast, APA-style Intext Citations
• APA Quick Citation Guide, Library Guides at Penn State University
• APA-style Intext Citing of a Web Source
• The Proper Use of Et Al. in APA-style

This exercise will take you step-by-step through the mechanics of formatting your manuscript so that it conforms to the APA 6th edition and also the NNU Guidelines required for submitting a dissertation or master's thesis for publication to your program and to the NNU Library for publication. 

1. Download the sample  doc  and open in Word.

2. Open up the  APA Formatting  exercise in another window and/or watch the video tutorials.  Follow these instructions carefully and apply each step to the "sample Doc" that you have opened in Word.  Each heading in the exercise is also a link to the animated tutorial demonstrating exactly how to do each step.  Follow these instructions in the order given and you will be on your way! 

All of these video tutorials are based on Microsoft Office Word 2010 for PC

• Modifying the document layout  (changing margins, font, alignment of title page)
• Inserting manual page breaks and section breaks  (title,abstract, table of contents, and body)
• Inserting page numbers in the footer  (switching from Roman to Arabic, or no page numbers)
• Creating reusable styles to conform to APA Heading types
• Formatting entire document for APA style
• Inserting citations and creating reference /bibliography page  
• Creating table of contents  (so that page numbers align)
• Saving as a template for future use

NNU uses the ProQuest/UMI online tool for submitting your dissertations to your advisory and chair.  This tool manages the review, clearing, and publishing of your manuscript in the most efficient fashion .  Check with your department or program coordinator for deadlines and submission guidelines specific to your program. 

Video Tutorials - How to Submit your manuscript online  (temporarily disabled)

Written instructions for submitting the manuscript online

Support and Resources for online submission

Ready?   Submit and Upload your dissertation/thesis to your NNU Program Administrator  here

Need More Help?

The following resources are available to you if you need further assistance with formatting source citations:.

Librarians -- Make an appointment using the "Schedule an Appointment" link on the librarian profile , or chat with us!

• The OWL (Online Writing Lab) at Purdue Purdue University's Online Writing Lab (OWL) provides a wealth of information for the student writer. Use the Research and Citation link for further information on APA, Chicago, and MLA citation styles.

Reference Examples (7th ed.)

• Author, A. A. (date).  Title of work . Publisher.
• Author, A. A. (date).  Title of work . https://www.xxxxxxxxxx 

Example:  Cunningham, H. (1995).  God and Caesar at the Rio Grande: Sanctuary and the politics of religion.  University of Minnesota Press. https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=nlebk&AN=56538&site=ehost-live&scope=site

• Editor, A. A. (Ed.). (date).  Title of work . Publisher.
• Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (date). Title of chapter or entry. In A. Editor, B. Editor, & C. Editor (Eds.),  Title of book  (pp. xxx-xxx). Publisher.
• Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (date). Title of chapter or entry. In A. Editor, B. Editor, & C. Editor (Eds.),  Title of book  (pp. xxx-  xxx). https://www.xxxxxxxxxxxxxx 
• Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (date). Title of chapter or entry. In A. Editor, B. Editor, & C. Editor (Eds.),  Title of book  (pp. xxx-xxx). (doi ID)xxxxxxxxxxx
• Title of entry. (date).  In A. Editor, B. Editor, & C. Editor (Eds.),  Title of book  (pp. xxx-xxx). Publisher.

[Taken from page 202, section 7.02, in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 7th ed.]

• Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (date). Title of chapter or entry. In A. Editor, B. Editor, & C. Editor (Eds.),  Title of book  (pp. xxx-xxx). Publisher.

Example : Portes, P. R. (1996). Ethnicity and culture in educational psychology. In D. C. Berliner & R. C. Calfee (eds.),  Handbook of educational psychology  (pp. 331-357). Macmillan Library Reference.

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Citation and Style Guide Help

• General Style Information
• Citing Data Examples in APA 7th Edition
• APA 6th edition
• ICMJE Style
• Chicago (Turabian) Style

APA Publication Manual, 6th edition

APA One Page Style Guide

This style guide handout contains general APA guidance and examples of common formats.  The document is one page, double sided.

The handout should not be used as a substitute for consulting with the official style guide manuals.

• APA One Page Style Guide (6th ed.)

APA Citation Presentation

• American Psychological Association (APA) Style website

Additional APA Resources

• APA Formatting and Style Guide -The OWL at Purdue
• Nova Southeastern University APA 6th Edition
• Red Deer Polytechnic APA Style 7th Edition Guide
• Sacramento State University Library APA 6th Edition Guide
• Pikes Peak Community College Writing Center APA Basics videos 4-part series, 35 minutes total. Formatting your paper, quoting sources, in-text citation, and bibliography.

Citing a Clinical Trial

Below is a sample citation from the APA Style Experts on how to cite a clinical trial from clinicaltrials.gov:

Patient Centered Cloud-based Electronic System: Ambient Warning and Response Evaluation (ProCCESs AWARE). (2014). Retrieved from https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02039297?term=Patient+Centered+Cloud-based+Electronic+System%3A+Ambient+Warning+and+Response+Evaluation&draw=2&rank=1

(Identification No. NCT02039297)

It should be doulbe-spaced and use a hanging indent format (not available here).

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• Last Updated: Jan 11, 2024 11:12 AM
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This page is brought to you by the OWL at Purdue University. When printing this page, you must include the entire legal notice.

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The Online Writing Lab at Purdue University houses writing resources and instructional material, and we provide these as a free service of the Writing Lab at Purdue. Students, members of the community, and users worldwide will find information to assist with many writing projects. Teachers and trainers may use this material for in-class and out-of-class instruction.

The Purdue On-Campus Writing Lab and Purdue Online Writing Lab assist clients in their development as writers—no matter what their skill level—with on-campus consultations, online participation, and community engagement. The Purdue Writing Lab serves the Purdue, West Lafayette, campus and coordinates with local literacy initiatives. The Purdue OWL offers global support through online reference materials and services.

A Message From the Assistant Director of Content Development 

The Purdue OWL® is committed to supporting  students, instructors, and writers by offering a wide range of resources that are developed and revised with them in mind. To do this, the OWL team is always exploring possibilties for a better design, allowing accessibility and user experience to guide our process. As the OWL undergoes some changes, we welcome your feedback and suggestions by email at any time.

Please don't hesitate to contact us via our contact page  if you have any questions or comments.

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APA Style - Quick Guide - 6th edition: APA Style

This guide covers the 6th edition of APA Style. The 7th edition came out in October 2019. For information on the 7th edition, please visit The OWL at Purdue until this guide is updated.

About References

"The references of your paper are the foundation on which your work is built. They provide the scientific background that justifies the research you have undertaken and the methods you have used. They provide the context in which your research should be interpreted. They should not be collected as an afterthought when your research project is complete. A literature search and reading of the relevant references should be the starting points of any research project." - Howell, Simon. "References." How to write a paper . Ed. George M. Hall. 3rd ed. London: BMJ Books, 2003. 51.

Academic Integrity

"As a community of students and scholars, The University strives to set and maintain the highest standards of academic integrity. All members of the university community are expected to exhibit honesty and competence in academic work. This responsibility can be met only through earnest and continuing good faith effort on the part of all students and faculty."

The Lowdown, "Student Academic Conduct Policy"

• Avoiding Plagiarism - The OWL at Purdue

APA Style Manual - 6th edition

APA (American Psychological Association) style is commonly used in the social sciences. The APA released a 6th edition of their publication manual in 2010, which contains many updates from the previous edition.

APA Examples - Books

Page numbers refer to the relevant page in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association , 6th ed.

Book (p. 203):

Takahashi, S. (2009). The manga guide to statistics . San Francisco, CA: No Starch Press.

Book chapter in an anthology (p. 204):

Vessey, D. (2001). Hey-diddley-ho neighboreenos: Ned Flanders and neighborly love. In W. Irwin, M. T. Conrad,  & A. J. Skoble (Eds.),       The Simpsons and philosophy (pp. 202-214). Chicago, IL: Open Court.

Article in a reference book (p. 203):

Chapman, R. (2000). GI Joe. In T. Pendergast & S. Pendergast (Eds.), St. James encyclopedia of popular culture (Vol. 2, pp. 229-230).      Detroit, MI: St. James Press.

APA Examples - Periodicals

Journal article with DOI (p. 198):

Shepherd, L. & Kuczynski, A. (2009). The use of emotive imagery and behavioral techniques for a 10-year-old  boy's nocturnal fear      of ghosts and zombies. Clinical Case Studies , 8(2), 99-112. doi:10.1177/1534650108329664

Journal article with no DOI listed (p. 199):

• If article was retrieved from a print journal:

Mabry, R., & Deiermann, P. (2009). Of cheese and crust: A proof of the pizza conjecture and other tasty results.       American Mathematical Monthly , 116(5), 423-438.

• If DOI is found, cite using DOI.

Deno, S. (1985). Curriculum-based measurement: The emerging alternative.       Exceptional Children ,52(3), 219-232. Retrieved from http://www.cec.sped.org

• Your instructor may ask you to use a modified version of APA style, in which you include the name of the database instead of the journal home page or cite articles without a DOI in the print journal format. Check your assignment or ask the professor.

Magazine article - accessed online (p. 200):

Kushner, D. (2009, September). Tricked-out golf carts swarm Florida communities. Wired 17(10). Retrieved from       http://www.wired.com/magazine

Magazine article - accessed in print (p. 200):

Reyes, P. (2010, August). Paradise swamped: The boom and bust of the middle-class dream. Harper's Magazine , 321(1923), 39-48.

Newspaper article - accessed online (p. 200):

Kepner, T. (2004, October 21). Back from dead, Red Sox bury Yanks and go to series. The New York Times . Retrieved from      http://www.nytimes.com.

Newspaper article - accessed in print (p. 200):

Itzkoff, D. (2010, July 20). Banned TV episode has its day on DVD. The New York Times , pp. C1, C5.

APA Examples - Websites

Entire website ( ref .) :

To cite an entire website, give the URL of the site in the text of your paper.  It is not necessary to put cite it in the references section. Only include retrieval dates for sites that change frequently, such as wikis.

Example: The APA style website gives examples of references (http://apastyle.org).

Article on a website ( ref. ):

Welch, C. (2009, September 9). Web goes nuts for 'crasher squirrel.' Retrieved from      http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/09/09/minnesota.crasher.squirrel/

Article from an online reference work (p. 205):

Boondoggle. (n.d.). In Merriam-Webster's online dictionary . Retrieved from http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/boondoggle

APA Guides on the Web

• APA Formatting and Style Guide - Purdue OWL
• APA Style - Research and Documentation Online
• Last Updated: Jan 19, 2021 12:10 PM
• URL: https://libguides.southalabama.edu/apa

APA Style 6th Edition: Citing Your Sources

Apa 6th edition, what is the purpose of a citation, quick links.

• In Text Quick View
• Block Quotes
• Books & eBooks
• Thesis/Dissertation
• Conference Presentations
• Course Documents
• Social Media
• Government Documents
• Academic Integrity and Plagiarism
• Additional Resources
• Sample Reference Page

APA Publications in the Library

This guide pertains to the 6th edition of the APA Manual.

What is the purpose of citations?

Citations help readers locate your sources. They help to continue the scholarly conversation. To learn more about how citations can help you avoid plagiarism, view this interactive tutorial: 

USC Library Lessons: Avoiding Plagiarism through Citations

When considering citations and references for your papers, you can ask yourself, "could someone find this information in the future?"

A client's personal file would not need a citation because your reader cannot go find that information again.  Census statistics would require a citation because your reader could go locate that information again.

APA requires FOUR ELEMENTS of every citation:

• Who- Author of content
• When- Date content was published
• What- Title of content
• Where- Publication information . This can be the website you got it from or the journal or book's publication information.

If any of the elements listed above are unavailable, check out "Missing pieces: How to write an APA style reference even without all the information" from APA Style Blog for more information.

• APA Style Blog
• Owl at Purdue Popular guide for APA. Use the navigation links on the left-hand side of the page.
• Organizing Your Social Science Research Paper Writing guide to help you develop and organize a quality research paper for any class in the social sciences.
• Sample Paper Sample paper provided by APA. For every style rule, there is a comment highlighted in the paper that tells you where to find the discussion of the rule in the APA Style Manual.
• Next: In Text Citations >>
• Last Updated: Sep 22, 2022 11:20 AM
• URL: https://libguides.usc.edu/APA-citation-style