APA is the reference style of the American Psychological Association (APA). It was originally developed for use in the social and behavioural sciences, but is now widely used in the humanities, business, economics, engineering, and medicine. APA style is an author-date referencing style with an in-text citation and an associated entry in a reference list at the end of your paper.
Reference list
Appearing at the end of your paper, this should cite all sources used in the text, and should be in alphabetical order by first author’s surname.
Books:
Author. (Year of publication). Title of book (Edition). Place of Publication: Publisher.
Book chapter:
Author. (Year of publication). Title of chapter. In Editor (Ed.), Title of book (Edition, pp. pages). Place of Publication: Publisher.
Journal articles and articles from a database:
Author. (Year of publication). Title of article. Name of Publication, volume(issue), page number(s).
Author. (Year of publication). Title of article. Name of Publication, volume(issue), page number(s). doi:Digital Object Identifier
Author. (Year of publication). Title of article. Name of Publication, volume(issue), page number(s). Retrieved from pagename (URL) of the journal
Website:
Author. (Publication date or last update). Title of web page. Retrieved from URL
Items with multiple authors:
If there are between two and seven authors then list all of the authors’ names and include ‘&’ before the last author.
Mozart, W. A. Hoffmeister, F. A., & Clementi, C.
If there are eight or more authors then insert an ellipses with the last author’s name following it.
Mozart, W. A. Hoffmeister, F. A., Clementi, C., Pleyel, I., Krommer, F., …Cherubini, L.
In-text citation
In APA reference style, in-text referencing using parentheses is used, with the reference list appearing at the end of the document. In-text referencing should include the author’s name, and date of publication, unless the author’s name is used as part of a sentence where only the year of publication should be used. Where quoting directly include the page numbers.
General examples:
This view originated in the aftermath of the Franco-Prussian war (Smith, 1972).
This view was first advanced by Smith (1972).
Examples of quotations:
Smith (1972: 173) noted that “a general staff was now a critical consideration in the constitution of European armies.”
“A general staff was now a crucial consideration in the constitution of European armies” (Smith, 1972: 173).
Examples where a cited item has no author:
This appears not to have been recognised before 1871 (“The Horseshoe War”, n.d.: 22).
In The Horseshoe War (n.d.: 22) it is suggested that this was not recognised before 1871.
In-text referencing
In APA reference style, in-text referencing using parentheses is used, with the reference list appearing at the end of the document. In-text referencing should include the author’s name, date of publication, and page numbering, unless the citation refers to a very broad or general argument or idea.
General examples:
This view originated in the aftermath of the Franco-Prussian war (Smith, 1972: 173).
This view was first advanced by Smith (1972: 173).
Examples of quotations:
Smith (1972: 173) noted that “a general staff was now a critical consideration in the constitution of European armies.”
“A general staff was now a crucial consideration in the constitution of European armies” (Smith, 1972: 173).
Examples where a cited item has no author:
This appears not to have been recognised before 1871 (The Horseshoe War 1968: 22).
In The Horseshoe War (1968: 22) it is suggested that this was not recognised before 1871.
Examples of secondary sources:
Moltke (cited in Smith, 1972: 173) observed that the quality of Prussian horseshoes was generally superior to those of the French cavalry.
The horseshoes of the Prussian cavalry were considered by their generals to be superior (Moltke, cited in Smith, 1972: 173).