How to Write Citations and Bibliographies in APA Style (6th Edition) | PDF

Citations | Reference List (Bibliography) | Useful Guides

Citations

APA Style uses brief citations within the text of a paper when referring to a source. The brief citation gives the author(s) and year of the source in parentheses, allowing readers to locate the full citation in your reference list at the end of your paper.

Examples:
Early onset results in a more persistent and severe course (Kessler, 2003)
Kessler (2003) found that early onset results in a more persistent and severe course

When reproducing a direct quote, include the specific page number(s). You are encouraged to include page numbers when paraphrasing.

Examples:
Svanum and Aigner (2011) found "students who did well were prone to view the course more positively" (p. 676).
"students who did well were prone to view the course more positively" (Svanum & Aigner, 2011, p.676)

No page numbers? Many online sources do not have page numbers. For direct quotes, use a paragraph number, or cite the heading and the number of paragraphs following it.

Examples:
(Basu & Jones, 2007, para. 4)
(Verbunt, Pernot, & Smeets, 2008, Discussion Section, para. 1)

No author? Use the first few words of the title instead. Within parentheses, use quotation marks around the title of an article, a chapter, or a web page; Italicize the name of a journal, newspaper, magazine, or book.

Examples:
("Study Finds", 2007)
(College Bound Seniors, 2008, pp. 42-3)

For more information on citing sources within your paper, see pp. 174-79 of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 6th edition.

Reference List (Bibliography)

Articles | Books | Websites | Other

The following are examples of the most commonly used sources. For examples not given here, refer to the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association.

Capitalization: In your reference list, only capitalize the first letter of all words in periodical titles. For other titles (i.e. books, articles, or Web pages) capitalize only the first letter of the first word of the title and subtitle, and proper nouns.

Click here for a sample APA style reference list.

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ARTICLES

Journal Article (print):
For articles with up to and including 7 authors*, include the names of all authors.

Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Year). Title of article. Title of Journal, volume number(issue number), pages.

Kozma, A., & Stones, M. J. (1983). Re-validation of the Memorial University of Newfoundland scale of happiness.
Canadian Journal on Aging, 2(1), 27-29.

*For information on citing multiple authors in the text of your paper, see Table 6.1 "Basic Citation Styles" on p. 177 of the APA Manual.

Journal Article (8 or more authors):
Use ellipses after the name of the sixth author, and then list the last author named.

Gilbert, D.G., McClernon, J.F., Rabinovich, N.E., Sugai, C., Plath, L.C., Asgaard, G., . . . Botros, N. (2004).
      Effects of quitting smoking on EEG activation and attention last for more than 31 days and are more
      severe with stress, dependence, DRD2 A1 allele, and depressive traits. Nicotine and Tobacco
      Research, 6, 249-67.

Journal Article (online):
Provide the doi number (Digital Object Identifier).

Author, A. A. (Year). Title of article. Title of Journal, volume number(issue number), pages. doi:xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Fuller, D. (2002). Critical friendships: Reading women's writing communities in Newfoundland. Women's Studies
International Forum, 25(2), 247-260. doi:10.1016/S0277-5395(02)00234-0

Journal or Magazine Article (online, no doi):
Provide the URL of journal/magazine's homepage. Only use URL if doi is unavailable. Do not include Article Index information.

Author, A. A. (Year, Month day). Title of article. Title of Journal, volume number(issue number), pages. Retrieved from
http://journal homepage address

Henheffer, T. (2009, September 7). Why are the fishermen dying at sea?. Maclean's, 122(34), 21. Retrieved from
http://www2.macleans.ca

Newspaper Article (print):
Unlike journal articles, when referencing a newspaper article, p. (single page) or pp. (multiple pages) precedes the page numbers.

Author, A. A. (Year, Month day). Title of article. Title of Newspaper, p. page number(s).

Sullivan, D. D. (2000, November 15). Teens say they're battling depression, peer pressure: 'You kind of drift apart
from your parents,' one high school student says. The Telegram, p. 17.

Newspaper Article (online):

Author, A. A. (Year, Month day). Title of article. Title of Newspaper, page number(s). Retrieved from
http://newspaper homepage address

Hurley, C. (2009, October 24). Suzuki encourages Newfoundlanders to join the world in demonstration on climate
change. The Western Star, p. 4. Retrieved from http://www.thewesternstar.com/

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BOOKS

Author, A. A. (Year). Title of book. Location: Publisher.

Grenfell, W. T. (1919). A Labrador doctor: The autobiography of Wilfred Thomason Grenfell. Boston: Houghton
Mifflin Company.

E-Books
Provide the doi number (Digital Object Identifier) or a URL. Only use a URL if the doi is not available.

Author, A. A. (Year). Title of book. doi:xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Moorcroft, W. H. (2005). Understanding sleep and dreaming. doi:10.1007/0-387-28698-5

Author, A. A. (Year). Title of book. Retrieved from http://URL

Holland, N. N. (1982). Laughing: A psychology of humor. Retrieved from
http://www.uflib.ufl.edu/ufdc/UFDC.aspx?n=palmm&c=psa1&m=hd2J&i=45367

Edited Book
State the editor(s) instead of author, followed by (Ed.) or, for multiple editors (Eds.).

Wright, M. J., & Myers, C. R. (Eds.). (1983). History of academic psychology in Canada. Toronto: Hogrefe and Huber.

Article in an Edited Book
Article Author. (Year). Title of article. In Editor's name (Ed.), Title of book (pp. page numbers). Location: Publisher.

Einar, V. K. (2007). Screening of eating disorders in the general population. In P.M. Goldfarb (Ed.), Psychological
tests and testing research trends (pp. 141-50). New York: Nova Science.

Edition of a Book, other than the 1st
Author, A. A. (Year). Title of book (x ed.). Location: Publisher.

American Psychiatric Association. (1994). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders: DSM-IV
(4th ed.). Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association.

Volume of a Book
If it is an edition other than the 1st, include the edition immediately before the volume number.

Author, A. A. (Year). Title of book (x ed., Vol. x). Location: Publisher.

Eisenberg, N. (Ed.). (2006). Handbook of child psychology (6th ed., Vol. 3). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.

Translated Book
Author, A. A. (Year). Title of book. (A.A. Translator, Trans.). Location: Publisher. (Original work published xxxx).

Freud, S. (1960). Jokes and their relation to the unconscious. (J. Strachey, Trans.). London: Routledge
& K. Paul. (Original work published 1905).

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WEBSITES

*if no publication date is available, use (n.d.) for "no date". If no author is available, begin reference list entry with the title.

Entire Website
Author, A. A. (Year, Month day). Title of web site. Retrieved from http://homepage URL

McLean, B. (2006). Child and adolescent psychology services: Learning disability & ADHD assessment for children
and adults. Retrieved from http://www.newfoundlandpsychology.com/

Page/Document on a Website
Author, A. A. (Year, Month day). Title of page/document. In Title of web site. Retrieved from http://URL to specific page/document

Rose, C. (2012, February 8). How to write citations and bibliographies in APA style. In Memorial University libraries.
Retrieved from http://www.library.mun.ca/guides/howto/apa.php

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OTHER

Class Lecture:
Instructor, I. I. (Year, Month day). Title of lecture. Class lecture for course, University, Location.

Buckle, J. (2011, October 7). Bereavement. Class lecture for PSYC 3040: Contemporary issues in death and
dying, Grenfell Campus, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Corner Brook, NL.

Class Notes on Course Website (D2L or My Grenfell):
Provide the file format in brackets after the title (e.g. PDF, PowerPoint slides, Word document).

Instructor, I. I. (Year, Month day). Title [File type]. Retrieved from: URL

Fowler, K. (2010, September 20). Memory and cognition [PDF]. Retrieved from
http://online.mun.ca/psyc2520%20kfowler/Sept%2020%202010.pdf

Dwyer, S. C. (2011, February 4). PSYC 1001: Introduction to psychology [PowerPoint slides]. Retrieved from
https://my.swgc.ca/psyc1001/Feb%204%202011.pptx

Coursepack:
Instructor, I. I. (Year). Title of coursepack. Coursepack, University, Location.

Warren, K. (2012). PSYC 2025: Survey of developmental psychology. Coursepack, Grenfell Campus, Memorial University
of Newfoundland, Corner Brook, NL.

Dictionary/Encyclopedia (Print):
Author, A. A. (if available). (Year). Title of entry. In Editor, B. B. (Ed.), Title of dictionary/encyclopedia (p. page
number). Location: Publisher.

Facial expression. (2007). In VandenBos, G. R. (Ed.), APA dictionary of psychology (pp. 362-3). Washington, D.C:
American Psychological Association.

Dictionary/Encyclopedia (Online):
Provide the doi number (Digital Object Identifier) or a URL. Only use a URL if the doi is not available. If there are no page numbers, the entry title is sufficient.

Author, A. A. (if available). (Year). Title of entry. In Editor, B. B. (Ed.), Title of dictionary/encyclopedia. (p. page
number). doi:xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx OR Retrieved from http://URL

Roesch, S. (2006). Coping mechanisms. In Jackson, Y. K. (Ed.), Encyclopedia of multicultural psychology. Retrieved from
http://www.sage-ereference.com.qe2a-proxy.mun.ca/multiculturalpsychology/Article_n53.html

Dissertation or Thesis (Print):
Author, A. A. (Year). Title of dissertation/thesis (Doctoral dissertation OR master's thesis). University, Location.

Broderick, E. M. (2007). Assessment of grief and loss services in western Newfoundland (Honours dissertation).
Grenfell Campus, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Corner Brook, NL.

Dissertation or Thesis (Online):
If accessed through an Article Index, include the name of the database, and give the accession or order number in parentheses at the end of the entry. If accessed on the internet, include the URL link.

Author, A. A. (Year). Title of dissertation/thesis (Doctoral dissertation OR master's thesis). Available from
Name of Database. (accession or order number)

Rusch, L. C. (2010). Depression stigma reduction: The impact of models of depression on stigma and treatment seeking
(Doctoral dissertation). Available from ProQuest dissertation and theses database. (Document ID 1865749061)

Government Document, Canadian (Print):
Government Organization/Department (Year, Month day). Title of document or report. Location, Publisher.

Provincial Mental Health and Addictions Advisory Council (2011). Activity plan: April 1, 2011 - March 31, 2014. St. John's,
NL: Mental Health and Addictions Services, Department of Health and Community Services.

Government Document, Canadian (Internet):
"For documents retrieved online, identify the publisher as part of the retrieval statement unless the publisher has been identified as the author" (section 7.03).

Center for Science in the Earth System (2007, September). Preparing for climate change: A guidebook for local, regional, and state governments.
Retrieved from Newfoundland and Labrador Department of Environment and Conservation website: http://www.env.gov.nl.ca/
env/climate_change/adapting/king_county_guidebook.pdf

Newfoundland and Labrador Department of Health and Community Services (2005, November). Newfoundland and Labrador gambling prevalence study.
Retrieved from http://www.health.gov.nl.ca/health/publications/gambling_report_nov21.pdf

Interview:
Personal communications (e.g. interviews, letters, emails) are not included in the reference list. Cite in-text only.

(J.A. Smith, personal communication, May 29, 2005)

Movie:
Producer, A. A. (Producer/s), & Director, B.B. (Director). (Year). Title of motion picture [Motion picture]. Country
of origin: Studio.

Bender, L., Burns, S. Z., & David, L. (Producers), & Guggenheim, D. (Director). (2006). An inconvenient truth [Motion picture].
United States: Paramount.

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Useful Guides

Didn't find the example you needed? Check out the following guides for more specific information or for citing other types of sources:

American Psychological Association. (2010). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (6th ed.).
Washington, D.C.: American Psychological Association.
(Available at the library in Reference and on Reserve: Call # BF 76.7 A46 2010)

American Psychological Association. (2010). Concise rules of APA style. Washington, D.C.: American Psychological Association.
(Available at the library in Reference and on Reserve: Call # BF 76.7 C66 2010)

Purdue University's OWL (Online Writing Lab)

American Psychological Association's APA Style Help

February 9, 2012
Crystal Rose