APA Citation Style Guide (6th ed.)
This guide is developed in line with American Psychological Association. (2013). Publication manual of the
American Psychological Association (6th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.
General Principles of Formatting



Double-spacing
Margins - 1" (2.54 cm), while paper size should be 8.5" x 11"
Times New Roman or Arial 12 pt. font (unless the instructions require a different font)
APA papers contain page headers (or 'running head(s)') at the top of every page together with page numbers.
Page numbers are inserted flush right, while the title of the paper written in UPPER CASE is inserted flush left.
Your title in the header should contain no more than 50 characters (including spaces and punctuation).
Papers written in APA are divided into four sections:




Title Page
Abstract
Body
Reference List
Title Page
Header:
Running head: THE TITLE (with words ‘Running head’ only on the title page)
All the following pages have a different header from the first page: THE TITLE
Title:
Your title should be inserted in the upper half of the first page.
You should not use more than 12 words for your title.
Use upper and lower case (avoid abbreviations and redundant words).
Title page should be double-spaced.
Insert the author's name below the title.
Insert the educational institution below the author's name.
Abstract






Abstract is written on a new page; this page should contain a page header (see above).
The word “Abstract” is centered on the new page. Do not use quotation marks, bold, italics, or
any other formatting.
The text on the abstract page is NOT indented.
The abstract should contain only the most relevant information, such as research topic/thesis
statement, research question(s), sample size/participants, research design/method, data analysis,
results, and conclusions.
The abstract consists of a single paragraph (about 130-150 words) of double-spaced text.
If keywords are required, they are indented and written beneath the abstract paragraph. Do not forget to
use italics for the word “Keywords.”
Headings
Level 1 Bold, Uppercase and Lowercase
Level 2 Left-aligned, Bold, Uppercase and Lowercase
Level 3 indented, bold, lowercase heading with a period. Begin your text after
the period.
Level 4 indented, bold, italicized, lowercase heading with a period. Begin
your text after the period.
Level 5 indented, italicized, lowercase heading with a period. Begin your text after
the period.
Reference List
The reference list is inserted at the end of your paper; any source that you use needs to be included in the
reference page and cited in the text.
Indent all lines after the first line in the entry (hanging indent); the lines should be indented one-half inch
(1.27 cm) from the left margin of your paper.

Do not forget to invert authors' names: Last Name, Initials. Example: Cage, D. C.

If you have to cite more than seven authors, only the first six authors are listed, then an ellipsis is
placed, and the name of the last author is listed after the ellipsis.

The reference list is always alphabetized by the first word in the reference entry (from A to Z).

When alphabetizing titles or group names as authors, go by the first significant word (disregard a, an,
the, etc.)

If your reference has a group author, the name of the group can sometimes be abbreviated in the
text—for example, American Psychological Association can be abbreviated to APA. As with other
abbreviations, spell out the name of the group upon first mention in the text and then provide the
abbreviation.
If the name of the group first appears in parentheses in an in-text citation, put the abbreviation in brackets after
it, followed by a comma and the year for the citation:
Example: The American Psychological Association (APA, 2011) suggested that parents talk to their children
about family finances in age-appropriate ways.
Children should learn about family finances in age-appropriate ways (American Psychological Association
[APA], 2011).
In the reference list entry, do not include the abbreviation for the group author. Instead, spell out the full name of
the group.
Correct reference entry:
American Psychological Association. (2011). Dollars and sense: Talking to your children about the economy.
Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/children-economy.aspx
Incorrect reference entry:
American Psychological Association (APA). (2011). Dollars and sense: Talking to your children about the
economy. Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/children-economy.aspx

Journal titles are always presented in full and capitalized:
Example: Archives of General Psychiatry

Do not alter the journal's name:
Example: JAMA Psychiatry (NOT Jama Psychiatry).
References
Citing Books
One author
Drewett, P. (2012). Field archaeology: An introduction. London, England: UCL Press.
Note:
 Locations in the U.S.: City, 2-letter State Abbreviation.
 Locations outside the US: City, Country.
 Provide the name of the publisher after a colon, excluding Co. and Inc., which are not necessary for the
identification of the publisher. However, do not omit the words Books and Press.
Two authors
Greene, J., & Scott, D. (2004). Finding sand creek. Norman, OK: University of Oklahoma Press.
Three to five authors
McNeil, A. J., Frey, R., & Embrechts, P. (2015). Quantitative risk management: Concepts, techniques and tools.
Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
Six or seven authors
Bexby, C., Nigel, E., Smith, K., Rodgers, G. A., Williams, H., & Robinson, J. (2005). Referencing and
plagiarism: A complete guide. London, England: Sage Publications.
More than seven authors
Provide last names and initials for the first six authors of the work. Insert three ellipsis points after the name of
the sixth author, followed by the last author’s name.
Mehrer, M., Flatman, J., Flemming, N., Baxter, J., Orser, C., Wescot, K., … Wescott, K. (2006). GIS and
archaeological site location modeling. Boca Raton, FL: Taylor & Francis.
Corporate/organization author
When the author and the publisher are the same, use the word “Author” instead of a publisher’s name.
Ministry of Health. (2008). Future directions for eating disorders services in New Zealand. Wellington, New
Zealand: Author.
Unknown author
Alluvial archaeology in Europe. (2009). New York, NY: Routledge.
Two or more works by the same author
Works by the same author are arranged chronologically by year of publication. The earliest years come first.
Malhotra, Y. (2012). Knowledge management and virtual organizations. Naperville, IL: SAGE.
Malhotra, Y. (2014). Managing organizations: An introduction to theory and practice. Upper Saddle River, NJ:
Pearson.
Two or more works by the same author, same year
Works by the same author and with the same publication date are listed alphabetically by the title (disregarding
articles). Add a, b, c … to publication year to distinguish citations.
Gabarro, J. (2011a). Criminal justice organizations: Administration and management. Reston, VA: Routledge.
Gabarro, J. (2011b). Managing and organizations: An introduction to theory and practice. Francisco, CA:
Jossey-Bass.
Edited book, no author
In a reference to an edited book with no author, move the editor name to the author position and follow it with
the parenthetical abbreviation (Ed.) for one editor or (Eds.) for multiple editors.
Palenchar, M., & Greenwald, H. (Eds.). (2009). The management of organizations: Responsibility for
performance. New York, NY: Russell Sage Foundation.
Edited book with an author/authors
When citing an edited source, place the editor’s initials and last name immediately after the book’s title, followed
by the parenthetical abbreviation (Ed.) for one editor or (Eds.) for multiple editors.
Calfee, M. (2011). Strategic issues management: A systems and human resources approach. K. V. Emory
(Ed.). Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Author with a translator
In a reference to a translated book, place the name(s) of the translator(s) immediately after the book’s title, add
the abbreviation Trans., and enclose in parentheses.
If the book is republished, provide both publishing dates.
Leary, P. (2009). Metaphors in the history of psychology. (A. W. Burt & F. L. Kernberg, Trans.). Chicago, IL:
University of Chicago Press. (Original work published 1921).
Note:
 In-text referencing of a republished source also includes both publishing dates. Example: Leary
(1921/2009).
Different editions
Include information about the edition in parentheses immediately after the title.
Shotton, M. L., & Schiraldi, G. (2016). The need for revision (2nd ed.). Chicago, IL: Dover.
Chapter in an edited book
When citing a chapter in an edited book, do not invert the editors’ names and do not place them in the author
position. The editors’ names are preceded by the word In and followed by the parenthetical abbreviation (Ed.)
for one editor or (Eds.) for several editors.
Note: if an editorial board consists of more than 3 members, include the name of the lead editor and follow it by
et al.
Wiener, P. (2013). Gender issues across the globe. In A. A. Krugman & F. D. Kempe (Eds.), Gender identity
and gender politics (pp. 134–146). Frankfurt, Germany: Springer.
Multivolume work
Enclose information about volume number(s) in parentheses immediately after the book’s title.
Haybron, D. M. (2011). Perspectives on Piaget’s theory (Vols. 1–4). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.
Encyclopedia/dictionary
Graham, T. (Ed.). (2009). Encyclopedia of psychology: The great discoveries (Vols. 1–3). Santa Barbara, CA:
ABC-CLIO.
Foreword, introduction, preface, or afterword
Provide the names of the authors of the book and follow the date of the book’s publishing with the word
Foreword (or Introduction, Preface, Afterword). Add the page numbers after the book’s title.
Brooks, G. (2013). Introduction. Consequences of government spending (pp. 3–11). Frankfurt, Germany: Peter
Lang.
Online Books
Provide the version of your e-book in [ ].
Taubman, M. (2015). The psychoanalytic vision: The experiencing subject, transcendence and the therapeutic
process [EBSCO NetLibrary version]. Retrieved from http://www.ebscohost.com
Electronic book
When citing an electronic book, keep in mind that it may be retrieved from a personal website, a self-publishing
website, or provided in an audio form. If it must be purchased, write "Available from".
Kopf, R. (2013). Low blood pressure—Hypotension treated with homeopathy and Schuessler salts
(homeopathic cell salts). Available from https://www.bookrix.com/_ebook-robert-kopf-low-bloodpressure-hypotension-treated-with-homeopathy-and-schuessler-salts-homeopathic/
Haggard, H. (2014). The brethren. Retrieved from https://www.bookrix.com/_ebook-h-rider-haggard-thebrethren-20/
Chapter in an online book or web document
National Research Center. (1997). How teachers teach: Specific methods. In Science teaching reconsidered: A
handbook (Chapter 2). Retrieved from https://www.nap.edu/read/5287/chapter/3
Online encyclopedia/dictionary
Kashmiri Shaiva philosophy. (n.d.). In Internet encyclopedia of philosophy. Retrieved from
http://www.iep.utm.edu/kashmiri/
Citing Articles in Periodicals
Scholarly journal article
Williams, P. (2014). Emotions and consumer behavior. Journal of Consumer Research, 40(5), 8–11.
Magazine article
Columbus, L. (2016, March 16). Roundup of cloud computing forecasts and market estimates. Forbes
Magazine, 215, 1–3.
Newspaper article
Gellman, B., & Nakashima, E. (2013, July 25). US spy agencies mounted 231 offensive cyber-operations in
2011, documents show. Washington Post, pp. C3–C4.
Letter to the editor in magazine
Jenkins, J. (2017, January). It’s time for the president to take responsibility for his words and actions [Letter to
the editor]. The Washington Post, 233, 17.
Review article
Raab, J. (2014). Extending our knowledge on network governance [Review of the book Uniting diverse
organizations: Managing goal-oriented advocacy networks, by A. Saz-Carranza]. Journal of Public
Administration Research and Theory, 24(2), 1–4.
Abstract
Schürch, R., Ratnieks, F. L., Samuelson, E. E., & Couvillon, M. J. (2016). Dancing to her own beat: Honey bee
foragers communicate via individually calibrated waggle dances [Abstract]. Journal of Experimental
Biology, 219(9), 1287–1289.
Article in an online journal (DOI)
According to the 6th edition of the APA Style Guide, it is advisable to provide a DOI of an article if it is available.
There are two formats of doi that you can choose from:
1. doi:0000000/000000000000
2. http://dx.doi.org/10.0000/0000
Baldwin, D. S., Anderson, I. M., & Nutt, D. J. (2014). Evidence-based pharmacological treatment of anxiety
disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder: A revision of the 2005
guidelines from the British Association for Psychopharmacology. Journal of Psychopharmacology,
28(5), 403–439. doi:10.1177/0269881114525674
Article in an online journal (without DOI)
Round, J. (2015). Apocatastasis: Redefining tropes of the Apocalypse in Neil Gaiman and Dave Mckean's
Signal to Noise. International Online Journal of Comic Art, 15. Retrieved from
http://eprints.bournemouth.ac.uk/26013/
Online newspaper / magazine article
Tuchman, P. (2017, January 27). How do you sell a work of art built into the earth? The New York Times.
Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/27/arts/design/robert-smithson-earthworkart.html?smid=pl-share&_r=0
Online book review
Ascher, M. (2011). But I thought the earth belonged to the living [Review of the book Dead hands: A social
history of wills, trusts, and inheritance law, by L. M. Friedman]. Texas Law Review, 89(2), 1149–1177.
Retrieved from http://www.texaslrev.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Ascher-89-TLR-1149.pdf
Note:

Alternatively, provide a DOI instead a link.
Citing Dissertations and Theses
Dissertation/thesis
Published dissertation / thesis available from a database service:
Author, A. A. (Year). Title of dissertation or thesis (Doctoral dissertation or master’s thesis). Retrieved from
Name of database. (Accession or Order No.)
Patel, B. (2016). A computational pipeline to uncover genomic regulatory regions that modulate the WNT
signaling pathway (Undergraduate Thesis). Retrieved from Stanford Digital Dissertations. (PTN
3495214)
Published dissertation / thesis available from an institutional repository:
Author, A. A. (Year). Title of dissertation or thesis (Doctoral dissertation or Master's thesis, University, city,
country/state). Retrieved from http://xxxxx
Patel, B. (2016). A computational pipeline to uncover genomic regulatory regions that modulate the WNT
signaling pathway (Undergraduate Thesis, Stanford University, Stanford, CA). Retrieved from
https://searchworks.stanford.edu/view/jz288sd3151
Unpublished dissertation / thesis:
Author, A. A. (Year). Title of doctoral dissertation or master’s thesis (Unpublished doctoral dissertation or
master’s thesis). Name of Institution, Location.
Citing Learning Environment
Online lecture notes/presentation slides
Arnold, D. (2010). Functional analysis [PDF document]. Retrieved from http://wwwusers.math.umn.edu/~arnold/502.s97/functional.pdf
Pomije, B. (2011). Online shopping [PowerPoint slides]. Retrieved from
http://www.slideshare.net/pobr0702/online-shopping-presentation-10492184
Citing Web Sources
Page from website
If a document has more than one page, provide a URL that will be linked to the entry page of this document.
Preston, J. (2017). John Preston on the Thorpe affair. Retrieved from https://www.penguin.co.uk/articles/onwriting/why-i-write/2016/john-preston-on-the-thorpe-affair/
Page from website with unknown author
How sibling rivalry made Anne the 'neglected' Brontë. (2017). Retrieved from
https://www.penguin.co.uk/articles/on-writing/times-and-life/2017/jan/how-sibling-rivalry-made-anne-theother-bronte/
Blog
Cush, A. (2016, August 17). You'll never guess who's angry about CNN "deceptively" editing a video of Sylville
Smith's sister [Blog post]. Retrieved from http://gawker.com/youll-never-guess-whos-angry-about-cnndeceptively-ed-1785416442
Video or film
You may include Producer, Director, Sponsor, etc.
Glass, T. (Director). (2010). A Todd Glass Halloween: Animashups [Video file]. Retrieved from
http://videopodcastnetwork.com/a-todd-glass-halloween/
Podcast/YouTube
Alcock, P. (2012, June 29). Electromagnetic levitation quadcopter [Video file]. Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCON4zfMzjU
Personal communication
Personal communication is not included in the reference list. Instead, when citing information from an email, cite
the source of information in parentheses.
(K. Dawson, personal communication, April 24, 2010).
Citing Governmental Sources
Government publication
United States Congress House Committee on Energy and Commerce. (2017). DOE for the 21st century:
Science, environment, and national security missions (E&C Publication No. 114–119). Washington, DC:
U.S. Government Publishing Office.
In-text citations
While citing references in a text using the APA format, focus on the author-date approach. This means that the
surname of the author (without suffixes such as Dr. or Jr.) appear in the text followed by the year of publication.
Direct quotations require the inclusion of the page number in addition to authors’ names and years.
Example: (Leary, 2009, p. 137).
Author named in a signal phrase
APA format requires the use of the word and instead of the ampersand before the last author’s name when
citing a work by multiple authors in the text.
Example: Greene and Kernis (2012) argued that every individual involved in the process of creation of software
is responsible for its quality.
Author not named in a signal phrase
Example: The framework based on the categorization of racial attributes does not take into account numerous
individual differences between ethnic groups (Holland, 2010).
A work by two authors
Example: The use of sterilization accounts for 3.2 percent of birth control methods in Christian communities
(Purnell & Paulanka, 2016).
A work by three to five authors
List all authors the first time a work is cited in the text. However, in subsequent citations, place only the name of
the first author followed by et al. along with the year of publication.
Example: The limitations of the classification system preclude its use for the determination of specific health
needs of ethnic minorities (Flatman, Flemming, & Drewett, 2009).
Example: Belonging to a racial group requires a differentiation between racial needs and those of the society at
large (Flatman et al., 2009).
Six or more authors
Include only the name of the first author followed by et al. along with the year of publication.
Example: Baxter et al. (2014) argued that statewide statistics do not reflect real experiences of Muslims in the
U.S.
Unknown author
When the source does not identify an author, cite it by the first few words of its title. The titles of books and
periodicals have to be italicized, whereas titles of book chapters and articles must be placed inside quotation
marks.
Example: Naturalism and the improvement of health-care outcomes are the main principles of the provision of
biomedicine in the U.S. (Biomedicine and health care, 2015).
Example: The health-care services in Australia are based on the long-standing culture of nursing as well as
national models of health and illness (“Health care approaches,” 2011).
Corporate author
If the name of the group first appears in parentheses (as in the second example below), put the abbreviation in
brackets after it, followed by a comma and the year for the citation:
Example: The American Psychological Association (APA, 2011) suggested that parents talk to their children
about family finances in age-appropriate ways.
Example: Children should learn about family finances in age-appropriate ways (American Psychological
Association [APA], 2011).
In the reference list entry, do not include the abbreviation for the group author. Instead, spell out the full name of
the group.
Authors with the same last name
Include first initials followed by the last names in order to distinguish between authors with the same last name.
Example: Religious and spiritual beliefs of Arab American Muslims significantly influence their health-care
practices and health-seeking behaviors (M. Berndt, 2016; L. Berndt, 2016).
More than one work by the same author in the same year
Distinguish between works by the same author in the same year by including lowercase letters next to the year
of publication in both in-text citations and reference list entries.
Example: Terminally ill patients find a source of strength in performing daily prayers and adhering to other
religious duties described in their sacred texts such as Bible and Quran (Robbins, 2011a).
Indirect sources
Provide the author of the original source in a signal phrase and include a citation of the secondary source in
parentheses. Note that only the secondary source has to be included in the reference list.
Example: Smith argues that “personalistic systems provide the most accurate representation of a patient’s
identity” (as cited in Wescot, 2014, p. 213).
Sources without page numbers
When an electronic document has numbered paragraphs, use the abbreviation “para." followed by the
paragraph number (Hall, 2001, para. 5). If the paragraphs are not numbered and the document includes
headings, provide the appropriate heading and specify the paragraph under that heading.
Example: Pinker and Smith (2013) went so far as to argue “that Chinese cultures condone the use of invasive
health care procedures” (para. 11).
Example: According to Smith (1997), ... (Mind Over Matter section, 2018, para. 6).