APA Style
All References entries must be double spaced.
http://library.tctc.edu/
APA format for citing COMMON sources
Type of Source
Format
*Entries marked with an asterisk
are extrapolated from the
APA Manual, but are not
officially given as formats there.
Book by One Author
Author’s Last Name, Initials. (Year of
Publication). Title of book. Place of
Publication: Name of Publisher.
Book by Two to Seven
Authors
1st Author’s Last Name, Initials, 2nd Author’s
Last Name, Initials, 3rd Author’s Last
Name, Initials, 4th Author’s Last
Name, Initials, 5th Author’s Last
Name, Initials, 6th Author’s Last
Name, Initials, & last Author’s Last
Name, Initials. (Year). Title of book.
Place of Publication: Publisher.
st
1 through 6th Author’s Last Name, Initials,
... Final Author’s Last Name, Initials.
(Year of Publication). Title of book.
Place of Publication: Name of
Publisher.
Book by Eight or More
Authors
Example
In-Text Citation
Always use as much information as you can find.
Sometimes you won’t be able to locate all information or
it won’t exist, as in a few of the examples below; in these
cases, consult your instructor.
Don’t include authors’ names if
identified in sentence cited. Page
numbers are used only when directly
quoting, not when paraphrasing.
Fukuyama, F. (2002). Our posthuman
future: Consequences of the
biotechnology revolution. New
York: Farrar.
VanderMey, R., Meyer, V., Van Rys, J.,
Kemper, D., & Sebranek, P. (2006).
The college writer brief: A guide to
thinking, writing, and researching.
Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
Crowe, A., Bannister, S., Barnes-Johnston,
L., Brown, M., Honigman, D., Karr,
D., … Yakob, F. (2008). The age of
conversation. New York, NY:
Channel V Books.
(Fukuyama, 2002, p. 23).
First Citation (for 5 or fewer authors)
(VanderMey, Meyer, Van
Rys, Kemper & Sebranek,
2006, p. 18).
Subsequent citations (or for 6 or
more authors)
(VanderMey et al., 2006,
p. 18).
(Crowe et al., 2008, p. 73).
List only seven authors: the first six, an ellipsis […], then the
last.
Ebook
See also “Source in an Online
Database,” below.
Author’s Last Name, Initials. (Year of
Publication). Title of book. Place of
Publication: Name of Publisher.
Retrieved Month Day, Year from
Online Location.
White, N.P. (1979). A companion to
Plato’s Republic. Indianapolis, IN:
Hackett Publishing Company.
Retrieved August 26, 2011 from
Google Books.
(White, 1979, p. 201).
* Any Source in an
Online Database
See your instructor for specific
requirements about online
retrieval information; APA’s
standard varies by publication.
You may need database name,
URL, or both.
However, if a URL is needed,
make sure that you use a
permanent URL or bookmark
page link.
Author’s Last Name, Initials. (Year of
Publication). [Usual publication
information for source type here].
Retrieved from Database: URL.
In place of [Usual publication information for source type
here], you may be using the information for a journal
article, reference entry, book, book chapter, government
document, or any of dozens of other source types. All that
changes with citing sources from online databases is the
retrieval information at the end.
Kristiansen, K. (2005). What language did
Neolithic pots speak? Colin
Renfrew’s European farminglanguage-dispersal model
challenged. Antiquity, 79 (305),
679-691. Retrieved August 26,
2011 from EBSCOhost: http://
search.ebscohost.com/login.
aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN
=18549573&site=ehost-live
(Kristiansen, 2005, p. 690).
This example is an article from a scholarly journal, found
with Academic Search Premier.
Journal Article
Article without an
Identified Author
When there is no author, use
the title or (rarely) a good and
accurate description in brackets
as your first citation element.
Use “Anonymous” only if that is
how the original writer
identified him or herself.
Story, Poem, or Essay
from a Compilation or
Anthology
Author’s Last Name, Initials. (Year of
Publication). Title of article. Title of
Journal, volume number (issue
number), pages. Only if Online:
Retrieved Month Day, Year from
Online Location.
Title of article. (Year, Month Day of
Publication). Title of Publication,
volume number (issue number),
pages. Only if Online: Retrieved Month
Day, Year from Online Location.
Story/Poem/Essay’s Author’s Last Name,
Initials (Year of Publication). Title of
story/poem/ essay. In Editor’s
Initial and Last Name (ed.), Title of
book (pages of chapter). Place of
Publication: Name of Publisher.
Hanks, P. (2000). Do word meanings exist?
Computers and the Humanities 34,
pp. 205-215.
(Hanks, 2000, p. 209).
Study findings on Polycystic Ovary
Syndrome are outlined in reports
from L. Yasar and colleagues.
(2011, June 16). Women's Health
Weekly 65. Retrieved July 14,
2011 from http://
www.newsrx.com/newsletters/
Womens-Health-Weekly.html.
Wilbur, R. (1959). The house of Poe. In H.
Bloom (ed.), Edgar Allan Poe:
Bloom’s modern critical views (pp.
61-65). New York, NY: Chelsea
House.
(“Study,” 2011).
You can abbreviate titles to as few
words as necessary to make the
source distinct from others in the
paper.
(Wilbur, 1959, p. 62).
*Introduction, Preface,
Foreword, or
Afterward to a Book
* Article/Section in a
Reference Book with
Identified Author
(Authors’ names are often listed
at the END of an article. Look
closely.)
* Entry in a Dictionary
or Encyclopedia
without Identified
Author
Author’s Last Name, Initials. (Year) Part
Being Cited: Title of part if
applicable. In Book Author’s Initials
and Last Name. (Book’s Year of
Publication). Title of Work (pages of
part being cited). Place of
Publication: Publisher.
Author’s Last Name, Initials (Year of
Publication). Title of entry. In
Editor’s Initial and Last Name (ed.),
Title of book (volume or edition
number). Place of Publication:
Name of Publisher. Only if Online:
Retrieved Month Day, Year from
Online Location.
Title of entry. (Year of Publication). In
Editor’s Initial and Last Name (ed.),
Title of book (volume or edition
number). Place of Publication:
Name of Publisher. Only if Online:
Retrieved Month Day, Year from
Online Location.
Skilton, D. (1998). Introduction. In M. E.
Braddon (1862). Lady Audley’s
Secret (pp. vii-xxiii). New York:
Oxford University Press.
(Skilton, 1998, p. xix).
Hopkins, N.S. (2001). Egypt. In M. Ember
and C. R. Ember (eds.), Countries
and Their Cultures (vol. 2). New
York: Macmillan Reference USA.
(Hopkins, 2001, p. 543).
Culture. (1997). American Heritage
Dictionary (3rd ed.). Boston:
Houghton Mifflin.
Symbolism. (n.d.). Merriam-Webster.com.
Retrieved June 21, 2011 from
http://www.merriamwebster.com/dictionary/
symbolism.
(“Culture,” 1997).
(“Symbolism,” n.d.).
(If no publication date is available, use “n.d.”, no date.)
Magazine/Newspaper
Article
Author’s Last Name, Initials. (Year, Month
Day of Publication). Title of article.
Title of Magazine /Newspaper,
page numbers. Only if Online: Retrieved
Month Day, Year from Online
Location.
(APA suggests giving the homepage URL of the publication if
it has a search function, since direct links to
articles tend to break.)
McGirk, T. (2004, January 26). The
monster within. Time, pp. 31, 3335.
Abend, L. (2011, June 23). World’s first
tickle spa opens in Spain. Time.
Retrieved June 28, 2011 from
http://www.time.com/time.
(McGirk, 2004, p. 34).
(Abend, 2011).
Web Page, not a
periodical or database
Find as much information as
you can. If necessary, work your
way up the URL until you find
the homepage.
Author’s Last Name, Initials. (Year, Month
Day of Publication). Title of
document. Title of Website.
Retrieved from Publisher website:
Month Day, Year from Online
Location.
Use “n.d.” if no date is given.
Article or Web Page by Name of Company/Institute/Association.
a Company, Institute,
(Year of Publication). Title of article
Association,
or web page. Title of book or
Government Agency or
website. Only if Online: Retrieved from
Club without Individual
Publisher website: Month Day, Year
Author(s)
from Online Location.
(Known as a Corporate Author)
Holy Texts
(Only italicize specific published
editions of the holy text, such as
The NIV Study Bible, but never
when just writing generally
about it, such as the Bible or the
Qur’an.)
Holy texts need not be cited in the
references list.
Cowden, A. (n.d.). Interactive timeline.
Pendleton Historic Foundation:
Woodburn and Ashtabula Historic
Homes. Retrieved from Pendleton
Historic Foundation website: July
17, 2011 from http://www.
pendletonhistoricfoundation.org/
timeline.swf.
Ecological Research and Development
Group (2009). About the species.
The Horseshoe Crab. Retrieved
from Ecological Research and
Development Group website: June
30, 2011 from http://
thehorseshoecrab.org.
N/A
(Cowden, n.d.).
(Ecological Research and
Development Group,
2009).
1st Citation:
(Oxford Annotated Bible,
Gen. 3.8).
Subsequent Citations:
(Gen. 3.12).
(al-Baqarah 2:177.4).
APA format for citing LESS COMMON sources
Type of Source
Format
Example
In-Text Citation
(Don’t include authors’ names
if identified in sentence cited.)
Film or Movie
Television Broadcast or
Series
Single Episode of a
Television Show
Online Video Clip
Song Recording
Interview in an Archive
*If using a magazine interview, it
is usually best to cite as a
magazine article subtitled
“Interview with [subject].”
Producer’s Last Name, Initials, & Director’s
Last Name, Initials. (Year). Title of
film. Country of origin: Studio.
Producer’s Last Name, Initials. (Year,
Month Day of Broadcast). Title of
broadcast or series [Television
broadcast]. City of origin: Studio
or Distributor.
Writer’s Last Name, Initials (Writer), &
Director’s Last Name, Initials
(Director). (Year). Title of episode.
In Producer’s Initials and Last
Name, Title of series. City of origin:
Studio or distributor.
Last Name, Initials of Director/Creator if
available. (Year, Month Day of
Publication). Title of video.
Retrieved Month Day, Year from
Online Location.
Last Name, Initials of Songwriter. (Year).
Title of song [performed by artist if
different from songwriter.] On
Title of Album [medium of
recording]. Location: Label.
(Recording date if different from
copyright date.)
Last Name, Initials of Interview Subject.
(Year, Month Day of Interview).
Title if applicable. Interview by
Interviewer’s Initials and Last
Henderson, L. J. (Producer) & O’Rourke, D.
(Director). (1988). Cannibal tours
[Motion picture]. Australia: Institute
of Papua New Guinea Studios.
Hewitt, D. (1975). Saturday night live
[Television broadcast]. New York:
National Broadcasting Company.
Whedon, J. (Writer/Director). (1999). Hush. In
J. Whedon, Buffy the vampire slayer.
Los Angeles, CA: Warner Bros.
Vachon, F. (2009, January 24). Time lapse of
baby playing with toys. Retrieved from
YouTube: June 29, 2011.
(O’Rourke, 1988).
(Cite with the director’s name.)
(Hewitt, 1975).
(Whedon, 1999).
If citing multiple episodes, use
the episode title in shortened
form if necessary:
(Whedon, “Hush,”
1999).
(Vachon, 2009).
Notice that in this case, the writer has his/her instructor’s
permission to cite the homepage, since it has a search function,
rather than the URL of the individual item.
Dale, H. (2000). Mordred’s lullaby. On Avalon
[CD]. Toronto, Canada: Amphisbaena
Music.
(Dale, 2000).
Arata, T. (1989). The dance [performed by
Garth Brooks]. On Garth Brooks [LP].
United States: Capitol Records.
(Arata, 1990).
Wassenar, W. (1999, July 24). Interview by C.
Alberti [Tape recording]. Williams
College Oral History Project. Williams
College Archives & Special Collections,
(Wassenar, 1999).
* Television Interview
Interview Conducted
by, or Message Sent to,
Author of Paper
Name [Format]. Name of
Collection (Location in Collection).
Collection Name and Location. Or,
Only if Online: Retrieved from website:
Month Day, Year from Online
Location.
Last Name, Initials of Interview Subject.
(Year, Month Day of Interview).
Title if applicable. Interview by
Interviewer’s Initials and Last
Name. In Producer’s Last Name,
Initials. Title of broadcast or series
[Television broadcast]. City of
origin: Studio or Distributor.
Personal communications need not be
cited in the references list.
Williamstown, MA.
Oldman, G. (1997, July 9). Interview by R.
Covington [Transcript]. Retrieved July
18, 2011 from Salon.com.
(Oldman, 1997).
Williams, R. (2007, June 3). Interview by L.
King. In Larry King Live [Television
broadcast]. Los Angeles: Cable News
Network.
(Williams, 2007).
N/A
1st Citation:
(F. Baggins, personal
communication, July
18, 2011).
Subsequent Citations:
Image or Artwork
(including Google
Image results)
Creator’s Last Name, Initials. (Role).
(Year). Title or description of
image [work type]. Retrieved from
website: Month Day, Year from
Online Location.
Note in the examples that one uses homepage title for
retrieval information, while the other uses URL; as always,
check with your instructor for his or her specific
requirements for citing online sources.
Hallee, J. (Seamstress). (1907). Dress, black
silk crepe [garment]. Retrieved July 18,
2011 from Heilbrunn Timeline of Art
History, Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Brancusi, C. (Sculptor). (1923). Bird in space
[marble sculpture]. Retrieved June 12,
2011 from http://www.metmuseum.
org/toah/works-of-art/1996.403.7ab
(Baggins, 2011).
(Hallee, 1907).
(Brancusi, 1923).
Archival Sources
(Brochures, Pamphlets,
Advertisements,
Letters, Historic
Photographs,
Unidentified Historic
Newspaper Clippings,
Recorded Interviews,
etc.)
These are very rare citations but
can be applied to any otherwise
“un-citable” source. However,
in your work at TriCounty
Technical College, you are highly
unlikely to be using sources like
the second and third examples
very often.
Author’s Last Name, Initials if available.
(Year). Title [Type of document].
Place of Publication: Publisher.
Name of Archival or Private
Collection. Collection Name and
Location.
For letters, Title and [Type of document] are combined into
the single descriptor “Correspondence.”
How to write a thesis statement. (2008)
Bloomington, IN: Writing Tutorial
Services of Indiana University.
TriCounty Technical College Writing
Center handout collection, Pendleton,
SC.
(Thesis Statement,
2008).
Smith, D. (1946-1947). Correspondence. Copy
in possession of Chelsea Clarey,
Anderson, SC.
(Smith, D., 1946-1947,
Smith to M. Smith,
November 1, 1946).
[Photograph of unidentified man and small
boy]. (c. 1845-1865). Chicago: Charles
& Hultgren Studios. Copy in possession
of the author.
No in-text citation is necessary
for describing this archival
document.