Citing sources using APA (American Psychological Association) requires both in-text citations and a
reference list.
In-Text Citations are brief references giving credit to the works of others within the body of your essay. All
sources of information, whether quoted directly or paraphrased, must be noted in the body of your paper with
in-text citations.
When paraphrasing the works of others, your in-text citation should include the author and year of
publication. Example: (McWaters & Sheldon, 2005). When quoting directly from a source, your in-text
citation should also include the page number on which that quote originally appears.
Example: The advice provided on financial planning for college education will “dictate the ease and success of
the decisions you make along the way” (McWaters & Sheldon, 2005, p. 22).
A Reference List is found at the end of your paper and cites the publication details of each item you have
used in your essay. Entries in your Reference list are arranged in alphabetical order by the surname of the first
author or by title if there is no author.
For more information about APA, visit the library website at: http://www.georgebrown.ca/llc/. Details on
academic honesty, APA citation style and how to cite various resources can be found there. *Remember to
always defer to your instructor’s preferences regarding formatting or citation requirements.
References: Format & Examples
Book (with 2 authors):
Format
Author1 Last Name, Initials., & Author2 Last Name, Initials. (Year of publication). Book title: Subtitle. Place of
Publication: Publisher.
Example
McWaters, G., & Sheldon, W. (2005). The Canadian student financial survival guide: A comprehensive
handbook on financing your education, managing your expenses & planning a debt-free future.
Toronto: Insomniac Press.
Article from an Encyclopedia:
*Format
Author of Specific Entry Last Name, Initials. (Year of publication). Entry heading or title. In Title of
encyclopedia (Vol. #, pp. #s). Place of publication: Publisher.
Example
Durlach, N. (2000). Virtual reality. In Encyclopedia of psychology (Vol. 8, pp. 172-176). Washington, D.C.:
American Psychological Association.
Article from a Newspaper or Magazine:
*Format
Author Last Name, Initials. (Year, Month Day). Title of article. Title of Newspaper/Magazine, p. #.
Example
Cribb, R. (2008, October 7). Inspectors fear repeat of listeriosis outbreak; bacteria reporting must be
reinstated, critics say. Toronto Star, p. A.18.
Note: For articles with no specific author, start your citation with the title of the article, followed by the date.
George Brown College – Library Learning Commons – APA HANDOUT(April2014)
Article from a Scholarly Journal (print version):
Format
Author, A., Author, B., & Author, C. (Year of publication). Title of article. Title of Journal, volume number(issue
number), page range.
Example
Bertrand, L., Therien, F. & Cloutier, M. (2008). Measuring and mapping disparities in access to fresh fruits
vegetables in Montreal. Canadian Journal of Public Health, 99(1), 6-11.
Article from a Journal in an Electronic Database using DOI:
Format
Author, A., & Author, B. (Year of publication). Title of article. Title of Journal, volume number(issue number if
available), page range. doi:0000000/000000000000
Example
Vega, C., & Ubbink, J. (2008). Molecular gastronomy: a food fad or science supporting innovative cuisine?
Trends in Food Science & Technology, 19(7), 372-382. doi:10.1016/j.tifs.2008.01.006
Article from a Journal in an Electronic Database (no DOI):
Format
Author, A., Author, B., & Author, C. (Year of publication). Title of article. Title of Journal, volume number(issue
number if available), page range. Retrieved from Database Name database.
Example
Bertrand, L., Therien, F. & Cloutier, M. (2008). Measuring and mapping disparities in access to fresh fruits
and vegetables in Montréal. Canadian Journal of Public Health, 99(1), 6-11. Retrieved from
ProQuest Nursing & Allied Health Source database.
Important Note: The APA Manual (6th ed.) requires the URL of the journal home page for online articles without a
DOI. George Brown College Libraries suggest that the database name be used instead, but you should always defer to
your instructor’s preferences regarding formatting or citation requirements.
Page from a Website:
**Format
Personal or Corporate Author. (Last update or copyright date; if not known, put n.d.). Title of specific
document. Retrieved Month Day, Year, from http://www.URL_of_specific_document
**Example
Tourism of Cambodia. (2009). Introduction to Cambodia. Retrieved January 31, 2009, from
http://www.tourismcambodia.com/tripplanner/general
Note: It is recommended you include the URL if your audience is unlikely to find the source or if your instructor
requires it.
Annotated Reference - Example:
Pierce, H. (2005). Persuasive proposals and presentations: 25 lessons from writing winners.
Toronto: McGraw-Hill.
This hands-on guidebook for business professional provides useful tips and techniques
for writing proposals and presentations, as well as responding to a formal Request for
Proposal. Advice on writing persuasively, using endorsements effectively, and creating
appendices is included.
This document is available in alternative formats upon request. Please contact
the library at askgbclibrary@georgebrown.ca for details. Thank you.
George Brown College – Library Learning Commons – APA HANDOUT(April2014)