APA Citation Style
Documenting
Sources: References
List & In-text Citations
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Revised 2/09
Why Use APA Format?
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Allows readers to locate your sources easily.
Provides consistent format within a discipline.
Protects you from plagiarism.
Gives you credibility as an author.
College of DuPage Library
Revised 2/09
Where Do I Find the APA Format?
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Publication Manual of the American Psychological
Association (5th ed., 2001)
The “Bible” of the APA style. Often called the “APA
Manual.”
APA Style Guide to Electronic References (2007).
Update to the Publication Manual.
C.O.D. Library Web site
www.cod.edu/library > Citing Sources > APA
Examples and other helpful Web sites
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Revised 2/09
Title Page
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Papers in APA style require a title page.
Include the paper’s title and your name,
course, professor’s name, date.
Ask your instructor for title page
requirements!
Student Paper Example
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Revised 2/09
Paper Format
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Ask your instructor for requirements!
12 pt. Times Roman font preferred or a nonserif font, but ask your instructor.
Double-spaced.
1 inch margins.
Abbreviated title is header for all pages.
Pages are numbered.
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Revised 2/09
Quotations: Examples
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See pages 117-118 in the APA manual.
Also see OWL (Purdue University) Web site
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Revised 2/09
Paraphrasing: Examples
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See pages 349-350 in the APA manual.
Also see OWL (Purdue University) Web site
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Revised 2/09
Complete Paper Example
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Student Paper Example
Also see example in APA manual.
College of DuPage Library
Revised 2/09
APA References List
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Called “References,” alphabetized by item (author or
title).
A list of every source that you make reference to in
your paper.
Provides the information necessary for a reader to
locate and retrieve any sources cited in your paper.
Each source cited in the paper must appear on the
References list, and vice versa.
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Revised 2/09
References List: Example
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Student paper example
Go to the end of the paper to see the
“References.”
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Revised 2/09
Reference Citations
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Citations should contain the following
information: author’s name, title of work,
publication information, to the extent that you
can find this information about the source.
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Revised 2/09
Book: Example
Schneck, C. (2007). Sleep: The mysteries, the
problems, and the solutions. New York:
Avery.
Citations should be double-spaced with a hanging indent.
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Revised 2/09
Article in Reference Book (e.g.
Encyclopedia): Example
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Frey, R. J. (2003). Post-traumatic stress
disorder. In The Gale encyclopedia of mental
disorders (Vol. 2, pp. 786-789). Detroit: Gale.
Citations should be double-spaced with a hanging indent.
College of DuPage Library
Revised 2/09
Chapter/Article in Edited Book:
Example
Mattia, J.I., & Zimmerman, M. (2001).
Epidemiology. In W.J. Livesley (Ed.),
Handbook of personality disorders:
Theory, research, and treatment (pp.
107-123). New York: Guilford Press.
Citations should be double-spaced with a hanging indent.
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Revised 2/09
Journal Article (Print): Example
Verona, E., & Kilmer, A. (2007). Stress
exposure and affective modulation of
aggressive behavior in men and women.
Journal of Abnormal Psychology 116(2),
410-421.
Citations should be double-spaced with a hanging indent.
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Revised 2/09
Journal Article (electronic, from subscription
database) with no DOI: Example
Norvilitus, J. M., Szablicki, P. B., & Wilson, S.
D. (2003). Factors influencing levels
of credit-card debt in college students.
Journal of Applied Social Psychology,
33(5), 935-947. Retrieved January 27,
2009, from Academic OneFile
database.
Citations should be double-spaced with a hanging indent.
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Revised 2/09
Journal Article (electronic, from subscription
database) with DOI: Example
Andersson, G. (2009). Foster children: A
longitudinal study of placements and
family relationships. International Journal
of Social Welfare, 18(1), 13-26.
doi:10.1111/j.1468-2397.2008.00570.x
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Web Site (No Author): Example
Obsessive-compulsive disorder. (2007,
September 16). National Institute of
Mental Health. Retrieved September 30,
2007, from http://www.nimh.nih.gov/
health/topics/obsessive-compulsivedisorder-ocd/index.shtml
Citations should be double-spaced with a hanging indent.
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Revised 2/09
Web Site (No Date): Example
Archer, Z. (n.d.). Exploring nonverbal
communication. Retrieved February 10,
2009, from http://zzyx.ucsc.edu/~archer
Citations should be double-spaced with a hanging indent.
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Revised 2/09
Image: Example
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Netter, F. (2005). Heart [Electronic
illustration]. Retrieved February 10, 2009,
from http:// www.usip.edu/museum/
netter_detail3.htm.
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Image (No Author, No Title, No Date):
Example
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[Untitled image of a chest X-ray]. Retrieved
February 10, 2009, from
http://www.merritt.edu/~radte/.
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Revised 2/09
Other Examples
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Go to Web sites listed on the Citing Sources
page under “Other Resources” for more
examples and explanations.
Google it! e.g. magazine article APA style,
but be careful to use a good Web site.
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Revised 2/09
In-text Citations
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Sometimes called parenthetical citations.
Done within the text of your paper after
you’ve quoted or paraphrased from a source.
Each source cited in the paper must appear
on your “References” list, and vice versa.
College of DuPage Library
Revised 2/09
Example of “Signal Phrase”
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Social historian Richard Sennett (1980)
names the tendency to come to terms with
difficult experiences a "purification process"
whereby "threatening or painful dissonances
are warded off to preserve intact a clear and
articulated image of oneself and one’s place
in the world" (p. 11).
College of DuPage Library
Revised 2/09
Another Type of In-Text Citation
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The tendency to come to terms with difficult
experiences is referred to as a "purification
process" whereby "threatening or painful
dissonances are warded off to preserve
intact a clear and articulated image of
oneself and one’s place in the world"
(Sennett, 1980, p.11).
College of DuPage Library
Revised 2/09
Source with No Author: Example
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Several critics of the concept of the
transparent society ask if a large society
would be able to handle the complete loss of
privacy ("Surveillance Society," 1998, p. 115).
Use an abbreviated version of the title.
College of DuPage Library
Revised 2/09
Help with APA Citation
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Citing Sources page on Library’s Web site
Library’s Reference Desk—in person, email,
or IM
Writing & Reading Center
IC 3040 & Library 3018
(630) 942-3355 or make appointment online
College of DuPage Library
Revised 2/09