A Comprehensive Guide To APA Formatting And Referencing
Referencing is an intrinsic part of academic writing. You must properly refer to other sources that you’ve used while working on your papers. The APA referencing style is perfect for this. What is APA Referencing? It is a style of referring to others' works in your paper. Using it will help you maintain integrity, highlight the primary sources, and increase the credibility of your writing.
The APA referencing style 7th edition is the author-date method of citation used by millions of scholars, students, editors, and educators worldwide. You’ll find it in the behavioural and social sciences. But that’s not the full extent of its use. The APA style referencing is used extensively in engineering, business, natural sciences, education, and nursing.
Wondering why scholars, students, educators, and researchers use APA referencing? The answer is simple. The APA 7 referencing guide ensures uniformity in style. It allows readers to scan the text quickly to find the references they need and avoid getting distracted by inconsistencies, such as punctuation errors, capitalisation mistakes, etc. Let’s dive into more details.
Chapter 1: Understanding the APA Style
APA-style referencing was first introduced in 1929. It was a necessary measure to make it easier to comprehend scientific writing. That’s why a few business managers, psychologists, and anthropologists got together to find a solution. They published a set of guidelines, which has been modified to form the current APA 7th referencing guide.
Key Principles & Guidelines for the APA Style:
- Use the author-date style of referencing.
- Use the author's surname and publication year in in-text citations.
- Cited work must appear in the reference list.
- Cite paraphrases and quotations.
- Be consistent with the spelling of texts and author names.
- Prioritize primary resources over secondary.
Want more detailed guidelines regarding font style, size, order of pages, etc.? Check out this official APA 7th referencing guide.
Differences between APA & Other Citation Styles:
| Characteristic | APA Style | MLA Style | Chicago Style |
| In-text citations | Includes author’s name, publication year & page number. | Includes author’s name & page number. | Includes author’s name, publication year & page number. |
| Reference list | Titled "References. | Titled "Works Cited. | Titled “Reference List.” |
| Order of references | Ordered in alphabetical order of author’s surname. | Ordered in alphabetical order of author’s surname. | Ordered in alphabetical order of author’s surname. |
| Publication Year | Include in parenthesis after the author's name in references. | Include without parenthesis in references. | Include without parenthesis after the author's name in references. |
| Title Page | Needs a title page. | Does not need a title page. | Needs a title page. |
Chapter 2: Formatting Guidelines
The APA referencing website has specific formatting guidelines for various aspects of your paper. Follow these carefully to maintain consistency. Read on to explore each section.
I. Title page formatting
There are two kinds of title page formatting – the student paper version and the professional version. Review both carefully and use whichever you need.
Student title paper includes the following:
- Title of the paper
- Your name
- Name of your department and university
- Course number
- Instructor’s name
- Assignment deadline
- Page number
The professional title page has more inclusions. Here’s what you should include if you’re required to use this version for your paper –
- Title of the paper
- Your name
- Affiliations
- Author note
- Running head
- Page number
As you can clearly see, the student version does not include an author’s note and running head. Instead, it includes the course and instructor’s name.
II. Page layout and margins
Your paper should follow the left alignment for the APA 7th edition referencing style. Ideally, you must leave 1-inch margins on all four sides of the paper. However, review the guidelines. Sometimes, your professors might specify keeping a 1.5-inch margin.
The first line of every new paragraph should be indented. Keep a 0.5-inch space from the left margin. You can use the Tab key for this but DO NOT use space to create the indentations. This layout format doesn't apply to the following –
- Headings
- Abstract
- Tables & figures
- Title page
- Reference list
- Section labels
- Appendices
III. Font style, size & spacing
According to APA referencing rules, you can use sans serif fonts and serif fonts in your paper. But be consistent. Don’t use Calibri in one paragraph and Times New Roman in another. The acceptable fonts are –
- Georgia
- Times New Roman
- Calibri
- Arial
- Lucida Sans Unicode
The font size should ideally be 11 or 12 points. In figures, it can fluctuate between 8 and 14. Your paper should have consistent double spacing. There's no need to add additional spacing between paragraphs. But there are exceptions to this as well.
- The text in table cells
- Words in an image
- Footnotes
- Title page
These exceptions can use single spacing, one-and-a-half spacing, and even double spacing. It depends on the overall format.
IV. Headings and subheadings
The APA referencing book states that you can have five types of headings in your paper. Simple papers usually have a maximum of Type 1, Type 2, and Type 3 headings. But this can go up to Type 5 for complex papers. Type 2 is a subheader of Type 1; Type 3 is a subheader of Type 2, and so on. You see where this is going, right?
Check out this table to check the characteristics of each heading.
| Heading Type | Characteristics |
| Type 1 | Bold, central alignment |
| Type 2 | Bold, left alignment |
| Type 3 | Italics, left alignment |
| Type 4 | Bold, indented, ends with a period |
| Type 5 | Italics, indented, ends with a period |
V. In-text citations
APA referencing uses the author-date style of citation for in-text references. The primary inclusions are the author’s surname and publication year. Want to include a reference from a specific section? You can include page numbers or a page range as well!
Here are a few examples of the parenthetical form of including the in-text citations:
- (Sanders, 2020)
- (Sanders, 2020, p. 42)
- (Sanders, 2020, p. 42-43)
In the narrative form, only the year is in parenthesis.
VI. Reference list formatting
The APA 7th referencing website guidelines are clear about the formatting of the reference list. Follow these rules carefully –
- Include the references at the end of your paper.
- Write “References” in bold with centre alignment.
- Order references alphabetically following authors’ surnames.
- Use hanging indent for every source.
Want to check how these formatting rules apply in a paper? You’ll cover that in the next few sections. Read on to learn more about in-text citations and reference lists.
Chapter 3: In-text Citations
Whenever you refer to someone else’s work or idea in your paper, you need to cite your sources. In-text citations make it easier to identify these sources. In the main body of the text, you can’t include too many details about the reference. However, the author's surname and publication year help readers find the source details for the reference list easily.
The APA in-text referencing style dictates different formats for different source types. Check out these examples for more details.
1. Books
In-text citations for books include the author’s surname and publication year. Specific sections can include page numbers as well. There are two ways you can incorporate this –
Parenthetical:
Women have started gaining more recognition in the animation industry (Trevor, 2021).
Narrative:
Trevor (2021) conducted a survey that proved that women have been getting more recognition in the animation industry.
In-text citations for the number of authors:
| Number of Authors | Parenthetical Version | Narrative Version |
| Not mentioned | Publication year | (publication year) |
| 1 author | (Surname, year) | Surname (year) |
| 2 authors | (Surname 1 & Surname 2, year) | Surname 1 and Surname 2 (year) |
| 3+ authors | (Surname 1 et al., year) | Surname 1 et al. (year) |
2. Journal articles
The format for APA referencing in-text citations for journal articles is –
For 1 author: (Author’s surname, publication year)
For 2 authors: (Author 1’s surname & Author 2’s surname, publication year)
For 3+ authors: (Author 1’s surname et al., publication year)
3. Websites
APA 7 referencing for a website states that you can use an author’s surname and publication year for in-text referencing. The author can also be replaced by an organisation. Since web pages do not contain page numbers like print materials, you can use different types of locators –
- Mention the paragraph number.
- Use an abbreviated heading.
- Write the section name.
In-text citations for direct quotations and paraphrasing
Direct quotations require page numbers in the APA referencing in-text citations.
For example –
“The results of the study establish that women worldwide face more discrimination in the workplace than men.” (Harris, 2000, p. 121)
But you don’t need to add the page number if you paraphrase it. Let’s take the same example for better understanding.
Workplaces worldwide are known for discriminating against women compared to men. (Harris, 2000)
Whether you use direct quotes or paraphrase the content, you can’t escape referencing. It doesn’t matter if you change the words. As long as you refer to other sources, you must include proper references. If the rules are confusing, just use an APA 7th referencing style generator for accurate results.
Chapter 4: Reference List
The reference list is usually located at the end of your paper. Here, you arrange all the sources you’ve cited in your work in alphabetical order following the authors’ surnames. Are you wondering, “What’s the point of including a reference list when I included in-text citations?” Well, the answer is simple.
Consider this scenario. If you were asked to locate someone with just their name and age, would you be able to? But if you were provided with an address as well, the search becomes easier. Well, the references are basically the addresses of the sources you’ve used in your paper. It helps readers locate the primary source for additional information. This section also adds credibility to your work. It shows that you’ve done your research thoroughly. Finally, you get to avoid plagiarism since you cite all works properly.
Formatting rules for different sources:
1. Books
I. Print book:
Author’s surname, initial(s). (Publication year). Book Title. Publisher.
For example – Harris, B. (2000). English Made Easy. Pearson.
II. Chapter in an edited book:
Author’s surname, initial(s). (Publication year). Chapter Title. In Editor’s initials. Surname (Ed. Or Eds.), Book Title (pp.) Publisher. DOI if available
For example – Harris, B. (2000). Punctuations. In S. Jonas (Ed.), English Made Easy (pp. 23-24). Pearson.
2. Journal articles
The format for referring to journal articles in the reference list is –
Author’s surname, initial(s). (Publication year). Article Title. Journal Title, Volume number(issue number), Page range. DOI (if accessible)
Let’s go over some APA referencing style examples for journal articles:
I. For 1 author –
Dennis, A. (2013). The Health Benefits of Coffee. Medical Info Daily, 25(5), 23-25. https://doi.org/10.3244/32353331002
II. For 2 authors –
Jones, A. S., & Rivers, H. (2021). Beauty Inside and Out. Psychology Today, 128(4), 120-123. https://doi.org/10.0944/323439222
Note: If a journal has 3-20 authors, mention them all in the reference list. But if it has more than 20 authors, then mention the first 19 authors, put an ellipses (…), and mention the last name.
3. Online sources
Check out how to refer to social media posts, e-books, articles, or other online resources right here!
I. Tweet –
Author's surname, initial(s) [@Twitter handle name]. (Year, Month, Date). Title (content of the tweet up to 20 words). [Image/Video attached] [Tweet]. Twitter. URL of the tweet.
For example:
Jones, S [@Jonesusan21]. (2023, January 12). Racism cases are going unchecked in the USA schools. [Video attached] [Tweet].
II. E-books –
Author’s surname, initial(s). (Publication year). Book Title. Publisher. DOI or URL
For example:
Harris, B. (2000). English Made Easy. Pearson. https://doi.org/10.3244/32333310022
III. Webpages –
Author’s surname, initial(s). (Publication year, Month, Date). Website Title. Website Name. URL
For example:
Jefferson, A. (2020, May 10). “The Troubles of the Modern Stan Community”: A Brief Analysis. IGGPA.
You can use in-text citations for personal communication modes such as emails, letters, interviews, etc. But there’s no need to include them in the reference list.
Now, all these examples covered contain all details. You have the author's name, webpage details, etc. But what happens when one of these details goes missing? Don't panic! Check out these APA 7 referencing examples with missing info.
I. Anonymous author of book
If the author of a book is listed as anonymous, then replace the author’s name with Anonymous.
For example - Anonymous. (2000). English Made Easy. Pearson.
II. No author for webpage
When a webpage has no author, exclude the section from the reference. Begin with the title of the page in italics. Add the date after that.
For example - “The Troubles of the Modern Stan Community”: A Brief Analysis. (2020, May 10). IGGPA.
III. No publication date
Write “n.d.” (no date) when you can’t find the publication date for a source.
For example –
Jones, A. S., & Rivers, H. (n.d.). Beauty Inside and Out. Psychology Today, 128(4), 120-123.
IV. No author
The APA referencing rules at Coventry University and many educational institutes recommend using the source title when there is no author. Make sure to italicise it!
For example –
English Made Easy. (2000). Pearson.
V. No page number
You’re only required to cite the page number when you quote directly from a source. If you cite from webpages, YouTube videos, or PPT presentations, use these alternatives –
- Slide numbers (Slide 1)
- Timestamp (3:44)
- Table (Table 3)
- Paragraph number (para. 6)
- “No page number” section
Chapter 5: Special Cases and Considerations
You need to keep special considerations in mind when reviewing in-text referencing in APA or providing full references. The rules for these are slightly different. Let’s check out a few special cases.
1. Citing sources with multiple editions or volumes
I. Multiple volumes from a multi-volume work
In-text citation – (Joseph & Blithe, 2011)
Reference – Joseph, A. & Blithe, D. (2011). Completed Works on the Advancement of Mankind (Vols. 1-3). Penguin.
II. Single volume in a multi-volume work
In-text citation – (Dover, 2000)
Reference – Dover, A. (2000). Completed Works on the Advancement of Mankind (Vols. 1, pp. 120-121). Penguin.
2. Citing translated works
Format – Author’s surname, initial(s). (Year). Title of the book (Translator’s initial. Surname, Trans.). Publisher. (Original work published yyyy)
Example – Anderson, F. (2000). The Life of an Immigrant (B. Tate, Trans.). Dover. (Original work published 1998)
3. Referencing online and offline sources
I. Citing legal materials
- Format for court cases: Name v. Name, Volume Source Page (Court Date)
- Example of court cases: Kimberly v. Hans, 434 F. Supp. 201 (A.F. Weiss, 1988)
- In-text citation: (Kimberly v. Hans, 1988)
II. Citing blogs
- Format: Author's surname, initial (s). (Year, Month Day). Blog post title. Name of the blog. URL.
- Example: Matthew, A. (2022, January 14). The Emancipation of Women. Debate Blog. https://blog.debateblog.org/2022/01/14/the-emancipation-of-women/
III. Citing a TV series or an episode
Format: Writer’s surname, initial(s). (Writer), & Director’s surname, initial(s). (Director). (Year-Year). Title of the episode or the broadcast [TV series episode]. In Producer’s surname, initial(s). (Producer), Title of the series. Studio or distributor.
Example: Scott, B. & Davis, H. (Writers), & Lawrence, W. (Director). (1932). Fanny Takes a Step [TV series episode]. In Jefferson, A. (Producer), Fanny’s Adventures. Public Broadcasting Service.
4. Including DOI (Digital Object Identifier) and URLs in citations
Include DOIs or URLs if the information is accessible. The rest of the format for the source remains as it is. Just add the URL or DOI at the end.
Format: Author’s surname, initial(s). (Publication year). Article Title. Journal Title, Volume number(issue number), Page range. DOI/URL (if accessible)
Example: Dennis, A. (2013). The Health Benefits of Coffee. Medical Info Daily, 25(5), 23-25. https://doi.org/10.3244/32353331002
5. Formatting tables, figures, and appendices
I. For tables and figures
- Number the tables as Table 1, Table 2, and so on.
- Number the figures as Figure 1, Figure 2, and so on.
- Embed the figures and tables at the end of the paragraph where you mentioned them.
- Do not split figures and tables between pages.
II. For appendices
- List the appendices as letters (Appendix A, Appendix B, etc.)
- Start each appendix on a new page.
- Include appendices after the reference list.
Chapter 6: Tools and Resources for APA Formatting
Poor knowledge of referencing rules might make you wonder, "Is APA referencing the same as Harvard?” The correct answer is no. But if you don’t know the rules for both, you might confuse the two. That’s why an APA 7th edition referencing generator is a great option for you to consider. Here's a brief overview of citation software management tools like Zotero, EndNote, and Mendeley.
1. Zotero
- Used by graduate research assistants
- Industries most used in – Research & Higher Education
- Free tool for collecting, organising, and citing sources
2. EndNote
- Used by graduate research assistants and postgraduate fellows
- Industries most used in – Research & Higher Education
- Can be synced with desktop and iPad
3. Mendeley
- Used by graduate research and teaching assistants
- Industries mot used in – Research & Higher Education
- Web-based program
These tools can easily help you with Harvard and APA 7th referencing. You can also use the APA style referencing generator tool on MyAssignmenthelp.co.uk. This tool provides accurate citations in a flash.
You can also check the official APA style guide to understand the basics of using APA referencing for a website, a book, and other sources. Click here to access the supplementary guide for more details. A quick review of these will help you understand the differences between APA referencing and Harvard referencing.
Point to note: If you don’t use a citation tool, here is the answer to your question – “Is Harvard referencing the same as APA?” No, it’s not. Let’s look at the major differences between Harvard referencing and APA.
| APA Referencing | Harvard Referencing |
| 1. It is used to cite works related to social and behavioural sciences and education. | 1. It is used to cite scientific works. |
| 2. The list of references is titled “References.” | 2. The list of references is titled “Reference List.” |
| 3. When number of authors exceeds two, ‘et al.’ is used to indicate more authors. | 3. ‘Et al.’ is used throughout the text to indicate works with more than two authors. |
Tips for Proofreading and Editing your APA-Formatted Document:
- Review the formatting rules and make sure you’ve used 1” margins throughout.
- Read the paper thoroughly to correct any usage of the first person.
- Avoid using indecipherable fonts and stick to basics like Times New Roman 12 pt.
- Double-check the sources in your reference list and make sure you've included all in-text citations.
In conclusion,
APA referencing is one of the most popular citation styles used by scholars, academicians, and students. You'll find it mostly in papers related to education, social and behavioural sciences. Practice your APA formatting and referencing skills regularly. You can avoid mistakes as long as you revise the rules. As long as you adhere to the correct APA formatting, you can improve the credibility of your sources. This blog covers the basics of the APA style of citation. You’ll find various examples that can help you improve your knowledge. Good luck with your paper!
FAQs On APA Referencing
Q1: What is APA referencing?
Ans: APA referencing is the author-date style of citation used for education, social and behavioural sciences. This style of reference recommends mentioning the author's surname and publication date as in-text citations. Readers can use this to locate the source details in the reference list.
Q2: How do I format an APA in-text citation?
Ans: An APA in-text citation includes the author’s surname and publication date. If you include a direct quotation, you must include page numbers. The in-text citation can be in two forms:
- Parenthetical
- Narrative
For example,
Parenthetical: “The record shows the locality in complete disarray.” (Sanders, 2006, p. 54)
Narrative: Sanders (2006) highlights that the locality suffered a lot in his recent study.
Q3: How do I format an APA reference list entry?
Ans: When formatting the reference list in the APA style, keep the following points in mind:
- Begin the list on a new page after your paper ends.
- Title the list as “References.”
- Arrange all references in alphabetical order according to the author's surname.
- If the author is not available, consider the source title in alphabetical order.
Q4: How do I cite a website or online source in APA style?
Ans: Format for website citation in APA 7th referencing style:
Author’s surname, initial(s). (Publication year, Month, Date). Website Title. Website Name. URL
For example,
Anderson, B. (2021, February 10). The Last Days on Earth. IGGPA.
Format for e-book:
Author’s surname, initial(s). (Publication year). Book Title. Publisher. DOI or URL
Example - Harris, B. (2000). English Made Easy. Pearson.
Q5: How do I cite a journal article in APA style?
Ans: To cite a journal article in the APA style, follow this format:
Author’s surname, initial(s). (Publication year). Article Title. Journal Title, Volume number(issue number), Page range. DOI (if accessible)
Example for 1 author:
Dennis, A. (2013). The Health Benefits of Coffee. Medical Info Daily, 25(5), 23-25.
Example for 2 authors:
Jones, A. S., & Rivers, H. (2021). Beauty Inside and Out. Psychology Today, 128(4), 120-123.
Q6: How do I cite a source with multiple authors?
Ans: In-text citations for 2 authors: (1st author’s surname & 2nd author’s surname, year published)
In-text citations for 3 and 3+ authors: (1st author's surname et al., year published)
For the reference list, separate the authors’ names with an “&” if there are two. If there are 3 to 20 authors, include them all. But for sources with 20+ authors, include the first 19 authors, use ellipses (…) to denote more, and list the last author’s name.
Anne Gill Oct 19, 2023
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