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Chapter 19: APA Format

“Writing the perfect paper is a lot like a military operation. It takes discipline, foresight, research, strategy, and, if done right, ends in total victory.”

–Ryan Holiday

Why Use a Specific Style?

As mentioned in the introduction to this part, citation styles are guidelines that determine how to cite sources in written work. These guidelines provide structure and consistency by forcing researchers to standardize the content and format of their citations and references. When the title and date are always found in the same place in every citation, research is a bit easier because the information is presented in a consistent way.

There are over a dozen types of styles, but in this section of the textbook, we will specifically address APA Style guidelines.

What is APA Style?

APA Style is a set of guidelines covering many different aspects of scholarly writing, including:

  • formatting (title page setup, margins, line spacing, font, headings, etc.)
  • mechanics of style (spelling, punctuation, capitalization, italics, etc.)
  • grammar
  • use of bias-free language
  • references/citations

The APA Style Manual is published by the American Psychological Association (APA) and is used in psychology, nursing, business, communications, criminology, engineering, and related fields.

Check out the APA Style website for more info.

Formatting the Paper in APA

Formatting the Title Page (page 1) for a Student Paper

  • Create a Title Page for your work
  • Scroll down to the middle of the page and center the following:
    • Title of Your Paper
      • Bold your title
      • Use title caps
      • No quotation marks, italics, underline, etc.
    • Your Name
    • Your Affiliation (The name of the department over the course and the college that you are attending)
    • Course Number and Name
    • Instructor’s Name
    • Assignment Due Date

Figure 19.1 Template

 

Figure 19.2 Title Page Example

To learn more about setting up your title page, visit the APA Style website: Title page setup

Formatting the Beginning of Your Written Content

To start the body of your text, follow the proceeding steps:

  1. Create a new page.
  2. At the top of the new page, center and write the full title of your work. Do not use bold, underline or quotation marks. After the title, hit enter once, indent your paragraph ½ inch, and begin writing.

Levels 1-3 Headings

APA uses various levels of headings to distinguish sections in an essay. According to the OWL of Purdue, “[t]he levels are organized by levels of subordination, and each section of the paper should start with the highest level of heading.” The highest level of heading is 1 and the lowest is 5. However, in this section, only levels 1 through 3 are discussed.

Level 1 Heading

  • Level 1 Heading (Centered, Bolded, Title Caps)
  • Shows the section title (e.g. Literature Review, Methods, Results, Implications)

Figure 19.3  Level 1 Heading

Level 2 Heading

  • Level 2 Heading (Left-Justified, Bolded, Title Caps)
  • Shows subsection titles (e.g. Main Ideas, Sub-Topics)

Figure 19.4 Level 2 Heading

Level 3 Heading 

  • Level 3 Heading (flush left, bold italic, title case heading)

Figure 19.5 Heading 3

To learn more about APA Headings, visit APA Style website: Headings

Two Parts of APA Citations

In APA Style, there are two parts to every citation: an in-text citation and a reference list citation.

In-text citations use only a few details of the source, enough to locate its matching reference citation in the reference list.

Reference list citations provide more information about the source, so that the reader can find it if they wish.

Figure 19.6 In-Text Citations and Reference Lists

Demonstration of APA in-text citations relationship to the references page

We will discuss both of these separately first and then together later. First, we will discuss reference list citations.

APA Citations: References

References is an alphabetized list located on a separate page at the end of your paper that lists all the reference citations for the research sources used in your paper to support your argument.

The 4 W’s

Each reference citation includes key elements referred to as the Four W’s: Who, when, what, and where.

Figure 19.7 The 4 W’s of APA Citations

Author Date Title Source Location
Who? When? What? Where?
Figure 19.8 Recipe for APA Citations

Asking these 4 questions helps identify the key elements needed for a reference list citation.

Using APA resources to help create a reference citation is like using a recipe. The ingredients are the key pieces of information about a source (4Ws). If you’re missing an ingredient, leave it out or substitute it.

Following a citation example is like following recipe’s directions. If you follow the directions and add the ingredients at the right point, then your recipe (i.e. your citation) will turn out!

You are not expected to memorize APA guidelines. Instead, use available resources (APA Quickguide and this tutorial) to help guide you. Over time you will become more comfortable with creating citations yourself.

 

Here is an example of the 4Ws in a web article.

The 4 W’s: Author

Figure 19.9 The 4W’s: Author

All sources follow the same structure for listing the author. The structure depends on the number of authors. The examples below include a variety of source types.

1. Sources with a single author: List the author’s last name first in the reference entry followed by a comma and author’s first initial. If the middle initial is known, include that as well. Then, follow with the date in parentheses.

Examples

Moreno-Garcia, S. (2020). Mexican Gothic. Del Ray.

Meyer, R. (2018, March 8). The grim conclusions of the largest-ever study of fake news. The Atlantic. https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2018/03/largest-study-ever-fake-news-mit-twitter/555104/

2. Sources with two authors: If a work has two authors, include an ampersand (&) after the first author’s name.

Examples

Maasik, S., & Soloman, J. (2008). Signs of life in the USA: Readings on popular culture for writers. Bedford/St. Martin’s.

Liu, T. & Wong, Y.J. (2018). The intersection of race and gender: Asian American men’s experience of discrimination. Psychology of Men & Masculinity, 19(1), 89-101. https://doi.org/10.1037/men0000084

3. Sources with three to twenty authors: If a work has three to twenty authors, separate author’s names by commas and include an ampersand (&) before the last author’s name.

Examples

Macfarlane, A., Goody, J., & Beteille, R. (2021). Creative Lives and Works. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003166153

4. Sources with more than twenty authors: Separate author’s names by commas for the first 19 names. After the first 19 names, include ellipses and then end with the final author’s name (without an ampersand).

Examples

Soh, J. F., Beaulieu, S., Trepiccione, F., Linnaranta, O., Torres-Platas, G., Platt, R. W., Renaud, S., Su, C., Mucsi I., D’Apolito, L., Mulsant, B. H., Levinson, A., Saury, S., Müller, D., Schaffer, A., Dols, A., Low, N., Cervantes, P., Christensen, B. M., … Rej, S. (2021). A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled pilot trial of atorvastatin for nephrogenic diabetes insipidus in lithium users. Bipolar Disorders, 23(1), 66–75. http://doi.org/10.1111/bdi.12973

The 4W’s: Date

Figure 19.10 The 4 W’s: Date

The date is shown in parentheses with the year first followed by a comma and the month and day if known. If only the year is known, put the year. If only the month and year are known, include that information. If the date is not known, include “n.d.” in the place of a date, which stands for “no date.”

Examples

American Heart Association. (2021, May 5). Diabetes Risk Factors. https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/diabetes/understand-your-risk-for-diabetes.

China’s traditional dress: Qipao. (2001, October). China Today. http://chinatoday.com

D’Ambra, A. (2008). What is Film Noir? Films Noir. https://filmnoir.art.blog/what-is-film-noir/.

Merriam-Webster. (n.d.) Procrastination. In Meriam-Webster.com dictionary. Retrieved July 15, 2021, from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/procrastination

The 4 W’s: Title and Source Location

Figure 19.11 The 4W’s: Title and Source Location

The title of the source may or may not be in italics depending on the source type, and the placement of the title varies depending on whether there is an author listed for the source. For instance, an article with an author positions the title in italics and after the date. An article without any author positions the title first before the date.

The source location refers to where the particular source can be found. This might be a URL, or it might be the beginning and ending page numbers for the source within a larger work, such as a chapter in a book or an article in a magazine.

The 4W’s in Action for Different Source Types

Below are formulas and examples of the references for different types of sources.

Article from an Academic Journal with DOI

DOI stands for “digital object identifier” and it helps categorize scholarly articles. However, not all scholarly articles will have a DOI. If that is the case, then you should provide the URL where you retrieved the article.

Formula & Example

Author’s last name, First initial. Middle initial. (Year, Month Day of publication). Title of the article. Title of the Academic Journal, Volume # (Issue #), page numbers, DOI
Werner, C. L. (2015). Speaking of composing (frameworks): New media discussions, 2000-2010. Computers and Composition, 37, 55-72. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.compcom.2015/06.005
  • If the article has multiple authors, review The 4 W’s: Author section of this chapter.
  • If the journal is published quarterly and the month or season (Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer) is noted, include that with the date element.
  • Use sentence case for the Title of the article.
  • Use title case for the Title of the Journal (capitalize all major words except for articles, short conjunctions, and short prepositions).
  • Italicize Title of the Journal and the Volume #.  Do not Italicize the Issue #.  
  • If the journal does not use volume, issue, or page numbers, omit the missing element(s) from the reference.

Article from an Academic Journal with no DOI

Formula & Example

Author’s last name, First initial. Middle initial. (Year, Month Day of publication). Title of the article. Title of the Academic Journal, Volume # (Issue #), page numbers, URL

 

Yancey, K. B. (2004). Made not only in words: Composition in a new key. College Composition and Communication, 56 (2), 297-328. http://www.jstor.org/stable/4140651

  • If the article has multiple authors, review The 4 W’s: Author section of this chapter.
  • If the journal is published quarterly and the month or season (Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer) is noted, include that with the date element.
  • Use sentence case for the Title of the article.
  • Use title case for the Title of the Journal (capitalize all major words except for articles, short conjunctions, and short prepositions).
  • Italicize Title of the Journal and the Volume #.  Do not Italicize the Issue #.  
  • If the journal does not use volume, issue, or page numbers, omit the missing element(s) from the reference.

Article from an Online Magazine 

Formula & Example

Author’s last name, First initial. Middle initial. & Author’s last name, First initial. Middle initial. (Year, Month Day of publication). Title of the article. Title of Online Periodical, Volume # (Issue # if available). URL
Wong, A. & Johnson, K. I. (2015, April). Digital natives, yet strangers to the web. The Atlantic. https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2015/04/digital-natives-yet-strangers-to-the-web/390990/
  • Use sentence case for the Title of the article.
  • Use title case for the Title of Online Periodical (capitalize all major words except for articles, short conjunctions, and short prepositions).
  • Italicize Title of Online Periodical and the Volume #.  Do not Italicize the Issue #.  
  • If the magazine does not use volume, or issue, omit the missing element(s) from the reference.

Article (Webpage) on a Website with an Author

Formula & Example

Author’s last name, First initial. Middle initial. (Year, Month Day of publication). Title of article/webpage. Name of Website. URL
Braziller, A. & Kleinfeld, E. (2015). Myths of multimodal composing. Digital Rhetoric Collective.  http://www.digitalrhetoriccollaborative.org/2015/09/03/myths-of-multimodal-composing/
  • Use sentence case for the Title of the article/webpage and italicize it.
  • Use title case for the Name of Website (capitalize all major words except for articles, short conjunctions, and short prepositions).  

Article/Webpage from a Website with an Organization as Author

In some cases, an article/webpage is published by an organization that provides information on a specific category of interest in line with the goals of the organization. For example, the American Heart Association publishes articles related to heart health, and the National Council of Teachers of English publishes articles related to teaching English.   If an article/webpage on such a website doesn’t have an author, use the name of the organization as the author.

This differs from a website that publishes articles on a variety of subjects, such as Medium. If the article does not have an author and the website is not published by an organized entity around a central theme, then use the formula and example for “Article/Webpage from a Website with No Author.”

Formula & Example

Name of Organization. (Year, Month Day of publication). Title of the article/webpage. Name of Website. URL

National Council of Teachers of English. (2005, November). Position statement on multimodal literacies. http://www.ncte.org/positions/statements/multimodalliteracies

  • For a page from an organization’s website without individual authors, use the name of the organization as the author.
  • Use title case for the Name of the Organization (capitalize all major words except for articles, short conjunctions, and short prepositions). 
  • Provide as specific a date as possible for the webpage.
  • Use sentence case for the Title of the article/webpage and italicize it.
  • If the author and website name are the same, omit the website name from the citation to avoid repetition. In the above example, the name of website is the same as the organization name.

Article/Webpage from a Website with No Author

If the article/webpage has no author and comes from a website that publishes articles on a variety of subjects, use the following formula.

Formula & Example

Title of article/webpage. (Year, Month Date of publication). Name of Website. URL

Mobile campus laptop loan program. (2019). Mobile Campus. https://www.csuohio.edu/services-for-students/mobile-campus

  • Use sentence case for the Title of the article/webpage and italicize it.
  • If no publication date is available, use (n.d.) for “no date.”
  • Use title case for the Name of Website.  

If the source is a news site or newspaper, then use this formula.

Formula & Example

Title of article/webpage. (Year, Month Date of publication). Name of Website. URL

AI writing tools may erase cultural nuances. (2025, April 2025). Neuroscience News. https://neurosciencenews.com/ai-writing-cultural-nuance-28672/.

  • Use sentence case for the Title of the article/webpage and do not italicize it.
  • If no publication date is available, use (n.d.) for “no date.”
  • Use title case for the Name of Website.  

Chapter in an Edited Book or Work in an Anthology

Formula & Example

Author’s last name, First initial. (Year of publication). Title of story, essay, or poem: Subtitle. In A. A. Editor (Ed.), Title of anthology: Subtitle (# ed., pp. first page of chapter-last page of chapter). Publisher. (Original work published year)
Faulkner, W. (2012). A rose for Emily. In J. Guance, S. Mayr, D. LePan, M. Mather, & B. Miller (Eds.), The Broadview anthology of short fiction. (2nd ed., pp. 154-162). Broadview Press. (Original work published 1930)
  • Use this format for both print and ebook edited book chapters, including edited book chapters from academic research databases.
  • Use sentence case for the Title of the story, essay, or poem and capitalize the first word of the subtitle.
  • If there are multiple editors, list their names and include (Eds.) in parentheses.
  • Use sentence case for the Title of anthology: Subtitle and capitalize the first letter of the subtitle.
  • Include any edition information in the same parentheses as the page range of the chapter, separated with a comma.
  • For ebook chapters without pagination, omit the page range from the reference.

Entry in an Online Dictionary or Reference Work

Dictionaries and other reference works change over time, so include a retrieval date.

Formula & Examples

Author’s last name, Author’s first initial. (Year of publication, if available). Title of entry. In Editor’s First initial. Last name (Ed). Name of encyclopedia or dictionary. Retrieved Month Day, Year, from URL

Jones, A. (2003). Semiotics. In B. Smith, R. Lore, and T. Rex (Eds.). Encyclopedia of signs. http://brown.edu/signs

Publisher. (Year of Publication). Title of entry. In Name of encyclopedia or dictionary (edition if given and is not first edition). Retrieved Month Day, Year, from URL

Meriam-Webster. (n.d.). Procrastination. In Meriam-Webster.com dictionary. Retrieved July 15, 2021, from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/procrastination

American Psychological Association. (n.d.). Just-world hypothesis. In APA dictionary of psychology. Retrieved January 18, 2020, from https://dictionary.apa.org/just-world-hypothesis

  • The author and publisher are the same for the dictionaries, so if the author’s name is not available, use the name of the publishes in the author element only to avoid repetition.
  • Use sentence case for the Title of chapter or entry.
  • Use sentence case for the Name of encyclopedia or dictionary and italicize it.
  • Include a retrieval date as entries in dictionaries and encyclopedias are updated over time.

Podcast Episode

Formula & Example

Host’s last name, Host’s First initial. (Host). (Year, Month Day episode aired). Title of episode (Episode number) [Specify if it was an Audio podcast episode or Visual podcast episode]. In Title of Podcast. Studio Name. URL
Shepard, D. & Padman, M. (Hosts). (2021, July 1). Barrack Obama (324) [Audio podcast episode]. In Armchair Expert. Spotify. https://armchairexpertpod.com/pods/barack-obama
  • List the host(s) of the podcast episode as the author and include their role in parentheses (Host).
  • Provide the episode number after the episode title in parentheses. If the podcast does not number episodes, omit the episode number from the reference. Do not italicize the episode title or the episode number.
  • Specify the type of podcast episode in square brackets, for example: [Audio podcast episode], [Video podcast episode].
  • Write the word “In” and then the Title of the Podcast in title case and in Italics. 
  • If the URL of the podcast episode is unknown (e.g., if accessed via an app), omit the URL from the reference.

YouTube Video

Formula & Example

Name of account that uploaded the video. (Year, Month Day uploaded). Title of video [Video]. YouTube. URL
Flippin’ English. (2016, April 10). Modernism & English Literature [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1VjMzRcEW90
  • Use the name of the account that uploaded the video as the author.
  • Provide the specific date on which the video was uploaded.
  • Use sentence case for the Title of video and italicize it.
  • Include the description “[Video]” in square brackets after the title.
  • Provide the site name (YouTube) and URL of the video.

TED Talk from the TED website

For TED Talks found on YouTube, use the YouTube Video formula above. When the Ted Talks comes from Ted’s website, use the following structure.

Formula & Example

Author’s last name, Author’s first initial. (Year, Month Date posted). Name of talk [Video]. TED Conferences. URL
Swinton, L. (2018, October). What I have learned as a first-generation college student [Video]. TED Conferences. https://www.ted.com/talks/lyric_swinton_what_i_have_learned_as_a_first_generation_college_student
  • When the Ted Talk comes from Ted’s website, use the name of the speaker as the author.
  • Provide as specific a date as possible, but it may be just the year and month are available.
  • Use sentence case for the Name of talk and italicize it.
  • Include the description “[Video]” in square brackets after the title of the talk.
  • Credit Ted Conferences as the publisher of the Ted Talk and then provide the URL.

For additional examples of the most common works that writers cite, such as artwork, film and television, social media posts, and many others, visit the APA Style Website: Reference examples.

To find the reference example you need, first select a category (e.g., Audiovisual Media or Webpages and Websites) and then choose the appropriate type of work (e.g., TikTok References or Whole Website References) and follow the most relevant example.

 

Figure 19.3 References Page

APA Citations: In-Text Citations

 

It’s important to remember each citation in your text must have a complete bibliographic entry in your reference list, so, if readers want to go to the original source, they can.

The list of bibliographic works in your reference list and your in-text citations work together in order to convey detailed information about your source material without cluttering up all your beautiful prose.Consider the list of sources as a map and the in-text citations as the legend, or key, to the map.

Person looking at map

The map you create is a list of bibliographic work at the end of the essay, a collection of each and every outside source integrated into your writing. In APA format, this list of sources is a References page.

If you want to include information from a source you consulted in your paper, you need to create an in-text citation. As mentioned before, in-text citations use only a few details of the source, enough to locate its matching reference citation in the reference list.

In APA style you need to include the following elements for all in-text citations, whether you are citing a book, a journal or trade article, a website or any other item:

Where to Place Citations in Your Writing

Because in-text citations tell your reader which ideas belong to you and which ideas belong to someone else, it is crucial that you place them correctly. There are two different ways that you can include in-text citations into your assignments:

  • as a parenthetical citation at the end of your sentence
  • as a narrative citation as part of the sentence

For a direct quotation, always include a full citation (parenthetical or narrative) in the same sentence as the quotation, including the page number (or other location information, e.g., paragraph number).

When paraphrasing the original source, it is not required to provide a page or paragraph number in the citation.  However, you may include one (in addition to the author and year) when it would help interested readers locate the relevant passage within a long or complex work (e.g., a book).

Examples

1. In-text citation example for a paraphrase

Click on the  symbol to learn about the parenthetical and narrative citation used in these paraphrases.

Parenthetical and narrative citation

2. In-text citation examples for a short quote

Click on the  symbol to learn about how to add in-text citations for short quotes (less than 40 words).

Narrative Citation

Parenthetical Citation

3. In-text citation examples for a long quote (aka “block” quote)

Click on the  symbol to learn about how to add in-text citations for long quotes (more than 40 words).

Narrative Citation

Parenthetical Citation

When there are no page numbers

Some sources don’t have page numbers, in which case you should try to include some other pinpoint, so your reader can find the quote more easily. This could be a section heading, a chapter number, paragraph, and so on.

The image below details some location information examples and their appropriate abbreviation. Also, check out the In-text Citations tab on the APA Citation guide for some examples.

When there is no author. If there are multiple authors. When there is no date.

Whatever the situation, you still need to cite your source. Check out the APA Citation guide for answers to these and other questions, and if you need help, ask your instructor or a writing tutor.

Tip: It is easiest to create the reference citation first and then its matching in-text citation(s).

Figure 19.12 Example of APA Style In-Text Citations

In-Text Citation Formats for Different References

Below are different references you may encounter and what the corresponding in-text citation should look like.

In all instances, if an article does not have page numbers, you can use the paragraph number, if possible. For a direct quotation, always include a full citation (parenthetical or narrative) in the same sentence as the quotation, including the page number (or other location information, e.g., paragraph number). When paraphrasing the original source, it is not required to provide a page or paragraph number in the citation.  However, you may include one (in addition to the author and year) when it would help interested readers locate the relevant passage within a long or complex work (e.g., a book).

One Author

In-Text Citation: (Author’s last name, year of publication, page/paragraph number).

Example

Reference

Larson, M. S. (1977). The rise of professionalism. University of California Press.

Corresponding in-text citation

Professionalization arises from “increasing occupational specialization” (Larson, 1977, p.179).

Two Authors

In-Text Citation: (Author’s last name & Second author’s last name, year of publication, page/paragraph number).

Example

Reference

Kelley, H., & Betsalel, K. (2004). Mind’s fire: Language, power, and representations of stroke. Anthropology & Humanism, 29(2), 104-116. http://www.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1111/&28ISSN%291548-1409

Corresponding in-text citation

An anthropologist must be “willing to investigate the enigma of silence” (Kelley & Betsalel, 2004, p. 104).

Three or More Authors

In-Text Citation: (First author’s last name et al., year of publication, page/paragraph number).

Example

Reference

Lattie, E.G., Lipson, S.K., & Eisengerg, D. (2019, April 14). Technology and college student mental health: Challenges and opportunities. Psychiatry, Volume 10, https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychiatry/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00246/full

Corresponding In-Text Citation

Mental health issues “have risen from 22% to 36%” as reported by college students in a recent survey (Lattie, et al., 2019, para. 2).

Organization as the Author

In-Text Citation: (Organization’s name, year of publication, page/paragraph number).

If the organization’s name is lengthy, include an acronym for the organization after it’s name in the first citation. In subsequent citations, just use the acronym:

In-Text Citation: (Organization’s name [Acronym], year of publication, page/paragraph number).

Example

Reference

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2023, October 20). COVID data tracker. Retrieved October 23, 2023, from https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#datatracker-home

Corresponding In-Text Citation

Approximately 1.2 million people have died from COVID since 2020 (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2023). Over 31,000 Arizonans have died of COVID (CDC, 2023).

No Author

If the source is a news site or newspaper, then put the article’s title in quotation marks.

In-Text Citation: (“Title of Article,” year of publication, page/paragraph number).

If the article/webpage has no author and comes from a website that publishes articles on a variety of subjects, use the following formula.

In-Text Citation: (Title of Article, year of publication, page/paragraph number).

Examples

Reference for an article from a website that publishes a variety of articles:

Hispanic dropout rate hits new low, college enrollment at new high. (2017, September 29). Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2017/09/29/hispanic-dropout-rate-hits-new-low-college-enrollment-at-new-high/

Corresponding In-Text Citation
“Hispanic college enrollment” has risen dramatically as high school dropout rates fall (Hispanic dropout rate, 2017, para. 1).

 

Reference for a news source:

AI writing tools may erase cultural nuances. (2025, April 2025). Neuroscience News. https://neurosciencenews.com/ai-writing-cultural-nuance-28672/.

Corresponding In-Text Citation

Using AI as a writing tool can “push users to sound more American” (“AI Writing Tools,” 2025, para. 1).

Two Authors With the Same Last Name

In-Text Citation: (Author’s last name and author’s first initial, year of publication, page/paragraph number).

Examples

References

Weinberg, J. (2025, January 9). The teaching of writing in the AI era. Daily Nous. https://dailynous.com/2025/01/09/teaching-writing-in-the-ai-era/.

Weinberg, L. (2024, November 6). Breaking the AI Fever. Inside Higher Ed. https://www.insidehighered.com/opinion/views/2024/11/06/ai-consolidating-corporate-power-higher-ed-opinion

Corresponding In-Text Citations

It is possible that AI isn’t bad, and that we “lack the foresight or imagination to see the overwhelming benefits” (J. Weinberg, 2025, para 5).

The monetization of student data is a concern “in this latest period of AI fever” (L. Weinberg, 2024, para. 2).

More than one work by a single author but in different years

In-Text Citation: (Author’s last name, year of publication, page/paragraph number).

Examples

References

Garey, J. (2024). The power of mindfulness. Child Mind Institute. https://childmind.org/article/the-power-of-mindfulness/#:~:text=Teaching%20mindfulness%20to%20children%20and,Ed%20classes%20throughout%20the%20country.

Garey, J. (2019). Mindful parenting. Child Mind Institute. https://www.washk12.org/mental-health-wellness/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2024/03/practice_mindful_parenting___mindfulness_techniques___child_mind_institute.pdf.

Corresponding In-Text Citations

“Teaching mindfulness to children and adolescents is a growing trend” in educational curriculums across the country (Garey, 2024). Many teachers are trained in mindfulness (Garey, 2019).

More than one work by a single author but in the same year

Add “a” and “b” to the year to differentiate the sources.

In-Text Citation: (Author’s last name, year of publication a, page/paragraph number).

Examples

References

Garey, J. (2024a). The power of mindfulness. Child Mind Institute. https://childmind.org/article/the-power-of-mindfulness/#:~:text=Teaching%20mindfulness%20to%20children%20and,Ed%20classes%20throughout%20the%20country.

Garey, J. (2024b). How mindfulness can help caregivers. Child Mind Institute. https://childmind.org/article/how-mindfulness-can-help-caregivers/.

Corresponding In-Text Citations

“Teaching mindfulness to children and adolescents is a growing trend” in educational curriculums across the country (Garey, 2024a).

Parents should accept that “not aiming for perfection is okay” (Garey, 2024b).

The In-Text Citation Information (Author/Article Title) is Part of the Sentence

Put the year of publication after the author (or article title if there is no author) in parentheses. Put the page number at the end in parentheses.

Examples

Reference

Larson, M. S. (1977). The rise of professionalism. University of California Press.

Corresponding In-Text Citation

Larson (1977) explains that professionalization arises from “increasing occupational specialization” (p.179).

Reference

Kelley, H., & Betsalel, K. (2004). Mind’s fire: Language, power, and representations of stroke. Anthropology & Humanism, 29(2), 104-116. http://www.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1111/&28ISSN%291548-1409

Corresponding In-Text Citation

Kelley & Betsalal (2004) argue that an anthropologist must be “willing to investigate the enigma of silence” (p. 104).

Reference

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2023, October 20). COVID Data Tracker. https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#datatracker-home.

Corresponding In-Text Citation

According to the CDC (2023), over 31,000 Arizonans have died of COVID.

Indirect quotation

When you use a quotation of a quotation—that is, a quotation that quotes from another source—use “as cited in” to designate the secondary source.

Example

Reference

Weinberg, J. (2025, January 9). The teaching of writing in the AI era. Daily Nous. https://dailynous.com/2025/01/09/teaching-writing-in-the-ai-era/.

Corresponding In-Text Citation

Regina Rini claims, “Every professor I know wasted countless hours of 2024 in the prevention or detection of AI-powered cheating” (as cited in Weinberg, 2025, para. 1).

NOTE: In this example, the article was written by Weinberg, who is listed as the author in the references. However, Regina Rini is the author of the quote that was included in the Weinberg article. Thus, your in-text citation notes that Rini is quoted within the article by Weinberg.

 

How It All Works Together

As we have covered, reference list citations and in-text citations should match each other. They work together to clearly indicate which sources provide support to your writing.

*One exception is personal communication, which is cited as an in-text citation, but is not included in the reference list.*

 

One person talking in small group

Why?  Your reader can’t access your personal experiences.

For more information on how to cite personal communication, visit the APA Style Website: Personal communications

Additional Resources

The Purdue OWL online writing lab is another great source of information on the APA Formatting and Style Guide.  Visit their website at APA Formatting and Style Guide (7th Edition) – Purdue OWL® – Purdue University.

Attributions

A Guide to Rhetoric, Genre, and Success in First-Year Writing by Melanie Gagich, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

The Ask: A More Beautiful Question, Melanie Gagich, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

APA Style Citations by Ulrike Kestler is licensed under a CC BY 4.0

License

Icon for the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License

ENG 101 & 102 Rhetoric Copyright © 2024 by Central Arizona College; Shelley Decker; Kolette Draegan; Tatiana Keeling; Heather Moulton; and Lynn Gelfand is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.

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