The APA referencing style uses author-date parenthetical in-text citations based on the Harvard style. It is commonly used in Psychology, but it is also used in other disciplines.
Please note that the below guidance is for APA 7th edition.
APA style guides
Library resource
Online resources
- APA Style: In-Text Citations
- APA Style: Reference Examples
- APA Style: Reference Quick Guide (pdf)
- Monash University guide to APA referencing
Referencing in APA
Let's go through the steps of how to use a style guide to reference in APA, using the Monash APA guide.
The reference list entry
Start by doing the reference list entry. If you get this right early on, it will save you a lot of time.
1. Identify what the source is, where it's from, and who it's by.
Is it a book? A journal article? A government report? A podcast? A blog post? Did you access it online? How many authors does it have? The source's characteristics influence how to reference it.
2. Find a matching example in your style guide.
The aim is to find the closest example possible in your chosen APA style guide, e.g. the Monash University guide to APA.
3. Write out the reference following the style guide examples.
Your aim at this point is to make the information you have match the order and formatting of the example in the style guide. This includes details such as punctuation, italicisation, and case (e.g. Title Case).
If you're unsure about how to cite a particular source, remember that the person marking your assignment cares most of all about consistency and having enough information to be able to locate the source themselves. Check over your references to make sure they're following the same principles and formatting.
In-text citations
When you use APA, you need to use in-text citations in the body of your work to show where each piece of information comes from. The APA style website provides information on how many authors' names to include in in-text citations.
Include page numbers in your in-text citations whenever you use quotes, specific data or a paraphrase.
If you are summarising the main idea of the source (e.g. a book or journal article), you don't need a page number.
Check your guide
Always remember to have your chosen style guide open while you are referencing, even if you use referencing software. It's useful to look out for inconsistencies, and to make sure that you have all the right information in the correct order and format. Check out the style guides listed at the top of this page.
Reference Documents
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