Complete Guide to APA Style Citation Formatting

Introduction to APA Style

The American Psychological Association (APA) style is the most commonly used citation style in the social sciences, education, and psychology. This comprehensive guide explains APA citation formatting, including both in-text citations and reference list entries. Proper citation is essential for academic integrity, giving credit to original authors, and allowing readers to locate the original sources.

General Document Formatting

When writing in APA style, follow these formatting guidelines for your entire document:

• Use 1-inch margins on all sides
• Use a readable font such as 11-point Calibri, 11-point Arial, or 12-point Times New Roman
• Double-space the entire document, including the title page, abstract, main text, and references
• Include page numbers in the upper right corner, beginning with the title page
• Indent the first line of each paragraph 0.5 inches
• Align text to the left margin, leaving the right margin uneven (ragged)

In-Text Citations

APA format uses author-date citations within the text of your paper. Each in-text citation must correspond to an entry in your reference list.

Narrative Citation

When mentioning the author directly in your text, include the year in parentheses:

Parenthetical Citation

When not mentioning the author directly, place both the author and year in parentheses at the end of the sentence:

Works by Multiple Authors

• Two authors: (Smith & Jones, 2021)
• Three or more authors: Use "et al." after the first author's name (Smith et al., 2021)

Direct Quotes

For direct quotations, include the page number or paragraph number:

For quotations longer than 40 words, format as a block quotation:

Reference List Formatting

The reference list appears at the end of your paper on a new page labeled "References" (bold, centered). Follow these guidelines:

• Double-space all references
• Use hanging indentation (first line flush left, subsequent lines indented 0.5 inches)
• Alphabetize entries by the surname of the first author
• Invert authors' names (surname first, followed by initials)
• Capitalize only the first letter of the first word of article, book, or chapter titles
• Italicize the names of periodicals, books, and reports
• Include a DOI (Digital Object Identifier) for electronic sources when available

Common Reference Entry Examples

Journal Article

Book

Edited Book

Chapter in an Edited Book

Website

Newspaper Article

Dissertation or Thesis

YouTube Video

Government Report

Special Citation Scenarios

Multiple Works by the Same Author

Arrange in alphabetical order by title, and add lowercase letters after the year when works have the same author and publication year:

Secondary Sources

When citing a source that was cited in another source (a secondary source), use "as cited in":

Personal Communication

Interviews, emails, letters, and conversations that aren't retrievable by readers:

Note: These are not included in the reference list.

No Author

When a source has no identified author, use the title in place of the author:

DOIs and URLs

For electronic sources, include:

• A DOI (Digital Object Identifier) when available, formatted as a hyperlink
• If no DOI is available, provide the URL of the publisher's homepage or database login page
• Do not include retrieval dates unless the content changes over time or the URL points to a wiki or personal website
• Format DOIs as: https://doi.org/xxxxxx

Paper Sections in APA Style

A complete APA-style academic paper typically includes:

1. Title page: Contains paper title, author name(s), institutional affiliation(s), and author note
2. Abstract: Brief summary of the paper (150-250 words)
3. Main text: Introduction, method, results, and discussion (or comparable sections)
4. References: List of all sources cited in the paper
5. Appendices: Additional material that supplements the main text

Tables and Figures

When including tables and figures in APA style:

• Number them in the order they appear in the text
• Include a brief but descriptive title
• Insert tables and figures close to their first mention in the text
• For tables, column headings should be brief and clearly defined
• For figures, include a figure number and a title below the image
• Format titles in title case, italicized for both tables and figures

Best Practices for APA Citation

• Always verify the most recent APA guidelines (currently 7th edition)
• Be consistent in formatting throughout your document
• Cite sources as soon as you refer to them in your text
• Double-check that every in-text citation has a corresponding reference entry
• For uncommon source types, find the closest example and adapt accordingly
• Consider using citation management software like Zotero, EndNote, or Mendeley
• Proofread your reference list carefully for formatting and punctuation

Additional Resources

For the most comprehensive and up-to-date information on APA citation formatting:

• APA Style website: apastyle.apa.org
• Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL): owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style
• Academic writing centers at most colleges and universities