APA Style

Setting Up the APA List of References

1. What to list List only the works you cited (quoted, summarized, paraphrased, or commented on) in the text of your paper, not everything you read.
   
   
2. Format Start the list on a new numbered page after the last page of text or notes. Center the heading "References," without quotation marks, not underlined or italicized, and with no period following it. Double-space throughout the list.
   
   
3. Organization List the works alphabetically, by last names of primary authors. Do not number the entries. Begin each entry with the author's name, last name first, followed by an initial or initials. Give any authors' names after the first in the same inverted form, separated by commas. Do not use "et al." List works with no author by title, alphabetized by the first main word.
   
   
4. Date Put the year in parentheses after the authors' names. For journals, magazines, and newspapers, include also month and day, but do not abbreviate the names of the months.
   
   
5. Periods Use a period and one space to separate the main parts of each entry.
   
   
6. Indentation Use hanging indents of five to seven spaces or one-half inch.
   
   
7. Capitals In titles of books and articles, capitalize only the first word of the title or subtitle and any proper nouns or adjectives.
   
   
8. Italics Italicize the titles of books, but do not italicize or use quotation marks around the titles of articles. For magazines and journals, italicize the publication name, the volume number, and the comma. Italicize the names of newspapers.
   
   
9. Page numbers Give inclusive page numbers for articles and sections of books, using complete page spans ("251-259"). Use the abbreviation "p." or "pp." only for newspaper articles and sections (such as chapters) of books.
   
   
10. Publisher Do not abbreviate the name of the publisher. Give state (abbreviated) as well as city except for major cities.

Two Basic Features of APA Style

1. In the text of your paper, include these two pieces of information (if they are available) each time you refer to a source:
   
   
   • the last name(s) of the author(s)
   • the year of publication
     
     
   For quotations, paraphrase, and reference to a specific idea, also include the page number of a print source or any visible paragraph number or section location for an online source.
   
   
2. At the end of your paper, include on a new numbered page a list entitled "References," double-spaced and arranged alphabetically by authors' last names (or title if no author is named), the date in parentheses, and other bibliographical information. See 53d for examples of what to include in an APA-style reference list.