Using APA Style in Reference Lists


General Notes

  • References allow the reader to locate the sources that writers have used in their works.  There must be enough information in the reference entry to enable the reader to find the source.
  • The first line of the reference entry begins at the left margin with the remaining lines indented like a paragraph indentation.
  • Entries appear in alphabetical order according to the last name of the author; two or more works by the same author appear in chronological order by date of publication, beginning with the earliest; two or more works by the same author and with the same publication date appear in alphabetical order by title.
  • Works with multiple authors are alphabetized by the last name of the first author listed.
  • Entries in the reference list are double spaced with a single double space between entries. 

 

 

Reference Form for Periodicals

  • Basic entry: author, year of publication in parentheses, title of article (not enclosed in quotation marks), title of the periodical underlined, volume number underlined, issue number in parentheses (if any), page numbers.
  • Separate items in the entry with periods. Space once following a period.
  • Use only the author’s last name and initial(s).
  • Separate multiple authors’ names (even 2) with a comma; use the ampersand for the word “and” between the last two authors’ names.
  • Capitalize only the first word of an article title, the first word of a subtitle, and proper names in an article title.
  • Capitalize all important words of a periodical title and underline the title.

 

Examples:

Abelard, S. (1998). Reading strategies in a multi-age primary classroom. Journal

     of Reading, 25(6), 45-51.

Martin, T., & Bossard, L. (2000). Technology for science educators. Journal of

    Science Education, 30(4), 18-25.

Swizer, F., Bacon, C., Morgan, R., & Collins, A. (1999).  State report cards for

     the United States: When will it end? (2001). American School Board Journal,

     52(2), 35-37.

Reference Form for Books

  • Basic entry: author, year of publication in parentheses, title book underlined, city of publication, publisher.
  • Separate items in the entry with periods. Space once following a period.
  • Use only the author’s last name and initial(s).
  • Separate multiple authors’ names (even 2) with a comma; use the ampersand for the word “and” between the last two authors’ names.
  • Capitalize only the first word of a book title, the first word of a subtitle, and proper names in a book title.
  • Include the U.S. Postal Service abbreviations for the state if the city of publication might be unknown or confused with another location.
  • Separate the location and the publisher with a colon.

 

Examples:

Misserand, J. P. (1998). American schools in decline? Who says so? New York:

     Random House.

Oppenhauser, L., & Andrews, C. (1999). On the road to educational excellence:

    Case studies of outstanding school districts in Iowa and Minnesota.  Aplington,

    MN: Creative Press.      

 

Reference Form for Reports from an Information Service

  • Basic entry: follow the form format for a book entry.
  • Identify the service and document number in parentheses at the end of the entry.
  • Omit the period following the final parenthesis.

 

Example:

Hurd, T. M., & Bessine, F. R. (2000). The state of America’s schools: 1990-1999.

     Paper presented at the National Conference for School Board Members. Atlanta,

     GA. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED492385)

 

 

Reference Form for Information from the World Wide Web

  • Basic entry:  give the same information that would be provided for a printed source (or as much of that information as possible).
  • Add the Web information at the end of the reference.  Use “Retrieved” and the date since documents on the Web may change in content, move, or be removed from a site altogether.
  • Omit the period following a URL.

 

Examples:

Rosenthal, R. (2000). Drug use among adolescents. American Health Associates.

     Retrieved April 28, 2001, from http://www.aha.org/journals/rosenthal.html

     Teacher shortages areas across the United States. Education Statistics

     Clearinghouse. Retrieved October 30, 2000, from

     http://www.edstats.com/shortage/2000.html

Van Dyke, T., & Ling, S. (2005).  Using graphic organizers in elementary classrooms.

     Teaching and Learning, 16(5). Retrieved November 3, 2005, from the

     PsychARTICLES database.

 

For additional information regarding APA style, consult the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, or visit the APA website at www.apa.org.