APA Citation Format: Student’s Handy Guide

When you cite a source in your writing according to the APA format, you’ll use the author-date system. This means that the in-text citation typically includes the author's last name and the year of publication. If you're referencing a specific part of the work, you should also add a page number or timestamp to guide your reader. For instance, a citation might look like this: (Johnson, 2021, p. 45). This helps readers easily track down the source you’re referencing.

The purpose of this article is to provide a step-by-step guide to APA citation format while offering clear examples for both in-text citations and reference list entries.

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APA Citation Format Basics

The APA citation format is widely used in academic writing, particularly in the social sciences. It ensures that sources are properly credited and helps readers easily find the original materials. The basics of APA citations revolve around two main components: in-text citations and the reference list.

1. In-text citations: These citations appear within the body of your paper, giving brief details about the source.
2. Reference list: This appears at the end of your paper, providing full details of all the sources you’ve cited.

Here’s a table to help you understand the basic structure of the APA formatting:

APA Citation Format Example

When you create an academic paper, you'll often refer to research and studies to back up your arguments. To help you better understand how to use APA in practice, let’s look at a brief example.

See related: how to write an essay in APA format.

APA Format In-text Citation Basics

In this section, we will cover the different ways to cite sources in-text based on the number of authors, whether the author is an organization, or if you are citing secondary sources.

1. Two Authors

When citing a source with two authors, include both authors’ last names, separated by an ampersand (&) in parentheses, or the word “and” if the authors' names appear in the sentence. Use the publication year immediately after the authors’ names.

• In-text: (Hawkins & Rogers, 2018)
• In sentence: Hawkins and Rogers (2018) found that...

2. Three to Five Authors

For sources with three to five authors, list all authors the first time you cite the source, separated by commas and an ampersand before the final author. For subsequent citations, only include the first author's last name followed by "et al." and the year.

• First citation: (Kline, Miller, & Thomas, 2020)
• Subsequent citations: (Kline et al., 2020)

3. Six or More Authors

For sources with six or more authors, cite only the first author’s last name followed by "et al." and the year, in every citation.

• (Roberts et al., 2017)

4. No Authors

If the source does not have an author, use the title of the work (in italics for books or reports, in quotation marks for articles) followed by the year of publication. If the title is long, you can shorten it.

• (The Silent Revolution, 2019)
• ("Study Finds," 2020)

5. Authors with Multiple Works from the Same Year

When citing multiple works by the same author(s) from the same year, differentiate between the works by adding lowercase letters (a, b, c, etc.) after the year.

• (Michaels, 2020a)
• (Michaels, 2020b)

6. Multiple Works in One Parenthesis

When citing multiple works in a single set of parentheses, list the sources in alphabetical order, separated by semicolons.

• (Harrison, 2018; Perez & Zhang, 2020)

7. Citing a Group or Organization

When citing a group or organization as an author, use the full name of the organization for the first citation. For subsequent citations, you can use the abbreviation (if it’s widely recognized).

• First citation: (World Health Organization [WHO], 2019)
• Subsequent citation: (WHO, 2019)

8. Citing a Secondary Source

If you are citing a source that was cited in another work, mention the original author and include "as cited in" before the secondary source’s details.

• (Jones, 2015, as cited in Adams & Ellis, 2020)

Don't miss out on our guide on Harvard referencing style.

How to Cite Sources in APA Format?

Below, we’ll explore how to cite different types of sources, including books and journal articles, with clear instructions and examples.

How to Cite a Book in APA Format?

When citing a book, the format depends on the version of the book you're referencing, whether it's in print, an e-book, or accessed through a database. Here’s a table outlining the APA format book citation:

How to Cite a Journal Article in APA?

Citing journal articles follows a specific format depending on whether the article is printed or available online. Below is a table explaining the APA format article citation for each type.

How to Cite a Newspaper in APA?

Whether you're referencing a printed or online newspaper article, the citation format slightly differs. Here's a guide to help you cite newspaper articles correctly:

How to Cite a Magazine in APA?

Citing a magazine article in APA format is straightforward, whether it’s printed or online. Below is a detailed table for referencing both types of articles.

How to Cite a TV/Radio Broadcast in APA?

When citing a TV or radio broadcast, you must include key details like the type of broadcast, the date, and the title. Here's how to properly cite them:

How to Cite a Website in APA Format?

Creating an APA citation format for website varies slightly depending on whether the article has an author or not. Here's how to handle each case:

How to Cite a Movie in APA Format?

To cite a movie in APA, you need to include the following details: the director's name, the year of release, the title of the film in italics, the format (e.g., film), and the studio or production company.

Example:

• Iyer, A. (Director). (2020). Beyond the horizon [Film]. Blue Sky Productions.

How to Cite a PDF in APA?

When citing a PDF in APA, treat it as a book, journal article, or report, depending on its content. The citation should include the author, year of publication, title of the document, and the source (publisher, website, or database). If the PDF is available online, include the URL.

Example:

• Harris, N. J. (2019). The future of urban agriculture [PDF document]. Green Earth Publications. https://greenearthpublications.com/future.pdf

How to Cite a Powerpoint in APA?

To cite a PowerPoint presentation in APA, include the author, year of presentation, title of the presentation in italics, the format description (PowerPoint slides), and the source (e.g., the conference, organization, or website where it was presented or accessed).

Example:

• Taylor, M. P. (2021, July). Sustainable design in architecture [PowerPoint slides]. World Architecture Conference. https://architectureconference.com/sustainable_design

How to Cite a Picture in APA?

To cite a picture or image in APA, provide the artist's name, the year the image was created, the title of the image in italics, the medium (e.g., photograph, painting), and the location or source of the image (e.g., museum, website).

Example:

• Kim, J. Y. (2018). The golden gate bridge at sunset [Photograph]. San Francisco Art Museum. https://sfartmuseum.org/golden_gate

How to Cite a Video or Podcast in APA?

Here's how to cite a video in APA: include the creator's name, the year of release, the title of the video or podcast in italics, the format (e.g., video, podcast), and the URL where it can be accessed.

Example for a YouTube Video:

• Leung, S. (Host). (2021, October 5). Exploring sustainable energy solutions [Video]. YouTube. https://youtube.com/watch?v=sustainable_energy

Example for a Podcast:

• Roberts, A. (Host). (2020, December 15). Innovations in artificial intelligence [Podcast episode]. Tech Talk Podcast. https://techtalkpodcast.com/ai_innovations

Key Takeaways

When it comes to citing sources, APA formatting keeps things neat and tidy. When you format a citation, it usually includes the author’s last name, the year of publication, and the title of the work. In-text citations typically show the author’s last name and publication year, and sometimes a page number when needed. For example, an in-text citation could look like this: (Garcia, 2020, p. 88). The goal is to make sure readers can find the sources you’ve used with ease, all while respecting the work of others.

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