Apa 7 Ed. Quick Guide: American Psychological Association Website APA Style Central
Apa 7 Ed. Quick Guide: American Psychological Association Website APA Style Central
Quick Guide
*This guide was created to highlight some of the more common types of citation and formatting examples. For the full
authoritative guide, please refer to the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (7th Ed.).
Call number for Brescia copy: BF76.7.P97 2020 (Reference).
Step 1: Evaluate your sources. Is this information you feel confident using in your work?
Step 2: Listed below are some of the ways you can incorporate a source into your work and the rules to keep in mind
Step 3: Find the example that best fits your source on the following pages to create your citation. If you cannot find an
example that matches your source, refer to the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (7th Ed),
American Psychological Association website, or APA Style Central.
Direct quotations – no page number available (see manual section 8.28, p.273)
Use paragraph numbers. If not available, use the heading. Use the timestamp for audiovisual sources.
Example: Since “positive emotions are both at an end” (New child vaccine, 2001, para. 4).
Example: People make “sweeping inferences and judgments from body language” (Cuddy, 2012, 2:12).
Note: DOIs are now formatted the same as URLs. The label “DOI:” is no longer necessary.
(Author & Author, Date). Author, A.A., & Author, B.B. (Date). Title of article. Title of Periodical,
Volume(Issue if available), pp-pp. https://doi.org/xx-xxxxxxxxx
Two authors (McCauley & Christiansen, 2019) McCauley, S.M., & Christiansen, M.H. (2019). Language learning as language use: A
cross-linguistic model of child language development. Psychological Review,
126(1), 1-51. https://doi.org/10.1027/rev0000126
(Author et al., Date). Author, A. A., Author B. B., & Author, C. C. (Date). Title of article. Title of
Periodical, Volume(Issue if available), pp-pp. https://doi.org/xx-
Three or more xxxxxxxxx
authors (Herbst-Damm et al., 2005). Herbst-Damm, K. L., Bell., M., & Kulik, J. A. (2005). Volunteer support, marital status,
and the survival times of terminally ill patients. Health Psychology, 24(1), 225-
229. https://doi.org/10.1037/0278-133.24.2.225
(Author, Date). Author. (Date). Title of article. Title of Journal, Volume(Issue if avail.), pp-pp.
Journal article – (Anderson, 2018) Anderson, M. (2018). Getting consistent with consequences. Educational Leadership,
print version or 76(1), 26-33.
DOI not available Note: Journal articles that do not have a DOI and which were not retrieved from an academic research database should
include the article URL in place of the DOI.
(Author, Date). Author, A. A. (Date). Title of article. Title of Journal. Advance online
Journal article – publication. https://doi.org/xx-xxxxxxxxx
advanced (Von Ledebur, 2007). Von Ledebur, S. C. (2007). Optimizing knowledge transfer by new employees in
publication companies. Knowledge Management Research & Practice. Advance online
publication. https://doi.org/10.1057/palgrave. kmrp.8500141
(Author, Year). Author, A. A. (Year, Month Day). Title of article. Title of Magazine,
Volume(Issue). DOI or URL
Magazine article -
(Bergeson, 2019). Bergeson, S. (2019, January 4). Really cool neutral plasmas. Science, 363(6422), 33-
online 34. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aau7988
(Author, Year). Author, A. A. (Year, Month Day). Title of article. Title of Newspaper. URL
(Guarino, 2017). Guarino, B. (2017, December 4). How will humanity react to alien life? Psychologists
Newspaper article have some predictions. The Washington Post.
- online https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/speaking-of-
science/wp/2017/12/04/how-will-humanity-react-to-alien-life-psychologists-
have-some-predictions
Further examples for citing journals and other periodicals in APA Guide Section 10.1 (pp. 316-321).
(Author & Author, Date). Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Date). Title of work. Publisher.
Two authors
(Leviathan & Green, 2010). Leviathan, D., & Green, J. (2010). Will Grayson, Will Grayson. Penguin Group.
(First Author et al., Date). Author, A.A., Author, B.B., & Author, C.C. (Date). Title of work. Publisher.
Three or more
authors (Shami et al., 2011). Shami, J., Flynn, D., & Hester, M. T. (2011). The Oxford handbook of John Donne. Oxford
University Press. doi:10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199218608.001.0001
Note: Surnames and initials for up to 20 authors (instead of 7 in APA 6th Ed.) should be provided in the reference list.
(Author, Date). Author, A. A. (Date). Title of work (A. A. Editor, Ed.). Publisher.
Author(s) and
Editor(s) (Meadows, 2008) Meadows, D. H. (2008). Thinking in systems: A primer (D. Wright, Ed.). Chelsea Green
Publishing.
Group as First citation: National Institute of Mental Health. (2007). Always embarrassed: Social phobia (social
(National Institute of Mental anxiety disorder). National Institutes of Health.
author Health [NIMH], 2007).
Subsequent citations:
(NIMH, 2007).
(Chapter Author, Date). Chapter Author, A. A. (Date). Title of chapter. In A. A. Editor & B. B. Editor (Eds.),
Title of book (pp. chapter pages). Publisher. DOI or URL
Chapter in
book (Weinstock et al., 2003) Weinstock, R., Leong, G.B., & Silva, J.A. (2003). Defining forensic psychiatry: Roles and
responsibilities. In R. Rosner (Ed.), Principles and practice of forensic psychiatry
(pp-7-12). CRC Press.
Multiple (Author, Date). Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Date). Title of work (# ed. or Vol. #). Publisher.
Editions or (Madigan, 2019). Madigan, S. (2019). Narrative therapy (2nd ed.). American Psychological Association.
Volumes https://doi.org/10.1037/0000131-000
(Editor or Group, n.d.). Editor, A. A. (Ed.) or Group Name. (n.d.). Title of work. Retrieved Date, from URL
Dictionary or (Merriam-Webster, n.d.). Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). Merriam-Webster.com dictionary. Retrieved May 5, 2019, from
Encyclopedia – https://www.merriam-webster.com/
Online version Note: Online dictionaries and encyclopaedias that are updated frequently have an “n.d.” designation in place of date. The
citation should also state when the online resource was accessed/retrieved.
Further examples for citing books and reference works in APA Guide Section 10.2 and 10.3 (pp. 316-329).
(Presenter(s), Year). Presenter, A. A., Presenter, B.B., & Presenter, C.C. (Year, Month Day). Title of
presentation [Conference session]. Conference Name, Location. DOI or
Conference URL (if available)
session (Fistek et al., 2017). Fistek, A., Jester, E., & Sonnenberg, K. (2017, July 12-15). Everybody’s got a little music
in them: Using music therapy to connect, engage, and motivate [Conference
session]. Autism Society National Conference, Milwaukee, WI, United States.
https://asa.confex.com/asa/2017/webprogramarchives/Session9517.html
(Author, Date). Author A.A., & Author B.B. (Year, Month Day). Title of material [Type of
material]. Name of Website or Learning Management System. Public
PowerPoint slides URL or URL of LMS login page (if writing for audience with access)
or course
(Mack & Spake, 2018). Mack, R., & Spake, G. (2018). Citing open source images and formatting references for
materials – online presentations [PowerPoint slides]. Canvas@FNU.
version https://fnu.onelogin.com/login
Note: It is not possible to formally cite in-person lectures. For in-person lectures, introduce in the body of your paper
(E.g. “In a lecture on November 16, 2011, to a Psychology 1000 class, Professor Smith said…”)
(A. A. Author, personal Personal communications such as emails, text messages, phone conversations,
communication, Date). personal interviews, etc. are not included in the reference list as they are not
Personal retrievable (see section 8.9 or pp.260-261 for further details)
communications
(V. G. Nguyen, personal Cite in text only.
communication, September
28, 2011).
Further examples for citing reports and informally published materials in APA Guide Section 10.4 to 10.14 (pp. 329-347).
Government Documents
In text citation Reference List
(Department(s), Date). Government Department(s). (Date). Title of work (Publication No. if available).
Government Parent Agency (if available). URL
report – online (National Cancer Institute, National Cancer Institute. (2018). Facing forward: Life after cancer treatment (NIH
version 2018). Publication No. 18-2424). U.S. Department of Health and Human Services,
National Institutes of Health. https://www.cancer.gov/publications/patient-
education/life-after-treatment.pdf
(URL). Author, A. A. (Date). Site Name. Retrieved Month Day, Year, from URL.
Entire website Kidspsych is a wonderful When citing an entire website, it is sufficient to give the address of the site just
interactive website for children in-text. If a reference list entry is required, use the format above.
(http://www.kidspsych.org).
(“Entry title,” Date). Title of entry. (Year, Month Day). In Wikipedia. Archived URL
Wikipedia (“List of Oldest Companies,” List of oldest companies. (2019, January 13). In Wikipedia.
2019). https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_oldest_companies&oldid=878158136
entry
Note: Access the archived version on Wikipedia by clicking “View history” and then the time and date of the version you
used. This allows readers to retrieve the version of the page you are referencing.
(Author, Date). Author, A.A. (Year, Month Day). Post title. Blog Name. URL.
Blog post (Klymkowsky, 2018). Klymkowsky, M. (2018, September 15). Can we talk scientifically about free will? Sci-Ed.
https://blogs.plos.org/scied/2018/09/15/can-we-talk-scientifically-about-free-
will/
(Author, Date). Author. (Year, Month Day). Comment title or first 20 words of the comment if
no title exists [Comment on the article “Article title”]. Periodical title.
Comment on Comment URL.
an online (KS in NJ, 2019). KS in NJ. (2019, January 15). From this article, it sounds like men are figuring something
article or post out that women have known forever. I know of many [Comment on article “How
workout buddies can help stave off loneliness”]. The Washington Post.
https://wapo.st/2HDToGJ
(Author, Date). Author, A.A. [@username]. (Year, Month Day). Content of the post up to the first
20 words [Description of audiovisuals] [Tweet]. Twitter. URL
Tweet (White, 2018). White, B. [@BettyMWhite]. (2018, June 21). I treasure every minute we spent together
#koko [Image attached] [Tweet]. Twitter.
https://twitter.com/BettyMWhite/status/1009951892846227456
Social media (Author, Date). Author, A.A. (Year, Month Day). Content of the post up to the first 20 words
posts (e.g. [Description of audiovisuals]. Social Media Platform Name. URL
Facebook, (News From Science, 2018). News From Science. (2018, June 26). These frogs walk instead of hop:
Tumblr, https://scim.ag/2KlriwH [Video]. Facebook.
LinkedIn, etc.) https://www.facebook.com/ScienceNOW/videos/10155508587605108
Further in-text examples for citing online content in APA Guide Sections 10.15 to 10.16 (pp. 348-352).
(Artist, Original publication Writer, A. (Copyright year). Title of song [Recorded by B. B. Artist or Group
date/Copyright date). Name, if different from writer]. On Title of album. Label. (Original
publication date if different from song copyright)
Music recording
(Beethoven, 1804/2012). Beethoven, L. van. (2012). Symphony No. 3 in E-flat major [Song recorded by Staatskapelle
Dresden]. On Beethoven: Complete symphonies. Brilliant Classics. (Original work
published 1804)
(Writer & Director, Date). Writer, A. A. (Writer), & Director, B. B. (Director). (Date). Title of episode (Season
number, Episode number) [TV series episode]. In C. C. Producer, & D.D.
Producer (Executive producers), Title of series. Production companies or
Single episode
studios.
from a
television series (Oakley et al., 1995). Oakley, B. (Writer), Weinstein, J. (Writer), & Lynch, J. (Director). (1995, May 21). Who shot
Mr. Burns? (Part one_ (Season 6, Episode 25) [TV series episode]. In D. Mirkin, J.L.
Brooks, M. Groening, & S. Simon (Executive Producers), The Simpsons. Gracie
Films; Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation.
(Uploader, Date). Uploader, A. A. (Year, Month Day). Title of video [Video]. Streaming Platform
Online video Name. URL
(e.g. YouTube)
(Cutts, 2017). Cutts, S. (2017, November 24). Happiness [Video]. Vimeo. https://vimeo.com/244405542
(Speaker, Date). Speaker, A. A. (Year, Month). Talk title [Video]. TED Conferences. TED website
URL
(Giertz, 2018). Giertz, S. (2018, April). Why you should make useless things [Video]. TED Conferences.
TED talk
https://www.ted.com/talks/simone_giertz_why_you_should_make_useless_things
Note: This reference format only applies to TED talks retrieved from TED’s website. Cite TED talks retrieved from YouTube
or other streaming video sites like an online video (see above) with the uploader name in place of the speaker name.
(Host, Date). Host, A. A. (Host). (Year, Month Day). Episode title (Episode No.) [Audio podcast
episode]. In Podcast title. Production company. URL
Podcast
episode (Glass, 2011). Glass, I. (Host). (2011, August 12). Amusement park (No. 443) [Audio podcast episode]. In
This American life. WBEZ Chicago. https://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-
archives/episode/443/amusement-park
Further in-text examples for citing audiovisual media in APA Guide Sections 10.12 to 10.14 (pp. 342-179).
Hannah K. Greenbaum
October 1, 2019
The title page precedes the body of your paper. It should be formatted with the page number in the header (top-
Sample Student
right) and a section containing the paper title, the author information, and the course information. All lines are
Paper - Title page
double-spaced.
• One to two lines in length. Subtitles begin on a new line, following the main title and a colon
Paper title
• Centered in the upper half of the page (three or four lines down from the top margin)
• Author’s name (first name, middle initials, last name)
Author information
• Department, School
• Course code: Course name
Course information • Instructor Name
• Assignment due date
• The running head is omitted in student papers (unless your instructor tells you otherwise)
Running Head • If asked to use a running head, the title page no longer includes the words “Running head:” at the beginning. It now
contains only a page number and the (shortened) paper title
Unless instructed otherwise by your instructor, students should follow the above guidelines for formatting the title page of their assignments.
See Section 2.3 in the APA Guide for how to format a professional paper for publication that includes a running header, author note and
abstract (p.31).
2
Association, 2017). Two techniques that have been associated with reduced stress and increased
relaxation in psychotherapy contexts are guided imagery and progressive muscle relaxation
(McGuigan & Lehrer, 2007). Guided imagery aids individuals in connecting their internal and
external experiences, allowing them to feel calmer externally because they practice thinking
about calming imagery. Progressive muscle relaxation involves diaphragmatic breathing and the
tensing and releasing of 16 major muscle groups; together these behaviours lead individuals to a
more relaxed state (Jacobsen, 1938; Trakhtenberg, 2008). Guided imagery and progressive
muscle relaxation are both cognitive behavioral techniques (Yalom & Leszcz, 2005) in which
individuals focus on the relationship among thoughts, emotions, and behaviours (White, 2000).
Guided Imagery
Guided imagery and relaxation techniques have even been found to “reduce distress and
allow the immune system to function more effectively” (Trakhtenberg, 2008, p. 850). For
stress and wound healing in a group of 24 patients. Holden-Lund concluded that the guided
Sample Student The paper body continues on page 2, beginning with the paper title, centered and bolded. The lines should be double-
Paper - Paper Body spaced and the margins should be 1 inch (2.54 cm) on all sides.
References
American Psychological Association. (2017). Stress in America: The state of our nation
https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/stress/2017/state-nation.pdf
Freebird Meditations. (2012, June 17). Progressive muscle relaxation guided meditation [Video].
YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDZl-4udE_o
Holden-Lund, C. (1988). Effects of relaxation with guided imagery on surgical stress and wound
McGuigan, F. J., & Lehrer, P. M. (2007). Progressive relaxation: Origins, principles, and clinical
Trakhtenberg, E. C. (2008). The effects of guided imagery on the immune system: A critical
Yalom, I.D., & Leszcz, M. (2005). The theory and practice of group psychotherapy (5th ed.).
Basic Books.
Sample Student References are included at the very end of the paper. Center and bold the section label (i.e. References). List the
Paper - References references in alphabetical order by author surname and format each reference with a hanging indent.
APA publishes references in a hanging indent format which means the first line of each reference is set flush left and
subsequent lines are indented
Hanging indent
• If using Microsoft Word, highlight all references and press CTRL + T on your keyboard
• Tip: If Word is not indenting properly, try hitting enter followed by tab on the second line
Please refer to section 2 in the APA guide (pp.29-48) to find additional formatting information. Refer to section 6 in the APA
guide (pp. 153-191) for information about the mechanics of style, including the use of punctuation and abbreviations.