APA References
Learn how to create an APA references page.
The APA references page contains all of the sources used within an APA style research paper. The purpose of this list serves to prevent plagiarism, accusations of plagiarism towards a writer, and brings credibility to the work of the writer.
APA References: The Basics
- Definition of APA References
- Example
- In-Text
- In-Text Guidelines
- Example Page
- Page Guidelines
Definition of APA References
The APA writing style is a common method of writing papers for psychology, education, and the social sciences. A references page is the compilation of all citations included in a research paper.
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APA References Example
APA References page example.
APA References: In-Text
As the term suggests, an in-text citation is a method used to refer to the works of others within the text of your work. The in-text APA citation consists of the author’s last name and year of publication for the referenced work. The APA reference list, located at the end of the paper, contains each in-text citation in greater detail. Each in-text citation must be included in the reference list. This allows the audience to access the source from which the information was obtained. Providing an APA reference list along with an in-text citation allows writers to prevent plagiarism accusations and brings credibility to their work.
APA References: In-Text Guidelines
- Capitalize the names of authors including initials.
- Italicize or underline the titles of works such as books, television series, or albums.
- Use quotations for articles and song titles.
- If authors have the same last name, then include the first initial to differentiate them.
APA Reference Page
The APA references page must begin on a separate page from the essay and coordinate with all in-text citations used throughout the text. This ensures that all APA citations can be accounted for from its original source. Moreover, a writer can provide credibility for the work and the audience will know where to look if more information is desired on the topic.
APA Reference Page Guidelines
- The APA Reference page must be labelled “References.”
- The “References” title should be located at the top, center of the page.
- “References” should not be bolded, underlined, or italicized.
- The 2nd and subsequent lines of each works cited entry must be indented.
- Entries must be alphabetized by last name of the author.
- Italicize book and journal titles.
- Do not italicize, underline, or quote journal articles or essays.