APA References

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.

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.