How to Properly Cite Sources in APA 7th Edition: A Comprehensive Guide

The American Psychological Association (APA) recently released the 7th edition of its Publication Manual, significantly changing how scholars and researchers document their sources in academic writing. This edition offers a more streamlined approach to citation and reference formatting, focusing on clarity, accuracy, and consistency. As such, students and professionals alike need to familiarize themselves with the new guidelines to communicate their research and ideas clearly and concisely effectively. This article will explore key changes brought about by the APA 7th edition and provide helpful tips and resources to ensure your writing adheres to the latest APA guidelines.

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Overview of APA 7th Edition

The APA 7th edition updates and changes to the previous edition, including new guidelines for citing electronic sources, in-text citations, and revisions to reference list entries. Some of the key changes include:

  1. In-text citations: In-text citations now use a more concise format, with only the author’s last name and year of publication included in the citation. For example, (Smith, 2020) instead of (Smith, J., 2020).
  2. Electronic sources: Guidelines for citing electronic sources have been updated, with new guidelines for citing social media posts, online videos, and podcasts.
  3. Reference list entries: Reference list entries now include more specific guidelines for different types of sources, such as chapters in edited books and online journal articles.
  4. Italics: Italics are now used to italicize and to indicate titles of books, journals, and other longer works, whereas, in the previous edition, underlining was used.
  5. URLs: URLs are no longer required for reference list entries for electronic sources unless the source is difficult to locate without the URL.

Popular APA 7th edition Referencing Style Citation Examples

How to cite a Book in APA 7th edition?

Reference List: The basic template for citing a book in the APA 7th edition reference list is as follows:

Author, A. A. (Year of publication). Title of work: Capital letter also for subtitle. Publisher Name.

Here’s an example of how to cite a book in the reference list using the above Template:

Smith, J. A. (2019). The Art of Fiction: A Guide for Writers and Readers. Random House.

In-text citation: The basic template for citing a book in the APA 7th edition in-text citation is as follows:

(Author, Year of publication)

Here’s an example of how to cite a book in the in-text citation using the above Template:

(Smith, 2019)

When directly quoting from a book, the page number should also be included in the In-text citation:

(Smith, 2019, p. 56)


How to cite a Journal in APA 7th edition?

To cite a journal article in APA 7th edition, follow the guidelines below:

Reference List: Template: Author, A. A. (Year of publication). Title of article. Title of Journal, volume number (issue number), page range. DOI or URL (if applicable)

Example:

Smith, J. K. (2021). The effects of social media on mental health. Journal of Psychology and Mental Health, 8(2), 34-45. https://doi.org/10.1080/00098655.2021.1234567

In-text citation: Template: (Author, Year)

Example: (Smith, 2021)

Note: If the journal article has multiple authors, list up to 20 authors in the reference list citation, separating each with a comma and an ampersand before the final author’s name. For in-text citations with three or more authors, use the first author’s name followed by “et al.”


How to cite a Film or Movie in APA 7th edition?

To cite a film or movie in APA 7th edition, follow the templates and examples below:

Reference List: Director, A. A. (Director). (Year of release). Title of film [Film]. Production Company. URL (if available).

Example:

Tarantino, Q. (Director). (1994). Pulp Fiction [Film]. Miramax Films.

In-text citation: (Director’s Last Name, Year of release)

Example:

(Tarantino, 1994)

Note: If you cite a specific scene in the film or movie, you can include the timestamp in the in-text citation. For Example: (Tarantino, 1994, 1:30:20) would reference a scene that occurs 1 hour, 30 minutes, and 20 seconds into the film.


How to cite an Online image or video in APA 7th edition?

To cite an online image or video in APA 7th edition, the following templates and examples can be used:

Reference List:

Author, A. A. (Year of Publication). Title of Work [Type of work]. Website Name. URL

Example:

Smith, J. (2022). Beautiful Sunset [Photograph]. Unsplash. https://unsplash.com/photos/abcd1234

In-text citation: (Author, Year)

Example:

(Smith, 2022)

Note: If no author is available, use the work’s title in the author’s position in the reference list and in-text citation. Use “n.d.” in the reference list and in-text citation if no date is available. If the work is from a database or repository, provide the URL of the work itself, not the URL of the database or repository.


How to cite a Website in APA 7th edition?

Reference List:

Author, A. A. (Year of publication). Title of web document or webpage. Name of website. URL

Example:

Smith, J. (2022). The benefits of meditation. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/12-benefits-of-meditation

In-text citation:

(Author, Year)

Example:

(Smith, 2022)


How to cite a Blog in APA 7th edition?

To cite a blog in APA 7th edition, follow the template and example below:

Reference List: Author, A. A. (Year, Month Day). Title of a blog post. Blog Name. URL

Example:

Smith, J. (2022, January 5). The Importance of Self-Care for Mental Health. The Wellness Blog. https://www.thewellnessblog.com/importance-of-self-care-for-mental-health/

In-text citation: (Author, Year)

Example: (Smith, 2022)


How to cite a Court case in APA 7th edition?

When citing a court case in APA 7th edition, the format differs depending on whether you are referencing a federal or state case. Here are templates and examples for both:

Reference List: For a federal court case: Last name, First initial. (Year). Case name, Volume Source page number. Court abbreviation.

Example: Roe v. Wade, 410 U.S. 113 (1973).

For a state court case: Last name, First initial. (Year). Case name, Volume Source page number (Court abbreviation).

Example: Smith v. Jones, 123 N.E.2d 456 (Ohio 1954).

In-text citation: For both federal and state court cases, the in-text citation should include the name of the case and the year of the decision:

Example: (Roe v. Wade, 1973) or (Smith v. Jones, 1954)


How to cite a Dictionary entry in APA 7th edition?

To cite a dictionary entry in APA citation, follow the following Template:

Reference List:

Author, A. A. (Year of publication). Title of entry. In A. Editor & B. Editor (Eds.), dictionary title (edition, Vol. X, pp. xx-xx). Publisher.

In-text citation:

(Author, Year)

Example:

Reference List:

Merriam-Webster. (2019). Ambiguity. In Merriam-Webster’s collegiate dictionary (11th ed., p. 49). Merriam-Webster.

In-text citation:

(Merriam-Webster, 2019)


How to cite an E-book or PDF in APA 7th edition?

When citing an e-book or PDF in APA 7th edition, the format and style of citation differ slightly depending on whether the e-book is from an online library, database, or website. Here are the templates and examples for both cases:

Reference List:

For an e-book from an online library or database: Author, A. A. (Year of publication). Title of book. Publisher. DOI or URL

Example:

Smith, J. K. (2017). The power of habit: Why we do what we do in life and business. Random House. https://doi.org/10.1111/123456

For an e-book from a website: Author, A. A. (Year of publication). Title of book. Publisher. URL

Example:

Johnson, M. (2019). The science of meditation. Penguin Random House. https://www.ebook.com/science-of-meditation.pdf

In-text citation:

For both cases, the in-text citation follows the author-date format, which includes the author’s last name and the year of publication.

Example: (Smith, 2017) or (Johnson, 2019)


How to cite an Edited book in APA 7th edition?

When citing an edited book in APA 7th edition, the general format is:

Reference List: Editor, E. E. (Ed.). (Year of Publication). Title of book. Publisher.

In-text citation: (Editor Last name, Year)

Here’s an Example:

Reference List:

Smith, J. K. (Ed.). (2018). The art of editing. Oxford University Press.

In-text citation:

(Smith, 2018)

Note that when citing an edited book, you would include the editor’s name in the author position, followed by “(Ed.)” to indicate their role as editor.


How to cite an Email in APA 7th edition?

When citing an email in APA 7th edition, the format will depend on whether the email is personal or professional and whether it is retrievable. It should not be included in the reference list if it is not retrievable. If it is retrievable, then the following template and example can be used:

Reference List: Author, A. A. (Year, Month Day). The subject of the email. [Description of form]. Retrieved from email address.

Example:

Smith, J. (2022, January 4). Meeting Request. [Email]. Retrieved from jsmith@email.com.

In-text citation: When citing an email in-text, include the author’s name and the email’s date. Use the sender’s email address if the author’s name is absent.

Example:

(J. Smith, personal communication, January 4, 2022)


How to cite an Encyclopedia article in APA 7th edition?

To cite an encyclopedia article in APA 7th edition, the following templates and examples can be used:

Reference List:

Author, A. A. (Year). Title of article. In B. B. Editor (Ed.), Title of encyclopedia (Volume, pages). Publisher.

Example:

Smith, J. (2022). Astronomy. In B. Johnson (Ed.), The New Encyclopedia of Science (Vol. 2, pp. 75-89). Random House.

In-text citation:

(Author, Year)

Example:

(Smith, 2022)

Note: If the encyclopedia article does not have a specific author, start the reference list entry with the article’s title and use the title in the in-text citation instead of the author’s name.


How to cite an Interview in APA 7th edition?

When citing an interview in APA 7th edition, the format will depend on whether it is personal or published. For a personal interview, follow this Template:

Reference List: Last name, Initial of Interviewee. (Year, Month Day). Personal interview.

Example:

Smith, J. (2022, January 15). Personal interview.

For a published interview, follow this Template:

Reference List: Last name, Initial of Interviewee. (Year, Month Day). Title of the interview [Interview]. Publication Name. URL

Example:

Jones, R. (2021, June 10). A Conversation with the CEO [Interview]. Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2021/06/a-conversation-with-the-ceo

For in-text citations, use the last name of the interviewee and the year of the interview:

Example:

In a personal interview on January 15, 2022, J. Smith stated that… (Smith, 2022).

According to a published interview with the CEO (Jones, 2021), …


How to cite a Magazine in the APA 7th edition?

When citing a magazine article in APA 7th edition, the format will vary slightly depending on whether the article is in print or online. Here is a template and an example for each case:

Reference List (Print Magazine Article): Author, A. A. (Year, Month Day). Title of article. Title of Magazine, volume number (issue number), page range.

Example:

Jones, S. (2022, January). The Future of Sustainable Agriculture. National Geographic, 241(1), 30-45.

Reference List (Online Magazine Article): Author, A. A. (Year, Month Day). Title of article. Title of Magazine. URL

Example:

Smith, J. (2022, February 15). The Power of Mindfulness in a Hectic World. Time. https://time.com/6154679/power-of-mindfulness/

In-text citation: For a direct quote, include the author’s last name, year of publication, and the page number in parentheses. For Example:

(Jones, 2022, p. 35)

If you are paraphrasing, include the author’s last name and year of publication in parentheses. For Example: (Smith, 2022)


How to cite a Newspaper in APA 7th edition?

When citing a newspaper article in APA 7th edition, the following template can be used for the Reference List:

Author, A. A. (Year, Month Day). Title of article. Title of Newspaper, page numbers. DOI or URL (if applicable).

Here’s an Example:

Smith, J. (2022, January 15). New vaccine approved for use in the United States: The New York Times, A1.

For the in-text citation, the author’s last name and year of publication should be included in parentheses, such as (Smith, 2022). If the author’s name is not mentioned in the text, it should be included in the parentheses, such as (Smith, 2022). For multiple authors, include all last names separated by commas and an ampersand before the final author’s name, such as (Johnson, Smith, & Lee, 2022).


How to cite a Podcast in APA 7th edition?

To cite a podcast in APA 7th edition, the format varies depending on the type of podcast. Here are the templates and examples for the most common types:

Reference List:

For a podcast episode: Author, A. A. (Host). (Year, Month Day). Title of episode [Audio podcast episode]. In Title of the podcast. Production company. URL

Example:

Sedaris, D. (Host). (2021, February 22). The way we eat now [Audio podcast episode]. In The Sporkful. Stitcher. https://www.stitcher.com/show/the-sporkful/episode/the-way-we-eat-now-81697069

For a whole podcast series: Author, A. A. (Host). (Year, Month Day – Year, Month Day). Title of podcast [Audio podcast]. Production company. URL

Example:

Koenig, S. (Host). (2014-2018). Serial [Audio podcast]. This American Life. https://serialpodcast.org/

In-text citation:

For a podcast episode: (Author, Year)

Example: (Sedaris, 2021)

For a whole podcast series: (Author, Year- Year)

Example: (Koenig, 2014-2018)


How to cite a Song in APA 7th edition?

When citing a song in APA 7th edition, the format will depend on how the song was accessed. The format would differ from a physical recording if the song were accessed online. Here are the templates and examples for both cases:

Reference List:

Physical recording: Last name, First initial of a songwriter. (Year of release). Title of song [Recorded by Artist First Initial Last Name if different from songwriter]. On Title of album [Medium of recording: CD, LP, etc.]. Location: Label. (Original work published if applicable).

Example:

Cobain, K. (1991). Come as you are [Recorded by Nirvana]. On Never mind [CD]. Seattle, WA: DGC Records.

Online song: Last name, First initial of a songwriter. (Year of release). Title of song [Recorded by Artist First Initial Last Name if different from songwriter]. On Title of the album. Retrieved from URL

Example:

Swift, T. (2021). All too well [Recorded by Taylor Swift]. On Red (Taylor’s version). Retrieved from https://open.spotify.com/track/6H9kL5XGxLcGBAmlzFf0GK

In-text citation:

The in-text citation format for physical and online songs is (Last name of songwriter, year of release).

Example:

(“Come as you are,” 1991) (Swift, 2021)


How to cite The Bible in APA 7th edition?

To cite the Bible in APA seventh edition, the format and elements to include will vary depending on the specific version and edition used. The general format is as follows:

Reference List:

Format: Author, A. A. (Year of publication). Title of the book: Version (if applicable). Publisher.

Example:

New International Version. (1984). Holy Bible: New International Version. Zondervan.

In-text citation:

Use the book, chapter, and verse abbreviation for parenthetical citations. For narrative citations, write out the name of the book.

Example: Parenthetical citation: (John 3:16) Narrative citation: In the Gospel of John, it is written that “God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son” (3:16, NIV).


How to cite a TV Show in APA 7th edition?

When citing a TV show in APA 7th edition, the reference list entry should include the following elements: the name(s) of the writer(s), the date the episode aired, the title of the episode in sentence case, the name(s) of the director(s), the name of the series in italics, and the episode number (if applicable). You should include that information in the reference if you cite a streaming service or a DVD as the source.

Here is a template for a reference list entry for a TV show:

Writer, W. W. (Writer), & Director, D. D. (Director). (Year, Month Day). Episode title [Television series episode]. In Executive Producer, E. P. (Executive Producer), Series name. Production Company.

And here’s an example reference list entry:

Gordon, A. (Writer), & Leder, M. (Director). (2002, September 18). Pilot [Television series episode]. In Sorkin, A. (Executive Producer), The West Wing. Warner Bros. Television.

In-text citations for a TV show should include the writer and director’s last names, separated by an ampersand, and the year the episode aired:

(Gordon & Leder, 2002)

FAQs about APA 7th Edition

What is APA 7th edition?

APA 7th edition is the latest version of the APA style guide used for academic writing. It provides guidelines for APA formatting papers, citing sources, and creating reference lists.

How do I format my paper in APA 7th edition?

APA 7th edition provides guidelines for formatting your paper, including margins, font size, and spacing. These guidelines are found in the APA Publication Manual or online resources, such as the Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL).

How do I cite a book in the APA 7th edition?

To cite a book in APA 7th edition, including the author’s name, publication year, title, and publisher information. The format for citing a book will depend on whether it is a print or electronic book and whether it has a DOI or URL.

How do I cite a website in the APA 7th edition?

To cite a website in APA 7th edition, you need to include the author, publication date, title of the page, and URL. If the website is a news article or blog post, you may need to include additional information, such as the name of the website and the date accessed.

 
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