APA Citation Format: Core Rules
APA citation format uses the author-date system. In-text: (Author, Year). Reference list: Author. (Year). Title. Source. The APA 7th edition (2020) is current. Key changes from 6th edition: et al. for 3+ authors, no publisher location, DOIs as URLs.
APA Citation Format Examples
| Source Type | APA 7th Edition Format |
|---|---|
| Website | Author, A. (Year, Month Day). Title. Site Name. URL |
| Book | Author, A. (Year). Title. Publisher. |
| Journal Article | Author, A. (Year). Title. Journal, Vol(Iss), pp. DOI |
| PDF/Report | Author, A. (Year). Title [PDF]. Publisher. URL |
| YouTube | Creator. (Year, Month Day). Title [Video]. YouTube. URL |
Quick APA Formatting Rules
- Title capitalization: Sentence case for article/webpage titles; Title Case for journals and books
- Italics: Book titles, journal names (and volume numbers)
- Authors: Last name, First initial. Second initial. — e.g., Smith, J. A.
- Two authors: Smith, J., & Jones, R.
- 3–20 authors: List all with "&" before last
- 21+ authors: First 19 ... Last author
- DOI format: https://doi.org/10.xxxx/xxxx
For comprehensive rules, see our APA format guide and APA citation format rules.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is APA citation format?
APA citation format is the citation style developed by the American Psychological Association. It uses an author-date system for in-text citations (Smith, 2023) and a structured reference list at the end of papers. APA format is required in psychology, social sciences, education, business, nursing, and many other academic fields. The current version is the 7th edition (2020).
What are the basic rules of APA citation format?
Basic APA 7th edition citation format rules: (1) In-text citations use author-date format: (Smith, 2023). (2) Reference list entries follow Author, Date, Title, Source order. (3) Use et al. for 3+ authors in in-text citations. (4) DOIs formatted as https://doi.org/... (5) Book and journal titles are italicized; article and webpage titles are not. (6) Use sentence case for titles (only capitalize first word and proper nouns).
How is APA 7th edition different from APA 6th edition?
Key APA 7th edition (2020) changes from 6th edition: (1) et al. used for 3+ authors (was 6+ in 6th ed.). (2) Publisher location removed from book references. (3) DOIs formatted as URLs (https://doi.org/xxx). (4) Running head no longer required for student papers. (5) Up to 20 authors listed before using "..." (was 7 in 6th ed.). (6) New guidance for social media, podcasts, and YouTube.
Do I need to include a retrieval date for websites in APA?
No. APA 7th edition removed the requirement for retrieval dates for most web sources. You do not need to write "Retrieved [date] from [URL]." Simply include the URL at the end of the reference. Exception: retrieval dates are still needed for content that regularly changes and is not archived (wikis, social media profiles). For static web pages and articles, no retrieval date is needed.
How do I cite a source with no publication date in APA format?
When a source has no identifiable publication date, use (n.d.) in place of the year — both in the in-text citation and the reference entry. In-text: (Smith, n.d.). Reference: Smith, J. (n.d.). Title. Publisher. Before using n.d., check thoroughly: look at the bottom of the page, in the source code, or search for any "last updated" date. Many sources have dates not immediately visible.
Should I use sentence case or title case for APA titles?
APA format uses sentence case for article titles, webpage titles, book chapter titles, and most other source titles. Sentence case: capitalize only the first word, proper nouns, and the first word after a colon: "How climate change affects global health." Journal names and book titles use title case (capitalize all major words): *Journal of Applied Psychology*, *The Elements of Style*.
Do I italicize titles in APA citation format?
In APA format, italicize: book titles, journal/periodical names (+ volume numbers), report/brochure titles, album/song titles, and film/video titles. Do NOT italicize: article titles (journal, newspaper, magazine), book chapter titles, webpage article titles, conference presentation titles. The rule is: italicize the "container" (journal, book), not the individual work within it (article, chapter).
How do I format an APA citation for a book with an editor?
For an edited book: Editor, E. E. (Ed.). (Year). Title of book. Publisher. Example: Brown, K. L. (Ed.). (2022). Advances in educational technology. Academic Press. For a chapter within an edited book: Chapter Author, C. A. (Year). Title of chapter. In E. Editor (Ed.), Title of book (pp. X–Y). Publisher. The "(Ed.)" notation goes after the editor's name in parentheses.