APA Referencing Guide — Full Rules and Examples
Updated May 2026 | APA 7th Edition
APA referencing uses an author-date system with two parts: in-text citations (Author, Year) and a reference list at the end of your paper. Every source cited in-text must have a full reference list entry. APA 7th edition requires references to be alphabetized, double-spaced, and formatted with a hanging indent. Use our free generator to create any APA reference instantly.
The Two Parts of APA Referencing
APA referencing works in pairs:
- In-text citation: A brief parenthetical reference within your text — (Smith, 2023) — that points the reader to the full reference.
- Reference list entry: The complete citation at the end of your paper that gives all the information needed to find the source.
Every in-text citation must have a matching reference list entry, and every reference list entry must have at least one in-text citation.
APA Reference List Formatting Rules
- Appears on a new page at the end of the paper
- Titled "References" — centered, bold (not italicized, not in quotation marks)
- Alphabetized by the first author's last name
- Hanging indent: first line flush left, subsequent lines indented 0.5"
- Double-spaced throughout (same as rest of paper)
- Titles of books and journals: italicized
- Article and webpage titles: NOT italicized, NOT in quotation marks
- DOIs formatted as: https://doi.org/10.1000/xyz
APA Reference Formats: 10 Source Types
Book (one author)
Example: Brown, D. (2022). The psychology of learning. Harvard Press.
Book (two authors)
Example: Smith, J. A., & Jones, K. L. (2021). Research methods. Routledge.
Edited book chapter
Example: Lee, M. (2023). Cognitive theory. In B. Webb (Ed.), Educational psychology (pp. 12–35). Wiley.
Journal article with DOI
Example: Chen, S., & Park, J. (2024). Memory consolidation. Nature Reviews, 15(2), 88–102. https://doi.org/10.1038/xxx
Website
Example: Johnson, L. (2024, May 10). Mental health resources. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com
Government report
Example: World Health Organization. (2023). Global health report 2023. https://www.who.int/report
YouTube video
Example: TED. (2023, January 15). The power of habits [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/xxx
Podcast episode
Example: Rogan, J. (Host). (2024, March 1). Episode 2100 [Audio podcast episode]. In The Joe Rogan Experience. Spotify.
Generate any of these automatically with our free APA citation generator.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is APA referencing?
APA referencing is the system of citing sources used in the American Psychological Association citation style. It involves two components: in-text citations within the body of your paper (author-date format: Smith, 2023), and a full reference list at the end of your document. Every in-text citation must have a corresponding reference list entry.
How do I create an APA reference list?
To create an APA reference list: (1) Start on a new page after your conclusion. (2) Title it "References" — centered and bold. (3) List all sources you cited in alphabetical order by first author's last name. (4) Format each entry with a hanging indent (first line left-aligned, rest indented 0.5 inches). (5) Double-space throughout.
What is the difference between a reference list and a bibliography in APA?
In APA format, a "References" list includes only sources you actually cited in your paper. A "Bibliography" (used in other styles like Chicago) includes all sources you consulted, whether cited or not. APA uses a "References" page, not a bibliography. Only include sources with in-text citations in your APA reference list.
How do I reference a government website in APA?
For a government website: Department or Agency Name. (Year, Month Day). Title of page. Agency. URL. Example: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024, March 1). COVID-19 overview. CDC. https://www.cdc.gov/covid. If the department is part of a larger government body, include the larger body: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control.
How do I reference a report or white paper in APA?
For an organizational report: Author, A. A. (Year). Title of report (Report No. XXX). Organization. URL. Example: Smith, J. A., & Brown, K. (2023). Annual education assessment (Report No. 2023-04). National Education Association. https://nea.org/reports. If there is no report number, omit that element. If you are referencing a PDF, add [PDF] after the title.
Can I use ibid in APA referencing?
No. APA style does not use "ibid" (a Latin abbreviation meaning "in the same place"). Each in-text citation must fully identify the source using the author-year format, even if you cite the same source repeatedly. If you cite the same source multiple times in the same paragraph, you only need to include the citation once per paragraph (at the end of the paragraph).
How do I reference an edited book chapter in APA?
For a chapter in an edited book: Author, A. A. (Year). Title of chapter. In E. Editor (Ed.), Title of book (pp. X–Y). Publisher. DOI or URL. Example: Smith, J. A. (2022). Learning theories overview. In K. Brown (Ed.), Educational psychology handbook (pp. 45–78). Academic Press. The chapter author goes first, and the editor is listed with their initials followed by (Ed.).
How do I reference a dissertation or thesis in APA?
For a published dissertation/thesis (from ProQuest, institutional repository): Author, A. A. (Year). Title [Doctoral dissertation/Master's thesis, University Name]. Database Name. URL. Example: Johnson, L. K. (2023). Emotional intelligence and academic performance [Doctoral dissertation, University of Michigan]. ProQuest Dissertations. https://proquest.com/docview/xxx. For unpublished works, replace the database info with the university name only.