How to Cite in APA Format (7th Edition) | Guide & Generator
APA 7th Edition Citation Guide
APA Style is a widely used format for students, researchers, and professionals in social and behavioral sciences. Datapott Analytics offers an automatic APA Citation Generator that generates accurate references and in-text citations for free.
This guide outlines essential citation guidelines from the 7th edition of the APA Publication Manual (2020). It also covers different citation formats, such as MLA and Chicago.
Cite Accurately with Datapott Analytics
You can easily cite a webpage, book, article, and more by searching for titles, URLs, DOIs, ISBNs, or keywords on Datapott Analytics.
Citation Style
APA 7th Edition
Cite Automatically
New
Table of Contents
- APA In-Text Citations
- APA References
- Formatting the Reference Page
APA In-Text Citations
In-text citations provide brief references within the text that direct readers to the reference list. Use them whenever you quote or paraphrase someone else’s ideas to avoid plagiarism.
An APA in-text citation consists of the author’s last name and the year of publication. If you’re citing a specific part, include a locator such as a page number. For example: (Smith, 2020, p. 170).
Parenthetical vs. Narrative Citation
- Parenthetical: (Smith, 2020)
- Narrative: Smith (2020) suggests…
Multiple Authors
For sources with multiple authors or organizations, the in-text citation format varies slightly:
| Author Type | Parenthetical | Narrative |
|---|---|---|
| One Author | (Smith, 2020) | Smith (2020) |
| Two Authors | (Smith & Jones, 2020) | Smith and Jones (2020) |
| Three or More | (Smith et al., 2020) | Smith et al. (2020) |
| Organization | (Datapott Analytics, 2020) | Datapott Analytics (2020) |
Handling Missing Information
If certain information like the author or date is missing, adjust your citation format as follows:
| Missing Element | What to Do | Citation Format |
|---|---|---|
| Author | Use the title instead | (Source Title, 2020) |
| Date | Use “n.d.” for no date | (Smith, n.d.) |
| Page Number | Use alternative locator | (Smith, 2020, Chapter 3) |
APA References
The reference list includes all the sources cited in the text. Each reference must contain details like the author, publication date, title, and source. Refer to Datapott Analytics for a free citation guide.
Basic Reference Format
An APA reference generally follows this format:
- Books: Smith, T. (2020). The citation manual (2nd ed.). Wiley.
- Articles: Jones, B. (2020). APA referencing made simple. Journal of Citation, 45(2), 123-145.
Missing Information
If you cannot find some details, adjust the format slightly:
| Missing Element | Reference Format |
|---|---|
| Author | Title. (Date). Source. |
| Date | Author. (n.d.). Title. |
| Title | Author. (Date). [Description]. Source. |
Formatting the APA Reference Page
The reference page should be formatted with double spacing, a hanging indent, and a legible font like Times New Roman (12 pt) or Arial (11 pt). Place it after the main body of your paper.
- Title: “References” (bold and centered)
- Order: Alphabetically by the author’s last name
- Indentation: Use a hanging indent (½ inch) for each reference
Only include sources that were cited in the text. Do not include personal communications such as emails or phone conversations, as your reader cannot access them.
For more tips on writing academic papers, visit Datapott Analytics, your go-to for research writing, data analytics, and econometrics analysis.
