The references section of an APA format paper serves to document all sources used in your paper. It allows the reader to locate and retrieve each source. A references page must include certain information about each source in a standard format. Properly citing sources is important because it avoids plagiarism and validates your research findings and conclusions.
To format a references page in APA style, list all references by author last name, first initial, followed by publication date and title of the source in italics. References should be listed alphabetically by last name of the first author of each work. Place a hanging indent for each additional line of a single reference. Double space the entire list of references.
Below are examples of references for different types of sources in APA style:
Book by a Single Author
Rowling, J.K. (1997). Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. Bloomsbury Publishing.
Book by Multiple Authors
Lovett, M., Palda, V., Staley, K., & Barnett, H. (2003). A quiet revolution in cancer care: profiles of community oncology practices. National Academies Press.
Chapter in an Edited Book
Miller, A.I. (2003). Einstein, Picasso: Space, time, and the beauty that causes havoc. In S.R. Graubard (Ed.), Einstein for the 21st century: His legacy in science, art, and modern culture (pp. 21–38). Princeton University Press.
Journal Article (Print)
Hilgard, J., Engelhardt, C. R., & Bartholow, B. D. (2013). Individual differences in motives, preferences, and pathology in video games: The gaming attitudes, motives, and experiences scales (GAMES). Frontiers in Psychology, 4, Article 608. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2013.00608
Journal Article (Online)
Wan, Y., Heneghan, C., & Gardner, P. (2015). Detecting health and well-being status from Twitter and social media. IEEE Journal of Biomedical and Health Informatics, 19(1), 73-83. https://doi.org/10.1109/JBHI.2014.2313997
Newspaper Article (Online)
Sederstrom, J. (2020, August 18). Why is 2020 a leap year? We explain leap years and leap days. USA Today. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/02/29/leap-year-2020-why-we-have-leap-years-explained/4896714002/
Website
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021, May 31). How COVID-19 spreads. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/how-covid-spreads.html
Video Recording or Podcast
Kaplan, J. (Host). (2020, February 5). Why coronavirus infections are declining in China (No. 755) [Audio podcast episode]. In The Daily. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/05/podcasts/coronavirus-china.html
Report from a Private Organization
Alcoholics Anonymous. (2001). Alcoholics Anonymous (4th ed.). A.A. World Services.
Conference Paper
Sill, D. J. (1997, July). Integrating believing and understanding: Applying conceptual change principles to the transformation of beliefs. In Proceedings of the International Conference on Conceptual Change at Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana.
Legislation
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, Pub. L. No. 101-336, § 2, 104 Stat. 328 (1991).
Thesis or Dissertation
Wilson, C. (2008). Exploring the experiences of older adults with chronic pain [Doctoral dissertation, Walden University]. ProQuest Dissertations Publishing.
Social Media Post
[Username]. (Year, Month Date). [Post Title]. Social Media Site. https://link/to/post
There are a few key things to keep in mind when formatting references in APA style:
List references alphabetically by the last name of the first author of each work.
Double space the entire list of references, with no extra returns between references or formatting of any kind.
Include the date of publication in year form, title of the source in italics, and other important publication details as shown in the examples above.
For online sources, provide a URL or DOI instead of publication location information.
Check capitalization and punctuation matches APA style exactly for consistency.
Hang indent any additional lines for references that exceed one line in length.
Properly citing all sources used in research is key for credibility and to avoid plagiarism. Following APA references format assists readers in understanding and evaluating the evidence presented in a paper. With practice, properly documenting sources in the references list becomes routine.