How to Write the References in a Research Paper
Introduction
References are an important part of any academic research paper. They acknowledge the work of others that helped inform and support the ideas and conclusions presented in the paper. References also allow readers to verify the material cited and trace sources of information independently if needed. This article provides a detailed guide on how to write references in a research paper properly following American Psychological Association (APA) style guidelines.
Order and Format of Reference List
The reference list appears at the end of the paper, on a new page with the centered heading “References”. List all references alphabetically by the first author’s last name. If there is no author, use the organization name or title as the first entry. Double space the reference list. Indent the second and subsequent lines of each reference 5-7 spaces or 0.5 inch to create a hanging indent. Check that all references cited in the body of the paper are included in the reference list at the end.
Components of a Reference
Here are the typical components included in a reference:
For books:
Author’s Last Name, First initial. (Year of Publication). Title of the book. Publisher.
For journal/magazine articles:
Author’s Last Name, First initial. (Year, Month Date of Publication). Article title. Journal Title, Volume(Issue), Page range.
For newspaper articles:
Author’s Last Name, First initial. (Year, Month Date of Publication). Article title. Newspaper, Page range.
For websites/webpages:
Author’s Name or Organization/Group Name. (Year, Month Date of Publication). Title of webpage/site. URL
Date formats vary based on source type. Always include the publisher location for books. If no author is listed, move the title to the author position. Each component is terminated with a period except the URL, which uses no punctuation. No abbreviations are used for journal titles.
Examples of Common Reference Types
Here are examples of properly formatted references for common source types:
Book:
Smith, J. (2020). Writing research papers. New York, NY: HarperCollins.
Journal article:
Jones, S., & Johnson, M. (2019, June). APA style guidelines. Journal of Academic Writing, 57(6), 32-45.
Newspaper article:
Brown, A. (2020, May 17). Local scholars discuss new research findings. The Times, pp. A1, A4.
Website:
American Psychological Association. (2019). APA style. http://www.apastyle.org
Personal communication:
R. Miller (personal communication, October 17, 2019)
Citing References in Text
When citing a reference in the body of the paper, provide the author(s) last name(s) and year of publication. This information directs the reader to the full reference in the reference list.
For direct quotes:
Cite the author’s last name, year of publication, and page number (Jones, 2020, p. 34).
For paraphrased information:
Cite the author’s last name and year (Smith, 2019).
Three or more authors are shortened after the first citation:
First citation: (Johnson, Smith, & Brown, 2020)
Subsequent citations: (Johnson et al., 2020)
Electronic Sources
For electronic sources that lack page numbers, locations may be identified with paragraph numbers. PDF page numbers may be included instead of paragraphs for long documents. Do not include retrieval dates or database names unless publication date is not available. Provide a stable URL rather than one that loads a search engine homepage.
Some Key Points to Remember
Use a consistent referencing style throughout the paper, usually APA or MLA format.
Include all references cited in the body of the paper in the reference list at end.
Arrange references alphabetically by first author’s last name in hanging indent format.
Capitalize only the first letter of the first word of a title and subtitle.
Italicize titles of books and journals. Place titles of articles/chapters in quotation marks.
Give page numbers for direct quotes and specific locations whenever possible.
Double check accuracy of all details before submitting the final paper.
Conclusion
Following standard guidelines will help ensure references are properly formatted and prepared in a consistent manner. Referencing others’ work is an essential way to acknowledge outside sources and allow future readers to verify cited claims independently. Carefully writing out references in the approved style demonstrates academic integrity and builds the reader’s confidence in the quality of research presented.