The reference page is a crucial element of your research paper. It is the last page of the paper and gives credit to all the sources you used in your research and cited in the body of your paper. The reference page must follow American Psychological Association (APA) style formatting.
The reference page is titled “References” centered and in bold at the top of the page. All text is formatted with hanging indentation using a 0.5 inch indent for the second and subsequent lines of each reference. The reference page only lists sources that were directly cited in the paper – do not include sources you may have consulted but did not directly cite. Each entry has a hanging indent and sources are listed alphabetically by the first author’s last name.
For sources with three or more authors, the first in-text citation uses all authors names separated with commas. In subsequent in-text citations, you use the first author’s name followed by “et al.” The reference entry lists all authors. For sources with two authors, all in-text citations list both authors’ names separated by “and.” For sources with two authors, the reference entry lists both authors. For anonymous or group authors use “Anonymous” or the group name in place of the author’s name.
Here are examples of formatting the most common sources on a reference page:
Book:
Last, F. M. (Year Published). Book title. Publisher.
Example:
Corey, G., Corey, M. S., & Corey, C. (2019). Issues and ethics in the helping professions (10th ed.). Cengage.
Book Chapter:
Last, F. M., & Last, F. M. (Year Published). Chapter or essay title. In Editor’s First Initial Last Name (Ed.), Book title (pp. Pages). Publisher.
Example:
Levine, P. A., & Kline, M. (2007). Trauma through a child’s eyes. In P. F. Brain, P. Levitt, & N. Axelrod (Eds.), The development of emotion regulation and dysregulation (pp. 1-26). Cambridge University Press.
Journal Article:
Last, F. M., Last, F. M., & Last, F. M. (Year Published). Article title. Journal Name, Volume(Issue), Pages. https://doi.org
Example:
Heimberg, R. G., & Becker, R. E. (2002). Cognitive-behavioral group therapy for social phobia: Basic mechanisms and clinical strategies. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice, 9(2), 121-132. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1077-7229(02)80025-0
Newspaper Article:
Last, F. M. (Year, Month Day Published). Article title. Newspaper, pp. Pages.
Example:
Smith, S. (2019, December 15). Developing effective social work tools. The Seattle Times, pp. A1, A12.
Website:
Last, F. M. (Year, Month Day Published). Article title. Website Name. https://www.URL
Example:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2019, October 15). Mental health. https://www.cdc.gov/mentalhealth
When citing electronic sources do not include access date or database name (unless using a library database) but do include a DOI (Digital Object Identifier) or URL. If no DOI or URL is available omit that information. For sources with no author list the title, shortened if needed to fit the reference page formatting.
Following APA style guidelines for the reference page ensures credit is properly given to all sources. The reference page is a critical part of academic research papers and following the guidelines establishes credibility. Formatting the reference page correctly and including all necessary information is crucial for adherence to APA style. Careful and accurate citation enables readers to easily locate all sources cited within the body of the research paper.
Adherence to APA style guidelines builds credibility in academic writing. Carefully including all sources in the proper format and order establishes the writer’s familiarity with research best practices. The reference page provides the final touch validating the sources cited. Alphabetizing entries makes the information easy for readers to locate. Overall, taking the time to precisely format the reference page according to APA standards demonstrates respect for the writer’s sources and solidifies the research presented in the paper.