The reference page is an essential component of any research paper. It allows the reader to locate your sources and also gives credit to the authors whose ideas and information you used in your paper. The reference page is formatted differently than the rest of the paper and follows specific APA style rules.
The reference page goes at the end of the paper and should be on its own page. The word “References” should be centered at the top of the page without any formatting like bolding or underlining. All reference entries should be double-spaced just like the rest of the paper. The page should be alphabetized by the first author’s last name or title if there is no author.
Each source cited in the body of the paper should have a corresponding entry on the reference page using the proper APA format. This includes print sources like books and journal articles as well as electronic sources like websites. The reference list only includes sources that were actually cited – sources consulted but not directly cited within the text should not be included.
For books, the basic reference contains the author’s last name, first initial(s), date of publication in parentheses, title of the book in italics, place of publication, and publisher. For example:
Smith, J. D. (2019). Writing research papers. New York, NY: Pearson.
Book chapters follow the same pattern with the author(s), year, chapter title in sentence case inside quotation marks, book title in italics, editor names, page range of the chapter, place of publication, and publisher. For example:
Jones, S., Thomas, E. E., & Wilson, T. C. (2017). “APA referencing.” In N. Johnson (Ed.), Research methods handbook (pp. 45-72). New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
Journal articles include the author(s), year of publication in parentheses, article title in sentence case inside quotation marks, journal title in italics, volume number, issue number in parentheses, and page range. For example:
Smith, A. B., & Cooper, J. C. (2021). “Using credible sources in APA style.” Journal of Research Writing, 34(2), 87-109.
Like books, articles from e-databases include the same core elements plus any identifying numbers or webpage URL. Common elements added for electronic sources include DOI numbers when available. For example:
Brown, G. (2018). “Tips for writing a literature review.” Review of Educational Research. https://doi.org/10.3109/00336297.2011.606703
Websites follow a slightly different format without page numbers. Basic elements include the author if available, date published/updated, page title in sentence case inside quotation marks, website name in italics, and URL. For example:
National Science Teachers Association. (2019, November 27). “Scientific inquiry and the nature of science.” NSTA Learning Center. https://www.nsta.org/learning-center/scientific-inquiry-and-nature-science
The basic parts remain consistent for other common source types as well like government reports, magazine articles, videos, podcasts, social media, etc. Consistent use of the required elements and formatting helps establish credibility and allows readers to validate your cited claims. A proper reference list also acknowledges the intellectual property of others and avoids plagiarism. Maintaining an organized reference page is an important part of professional research writing using APA style.