Reference list entries include the four elements of the author, date, title, and source. Show
This page describes each element in detail:
View the reference examples to see the elements of reference list entries in action. This guidance has been revised and expanded from the 6th edition. AuthorThe author refers broadly to the person(s) or group(s) responsible for a work. An author may be
This element includes not only authors of articles, books, reports, and other works but also others who played primary roles in the creation of a work, such as editors of books, directors of films, principal investigators of grants, podcast hosts, and so on. When you cannot determine who the author is, treat the work as having no author. Format of individual author namesFollow these guidelines to format the author element. Additional guidelines for less common cases are provided in the Publication Manual.
Author, A. A., & Author, B. B.
Author, A. A., Author, B. B., & Author, C. C.
Author, A. A., Author, B. B., Author, C. C., Author, D. D., Author, E. E., Author, F. F., Author, G. G., Author, H. H., Author, I. I., Author, J. J., Author, K. K., Author, L. L., Author, M. M., Author, N. N., Author, O. O., Author, P. P., Author, Q. Q., Author, R. R., Author, S. S., . . . Author, Z. Z.
Santos-García, S., & Velasco Rodríguez, M. L.
hooks, b. van der Waal, P. N. Format of group author names Group authors are often government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and task forces. Follow these guidelines to format the names of group authors in the reference list.
National Institute of Mental Health.
Correct: National Institute of Mental Health. Incorrect: National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). Incorrect: NIMH.
DateThe date refers to the date of publication of the work. The date will take one of the following forms:
When you cannot determine the date of publication, treat the work as having no date. Format of the date Follow the date format for the reference type as shown in the Publication Manual. Most references use only the year. Additional guidelines for less common cases are provided in the Publication Manual.
(2020, August 26). (2018, July). (2019, Winter).
If a date of last update is available (such as for a webpage), use it in the reference. Do not include a date of last review in a reference because content that has been reviewed has not necessarily been changed. Retrieval dates Include a retrieval date only if the work is unarchived and designed to change over time. Most references do not include retrieval dates. Examples of some that do are in Chapter 10 of the Publication Manual and on the reference examples page. When a retrieval date is needed, use the following format for it. Retrieved September 30, 2020, from https://xxxxx TitleThe title refers to the title of the work being cited. Titles fall into two broad categories:
When a work stands alone (e.g., a report), the title of that work appears in the title element of the reference. When a work is part of a greater whole (e.g., a journal article or edited book chapter), the title of the article or chapter appears in the title element of the reference and the title of the greater whole (the journal or edited book) appears in the source element. When the title of the work cannot be determined, treat the work as having no title. Format of the titleFollow these guidelines to format the title element. Additional guidelines for less common cases are provided in the Publication Manual.
Happy fish in little ponds: Testing a reference group model of achievement and emotion.
Becoming brilliant: What science tells us about raising successful children.
The psychology of music (3rd ed.). Nursing: A concept-based approach to learning (2nd ed., Vol. 1).
APA handbook of industrial and organizational psychology: Vol. 1. Building and developing the organization.
Late-onset unexplained epilepsy: What are we missing? Bracketed descriptionsTo help identify works outside the peer-reviewed academic literature (i.e., works other than articles, books, reports, etc.), provide a description of the work in square brackets after the title and before the period. Capitalize the first letter of the description, but do not italicize the description. Comprehensive meta-analysis (Version 3.3.070) [Computer software]. Examples of works that include bracketed descriptions are some audiobooks, gray literature (e.g., press releases), audiovisual works (e.g., films, YouTube videos, photographs), software and mobile apps, data sets, manuscripts in preparation, and dissertations and theses. Bracketed descriptions are also used in social media references to indicate attached links or images. The examples in the Publication Manual and on the reference examples page include bracketed descriptions where they are needed. When in doubt, include a description. Consistency of wording is helpful, but you may alter the wording shown in the examples to best convey the information readers need to understand the nature of the work. SourceThe source indicates where readers can retrieve the cited work. As with titles, sources fall into two broad categories: works that are part of a greater whole and works that stand alone.
If a work is not recoverable, treat it as having no source. Format of the sourceThe format of the source varies depending on the reference type. The most common cases are presented next. Additional guidelines for less common cases are provided in the Publication Manual.
Database information in the sourceDatabase and archive information is seldom needed in reference list entries. For example, if you retrieved a work from an academic research database, the reference very rarely includes the name of the database or the URL of the work on the database. Visit the page on database information in references to learn when and how to include database information in references. Visit the page on DOIs or URLs to learn how to include DOIs and URLs in references. From the APA Style blogLast updated: July 2022Date created: September 2019 What information should be included in a routine request?When writing a routine request, open by stating your specific request. Use the body to justify your request and explain its importance. Close routine requests by asking for specific action (including a deadline, if appropriate) and expressing goodwill.
Which of the following elements is used to begin routine request using a direct approach?Like all other business messages, routine requests have three parts: an opening, a body, and a close. Using the direct approach, open with your main idea, which is a clear statement of your request. Use the body to give details and justify your request, then close by requesting specific action.
Which of the following are effective elements in a routine message for making a claim?To be an effective routine message, a claim should do which of the following? Explain why the claim is being made. Make a call to action. Specify what the claim is.
Which element is particularly important for an apology?“Our findings showed that the most important component is an acknowledgment of responsibility. Say it is your fault, that you made a mistake,” Lewicki said. The second most important element was an offer of repair. “One concern about apologies is that talk is cheap.
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