The APA reference list is a section at the end of a research paper or academic document that provides full bibliographic information for all the sources cited or referenced within the text. It allows readers to locate and retrieve the sources used by the author.
A reference list entry generally has four elements: the author, date, title, and source. Each element answers a question:Answering these four questions will help you create a reference entry for any type of work, even if you do not see a specific example in the Publication Manual that matches it. Consistency in reference formatting allows readers to understand the types of works you consulted and the important reference elements with ease.
Here is an example of how the APA reference list should be formatted:
| Missing Information | Reference List Citation | In-text Citation |
|---|---|---|
| No Author |
Start your citation with the title, followed by date and source information. Don't use "Anonymous" unless this is what's indicate on your source.
Example - Articles and other sources that are part of a larger work: Get on board for train safety. (2012, June 17). Toronto Star, A14. Example - Book and other standalone works: Introduction to food science. (2018). ABC Press. |
(Title, Year)
Example - Newspaper Article: ("Get on Board," 2012) Example - Book: (Introduction to Food Science, 2018) |
| No Date |
Write n.d. where you would normally provide the date.
Example: Seneca College. (n.d.). Seneca's art collection. https://www.senecacollege.ca/collection/ |
(Author, n.d.)
Example: (Seneca College, n.d.) |
| No Page Numbers |
For In-Text Citation: Although not required, APA encourages including the page number when paraphrasing if it will help the reader locate the information in a long text and distinguish between the information that is coming from you and the source. |
(Author, Year, Section and/or paragraph number) Example: (Diabetes Canada, n.d., Move More section, para. 2) (World Health Organization, 2020, para. 10) |
| No Title |
In square brackets, describe the work that you are citing.
Example: Vividata. (2018). [Potato chips - personally ate in the past 6 months for all respondents 14+ in Ontario]. http://library.senecacollege.ca/res/vividata.html |
(Author, Year)
Example: (Vividata, 2018) |
| Unknown Source |
If you don't have a source, consider searching for a work which supports the information you are including in your assignment or essay. You may also cite the information as personal communication if your source is a personal interview, |
Adapted from APA Style: Missing Reference Information
Sometimes the author of a source you are using (indirect source) may quote or paraphrase another source (original source). For example, the article you are reading was written by Kirkey, but they included a quotation by Smith that you would like to use in your essay.
The basic rule is that you would cite the source you are using in both your Reference list and in-text citation. Using the example, you would cite the work by Kirkey and not Smith. To help identify that the quote or paraphrase is from another author's work, you will add the words "as cited in" to your in-text citation.
If the publication year of the original source is known, include the year in your in-text citation. In the following examples, Kirkey's article (published in 2013) cited an article written by Smith, the original source, which was published in 2011.
| In-text citation examples: Paraphrase |
According to a study by Smith (2011, as cited in Kirkey, 2013) 42% of doctors would refuse to perform legal euthanasia. A study found that 42% of doctors would refuse to perform legal euthanasia (Smith, 2011, as cited in Kirkey, 2013). |
|---|---|
| In-text citation examples: Direct Quote |
Smith (2011, as cited in Kirkey, 2013) states that “even if euthanasia was legal, 42% of doctors would be against this method of assisted dying” (p. 34). A study found that “even if euthanasia was legal, 42% of doctors would be against this method of assisted dying” (Smith, 2011, as cited in Kirkey, 2013, p. 34). |
| Reference list citation example | Kirkey, S. (2013, February 9). Euthanasia. The Montreal Gazette. |
If the publication year of the original source is unknown, you may exclude it from the in-text citation. In the following examples, Kirkey's article (published in 2013) cited an original source written by Smith which has an unknown publication year.
| In-text citation examples: Paraphrase |
According to a study by Smith (as cited in Kirkey, 2013) 42% of doctors would refuse to perform legal euthanasia. A study found that 42% of doctors would refuse to perform legal euthanasia (Smith, as cited in Kirkey, 2013). |
|---|---|
| In-text citation examples: Direct Quote |
Smith (as cited in Kirkey, 2013) states that “even if euthanasia was legal, 42% of doctors would be against this method of assisted dying” (p. 34). A study found that “even if euthanasia was legal, 42% of doctors would be against this method of assisted dying” (Smith, as cited in Kirkey, 2013, p. 34). |
| Reference list citation example | Kirkey, S. (2013, February 9). Euthanasia. The Montreal Gazette. |
| In-text citation examples: Paraphrase |
According to a study by Smith (2011, as cited in Kirkey, 2013) 42% of doctors would refuse to perform legal euthanasia. A study found that 42% of doctors would refuse to perform legal euthanasia (Smith, 2011, as cited in Kirkey, 2013). |
|---|---|
| In-text citation examples: Direct Quote |
Smith (2011, as cited in Kirkey, 2013) states that “even if euthanasia was legal, 42% of doctors would be against this method of assisted dying” (p. 34). A study found that “even if euthanasia was legal, 42% of doctors would be against this method of assisted dying” (Smith, 2011, as cited in Kirkey, 2013, p. 34). |
| Reference list citation example | Kirkey, S. (2013, February 9). Euthanasia. The Montreal Gazette. |
| In-text citation examples: Paraphrase |
According to a study by Smith (as cited in Kirkey, 2013) 42% of doctors would refuse to perform legal euthanasia. A study found that 42% of doctors would refuse to perform legal euthanasia (Smith, as cited in Kirkey, 2013). |
|---|---|
| In-text citation examples: Direct Quote |
Smith (as cited in Kirkey, 2013) states that “even if euthanasia was legal, 42% of doctors would be against this method of assisted dying” (p. 34). A study found that “even if euthanasia was legal, 42% of doctors would be against this method of assisted dying” (Smith, as cited in Kirkey, 2013, p. 34). |
| Reference list citation example | Kirkey, S. (2013, February 9). Euthanasia. The Montreal Gazette. |
| Reference List Citation |
If you're referring to a work written in another language which has been republished in English, cite the English version of the work. Remember to follow the citation template for the type of source that you're using. In your citation, include the translator's name after the title, and credit to the original work at the end.
Example Murakami, H. (2000). Norwegian wood (Jay Rubin, Trans.). Vintage International. (Original work published 1987) |
| In-Text Citation: Quote |
In your in-text citation, include the year the original work was published and the year the translation was published.
Example (Murakami,1987/2000, p. 77) |
| In-Text Citation: Paraphrase |
Example (Murakami,1987/2000) |
| Reference List Citation |
If you're citing a work that is in another language, include the English translation of the title in square brackets after the title. Remember to follow the citation template for the type of source that you're using.
Example Landry, A. (2022, August 18). Les risques de s’autodiagnostiquer un trouble de santé mentale avec les réseaux sociaux [The risks of self-diagnosing a mental health disorder with social media]. Radio-Canada. https://ici.radio-canada.ca/recit-numerique/4500/autodiagnostic-reseaux-sociaux-sante-mentale |
| In-Text Citation |
If you've translated a quote from the work yourself or by using an app (e.g., Google Translate), treat the translation as a paraphrase instead of a direct quote. In your paragraphs, include the translation followed by an in-text citation which includes the author's last name, year of publication, and page/paragraph number of the translated section.
Example This is my translation of a quote from an article that's written in another language (Landry, 2022, para. 3). |