This guide will help you understand how to properly cite sources in APA format, the standard citation style for psychology, education, and social sciences, ensuring that your academic work meets the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association's current standards.
5 Şub 2026
By
Joe Pacal, MSc
Search citation styles
TL;DR
APA style uses author-date citations like (Smith, 2023) with a detailed reference list at the end of your paper. This guide covers in-text citation formats for single and multiple authors, reference list structure for journals, books, websites, and chapters, plus key changes in the 7th edition including simplified DOI formatting and expanded author limits. Perfect for psychology, education, and social science papers.
The Official Source
The Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 7th Edition (2019) is the definitive guide for APA style. Published by the American Psychological Association, it's available in print, spiral-bound, and ebook formats at apastyle.apa.org.
The 7th edition introduced significant updates including flexible font options, new sample papers for students, updated bias-free language guidelines, and over 100 new reference examples.
Quick Overview
APA style uses an author-date citation system with two components:
In-text citations — Brief references in your paper pointing to sources
Reference list — Full source details at the end of your paper
In-Text Citations
Place the author's last name and publication year in parentheses. Add page numbers when quoting directly.
One Author
Research shows significant results (Smith, 2023).
Smith (2023) found significant results.
Two Authors
Use "and" in narrative citations, "&" in parenthetical citations.
According to Smith and Jones (2022), the effect was notable.
The effect was notable (Smith & Jones, 2022).
Three or More Authors
Use the first author's name followed by "et al."
Previous studies (Garcia et al., 2021) confirmed this finding.
Direct Quotes
Include page numbers for direct quotations.
The researchers noted that "results exceeded expectations" (Smith, 2023, p. 45).
No Author
Use the title (shortened if necessary) in place of the author.
The report indicated rising trends ("Global Climate Study," 2023).
Reference List Basics
Your reference list appears on a new page titled "References" (bold, centered). Format each entry with a hanging indent (first line flush left, subsequent lines indented 0.5 inches).
Basic Structure
Author, A. A. (Year). Title of work. Publisher. DOI or URL
Journal Article
Grady, J. S., Her, M., Moreno, G., Perez, C., & Yelber, J. (2019). Emotions in storybooks: A comparison of storybooks that represent ethnic and racial groups in the United States. Psychology of Popular Media Culture, 8(3), 207–217. https://doi.org/10.1037/ppm0000185
Book
Jackson, L. M. (2019). The psychology of prejudice: From attitudes to social action (2nd ed.). American Psychological Association. https://doi.org/10.1037/0000168-000
Website
World Health Organization. (2023, March 15). Mental health in the workplace. https://www.who.int/mental-health/workplace
Chapter in Edited Book
Aron, L., Botella, M., & Lubart, T. (2019). Culinary arts: Talent and their development. In R. F. Subotnik, P. Olszewski-Kubilius, & F. C. Worrell (Eds.), The psychology of high performance (pp. 345–359). American Psychological Association.
Key 7th Edition Changes
The APA 7th edition (2019) made several important updates from the 6th edition:
No location required — Publisher city/state is no longer needed
DOIs always included — Present as https://doi.org/xxxxx format
Up to 20 authors — List all authors (previously capped at 7)
Singular "they" — Endorsed as a gender-neutral pronoun
Student papers — New dedicated formatting guidelines
Running head simplified — Only required for professional papers, not student papers
Common Mistakes to Avoid
DOI formatting — Use the https://doi.org/ format, not "doi:" or bare numbers
Capitalization — Only capitalize the first word of titles and subtitles (plus proper nouns) in references
Italics — Italicize book titles, journal names, and volume numbers—not article titles
Ampersand vs. "and" — Use "&" in parenthetical citations and reference lists; use "and" in narrative text
Missing retrieval dates — Only include retrieval dates for sources that change over time (like wikis)
Who Uses APA Style?
APA is the standard citation format for:
Psychology
Education
Social sciences
Nursing
Business
Communications
Criminology
If you're unsure which style your instructor requires, always ask. Many social science courses default to APA, while humanities courses typically use MLA or Chicago.
Further Resources
APA Style Official Website — Free tutorials, sample papers, and the official blog
Purdue OWL APA Guide — Comprehensive free resource
APA Style Blog — Updates and answers to common questions
Need help generating APA citations automatically? Research tools like Wonders can export your sources in APA format with one click.
