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APA Style (7th Edition) Help Guide

RRU Writing Centre

February 2021

© Royal Roads University. Authors should use this resource as a supplemental resource to the Publication
Manual of the American Psychological Association. This guide does not replace the Publication Manual of the
American Psychological Association.
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Table of Contents

Formatting Guidelines .......................................................................................................................... 7

Alignment ......................................................................................................................................... 7
Bulleted Lists.................................................................................................................................... 7
Font ................................................................................................................................................... 7
Footnotes .......................................................................................................................................... 7
Headings ........................................................................................................................................... 8
Indentation ........................................................................................................................................ 9
Line Spacing ..................................................................................................................................... 9
Margins ............................................................................................................................................. 9
Page Numbers .................................................................................................................................. 9
Running Head................................................................................................................................... 9
Tables and Figures Formatting...................................................................................................... 10
Tables ........................................................................................................................................... 10
Figures.......................................................................................................................................... 10
Title Page ........................................................................................................................................ 11
More Information ........................................................................................................................... 11

Quoting and Paraphrasing .................................................................................................................. 12

Adding Words or Emphasis .......................................................................................................... 12

Indicating Grammatical Errors and Omissions ............................................................................ 12
Block Quotations............................................................................................................................ 12
Paraphrasing ................................................................................................................................... 13
Punctuating Quotations.................................................................................................................. 13
More Information ........................................................................................................................... 13

In-Text Citations ................................................................................................................................. 14

Narrative citations .......................................................................................................................... 14

Parenthetical citations .................................................................................................................... 15
One Author ..................................................................................................................................... 15
Two Authors ................................................................................................................................... 15
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More than Two Authors ................................................................................................................ 15

Corporate or Group Author ........................................................................................................... 16
Multi-Author Citation .................................................................................................................... 17
Original Research Results ............................................................................................................. 17
Personal Communications (Non-Recoverable Materials) ........................................................... 17
Citing Classroom or Intranet Resources .................................................................................... 18
Citing Traditional Knowledge or Oral Traditions of Indigenous Peoples ............................... 18
Secondary Source Citations........................................................................................................... 19
Two or More Works by the Same Author and in the Same Publication Year ........................... 19
Works by Anonymous or Without a Listed Author ..................................................................... 20
Works Without Page Numbers...................................................................................................... 21
More Information ........................................................................................................................... 21

References: General Information ....................................................................................................... 21

Alphabetize References ................................................................................................................. 22

Author Information ........................................................................................................................ 22
Group Authors ............................................................................................................................. 23
Individual or Multiple Authors................................................................................................... 23
Publication Date ............................................................................................................................. 23
Title Information ............................................................................................................................ 24
Source Element .............................................................................................................................. 24
More Information ........................................................................................................................... 25

Reference Examples ........................................................................................................................... 25

Books and Reference Works ......................................................................................................... 25

Book (Print or Retrieved From an Academic Research Database) .......................................... 25
Book (Electronic version, no DOI) ............................................................................................ 26
Book (With DOI) ........................................................................................................................ 26
Book Chapter (Print or Retrieved From an Academic Research Database)............................ 26
Book Chapter (With DOI) .......................................................................................................... 26
Dictionary Entry (Online) ........................................................................................................... 26
Published Doctoral Dissertation or Master’s Thesis From a Commercial Database .............. 27
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Periodicals ...................................................................................................................................... 27
Journal Article With DOI ........................................................................................................... 28
Journal Article Without DOI ...................................................................................................... 28
Newspaper Article (Online)........................................................................................................ 28
Newspaper Article Without Identified Author .......................................................................... 29
Technical and Research Reports (Grey Literature) ..................................................................... 29
Annual Report (Online) .............................................................................................................. 29
Authored Report, Government Department (Print) .................................................................. 30
Corporate Author, Agency Website ........................................................................................... 30
Corporate Author, Government Report (Online) ...................................................................... 30
Issue Brief (Print) ........................................................................................................................ 30
United Nations Report (Online) ................................................................................................. 31
Web Page ........................................................................................................................................ 31
Website (Not a Specific Document) ............................................................................................. 31
Video (e.g., YouTube or Ted Talks) ............................................................................................. 31
Traditional Knowledge and Oral Traditions of Indigenous Peoples .......................................... 32
General Example of a Reference to Traditional Knowledge .................................................... 32
Specific Example of a Reference to Traditional Knowledge ................................................... 32
Canadian Legislative Documents.................................................................................................. 33
More Information ........................................................................................................................... 33

APA Style Resources ......................................................................................................................... 33

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List of Figures
Figure 1 The Hanging Indent Option ................................................................................................ 22
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APA Help Guide

The goal of the APA Help Guide is to introduce the style rules of the Publication Manual
of the American Psychological Association (APA, 2020) (hereafter referred to as the APA Style
manual). While the APA Help Guide reflects the information provided in the APA Style manual,
this guide does not replace the APA Style manual.
Rather, the guide focuses on the fundamental information authors will need in order to
use the rules, as well as show where authors can find more information. It is the responsibility of
RRU students to search out the information they need in cases where this guide does not address
a specific question. For more information on APA Style, please refer to APA Style (7th ed.). To
find an answer to a specific APA Style question or to contact the Writing Centre for assistance,
please visit WriteAnswers. All the information in this document is available via WriteAnswers
FAQs, but WriteAnswers also has more detailed and recent information as the Writing Centre
regularly add new details and FAQs to the database.
This guide has been organized into the same sections as those provided within the
Writing Centre’s Introduction to APA Style (7th ed.) video: formatting, quoting and paraphrasing,
in-text citations, and references. For easy navigation through the document, please use the table
of contents or open the “View” tab in Microsoft Word, and in the “Show” section, click the
“Navigation Pane” option.
The APA Help Guide follows the formatting standards for student papers introduced in
the 7th edition of the APA Style manual (APA, 2020, p. 30). However, the manual emphasizes
that the guidelines of their instructors or institutions may differ from the standard format
suggested by the American Psychological Association; in these cases, students are encouraged to
follow their instructor’s direction or institutional rules instead of the APA guidelines. At Royal
Roads University, the APA Style rules usually align with program expectations, but if your
instructor or your thesis/major paper has a different requirement, your program’s requirements
take precedence over the APA Style rules. If your program requires you to follow the APA Style
rules, then the program’s rules and those of the APA Style manual are the same thing. If you are
unsure of what is expected in your work, please check with your instructor or supervisor.
Finally, note that although this document has been formatted according to the APA Style
rules for student papers, in order to shorten the overall length of the document, especially as a
printable resource, 1.5 line spacing has been used instead of the standard double spacing.
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Formatting Guidelines
Alignment
Align the text in the body of your paper flush against the left margin with a ragged right
margin (e.g., the alignment of this page) (APA, 2020, p. 45). Do not use full justification, which
spaces the text equally across the width of the page.
Bulleted Lists
Bulleted lists can encourage understanding of the topic or present information without the
use of full sentences to explain a concept. However, bulleted lists are used sparingly in formal
academic writing because lists do not generally include analysis, but instead only provide
surface-level information. Since the focus of academic writing is to demonstrate your critical
thinking, you will more fully communicate your ideas by writing complete sentences.
Bulleted lists are indented within paragraphs and using your word-processing program’s
automatic function to insert bullets will achieve this formatting. If the bulleted items are
complete sentences, capitalize the first word and add a period at the end of the item (APA, 2020,
p. 190). If the bulleted list is made up of separate phrases, do not capitalize the first word (APA,
2020, p. 190). If the items are short and together represent a list, do not provide punctuation at
the end of each item (APA, 2020, p. 190). For longer, more complex bulleted items where each
item finishes the sentence started in the signal phrase, punctuate as appropriate with commas or
semicolons (APA, 2020, p. 191). For more information on lettered, numbered, and bulleted lists,
please see Lists and/or page 189 of the APA Style manual.
Font
Although the APA Style manual does not limit writers to a particular font, writers should
format their paper using an accessible font and maintain this formatting throughout the paper for
a consistent, readable text (APA, 2020, p. 44). A 10 or 11-point san serif font (Calibri, Arial, or
Lucida Sans Unicode) or 11 or 12-point serif font (Georgia or Times New Roman) are standard
choices (APA, 2020, p. 44), but please check with your instructor or program regarding their
preferences or requirements regarding font.
Footnotes
The APA divides footnotes into two categories: content or copyright permission
footnotes. Content footnotes “supplement or amplify substantive information in the text; they
should not include complicated, irrelevant, or nonessential information. Because they can be
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distracting to readers, such footnotes should be included only if they strengthen the discussion”
(APA, 2020, p. 40). The APA (2020) further noted that, “in most cases, an author integrates an
article best by presenting important information in the text, not in a footnote” (p. 40).
Use a copyright footnote to indicate that you have received permission from a publisher
to reproduce substantive content from another author in your text, such as “lengthy quotations
and/or test or scale items” (APA, 2020, p. 40). Copyright attributions for tables and figures
should appear in table and figure notes (APA, 2020, p. 40). Under RRU’s Fair Dealing Policy,
obtaining copyright permission is only required for documents that will be made public outside
of course work (e.g., blog posting, major research project, thesis, dissertation). Please visit
Copyright for Students for more information. For the correct wording for a copyright permission
footnote, please refer to page 389 in the APA Style manual.
Headings
Section headings help to give structure to a document and allow an audience to
understand the levels of organization within a paper. APA Style uses five levels of heading, and
those levels indicate the hierarchy of sections within a document: for example, topics of similar
importance have the same level of heading throughout a manuscript.
Levels of heading establish the hierarchy of sections via format or appearance. All topics
of equal importance have the same level of heading throughout a manuscript. For example, all
major sections have the same formatting, sub-sections in each larger sections will be formatted
similarly as well. Avoid having only one subsection heading and subsection within a section, just
as in an outline. Use at least two subsection headings within any given section, or use none.
(APA, 2020, p. 47)
Please see below and this Heading Levels Template: Student Paper for the five levels of
headings and their respective formatting:
Centred, Boldface, Uppercase and Lowercase Heading (1)
Flush Left, Boldface, Uppercase and Lowercase Heading (2)
Flush Left, Boldface, Italicized, Uppercase and Lowercase Heading (3)
Indented, Boldface, Uppercase and Lowercase Paragraph Heading Ending With a
Period. (4)
Indented, Boldface, Italicized, Uppercase and Lowercase Paragraph Heading Ending
With a Period.
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When using paragraph headings (level 4 and 5 headings), begin paragraph text on the
same line after the heading (APA, 2020, p. 48). Instead of formatting these headings manually,
using Microsoft Word styles to format headings will allow Word to create an automatic table of
contents and maintain consistent formatting within each level throughout the document.
Indentation
Indent the first line of each paragraph one tab space, which should be set at 1.27 cm or
0.5 in (APA, 2020, p. 45). Instead of formatting paragraphs manually, adjusting Microsoft
Word’s paragraph settings will allow Word to create an automatic first line indent.
Line Spacing
Unless directed otherwise by an instructor or a program handbook, double-space “the
entire paper, including the title page, abstract, text, headings, block quotations, reference list,
table and figure notes, and appendices” (APA, 2020, p. 45). See Line Spacing by the APA (2020,
p. 45 ) or Can I Use Single Line Spacing in My Paper if I’m Following the APA Style Rules? for
exceptions to double line spacing.
Margins
For regular assignments, format all margins to 2.54 cm or one inch (APA, 2020, p. 45).
There may be other requirements for a thesis or dissertation that will be published in print. Please
refer to your thesis or dissertation handbook and When You Are Ready to Publish Your Thesis or
Dissertation for more information.
Page Numbers
Use Arabic numerals (e.g., 1, 2, 3) throughout the document, and continue the page
numbers sequentially to the end of the document, including all appendices (APA, 2020, p. 44).
Page numbers should be right-aligned in the header (APA, 2020, p. 44); see the page numbers in
the Annotated Student Sample Paper and in this guide for examples of this formatting. The APA
Style rules require both journal article manuscripts and student papers to display a page number
on the title page (APA, 2020, p. 44), but some instructors may prefer that page numbering start
on page two at “2”, as per academic convention (See What Information Should Appear on My
Title Page?). If you are uncertain whether to provide a page number on the title page of your
work, please check with your instructor or advisor.
Running Head
Journal article manuscripts submitted for publication contain a running head with an
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abbreviated version of the paper title at the top left corner of every page. Student papers only
require a running head when specifically requested by instructors; otherwise, papers submitted
for grading do not use a running head (APA, 2020, p. 37).
This document follows the general format for a student paper in APA Style, but in the
event that instructors request a running head, please visit Page Header or What is a Running
Head in APA Style? for information. For an example of how the running head appears in article
manuscripts submitted for publication, please see the APA’s Annotated Professional Sample
Paper.
Tables and Figures Formatting
Present tables and figures according to the rules provided in Chapter 7 of the APA Style
manual (APA, 2020, pp. 195-250). Please see below for more information about formatting
tables and figures, and refer to Tables and Figures for detailed instructions.
Tables
Please refer to Table Setup and pages 199-207 of the APA Style manual for rules for
formatting tables; here are some of the basics:
• Tables may be single, one and a half, or double-spaced, depending on what is best for
readability (APA, 2020, p. 202).
• Include a table title (APA, 2020, p. 201), table headings (APA, 2020, pp. 201-202), the table
body (APA, 2020, pp. 202-203), and a table note (general, specific, probability) (APA, 2020,
pp. 203-204).
• Limit the use of borders or lines to only those needed for clarity (APA, 2020, p. 205).
• Using tables from another copyrighted source in a work that will be made public (e.g., blog
post, thesis, or dissertation) requires copyright permission; note the granted permission in the
table note and include the source in the references.
• See Sample Tables and pages 210-224 in the APA Style manual for sample tables, as well as
page 207 in the APA Style manual for a table checklist.
Figures
Please see Figure Setup and pages 225-232 of the APA Style manual for rules for formatting
figures; here are some of the basics:
• Figures are any type of illustration or nontextual description other than a table, including
graphs, charts, maps, drawings, and photographs (APA, 2020, p. 225).
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• See pages 225-226 in the APA Style manual for the standards for figures.
• A legend and note are optional (APA, 2020, p. 229):
o “Figure legend should be positioned within the borders of the figure” (APA, 2020, p.
226).
o Notes explaining the contents of the figure or acknowledging the original source of its
information appear below the figure and are preceded by the label “Note.” in italics
(APA, 2020, p. 229).
• Lettering in a figure should be in a san serif font (e.g., Arial), and should be no smaller than 8
points and no larger than 14 points (APA, 2020, p. 227).
• Using figures from another copyrighted source in a work that will be made public (e.g., blog
post, thesis, or dissertation) requires copyright permission; give credit in the figure caption
(p. 229) and include the source in the references.
• See Sample Figures and pages 234-250 in the APA Style manual for sample figures, as well
as page 232 in the APA Style manual for a figure checklist.
Title Page
Instructors may have individual preferences for title page content, so use the title page
approved by your instructor. See Title Page Setup or the Annotated Student Sample Paper for a
sample student title page that includes the page number, title, author, institutional affiliation,
course number and name, instructor name, and assignment due date (APA, 2020, p. 30). Follow
instructors’ directions in the event that their requirements differ from the suggested formatting
the APA Style manual. For a thesis or major project, check the required formatting for the title
page and ask the supervisors and sponsors who are listed on the title page of the project to see
what academic degrees they would like listed after their name. For information on creating an
effective title, see Creating Strong Titles, and for a formatting guide specific to title pages, see
Student Title Page Guide.
More Information
• Formatting section of the Introduction to APA Style video
• APA Style (7th ed.) Formatting Checklist
• Student Paper Checklist
• Search WriteAnswers by keyword or see the APA Style: Formatting topic within
WriteAnswers.
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Quoting and Paraphrasing

Quoting from another source involves integrating words or phrases taken directly from
another author’s work. To credit the source of these words, enclose short quotations (fewer than
40 words) within double quotation marks and properly cite the source material (see p. 271 of the
APA Style manual or In-Text Citations within this document). Format a quotation of 40 words or
more as a block quotation (APA, 2020, p. 272); see Block Quotations in this section, and pages
272-273 in the APA Style manual for more information.
Adding Words or Emphasis
To “emphasize a word or words in a quotation, use italics. Immediately after the
italicized words, insert ‘emphasis added’ within square brackets as follows: [emphasis added]”
(APA, 2020, p. 275). For example, “They [the judges] were convinced that the swimmer had
missed the two-handed [emphasis added] turn.” Likewise, use square brackets to indicate
changes to the text of a quotation, such as adding words or explanation. It is not necessary to
indicate the changes required to integrate quotations within a sentence, such as changes to
quotation marks in the original text, punctuation marks at the end of the quoted text, or
capitalization at the beginning of the quoted text (APA, 2020, p. 274-275).
Indicating Grammatical Errors and Omissions
If “incorrect spelling, grammar, or punctuation in the source might confuse readers, insert
the word ‘[sic]’, italicized and bracketed, immediately after the error in the quotation” (APA,
2020, p. 274). For example, “they made they're [sic] lunches.” To indicate omitted words in a
quotation, remove the words and use three ellipsis points instead, which can be either “three
periods with spaces around each (…) or use the ellipsis character created by your word-
processing program when you type three periods in a row (…) with a space before and after”
(APA, 2020, p. 275). If you remove text from the end of a sentence but continue quoting from
the following sentence, use four periods, which amount to a period plus an ellipsis (....), to
indicate the removal of material from between the sentences (APA, 2020, p. 275). Start your
quotation at the point where the text is relevant; ellipses are not necessary at the beginning or end
of a quotation (APA, 2020, p. 275).
Block Quotations
Format quotations 40 words or longer as “blocks” of text without quotation marks: start a
block quotation on a new line and indent the entire quotation 1.27 cm or 0.5 in from the left
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margin (i.e., the same position as a new paragraph) (APA, 2020, p. 272). When a block quotation
exceeds one paragraph, indent the first line of the second and subsequent quoted paragraphs a
further 1.27 cm or 0.5 in. (APA, 2020, p. 277). If there is a quotation within the block quotation,
use double quotation marks to begin and end the quotation (APA, 2020, p. 277). The
parenthetical citation should follow the last punctuation mark in the quoted text (APA, 2020, p.
272), and as with all quotations, please provide the author, year, and location reference (e.g.,
page or paragraph number). Double-space the entire quotation (APA, 2020, p. 272). Please see
the block quotations in the Punctuating Quotations or Corporate or Group Author sections of
this document for an example.
Paraphrasing
Paraphrasing is the use of your own words to explain other authors’ ideas (APA, 2020, p.
269); simply rearranging words or changing a few words does not qualify as a paraphrase. Since
a paraphrase is not a direct quotation of the text, do not use quotation marks to indicate a
paraphrase. See Summarizing and Paraphrasing for information and examples.
Unlike citations for quotations, page or paragraph numbers are optional within in-text
citations for paraphrases; however, the APA Style manual directs authors “to provide a page or
paragraph number in the citation for a paraphrase … when it would help interested readers locate
the relevant passage within a long or complex work (e.g., a book)” (APA, 2020, p. 269).
Punctuating Quotations
For quotations with fewer than 40 words, place the sentence punctuation after the closing
parenthesis of an in-text citation, as in: “place a parenthetical citation either immediately after
the quotation or at the end of the sentence” (APA, 2020, p. 271). For a block quotation, the
closing punctuation appears before the in-text parenthetical citation, as in the following 50-word
excerpt regarding parenthetical citations for block quotations:
Either (a) cite the source in parentheses after the quotation’s final punctuation or (b) cite
the author and year in the narrative before the quotation and place only the page number
in parentheses after the quotation’s final punctuation. Do not add a period after the
closing parenthesis in either case. (APA, 2020, p. 272)
More Information
• Quoting and Paraphrasing section of the Introduction to APA Style video
• Quoting, Summarizing, and Paraphrasing
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• Search WriteAnswers by keyword or see the Quotations topic within WriteAnswers

In-Text Citations
An APA Style in-text citation, together with a corresponding reference entry, identifies
the source of quoted or paraphrased information in a text (APA, 2020, p. 253). In-text citations in
APA Style have at least two parts:
• The author’s last name or the name of the organization that authored the resource
• The year the resource was published
The final element of an in-text citation is the location reference, which can be a page number,
paragraph number, or other information that will allow the reader to locate the specific
information. For example: (Government of Canada, 1968, p. 5), (Kim, 2008, para. 7), or (Jones,
2006, Recommendations section, para. 4). See Direct Quotation or Material Without Page
Numbers in Quotations or page 271 of the APA Style manual for more information and
examples of in-text citations to resources without page numbers.
Narrative citations
Narrative citations present citations as part of the main sentence text as well as within
parentheses. For example, “Lee (2019) stated…” presents a narrative citation. Using a narrative
approach to citations focuses a reader’s attention on the person or persons who provided the
information, as well as their tone or approach in communicating their ideas (compare: “Lee
(2019) conceded...” with “Lee (2019) protested...”). The year typically accompanies the author
name in parentheses immediately after the author name, as shown in the previous sentence, while
the page number usually follows quoted or paraphrased material (APA, 2020, p. 263). The
following example includes the author of the paraphrased information within the sentence itself
and the publication year in parentheses: Smith (2009) concluded that this correlation of data was
correct.
Use past or present perfect tense verbs in narrative citations when referring to other
researchers’ works (APA, 2020, p. 118) since the writing and publication of the words you are
referring to is an event in the past and does not necessarily reflect the author’s current thinking.
For more information, please visit Basic Principles of Citation, Paraphrasing, and Quotations,
all of which are by the APA. See below for examples of in-text citations, and for additional
examples and a comparison of parenthetical and narrative citations, please see page 272 in the
APA Style manual.
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Parenthetical citations
Citations formatted with two round brackets enclosing the author, date, and location
reference (where appropriate) are called parenthetical citations. In the case of quotations,
“always provide the author, year, and page number of the quotation” (APA, 2020, p. 270). For
example, the preceding sentence included the author, year, and page number of the quoted text;
on the other hand, the following example includes the author and publication year of the
paraphrased information: The study concluded that this correlation of data was correct (Smith,
2019).
Naming the author within a parenthetical citation focuses readers’ attention on the
quotation or paraphrase, rather than the author of the quoted or paraphrased text. Parenthetical
citations can also increase conciseness in sentences because of the absence of signal phrases such
as “According to Author, …”. For further examples and information on how to integrate
parenthetical citations into a sentence, please see Where Should an In-text Citation be Placed in
APA Style?.
One Author
Citations for an individual author should include the last name of the author and the date
of publication either within a sentence or in parentheses (APA, 2020, p. 266). Citations for a
group or corporate author will use the title of the organization or group as the author name,
followed by the publication or copyright date for the resource (APA, 2020, p. 262). For example:
• Parenthetical citation: (Powers, 2018, p. 50)
• Narrative citation: Powers (2018) … (p. 50)
Two Authors
If a work has two authors, insert an ampersand (&) between the authors’ names in the
parenthetical citation, and spell out “and” in the sentence to format a narrative citation. Cite both
authors every time the resource is referenced (APA, 2020, p. 266). For example:
• Parenthetical citation: (Kouzes & Posner, 2017, p. 131)
• Narrative citation: Kouzes and Posner (2017) … (p. 131)
More than Two Authors
Cite the first author plus “et. al.” in every citation; include all authors’ names only if
doing so prevents ambiguity. For example, a resource by Patterson, Grenny, McMillan, and
Switzler includes only the name of the primary author, followed by et. al.:
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• Parenthetical citation: (Patterson et. al., 2012)

• Narrative citation: Patterson et. al. (2012)
Include additional names only when there are at least two references that shorten to the
same form (e.g., when “Patterson et. al.” refers to two different groups of authors). If an
additional reference also begins with the same last names, such as: Patterson, Grenny, McMillan,
Switzerland, and Maxfield (2013), citations to both resources should list all authors up to and
including any name which the two citations do not share (APA, 2020, p. 267):
• (Patterson, Grenny, McMillan, & Switzler, 2012)
• (Patterson, Grenny, McMillan, Switzler, & Maxfield, 2013)
In cases where more than three authors are included in a parenthetical citation, such as for the
reasons listed above, use an ampersand before the last author (APA, 2020, p. 266):
• (Hollo, Kulovesi, & Mehling, 2013, p. 14).
Corporate or Group Author
The name of a group author may take the place of an individual author name in cases
where a resource is attributed to an institution, such as a corporation, rather than a person.
Abbreviate the name to an appropriate acronym only when the abbreviation is familiar to the
audience of the document, and/or when reducing repetition of the full name would interfere with
the overall clarity of the sentence (APA, 2020, p. 268). Avoid abbreviations if the abbreviation is
used fewer than three times (APA, 2020, p. 268). When abbreviating a title of an organization
within a citation, spell out the full title in the first citation of that source and insert the
abbreviation in parentheses after the full title (APA, 2020, p. 268). For example:
• First parenthetical citation: (Vancouver Island Public Interest Research Group
[VIPIRG], n.d.)
• First narrative citation: Vancouver Island Public Interest Research Group (VIPIRG,
n.d.)
Once an abbreviation has been introduced in citations, use the abbreviation in subsequent
citations by the group author. Use the full name of the author in the reference list (APA, 2020, p.
268). See page 288 in the APA Style manual for more information on group authors.
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Multi-Author Citation
Use a semi-colon between authors in a multi-author citation, and list authors in
alphabetical order (APA, 2020, p. 263) e.g., (Anderson, 2013; Lee, n.d.-a; Lee, n.d.-b; Roy,
2006; Smart & Weston, 2011).
Original Research Results
If you are writing up the results of your original research for your major project, thesis, or
dissertation, please check with your academic supervisor to see how they would prefer you
present quoted or paraphrased information taken from your research results. The usual approach
is that a citation is not necessary; rather, please provide enough information within the text so
that your reader can tell that the information came from your original research, such as an
attribution. A citation is not necessary since the information is a product of your original and as
yet unpublished research. For example, “in response to the first survey question, Participant A
noted that, ‘insert response here’, whereas Participant B stated that, ‘insert statement here’”. If
you have promised anonymity to your research subjects in your ethical review, please make sure
that you use pseudonyms or otherwise mask your participants’ identity when you provide the
attribution to the quoted or paraphrased information. See the explanation and resources in How
Do I Cite My Original Research Results? for more information.
Personal Communications (Non-Recoverable Materials)
Personal communications don’t provide recoverable data, which means that the
information isn’t publicly available to the intended reader. Examples of personal
communications include "emails, text messages, online chats or direct messages, personal
interviews. . . [and] unrecorded classroom lectures" (American Psychological Association, 2020,
p. 260). If the intended audience of the work can’t recover them, other types of personal
communication include Moodle discussion forum postings, PowerPoint presentations or
unpublished papers by an instructor that were posted to Moodle, organizational documents that
are only available via a company’s intranet, or resources that require other specialized access,
such as security clearance.
When citing a personal communication, provide the first initial and last name of an
individual or the organizational name, the words “personal communication”, and a date. The date
could be the date of the email, lecture, or posting; in the case of an unpublished resource, the
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date may identify the completion date of the resource or the date that you accessed it. It is
unnecessary to specify the type of communication within your citation. For example:
• Parenthetical citation: In 2014, paraphrased text (Organizational name, personal
communication, Month day, year).
• Narrative citation: A. Lastname (personal communication, Month day, year) said
“quotation”.
Since the source doesn’t provide recoverable information, the resource shouldn’t be included in
the references (APA, 2020, p. 260), nor is it necessary to provide a page or paragraph number in
the citation. See How Do I Cite or Reference Personal Communication in APA Style? for more
information.
Citing Classroom or Intranet Resources
Resources from a company intranet or materials from a classroom website or learning
management system, such as an instructor’s PowerPoint presentation or unpublished paper, are
only recoverable by people with log in access to the specific web page where the resources are
posted. For this reason, if the audience of your assignment can recover the works you are using,
such as a Moodle post or intranet resource, please cite the resources following the author-date
format in APA Style for the specific resource type. If classroom or intranet resources aren’t
accessible by your intended reader, cite the resources as personal communication (APA, 2020, p.
259). For more information, please see How Should I Cite Classroom or Intranet Materials in
APA Style?.
Citing Traditional Knowledge or Oral Traditions of Indigenous Peoples
Since the APA Style rules treat all non-recoverable information as personal
communications, the APA (2020) treated non-recoverable Traditional Knowledge or Oral
Traditions as personal communications (p. 261). However, the Writing Centre at Royal Roads
University recommends an approach developed by Lorisia MacLeod, who is an Indigenous
scholar and instruction librarian at NorQuest College Library, that treats citations to Traditional
Knowledge in a similar way to citing recoverable information. Ms. MacLeod worked with
NorQuest College's Elder in Residence and the staff of the Indigenous Student Center to develop
the approaches. In this format, cite the name and date of the personal communication in-text as
(Last Name, Year). Please see Traditional Knowledge or Oral Traditions of Indigenous Peoples
in this document to see the corresponding formatting for the reference entry.
 19

Before citing and referencing Traditional Knowledge, determine whether the content
authentically and respectfully represents and portrays the original knowledge shared by
Indigenous Peoples and has been shared with the explicit permission of the relevant nation or
specific Indigenous group to which the knowledge belongs. For examples, please see How
Should I Cite Indigenous Elders and Knowledge Keepers? and the Four Feathers Writing Guide.
For information and examples about how to cite Traditional Knowledge or Oral Traditions in
manuscripts submitted for publications following the APA Style rules, please see Citing
Traditional Knowledge or Oral Traditions of Indigenous Peoples under Personal
Communications or page 260 in the APA Style manual.
Secondary Source Citations
When referencing a secondary source, name the text where you found the information
(APA, 2020, p. 258). For example, if you quoted Souper’s text, which you found in Green’s
book, you should reference Green because you read Green’s book e.g., “Souper (2015, as cited in
Green, 2017) notes that . . .”. Please note that it is always best to work with original research; for
example, if Souper’s study is important to your research, read Souper’s original work so that you
can derive your own conclusions, rather than relying on Green’s interpretation. If you need help
finding primary sources, please contact the RRU librarians. If you cannot find Souper’s work but
are aware of the publication date, please include this information in the secondary source
citation, for example:
• Parenthetical citation: (Souper, 2015, as cited in Green, 2017)
• Narrative citation: Souper (2015, as cited in Green, 2017)
In the reference list, provide the author of the secondary text that you read (e.g., Green),
not the primary author. Do not list the primary source (e.g., Souper) in your reference list unless
you directly refer to it elsewhere in your text.
For more information on secondary source citations, please see Secondary Sources, page
258 of the APA Style manual, or How Should I Cite a Secondary Source in APA Style?.
Two or More Works by the Same Author and in the Same Publication Year
To distinguish between works by the same author with the same publication date, use the
suffixes a, b, c, etc. after the year in both in-text citations and the corresponding references
(APA, 2020, p. 267). To determine the appropriate suffix for each resource, first look at the
dates: "references with only a year precede those with more specific dates, and specific dates are
 20

placed in chronological order" (APA, 2020, p. 305). For example, a work published in 2018
would appear before a work published on September 18, 2018. If the works have identical dates,
order the resources alphabetically by the title of the resource (excluding "a", "an", or "the" at the
start of the title) (APA, 2020, p. 305). Once the resources are ordered, append lowercase
alphabetical letters to the year of publication; for example, the first resource would be (2018a),
the second resource would be (2018b), and so forth. Append the lowercase letters to n.d. as well:
n.d.-a, n.d.-b (APA, 2020, p. 267). In your in-text citations, please use the same lowercase letter
as in the references. For example, (Royal Roads University, n.d.-a, para. 3) and (Royal Roads
University, n.d.-b, para. 2) would correspond to the following references:
Royal Roads University. (n.d.-b). Academic Services. http://www.royalroads.ca/academic-
services
Royal Roads University. (n.d.-a). Master of Arts in Learning and Technology.
http://www.royalroads.ca/prospective-students/master-arts-learning-and-technology
Works by Anonymous or Without a Listed Author
If your document was authored by “Anonymous”, instead of the author’s last name, cite
“Anonymous” in the citation (APA, 2020, p. 265). For example, (Anonymous, 2005, p. 42). Use
“Anonymous” as the author name in the corresponding reference entry as well.
If the work you are referencing does not name an author (which is different than
Anonymous being the identified author), use the first few words of the title instead (APA, 2020,
p. 264). If the title is not italicized in the references, use double quotation marks around the title
in the in-text citation, for example, “quoted text” (“First Few Words”, year, p. X); italicize the
title in the in-text citation if it is also italicized in the reference list. Use this title in place of the
author name in the corresponding reference entry as well; please see Newspaper Article Without
Identified Author in this guide for an example reference.
Before using the first few words of the title, check to determine if the resource has a
corporate or group author. For example, a report obtained from an organization’s website may
not list the specific authors of the text, but if the organization is responsible for or produced the
resource, list this organization as the group author. See the Corporate or Group Author section
of this guide for more information.
 21

Works Without Page Numbers

Citing from an ebook, web pages, and other digital media without page numbers requires
a different approach to direct readers to the specific location of quoted or paraphrased
information. Depending on the resource, location references can include paragraph numbers, a
section heading with a paragraph number, or a timestamp. Please see the Books and Reference
Works section of this document and How Do I Cite an Ebook With no Page Numbers in APA
Style? for information and examples of how to cite an ebook, and Direct Quotation of Material
Without Page Numbers for information and examples of how to cite works without page
numbers.
More Information
• Introduction to APA Style (7th ed.) video
• APA Style (7th ed.) Citations Checklist
• Six Steps to Proper Citation Infographic
• Search WriteAnswers by keyword or see the APA Style: In-Text Citations topic within
WriteAnswers. WriteAnswers has more examples of citations than what is provided in this
guide, so please try the tool if you haven’t found the example you need in this resource.
References: General Information
When formatting a document according to the APA Style rules, provide a list of
references rather than a bibliography or a list of works cited (APA, 2020, p. 281). Include all
recoverable resources cited in the text in the reference list; sources that do not provide
recoverable data (e.g., personal communication) should not be included in the references (APA,
2020, p. 257). Likewise, all resources listed in the reference page must be cited within the text
(APA, 2020, p. 257).
Start references on a new page and centre the title “References” in boldface font (APA,
2020, p. 43) as shown on page 9 in the Sample Student Paper and References in this document. If
only one reference appears on the page, the page title should be “Reference”. Unless your
program or instructor directs you to do otherwise, double-space the entire reference list and
format each reference with a hanging indent, which means that the first line of each reference
entry starts at the left margin and each subsequent line is indented 1.27 cm or 0.5 in (APA, 2020,
p. 39). See References in this document for examples of that formatting. The text should wrap
naturally, so do not hit “Enter” at the end of each line of information. To format a hanging
 22

indent, use the appropriate path for your version of Microsoft Word to access the Paragraph
format options, and choose the “hanging indent” option. See below:
Figure 1
The Hanging Indent Option

Choose “Hanging” under

“Special” in “Indentation”.

Alphabetize References
Alphabetize your references by the last name of the author (APA, 2020, p. 303). For
specifics of how to order references by the same author(s) or no author, please refer to pages
304-306 in the APA Style manual.
Author Information
The author of a resource is the individual or group that created the work (APA, 2020, p.
303), including
not only author(s) of articles, books, reports, and other works but also others who played
primary roles in the creation of a work, such as the editor(s) of a book, the director of a
film, the principal investigator of a grant, a podcast host, or a writer of an article or book
are primarily responsible for creating their respective works, and are therefore considered
authors in APA Style. (APA, 2020, p. 286)
See the references in this document for general examples of author information in references,
and for more specific variations of author names, see How Should I Reference an Author With
"Jr." or "III" in His Name?, How Should I Reference a Work With an Author Listed as "With" in
APA Style?, and How Do I Cite a Resource by "Anonymous" or Without a Stated Author in APA
Style?
Editor Information
 23

Begin reference entries for a resource authored by an editor (such as a book or special
issue in a journal) with the last name of the editor(s), followed by first initial(s) and the
abbreviation “Ed.” or “Eds” in parentheses after the last editor’s name (APA, 2020, p. 287). To
see a general example of reference with an editor listed as the author, see the examples on pages
319 and 322 of the APA Style manual. When referencing a chapter in an edited book, the editors'
names appear after the title of the book and are not inverted; see Book Chapter (Print or
Retrieved From an Academic Research Database in this document for general examples and
How Do I Reference a Chapter of an Edited Book in APA Style? for more information and
examples.
Group Authors
When presenting an organisational or group author, such as a government agency,
company or business, non-profit organization, association, task force, study group, or similar
body, list the full title of the organization as the author of the resource, followed by a period
(APA, 2020, p. 288). Although in-text parenthetical and narrative citations may use abbreviated
versions of the group author names in some circumstances, do not abbreviate the names of
authors in the references (APA, 2020, p. 288).
Individual or Multiple Authors
Start the reference entry with the last name of each author, followed by their first initials
(APA, 2020, p. 286). A reference entry will list a maximum of 20 names, even in cases where
there are more than 20 authors (APA, 2020, p. 286). If there are 21 authors or more, write out the
last names and first initials of the first 19 authors, followed by three ellipsis points and the last
name and first initial of the final author listed (APA, 2020, p. 286). For an example of a
reference with this formatting, please see How Many Author Names Should I Include in a
Reference Entry for Each Resource?
Publication Date
In general, “enclose the date of the publication in parentheses, followed by a period”
(APA, 2020, p. 290). Please refer to page 290 in the APA Style manual for more information
regarding presenting the publication date of updated or reviewed online works. If it is
appropriate to provide the full date of publication, the order of information is (year, Month day)
without any abbreviations or suffixes: (2019, October 31). For resources where no date is
available, use (n.d.), which stands for “no date” (APA, 2020, p. 291). For information on and
 24

examples of how to cite multiple sources with the same author and the same or no publication
date, please see How Should I Present the Date in My References in APA Style, Including if no
Date is Available? and How Do I Cite In Text Two or More Resources by the Same Author That
Were Published in the Same Year in APA Style?
Title Information
In an article or chapter title, “do not italicize the title or use quotation marks, and
capitalize it using sentence case” but italicize the titles of books and other works that stand alone
(APA, 2020, p. 291). For example, the title of an article would use sentence case but wouldn’t be
italicized; the title of a report would be presented using sentence case but would be italicized.
For additional information on how to format titles of works in both references and within the
body text, see How Should I Present the Title of my Resource in My Reference in APA Style? and
a Tale of Two Reference Formats from the APA Style Blog.
Source Element
Each reference entry concludes with publication information (e.g., volume and issue
numbers, URLs, DOIs, publisher titles) to indicate the location from which the cited source was
retrieved (APA, 2020, p. 293). Works that are part of a greater whole, such as a journal article, or
edited book chapter, include the title of the journal or book in the source element, while
resources that stand alone, such as a book, report, thesis, informally published work, webpage, or
film, present the name of the publisher of the work, database or archive, social media or website,
plus any applicable DOI or URL, depending on the exact resource.
When referencing periodicals, “provide the periodical title, volume number, issue
number, and page range or article number” (APA, 2020. p. 294). If an issue number is provided,
present “the issue number immediately after the volume number (with no space in between), and
enclose the issue number in parentheses” (APA, 2020, p. 294). When citing a book chapter or
journal article, “write the page range … after a comma and issue number, without italics” (APA,
2020, p. 294).
When referencing print books and reports, provide the publisher name as briefly as
possible, without the publication location or extra terms or designations of business structure,
such as “Co.”, “Ltd.”, “Inc.”, but “do not abbreviate the publisher name unless it is shown in
abbreviated form on the work” (APA, 2020, p. 296). Provide the electronic retrieval details for
 25

the resource, such as a DOI (See Periodicals in this document for information about DOIs) or
URL.
Please see pages 293-301 in the APA Style manual for more detailed information about
presenting publication information.
More Information
• References section of the Introduction to APA Style (7th ed.) video
• APA Style (7th ed.) References Checklist
• Creating an APA Style Reference List Guide
• Search WriteAnswers by keyword or see the APA Style: References topic within
WriteAnswers
Reference Examples
For extensive information on how to reference authors, publication dates, titles, and the
source element (including publication information, and electronic retrieval location and locator
information), please refer to pages 283-306 of the APA Style manual. See the examples below
for some common resource types, but for additional examples please look at the comprehensive
index on pages 314-316 in the APA Style manual and/or refer to pages 317-352 or search
WriteAnswers for FAQs on how to reference a wide range of resource types
Books and Reference Works
Include the author, year, and title of the book (and, where relevant, book chapter) and
publisher in a reference for a book or reference work, and include a DOI when available (APA,
2020, p. 329). Please see below for generic references to some of the more commonly-used
books or book chapters, and this Reference Guide for Journal Articles, Books, and Edited Book
Chapters for a more detailed explanation of the differences between these examples. For
additional examples, see pages 321-329 of the APA Style manual and/or search WriteAnswers by
keyword.
Book (Print or Retrieved From an Academic Research Database)
Field, A. (2009). Discovering statistics using SPSS (3rd ed.) Sage Publications.
o Parenthetical citation: (Field, 2009, p. X)
o Narrative citation: Field (2009) ... (p. X)
• See also example #21 on page 321 of the APA Style manual.
 26

Book (Electronic version, no DOI)

Wallace-Wells, D. (2019). The uninhabitable Earth. Tim Duggan Books.
https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/the-uninhabitable-earth
o Parenthetical citation: (Wallace-Wells, 2019, Chapter 2, Wildfire)
o Narrative citation: Wallace-Wells (2019) … (Chapter 2, Wildfire)
• See examples #22 and #26 on page 322 in the APA Style manual.
Book (With DOI)
Bazeley, P. (2018). Integrating analyses in mixed methods research. SAGE Publications.
https://doi.org/10.4135/9781526417190
o Parenthetical citation: (Bazeley, 2018, p. 5)
o Narrative citation: Bazeley (2018) … (p. 5)
• See example #20 on page 321 in the APA Style manual.
Book Chapter (Print or Retrieved From an Academic Research Database)
Hansen, J. (2011). Global warming twenty years later: Tipping points near. In B. McKibben
(Ed.), The global warming reader (pp. 275-284). Penguin Books.
o Parenthetical citation: (Hansen, 2011, p. X)
o Narrative citation: Hansen (2011) … (p. X)
• See example #39 on page 326 of the APA Style manual.
Book Chapter (With DOI)
Walton, J. K. (2009). Histories of tourism. In T. Jamal & M. Robinson (Eds.), The SAGE
handbook of tourism studies (pp. 115-129). SAGE Publications.
https://doi.org/10.4135/9780857021076.n7
o Parenthetical citation: (Walton, 2009, p. 125)
o Narrative citation: Walton (2009) … (p. 125)
• See Edited Book Chapter and How do I Cite an Ebook Without Page Numbers in APA Style?
for more information on formatting an ebook in-text citation or reference.
Dictionary Entry (Online)
Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). Heuristic. In Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary (11th ed.).
Retrieved November 9, 2019, from http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/heuristic
o Parenthetical citation: (Merriam-Webster, n.d.)
o Narrative citation: Merriam-Webster (n.d.)
 27

• See example #47 on page 328 in the APA Style manual.

Published Doctoral Dissertation or Master’s Thesis From a Commercial Database
Author, A. A. (year). Title of doctoral dissertation or master’s thesis [Doctoral dissertation or
master’s thesis, Name of Institution Awarding the Degree]. Database name.
Hedley, A.N. (2018). Social Mobilization for Climate Action [Master’s thesis, Royal Roads
University]. Open Access Theses and Dissertations.
o Parenthetical citation: (Hedley, 2018. p. 43)
o Narrative citation: Hedley (2018) … (p. 43)
• See examples #64-66 on page 334 in the APA Style manual
Periodicals
A periodical is anything that is published on a regular, predictable schedule, such as a
journal, a report from an annual conference, or a corporate annual report. For examples of many
types of periodical references, please see pages 316-321 of the APA Style manual and/or search
by keyword in WriteAnswers, and see this Journal Article Reference Checklist for help reviewing
your references to journal articles. The primary method used by the APA Style manual to
identify the retrieval location of electronic periodical articles is the Digital Object Identifier
(DOI) system. A DOI “is a unique alphanumeric string that identifies content and provides a
persistent link to its location on the internet” (APA, 2020, p. 298). DOIs are presented as
hyperlinks in APA Style in the basic format of https://doi.org/xxx, which follows the
International DOI Foundation’s recommended format for DOIs in a reference list (APA, 2020, p.
298).
If a DOI is available for an article or if the article was accessed through a subscription-
based database, no other electronic retrieval information is required. If no DOI is available and
the article was accessed electronically outside of an academic research database, include the
article URL in the reference entry for the article (APA, 2020, p. 299). Use this search tool to
check whether a resource has a DOI: http://www.crossref.org/guestquery/. To check your entire
reference list for available DOIs, give this tool a try: http://www.crossref.org/SimpleTextQuery/.
This is a free tool, but users must sign up to access the function.
See below for example references to some of the more commonly-used resource types
and please refer to pages 316-321 in the APA Style manual or search WriteAnswers by keyword
for more information and examples regarding referencing periodicals.
 28

Journal Article With DOI

Godfrey, D. (2005). Adapting historical citations to APA style. Journal of Broadcasting &
Electronic Media, 49(4), 544-547. https:// doi.org/10.1207/s15506878jobem4904_15
o Parenthetical citation: (Godfrey, 2005, p. 45)
o Narrative citation: Godfrey (2005) …. (p. 45)
• In this example, “49” is the volume number, and “(4)” is the issue number of the journal. As
per APA rules, “place the issue number immediately after the volume number (with no space
in between), and enclose the issue number in parentheses” (APA, 2020, p. 294).
• See example #1 on page 317 of the APA Style manual.
Journal Article Without DOI
Cuddy, C. (2002). Demystifying APA Style. Orthopaedic Nursing, 21(5), 35-42.
OR
Posner, E.A. & Sunstein, C.R . (2009). Should greenhouse gas permits be allocated on a per
capita basis?. California Law Review. 97(1), 51-94. https://chicagounbound.uchicago.edu
/cgi/viewcontent.cgi? article=2759&context=journal_articles
o Parenthetical citation: (Cuddy, 2002, p. 39); (Posner & Sunstein, 2009, p. 53)
o Narrative citation: Cuddy (2002) … (p. 39); Posner and Sunstein (2009) … (p.
53)
• The standard APA Style approach to referencing resources without DOIs from a
subscription-based database is to provide the author, date, title, and periodical information
only, rather than to provide the direct URL for an article requiring users to sign in for access,
or to provide the link to the home page of the database (APA, 2020, p. 299). Some articles
may be accessible from the journal without logging into a subscription-based database (see
Posner and Sunstein, 2009, above), but the DOI should be included instead when available
“regardless of whether you used the online version or the print version” of the article (APA,
2020, p. 299).
• See example #2 on page 317 of the APA Style manual.
Newspaper Article (Online)
Keller, J. (2019, November 27). Alberta’s election agency stops disclosing names of people,
organizations fined for violating law. The Globe and Mail.
 29

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/alberta/article-albertas-election-agency-to-
withhold-details-of-sanctions-following/
o Parenthetical citation: (Keller, 2019, para. X)
o Narrative citation: Keller (2019) …. (para. X)
• “Before submitting a paper, test the URLs in your reference list to ensure that they work and
update them as necessary. Do no not include broken URLs in your paper. If the content you
cited is no longer available online, search for an archived version of the page on the Internet
Archive (https://archive.org)” (APA, 2020, p. 300).
• See example 16 on page 320 of the APA Style manual.
Newspaper Article Without Identified Author
New way to comment on the Edmonton Journal. (2019, April 25). Edmonton Journal.
https://edmontonjournal.com/news/local-news/a-new-way-to-comment-on-the-edmonton-
journal
o Parenthetical citation: (“New Way”, 2019, para. X)
o Narrative citation: “New Way” (2019) … (para. X)
• In text, “include the title and year of publication … if the title of the work is not italicized in
the reference, use double quotation marks around the title in the in-text citation” (APA, 2020,
p. 265). For example: (“New Way”, 2019).
• See example #16 on page 320 of the APA Style manual.
Technical and Research Reports (Grey Literature)
Grey literature is a category of information that includes technical and research reports
self-published by government departments, business, and industry. Though grey literature is not
peer reviewed, students often refer to grey literature because the materials provide original
research. Examples of grey literature include white papers, annual reports, policy briefs, and
working papers. See below for generic references as well as specific example references.
Author, A. A. (date). Title of work (Report No. xxx). Publisher. URL or DOI
Organizational author. (date). Title of work (Report No. xxx). Publisher. URL or DOI
Annual Report (Online)
City of Colwood. (2017). 2016 Annual financial statements and management discussion
and analysis. https://www.colwood.ca/sites/default/files/plans-reports/ documents/2017-
annual-report-web9.pdf
 30

o Parenthetical citation: (City of Colwood, 2017, p. X)

o Narrative citation: City of Colwood (2017) …. (p. X)
• “When the publisher is the same as the author, which is often the case for group authors …
omit the publisher from the source element” (APA, 2020, p. 329).
Authored Report, Government Department (Print)
Milko, R., Dickson, L., Elliot, R., & Donaldson, G. (2003). Wings over water: Canada's
waterbird conservation plan (Catalogue no.: CW66-219/2003). Canadian Wildlife
Service.
o Parenthetical citation: (Milko, Dickson, Elliot, & Donaldson, 2003, p. X)
o Narrative citation: Milko, Dickson, Elliot, & Donaldson (2003) … (p. X)
Corporate Author, Agency Website
BC Hydro. (2013). Environmental impact statement executive summary. Canadian
Environmental Assessment Agency. http://www.ceaa-acee.gc.ca/050/documents_
staticpost/63919/85328/Executive_Summary.pdf
o Parenthetical citation: (BC Hydro, 2013, p. X)
o Narrative citation: BC Hydro (2013) …. (p. X)
Corporate Author, Government Report (Online)
Environment Canada. (2011). Best practices for capturing, transporting and caring for
relocated Canada geese (Catalogue no.: CW66-293/4-2011E-PDF).
http://ec.gc.ca/Publications/0391513D-33B1-4ED7-A8E8-
5DA5AE65E767%5CBestPracticesForCapturingTransportingAndCaringForRelocatedCa
nadaGeese.pdf
o Parenthetical citation: (Environment Canada, 2011, p. X)
o Narrative citation: Environment Canada (2011) …. (p. X)
Issue Brief (Print)
Employee Reform Office. (1988). Sources of unrest in the private sector [Issue Brief No.
344].
o Parenthetical citation: (Employee Reform Office, 1998, p. X)
o Narrative citation: Employee Reform Office (1998) …. (p. X)
 31

• “If the number is not provided, identify the work as an issue brief in square brackets
following the title” (APA, 2020, p. 331). Use the appropriate document number where
the “issue brief number” is listed in the example above.
• See example #57 on page 331 in the APA Style manual.
United Nations Report (Online)
United Nations Development Programme. (2014). Human development report 2014:
Sustaining human progress: Reducing vulnerabilities and building resilience.
http://hdr.undp.org/sites/default/files/hdr14-report-en-1.pdf
o First parenthetical citation: (United Nations Development Programme [UNDP],
2014, p. X)
o Subsequent parenthetical citations: (UNDP, 2014, p. X)
o Subsequent narrative citations: UNDP (2014) … (p. X)
Web Page
Vancouver Island Public Interest Research Group. (n.d.). About VIPIRG. https://vipirg.ca/media
o Parenthetical citation: (Royal Roads University, n.d., para. X)
o Narrative citation: Royal Roads University (n.d.) … (para. X)
Website (Not a Specific Document)
Provide the URL for the website in the text versus providing a reference to the page. For
example, “There are many great images of Hatley Castle on the Hatley Park National Historic
Site website (http://hatleypark.ca/)”.
Video (e.g., YouTube or Ted Talks)
Poster of video. (copyright year). Title of video [Description]. Name of production
company or streaming video site. https://xxxx
o Parenthetical citation: (Screen name, year, time of quoted material within video)
Fields, J. (2012). Brene Brown on the power of being vulnerable [Video].
YouTube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sd3DYvBGyFs
o Parenthetical citation: (Fields, 2012, 1:24)
o Narrative citation: Fields (2012) … (1:24)
TED. (2007, January 6). Do schools kill creativity | Sir Ken Robinson | TED Talks
[Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iG9CE55wbtY
o Parenthetical citation: (TED, 2007, 1:24)
 32

o Narrative citation: TED (2007) … (1:24)

• See How do I Reference an Online Video (e.g., YouTube or TED Talk) in APA Style? in
WriteAnswers for more information and examples.
Traditional Knowledge and Oral Traditions of Indigenous Peoples
Since the APA Style rules treat all non-recoverable information as personal
communications, the APA (2020) treated non-recoverable Traditional Knowledge or Oral
Traditions as personal communications (p. 261). However, the Writing Centre at Royal Roads
University recommends an approach developed by Lorisia MacLeod, who is an Indigenous
scholar and instruction librarian at NorQuest College Library, that treats citations to Traditional
Knowledge in a similar way to citing recoverable information. Ms. MacLeod worked with
NorQuest College's Elder in Residence and the staff of the Indigenous Student Center to develop
the approaches.
Before citing and referencing Traditional Knowledge, determine whether the content
authentically and respectfully represents and portrays the original knowledge shared by
Indigenous Peoples and has been shared with the explicit permission of the relevant nation or
specific Indigenous group to which the knowledge belongs. For examples and links to the
original information by NorQuest College, please see How Should I Cite Indigenous Elders and
Knowledge Keepers? and the Four Feathers Writing Guide. For information and examples about
how to cite Traditional Knowledge or Oral Traditions in manuscripts submitted for publications
following the APA Style rules, please see “Citing Traditional Knowledge or Oral Traditions of
Indigenous Peoples” under Personal Communications or page 260 in the APA Style manual.
General Example of a Reference to Traditional Knowledge
Last name, First initial., Nation/Community. Treaty Territory (if applicable). Location of
individual (if applicable). Topic/subject of communication if applicable. Personal
communication, Month Day, Year.
Specific Example of a Reference to Traditional Knowledge
Alphonse, S., Cowichan Nation. Lives in Sooke. Teaching about the owl. Personal
communication, April 11, 2018.
o Parenthetical citation: (Alphonse, 2004)
o Narrative citation: Alphonse (2004)
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Canadian Legislative Documents

Chapter 11 of the APA Style manual explains that legal materials are referenced in a
different manner than what is provided in the APA Style manual. Sections 11.5-11.10 provide
the rules for referencing American documents, but to cite the Canadian versions (e.g. House of
Commons proceedings (Hansard), Parliamentary committees, bills, statutes), authors should use
the McGill Law Journal's Canadian Guide to Uniform Legal Citation, which is also referred to
as the McGill Guide. Please refer to Legal Citation to be directed to resources and examples.
Please note that the McGill Guide uses footnotes rather than in-text citations.
More Information
• References section of the Introduction to APA Style (7th ed.) video
• APA Style (7th ed.) References Checklist
• Search WriteAnswers by key words or see the APA Style: References topic within
WriteAnswers. WriteAnswers has more examples of references than this guide provides, so
please try the tool if you have not found a particular example in this resource.
APA Style Resources
• APA Style (American Psychological Association)
• APA Style (7th ed.) (Royal Roads University)
• APA Style (7th ed.) Citations Checklist (Royal Roads University)
• APA Style (7th ed.) Formatting Checklist (Royal Roads University)
• APA Style (7th ed.) References Checklist (Royal Roads University)
• APA Style Blog (American Psychological Association)
• Introduction to APA Style (7th ed.) (Royal Roads University)
• Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.) (American
Psychological Association); order the book from the RRU Bookstore.
• WriteAnswers (searchable FAQs and contact point for the RRU Writing Centre)
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Reference
American Psychological Association. (2020). Publication manual of the American Psychological
Association (7th ed.). https://doi.org.10.1037/0000165-000