UNICAF UNIVERSITY

A Referencing Guide to students

APA Referencing Guide

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UNICAF UNIVERSITY

APA Guide

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Table of Contents

Introduction to APA referencing style .......Error! Bookmark not

defined.
General Tips ............................................................................ 2
In-text citation format....................................................................... 2
Online Sources: DOI and URL ................................................. 5
Quotations ................................................................................ 5
References ............................................................................... 7
Books .............................................................................................. 7
Articles ............................................................................................ 8
Internet Sources .............................................................................. 9
Quick Referencing Tips for Other Sources .............................. 13
Introduction to APA referencing style
What is APA Referencing Style?

APA referencing style is the official referencing style of the American Psychological Association
(APA). This formatting style is widely used in writings in the social sciences. For more
information regarding the APA style visit http://www.apastyle.org/

Why do I need to cite my sources?

It is important both ethically and legally, to use the standardized style when referencing in order to credit
the sources you have used. Furthermore, by properly citing your sources you are enabling the reader to
locate the provided source of information and assist you to keep track of the information you have used
for your assignments.

Cite your sources by providing:

1. In-text citation

&

2. A reference list

 The reference list includes all of the sources used in the writing in an alphabetical order.

 The reference list is set at the end of the paper on a new page.

Note

The bibliography is not the same as the reference list. The bibliography contains all of the
sources used during a research and background reading, not just the ones referred to in the
writing.

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General Tips- Referencing Guide Format

Title Title 'References' (one word, beginning with a capital letter, centred, and not in
italics

Indent Hanging indent each reference (space bar in 5 - 7 spaces for the second and
subsequent lines of each reference
Space References should be double spaced

In-text Citations Format

APA implements the ‘author-date’ method of citation. This method includes the following information:

▪ Last name of the author

▪ Date of publication

▪ Page number (if applicable)

Examples:

In a study (Smith, 2016), children learned...

In the study conducted by Smith (2016), primary school children

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Important Note:

Source with multiple authors:

▪ Two authors: Both names need to be cited every time the source is referred in the text e.g.
(Smith & Peterson, 2016)

▪ Three to five authors: All the author surnames need to be cited the first time the reference
occurs in the text. Progressively, the first author followed by the abbreviation et al. should be
used.

E.g. First citation: Smith, Slonowski, and Peterson (2016) support that...

Following citations: Smith et al. (2016) propose that...

▪ Six or more authors: Include the name of the first author followed by et al. and the year.

E.g. Peterson et al. (2016) argue that...

▪ No identified author: Cite the first few words of the reference entry (typically the title). Use
double quotation marks for the title of an article, chapter, or Web page. Italicize the title of a
periodical, book, brochure, or report.

E.g. According to the site Medical Miracles, 2017, homeopathic drugs can be useful.

The brochure Education Reform, 2007 highlighted that home schooling can be beneficial.

Note

Reference to legal materials (e.g. court cases, statutes, and legislation) should be cited
similarly to sources with no author.

In-text citation with more than one source

▪ Two or more sources in the same parenthetical citation should be listed in the order they appear
in the reference list (i.e., alphabetically, and then chronologically- in case of same author name).

E.g. According to prior studies (Jones & Smith, 2016; Peterson, 2017; Smith, 2008)

In-text citation and page numbering

▪ Provide the page number for quotations or to direct the source to a specific table, chart, chapter,
graph, or page.

E.g. (Murphy, 1999, p. 85)

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▪ In the case of an online material without visible page numbers, cite the heading and the number of the
paragraph

e.g. (Smith, 2016, Hospital Experiences section, para. 2)

Secondary Sources

▪ When using information that have been cited by other author’s in their work, in-text citations should
include both sources (the primary and the secondary source), whereas the referencing list should
include only the secondary source (the source that has been read).

▪ Include the secondary source in the text, name the original work, and give a citation for the secondary
source. If the original source was not read (see example below e.g. McMahon, 2017), the reference list
should include only the secondary source-the full reference of the source- Peterson, 2006).

E.g. McMahon’s (2017) experience as cited in Peterson (2006, p. 206) highlights…

Primary Sources • Original, first-hand

Secondary Sources
explanation of an
event.
• Factual not
interpretative.
• Report of scientific
discoveries/
experiments/clinical
trials etc.
• Analyzes and interprets
primary sources
• Second-hand
explanation of events
• Analyzes and interprets
research results/
scientific discoveries.

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Online Sources: DOI and URL

The DOI (Digital Object Identifier System) is a unique number which provides a link to a permanent
internet address for an item. The DOI is usually placed on the first page of the electronic journal article it
begins with the number 10 and includes several numbers and letters. When a DOI is included in the
reference, no other retrieval information is necessary.

E.g. doi: 10.1002/jclp.20764

If no DOI has been included in the reference, provide the home page URL of the online source. A URL
(Uniform Resource Locator) is a web address that directs to a source’s location.

E.g. Retrieved from https://www.dawsonera.com/abstract/9780857005779

Quotations
Quotations are used when someone wants to borrow other authors’ words while acknowledging the
source. There are two main categories of quotations:

• Indirect Quotations: When paraphrasing and summarizing someone else’s text.

• Direct Quotations : When transferring word by word someone else’s text (unchanged text)

Note

 Paraphrasing is the case where you have to completely rephrase the original text
and transfer in detail the information or key points contained within it in your own
words.

 Summarizing is when you present the main meaning of a text or passage using
your own words.

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There are two main types of direct quotations: Short and Long

Short Quotations (less than 40 words) should be put in double quotation marks and be included in the
body of the text. The surname of the author (s), year of publication and page numbers need to be
included.

Examples:

According to Knight and Trowler (2000, p. 69), “the ways in which academic staff (faculty) experience
their work often inhibit them from taking up what the research consensus suggests are ways to be better
teachers”.

Or

It has been noted that “the ways in which academic staff (faculty) experience their work often inhibit
them from taking up what the research consensus suggests are ways to be better teachers” (Knight &
Trowler, 2000, p. 69).

Long quotation of 40 or more words should be indented from the main text as a separated paragraph
and they must be double spaced. As with shorter quotes the surname of the author (s), year of publication
and page numbers need to be included. However, there is no need to use quotation marks.

Example:

One of the problems with the literature … is that, at least implicitly, it associates significant
leadership of university departments with individuals who are at least formally in charge of them.
It is well known that university departments contain a variety of formal roles in which there is an
expectation of leadership, such as course directors, directors of research, chairs of important
committees, such as teaching and learning committees, and so on. These roles are sometimes
uncovered by researchers concerned with departmental leadership in universities, but they are
rarely considered in relation to the issue of departmental leadership effectiveness (Bryman, 2007,
p. 705).

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References
Books

E-Book:

Author, A. A. (year). Title of book. Retrieved from URL (or doi number)

 Stuart-Hamilton, I. (2012). The psychology of ageing: an introduction. (5th ed.).

Retrieved from https://www.dawsonera.com/abstract/9780857005779

Printed book:
Author, A., A. (year). Title of book. Location: Publisher.
• (One Author) Colman, A.M. (1999). What is psychology? (4th ed.). London: Routledge.
• (Two Authors) Adams, D., & Hamm, M. (1994). New designs for teaching and learning: Promoting
active learning in tomorrow’s schools. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
• (Three to Five Authors) Wood, E., Woloshyn, V. E., & Willoughby, T. (Eds.). (1995).
Cognitive strategy instruction for middle and high school. Cambridge, MA: Brookline.
Book chapter:
Author, A.A. (year). Title of the chapter book. In surname of the editors (Ed), Title of the book (in
italics), page number. Place of Publication: Publisher

 Jones, K. (2002). Issues in the teaching and learning of geometry. In L. Haggarty (Ed.),
Aspects of Teaching Secondary Mathematics, 121-139. London: RoutledgeFalmer
Edited Book:
Editor’s surname, editor’s initials (Ed./Eds.). (Year). Title (in italics). Edition number if relevant (ed.
in round brackets). Place of publication: Publisher.
 Gellatly, A., & Braisby, N. (Eds.). (2012). Cognitive psychology. (2nd ed.). Oxford: Oxford
University Press.

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Articles

Printed Journal Article:

Author/s surname, Initial/s. Year of publication. Title of article. Journal Title (in
italics), Volume (issue - in brackets), pages.

 Norcross, J. C. and Wampold, B. E. (2011). What works for whom: Tailoring

psychotherapy to the person. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 67, 127–132.

Online Journal Article:

Author/s surname, Initial/s. Year of publication. Title of article. Journal Title (in
italics), Volume (issue - in brackets), pages. Doi: xxxxxxx

 Torrance, M., Thomas, G. V., & Robinson, E. J. (1999). Individual

differences in the writing behaviour of undergraduate students. British Journal
of Educational Psychology, 69, 189-199. doi: 10.1348/00070999915766

Online Journal Article (without DOI):

When DOI is not available for an online article use a URL.

Author/s surname, Initial/s. Year of publication. Title of article. Journal Title(in

italics), Volume (issue - in brackets), pages. Retrieved from http://xxxxxx...

 Norcross, J. C. and Wampold, B. E. (2011). What works for whom: Tailoring

psychotherapy to the person. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 67, 127–132.
Retrieved from http://www.unknown.com

Newspaper Article:
Author, A. A. (Year, Month Day). Title of article. Title of Newspaper. Retrieved from
http://www....

 Smith, T. (2016, May 25). Psychiatry handbook linked to drug industry. The
New York Times. Retrieved from
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/05/06/psychiatry-handb

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 Internet Sources

Web Page:
Author, A.A. (date of last update). Site title (in italics). Retrieved from URL

 Newman, L. (2006). Facts from NLTS2. Retrieved from www.nlts2.org.

Webpage (with or without an author and or date):

When citing a webpage sometimes a given author or a date is not indicated. When
there is no author, use the title of the Website and when there is no date use: n.d.

Title.(n.d). In itle of the Website (in italics). Retrieved from http://www.

 The Children and Young People’s Health Outcomes Forum –Mental Health
Sub-Group. (2017, October 13). In CYP Mental Health. Retrieved from
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_dat
a/file/216853/CYP-Mental-Health.pdf.
 The College of William and Mary. (n.d.). In College mission statement. Retrieved
from
http://www.wm.edu/about/administration/provost/mission/index.php

YouTube video:
Author, A. A. (Year, Month day). Title [Video file]. Retrieved from URL.

 American Psychological Association. (2014, March 19). Measuring and

analyzing human behavior in the world of gaming [Video file]. Retrieved
from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPZAo1L63_
M&list=UU1yk0FVuAQctI6yjRlqc1Eg

Online Encyclopedias and Dictionaries:

Typically encyclopedias and dictionaries do not include authors' names. In such
cases, the entry name should be added (instead of author’s name). Provide
publication dates if present or specify (n.d.) if no date is present in the entry.

Entry Name. (Year/ or n.d, if year is not provided). In Name of the Source. Retrieved
from http://www...

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  Bullying. (n.d.). In Encyclopædia Britannica online. Retrieved from
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/724633/bullyingook-linked-
to-drug-industry/?_r=0

Online Lecture Notes and Presentation Slides:

When citing online lecture notes, provide the file format (e.g. PowerPoint slides,
Word document) in brackets right after the lecture title.

Author, A. A. Lecture Notes [File Format]. Retrieved from Lecture Notes Online
Web site: http://www. ..

 Peterson, A. Duality in Consumer Theory [PDF document]. Retrieved from

Lecture Notes Online Web site:
http://www.econ.iastate.edu/classes/econ501/Hallam/index.html

Wikis:

Wikis online sources (e.g. Wikipedia) can be useful tools when one is seeking general information to
comprehend a topic.

Note

Any person can write or edit any article or any topic in such websites. The sources which
are used are not necessarily cited, therefore, such websites are not suitable or acceptable
tools for academic writing. However, often the sources listed at the bottom of the webpage
are valid academic sources worth examining.

Topic. (n.d.). In Source (in italics). Retrieved Month/ date, Year, from http://www..

 Sociology. (n.d.). In Wikipedia. Retrieved May 14, 2017, from

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sociology

Blog Post:

When citing an information obtained through a blog, the reference should specify details explaining who,
when, what and where. The title of the post should not be written in italics because it is an unpublished
material.

Author, A. A. (Year, Month, Date). Title of the post. [Web log post]. Retrieved from http://...

 Smith, D. M. (2016, January 23). The likeness and sameness of the ones in the middle. [Web log
post]. Retrieved from http://www.blogspace.com/lincolnworld/2009/1/23.php

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Images, Diagrams and Artistic Works:

All images, diagrams and artistic works should be cited as any other type of work.

Note

Visuals within the text are typically accompanied by a caption that includes copyright
information and a statement of permission for use.

In-text Citations Guidelines for visuals should enhance to the reader’s understanding of the
content of the paper. They should not merely be included as a visual interest.
a) Below the visual add the word Figure followed by a number (in italics, the number
will reflect if it is the first (1), second (2), third (3), etc. figure in the, paper).
b) Then add a brief explanation of what the visual is about. Double-space the caption
that appears under a figure.
c) Include a citation: by Author First Initial. Second Initial. Surname, Year, Place of
Publication: Publisher. Copyright [Year] by the Name of Copyright Holder (if
available). Reprinted [or adapted] with permission.
No author
When the author/artist is not identifiable then use the title in your signal phrase or the first word or
two of the title.
No date
When there is no date available then use the abbreviation "n.d." (for "no date").

Figure from a Website:

Figure X. Descriptive phrase that is used as a title and description. Reprinted [or adapted] from

Title of Website, by Author First Initial. Second Initial. Surname,Year, Retrieved from URL. Copyright

[year] by the Name of Copyright Holder. Reprinted [or adapted] with permission.

Figure 1. Illustration of Pavlov’s classical conditioning theory. Reprinted from Behavioral

Psychology, In Wikipedia, n.d., Retrieved October 28, 2016, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki

/Behavioral_Psychology_Pavlov. Copyright 20016 by John Smith. Reprinted with permission.

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Referencing visuals:

With an author:

Artist Surname, First Initial. Second Initial. (Year). Title of the artwork (in italics) [Format]. Retrieved from
URL (address of web site)

Without an author:

Title of work(in italics) [Type of work]. (Year image was created). Retrieved from URL (address of web
site)

No Author, No Title, No Date:

Try to identifying the missing information by clicking on the image, and/or looking at the bottom of the
image.

[Title of the image/subject and type of work]. Retrieved from URL (address of web site)

 Jackson, B. (2016). Cholera Treatment [Online image]. Retrieved October 24, 2012 from
https://www.doctorswithoutborders.org

 Flu epidemic [Online image]. (2017). Retrieved November 8, 2017 from

http://www.history.net/photo/flu-epidemic-art/collections

 [Untitled illustration of a sleeping cat]. Retrieved December 8, 2017 from

http://www.sleepinganimals/pix.com

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Quick Referencing Tips for Other Sources
The following list includes sources that can be confusing to cite, however, the template for these
references is relatively simple and includes main information: Author, Date, Title and Source.

Author, A. (Date). Title of document [Format description]. Retrieved form http://URL

The format description in brackets is used only in cases where the source needs to be clarified (e.g.
blog post, Pdf, Power Point etc.)

▪ Interview ▪ Review

▪ Map ▪ Blog Post

▪ Tweet, Facebook Update ▪ Press Release

▪ Wikipedia article ▪ Lecture Notes

▪ Artwork ▪ Information on a page

▪ Government Report ▪ Technical Report

▪ YouTube Video ▪ Memorandum

Important Note!

This guide does not include all possible sources that might be encountered. The APA
manual is the main source for APA style and referencing guidelines.

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