APA guidelines, reference list

APA-179

Begin your list of references on a new page at the end of the paper. Center the title “References” one inch from the top of the page. Type the first line of an entry flush left, and indent any additional lines one-half inch. Double-space throughout.

Sample APA reference list

For details about the exact format for specific kinds of references in your list, consult the Directory to APA reference list models.

Indenting entries

Type the first line of each entry flush left, and indent any additional lines one-half inch.

Alphabetizing the reference list

Alphabetize the reference list by the last names of the authors (or editors) or by the first word of an organization name (if the author is an organization). When a work has no author or editor, alphabetize by the first word of the title other than A, An, or The.

If your list includes two or more works by the same author, arrange the entries by year, the earliest first. If your list includes two or more works by the same author in the same year, arrange the works alphabetically by title. Add the letters “a,” “b,” and so on within the parentheses after the year. For journal articles, use only the year and the letter: (2012a). For articles in magazines and newspapers, use the full date and the letter in the reference list: (2012a, July 7); use only the year and the letter in the in-text citation.

Authors’ names

Invert all authors’ names and use initials instead of first names. Separate the names with commas. For two to seven authors, use an ampersand (&) before the last author’s name. For eight or more authors, give the first six authors, three ellipsis dots, and the last author.

See also How to list authors and Directory to APA reference list models.

Titles of books, journals, and articles

APA-180

In the reference list, italicize the titles and subtitles of books and the titles of journals. Do not italicize or use quotation marks around the titles of articles. For both books and articles, capitalize only the first word of the title and subtitle (and all proper nouns). Capitalize names of journals, magazines, and newspapers as you would capitalize them normally.

Abbreviations for page numbers

Abbreviations for “page” and “pages” (“p.” and “pp.”) are used before page numbers of newspaper articles, selections in anthologies, and parts of a book such as an introduction. Do not use “p.” or “pp.” before page numbers of articles in journals and magazines.

See also How to cite articles and other short works.

Breaking a URL or a DOI

When a URL or a DOI (digital object identifier) must be divided, break it after a double slash or before any other mark of punctuation. Do not insert a hyphen; do not add a period at the end.

Sample APA reference list

Directory to sample student writing in APA style