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how to cite research articles in apa

APA Formatting and Style Guide (7th Edition)

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How to Cite a Website in APA Style | Format & Examples

Published on November 5, 2020 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on June 17, 2022.

APA website citations usually include the author, the publication date, the title of the page or article, the website name, and the URL. If there is no author, start the citation with the title of the article. If the page is likely to change over time, add a retrieval date.

If you are citing an online version of a print publication (e.g. a newspaper , magazine , or dictionary ), use the same format as you would for print, with a URL added at the end. Formats differ for online videos (e.g. TED Talks ), images , and dissertations .

Use the buttons below to explore the format.

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Table of contents, citing an entire website, how to cite online articles, websites with no author, websites with no date, how to cite from social media, frequently asked questions about apa style citations.

When you refer to a website in your text without quoting or paraphrasing from a specific part of it, you don’t need a formal citation. Instead, you can just include the URL in parentheses after the name of the site:

One of the most popular social media sites, Instagram (http://instagram.com), allows users to share images and videos.

For this kind of citation, you don’t need to include the website on the reference page . However, if you’re citing a specific page or article from a website, you will need a formal in-text citation and reference list entry.

Various kinds of articles appear online, and how you cite them depends on where the article appears.

Online articles from newspapers, magazines, and blogs

Articles appearing in online versions of print publications (e.g. newspapers and magazines) are cited like their print versions, but with an added URL.

The same format is used for blog posts. Just include the blog name where you would usually put the name of the magazine or newspaper.

Articles from online-only news sites

For articles from news sites without print equivalents (e.g. BBC News, Reuters), italicize the name of the article and  not  the name of the site.

Prevent plagiarism. Run a free check.

When a web page does not list an individual author, it can usually be attributed to an organization or government . If this results in the author name being identical to the site name, omit the site name, as in the example below.

If you can’t identify any author at all, replace the author name with the title of the page or article.

In the in-text citation , put the title in quotation marks if it is in plain text in the reference list, or in italics if it is in italics in the reference list. Note that title case is used for the title here, unlike in the reference list. Shorten the title to the first few words if necessary.

When a web page or article does not list a publication or revision date, replace the date with “n.d.” (“no date”) in all citations.

If an online source is likely to change over time, it is recommended to include the date on which you accessed it.

As social media posts are usually untitled, use the first 20 words of the post, in italics, as a title. Also include any relevant information about the type of post and any multimedia aspects (e.g. videos, images, sound, links) in square brackets.

On some social media sites (such as Twitter ), users go by usernames instead of or in addition to their real names. Where the author’s real name is known, include it, along with their username in square brackets:

In some cases, you’ll want to cite a whole social media profile instead of a specific post. In these cases, include an access date, because a profile will obviously change over time:

When citing a webpage or online article , the APA in-text citation consists of the author’s last name and year of publication. For example: (Worland & Williams, 2015). Note that the author can also be an organization. For example: (American Psychological Association, 2019).

If you’re quoting you should also include a locator. Since web pages don’t have page numbers, you can use one of the following options:

When you quote or paraphrase a specific passage from a source, you need to indicate the location of the passage in your APA in-text citation . If there are no page numbers (e.g. when citing a website ) but the text is long, you can instead use section headings, paragraph numbers, or a combination of the two:

(Caulfield, 2019, Linking section, para. 1).

Section headings can be shortened if necessary. Kindle location numbers should not be used in ebook citations , as they are unreliable.

If you are referring to the source as a whole, it’s not necessary to include a page number or other marker.

When no individual author name is listed, but the source can clearly be attributed to a specific organization—e.g., a press release by a charity, a report by an agency, or a page from a company’s website—use the organization’s name as the author in the reference entry and APA in-text citations .

When no author at all can be determined—e.g. a collaboratively edited wiki or an online article published anonymously—use the title in place of the author. In the in-text citation, put the title in quotation marks if it appears in plain text in the reference list, and in italics if it appears in italics in the reference list. Shorten it if necessary.

APA Style usually does not require an access date. You never need to include one when citing journal articles , e-books , or other stable online sources.

However, if you are citing a website or online article that’s designed to change over time, it’s a good idea to include an access date. In this case, write it in the following format at the end of the reference: Retrieved October 19, 2020, from https://www.uva.nl/en/about-the-uva/about-the-university/about-the-university.html

Instead of the author’s name, include the first few words of the work’s title in the in-text citation. Enclose the title in double quotation marks when citing an article, web page or book chapter. Italicize the title of periodicals, books, and reports.

No publication date

If the publication date is unknown , use “n.d.” (no date) instead. For example: (Johnson, n.d.).

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How to Cite a Web Article in APA

Last Updated: December 5, 2022 References

This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Jennifer Mueller, JD . Jennifer Mueller is a wikiHow Content Creator. She specializes in reviewing, fact-checking, and evaluating wikiHow's content to ensure thoroughness and accuracy. Jennifer holds a JD from Indiana University Maurer School of Law in 2006. This article has been viewed 47,202 times. Learn more...

If you're writing a research paper, it's likely that many of the articles you use as sources will come from the internet. If you're using the citation style of the American Psychological Association (APA), the format of your Reference List entry will differ if you're citing an online article as opposed to a print article. Any time you quote or paraphrase from the source, you'll also need to include an in-text citation at the end of the sentence.

Reference List Entry

Image titled Cite a Web Article in APA Step 1

Image titled Cite a Web Article in APA Step 2

Image titled Cite a Web Article in APA Step 3

Image titled Cite a Web Article in APA Step 4

APA Reference List Format — Web Article

Author, A. A. (Year, Month Date). Title of article in sentence case . Site. URL

In-Text Citation

Image titled Cite a Web Article in APA Step 5

Tip: If you have several different articles written by the same author in the same year, include the title of the articles in your parenthetical citations to distinguish them from one another.

Image titled Cite a Web Article in APA Step 6

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When to Cite Sources

Plagiarism: how to avoid it, researching a paper, writing resources, finding scholarly articles.

APA Style Guides

Citation Management Apps

Zotero Citation Manager (Beginner Level)

Zotero is a free app that lets you create and save a library of your sources, take notes, and use those sources with Word, Google Docs, or LibreOffice to integrate the citations in your paper and create a properly formatted bibliography. Recommended for Undergraduates and all levels of students in the Social Sciences or Humanities. You need to have your own personal computer in order to use the word processor integration to create bibliographies

RefWorks Citation Manager (Beginner Level)

RefWorks is a cloud-based licensed citation management app available free to all Wayne State students, faculty, and staff. It can collect citations from databases and Google Scholar, format bibliographies in lots of citations styles, and works with Word and Google Docs to insert citations and build reference lists as you write. Recommended for Undergraduates. RefWorks is also a good option if you work on lots of group research projects, or use public computers and need a cloud-based option.

EndNote Citation Manager (Advanced Level)

EndNote citation management software is licensed software available for purchase (at a significantly discounted rate) by all Wayne State students, faculty and staff. It can format bibliographic entries in almost every citation style and works with most word processors to insert citations and build reference lists as you write. Citation information can be entered manually or export directly from the library's online databases. Recommended for Graduate Students in the Sciences or Engineering.

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AMA Citations

Whenever you quote, paraphrase, summarize, or otherwise refer to the work of another, you are required to cite your source and provide a complete reference for your source in a bibliography, list of references or works cited.

Here are some tools and links that may help you:

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Home / Guides / Citation Guides / APA Format / APA Journal Citation

How to Cite a Journal Article in APA

Journal articles are one of the most important sources of information for research papers. Often times, they will serve as your main source of information, as journal articles contain information that is specific to a topic. This page will show you how to cite journal articles in APA style, updated for the 7th edition.

Guides Overview

Here’s a run-through of everything this page includes:

APA Journal Article Citation

In-text apa citation for journal articles, reference page apa citation for journal articles, how to cite a journal article in apa (print), how to cite a journal article with multiple authors in apa, how to cite a journal article on a database in apa, troubleshooting.

This guide will help you create journal citations in APA format. Check out this hyperlink if you are looking to create APA books citation .

This section will help you create in-text APA citations for journal articles.

In-text citations refer to the crediting of articles within the body of a work, separate from the reference page at the end of a document. An in-text citation comes after a paraphrase or a direct quote. For any APA in-text citation in your own paper, you must include a full citation in your reference page as well.

Paraphrasing in APA

For an in-text APA journal citation that is not a direct quote, or an APA parenthetical citation , all you need to provide is the author’s last name and the year of publication.

You may provide a page number (preceded by “p.” for one page or “pp.” for multiple pages) as well if the passage or idea you are paraphrasing is on a certain page or set of pages, but this is not necessary for APA journal citations.

Narrative In-Text Citation Example:

According to Currie (2001), there is a great deal of evidence to suggest that early intervention programs can be effective.

Parenthetical In-Text  Citation Example:

Research suggests that the absence of behavior problems is just as important to future success as the development of cognitive skills (Currie, 2001, p. 215).

Short quotes in APA

A short quote in APA style must be fewer than 40 words. When using a direct short quote for APA citation of journal articles, you must list the author, the year of publication, the page number(s), and use quotation marks. You can embed this information within the sentence or cite it at the end of the sentence, or use a mixture of both as long as all the components are used in your APA journal citation.

According to Currie (2001), “the difficulty of overcoming poor endowments later in life—through job training programs for high school dropouts, for example—makes early intervention appear attractive as well” (p. 216).

Long quotes in APA

A long quote in APA citation style (also called a block quote in APA ) has 40 words or more. Like short quotes, for APA citation of journal articles, you must also cite the author, year of publication and the page number(s) for long quotes, and this information can be embedded within the sentence surrounding the quote, cited at the end of the sentence, or a mixture of both.

Unlike short quotes, long quotes in an APA citation of journal article require you to start the quote on a new line with a ½ inch indent from the left margin. Maintain double-spacing throughout the quote, and if you haven’t already embedded all the citation information in the sentence preceding the quote, include it at the end of the quote in parentheses after the closing punctuation mark. Do not use any quotation marks around a long quote for journal APA citation.

Currie’s (2001) study found the following:

Equalizing early endowments through early childhood intervention programs may be a superior approach to the problem of unequal allocations, both because it avoids many of the moral hazard problems that arise when society attempts to compensate those with poor outcomes and because early intervention to equalize allocations may be a more cost-effective way of promoting equity than compensating for unequal outcomes. (pp. 215-216)

Citing Multiple Authors in APA

Citing Group/Corporate Authors in APA

For a corporate author in an APA citation of a journal, use the publishing company in place of the author’s name in the citation. Place the name of the publishing company at the beginning of the citation just as you would the author’s name with proper capitalization.

Citing a Source with No Authors in APA

If no author is given, to create the APA citation of a journal, use the title of the article in place of the author information. Then, provide the publication date and publication name without repeating the article title.

This section will help you create an APA reference page or an APA bibliography .

How author names are structured in APA

Author names, if available, will always come first in your reference page for APA citation for journal articles. Start your reference page citation with the last name of the first author followed by a comma, followed by the author’s capitalized first initial and a period. Then list the author’s middle initial, if one is provided, followed by a period.

Rowling, J. K.

Structuring dates in APA

Structuring journal article titles in APA

Structuring the journal name in APA

Follow the rules for journal article titles in APA citations.

Structuring volume and issue numbers in APA

Structuring website addresses (URLs) and DOIs in APA

Yu, H., & Leadbetter, J. R. (2020, July 15). Bacterial chemolithoautotrophy via manganese oxidation.  Nature,   583 (7816), 453–458. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-020-2468-5

How to Cite an Online Journal Article in APA

The following examples show you how to format an online journal citation in APA style.

For an APA citation journal article from a database, you are not required to include the database information. This is because APA format includes a link to the website or the DOI instead, since database information can change over time. Simply follow the format for an APA citation journal from online as described above.

Here is a video that covers journal article citations in APA style:

Solution #1: What to do if you cannot find a journal article’s DOI

The DOI can typically be found on the first page of an article. For an online journal, the DOI is usually at the top of the webpage below the article’s title. It is a unique combination of numbers, letters, periods, which might appear in any of the forms below:

10.1353/shq.2012.0007

doi: 10.1353/shq.2012.0007

https://doi.org/10.1353/shq.2012.0007

Sometimes, an article does not have a DOI, particularly if it is an older resource. Articles found on JSTOR may just have a stable URL instead of a DOI. If it cannot be found, use the URL in its place.

Corrigan, P.W. (2000) Mental health stigma as social attribution: Implications for research methods and attitude change. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 7 (1), 28-67. https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2000-13942-004

Solution #2: How to cite another text cited within a journal article

If you wish to use a quote or information from an article that is cited as coming from another source, use the reference information provided to find the original source. Find the quote within the source and reference its original author and location. If you cannot locate it, you must still cite both sources, identifying the original author and its location within the secondary source.

Solution #3: How to find the volume and issue number of a journal

The volume and issue number can typically be found on the front cover of a journal. Within the pages of an article, they also might be listed in the top or bottom corners of the page. For an online journal, the volume and issue number are listed after the title of a journal.  

Some other formats it might be found in:

vol. 18, no. 4

vol. 18, iss. 4

Published May 9, 2019. Updated July 16, 2020.

APA Formatting Guide

APA Formatting

Citation Examples

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Journal articles are the content within journals, which are a type of literature and are released periodically, are peer-reviewed, and provide some of the most up-to-date studies — basically, a great source for research. They typically focus on a particular topic and contain peer-reviewed articles written by experts in order to educate and inform other experts on the subject. Journals may contain several articles, similar to chapters in a book or articles in a magazine. Articles usually have an abstract, or a short summary of the article, at the beginning and a list of references at the end.

A “scholarly” article is an article that comes from an academic, peer-reviewed source. Because academic journals and non-academic magazines have a lot of structural similarities, the term “scholarly” differentiates this type of article from magazine articles. A scholarly article is typically written by experts for experts, and is peer-reviewed by other experts in the field.

A “peer-reviewed” article is one that has been reviewed by a board of experts in the field for quality and accuracy of the information before publishing. A “peer-reviewed” article is a more trustworthy source because it has been checked and approved by experts and is not based on opinion, low-quality research, or obsolete data.

Articles exist both in print and online and can be found at most academic libraries. Online articles can usually be found using academic databases, which contain structured sets of data or information. Many databases charge a fee to use the database and/or to access full articles. Most university library websites will provide information for accessing different academic databases.

Do not include the publisher and place of publication when citing a journal article in APA style. Publisher names are used for book-type references, reports, computer software and mobile apps, and data sets. Do not include the publisher’s location in references. Instead, the name of the journal will be included, which will provide the reader with sufficient information for locating the source.

To format a journal article in APA style, you will need the author name, publication year, title of the article, journal title, volume number, issue number, page range, and/or DOI (digital object identifier) or URL (uniform resource locator). The format for a journal article having just one author is given below:

Author Surname, F. M. (Publication Year). Article title: Subtitle. Journal Title, Volume (issue), page range. URL or DOI

Note that the first name and middle name, following the author’s surname, are abbreviated and separated by a space. The title of the article should be set in sentence case. The first word of the subtitle, if present, should be capitalized. The name of the journal should be set in title case. Set the journal title and the volume number in italics, including the comma that separates them. An example is given below:

Rancière, J. (2016). Un-what? Philosophy & Rhetoric, 49 (4), 589–606. https://doi:10.5325/philrhet.49.4.0589

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how to cite research articles in apa

Check out these guides that can teach you how to create citations easily. You can print them out too!

Citing Book Sources

Book by a Single Author:

Ramont, R. P. (2012). Comprehensive nursing care (2nd ed.) . Pearson.

Book by Two to Seven Authors:

Landrum, R.E. & Davis, S. F. (2010). The psychology major: Career options and

      strategies for success.  Prentice Hall.

An Article in a Reference Book with No Author:

Licensed practical nurses. (2011). In Encyclopedia of careers and vocational

     guidance  (15th Ed., Vol. 4, pp. 185-188). Ferguson Publishing. 

An Article in a Reference Book with an Author:

Wexler, B. (2006). Liver function tests. In The gale encyclopedia of nursing and

     allied health (2nd Ed., Vol. 3, pp. 1582-1586). Gale.

Colls, R. (2013). George Orwell: English rebel. Oxford University Press.

  https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=shib&db=e000xna&AN=640542&site=eds-live&custid=nortwest&ebv=EB&ppid=pp_iii

Citing Online Articles

Online Magazine Article:

Sanburn, J. (2011, December). Getting yours. Time, 178 (24).

    http://search.ebscohost.com/login.asp?profile=a9h

Online Journal Article:

White, E. (1987). Projected changes in breast cancer incidence due to the trend

     toward delayed childbearing. American Journal Of Public Health , 77 (4), 495-

     497.  http://search.ebscohost.com/login.asp?profile=a9h

Online Journal Article with DOI (Digital Object Identifier):

Güran, S. (2021). New approaches in studying biological mechanisms in                       psychiatric diseases. Gulhane Medical Journal, 63 (1), 1-7.           

      https://doi.org10.4274/gulhane.galenos.2020.1049

Some quick hints about APA citations:

Authors names are Last Name, First and Middle Initials. Do not use the whole first or middle name.

Only the first letter or proper names in the title of the item is capitalized.   You also capitalize the first letter that occurs after punctuation such as a colon, question mark or exclamation point in the title.

If the book has an editor rather than an author, put (Ed.) after the author's name.

Italicize titles.

If the citation is more than one line, indent the rest of the lines.

Citing Webpages with examples from apastyle.org

World Health Organization. (2018, May 24). The top 10 causes of death. https://www.who.int/news-            room/fact-sheets/detail/the-top-10-causes-of-death

Horovitz, B. (2021, October 19).  Are you ready to move your aging parent into your                                 home?  AARP.  https://www.aarp.org/caregiving/home-care/info-2021/caregiving-questions.html

National Institute of Mental Health. (2018, July).  Anxiety disorders . U.S. Department of Health and         Human Services, National Institutes of Health.  https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/anxiety-             disorders/index.shtml

Citing Other Sources

Personal Interviews:

Interviews  are not included in the reference list because they do not provide recoverable data. Cite them in text only.

More Citing Help

how to cite research articles in apa

Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study. Harvard University

Fundamentals of APA

American Psychological Association (APA) style includes  parenthetical in-text citations  and a  reference list . 

APA uses  parenthetical citations  as its form of in-text citation. Provide a parenthetical citation  before the period  directly following the information you are citing. These citations should correspond to a more detailed citation in the reference list but only need to specify a page number if directly quoting or borrowing from the source material. The essential elements for this in-text citation are the author's last name and the date for the specific publications. The last name may be omitted if the sentence states or makes clear the source material.

APA uses a  reference list ,  an alphabetized list of sources following the end of the book or paper,  for its complete list of sources referenced. This list should be titled "References" in bold and alphabetized by the first item in the citation, which, in most cases, is the author's last name. Each reference from this list must be cited in your paper and vice versa.

Basic Format

Author Last Name, Author First Initial. (Year of publication). Title . Publisher Name.

Print Articles

Author Last Name, Author First Initial, & Author Last Name, Author First Initial. (Year). Article Title. Periodical Title , volume number(issue number), pages.

Electronic Articles

Author Last Name, Author First Initial. (Year). Article Title. Periodical Title , volume number(issue number), pages. doi or static url.

Physical Images/Artwork

Artist Last Name, Artist First Initial. (Year). Artwork Title [medium]. Host Institution Name, City, State, Country. URL of institution.

Electronic Images/Artwork

Artist Last Name, Artist First Initial. (Year). Image Title [medium]. Source Title. URL of image.

In-text Citation Examples

Standard case :

"Lorem   ipsum  dolor sit  amet ,  consectetur   adipiscing   elit" (Last name, 2000, p.10).

If the author is not available , the title of the source may be used:

Lorem   ipsum  dolor sit  amet ,  consectetur   adipiscing   elit ("Source title", 2000, pp.10-11).

If multiple authors cited have the same last name , use the author's first initial along with their last name:

"Lorem   ipsum  dolor sit  amet ,  consectetur   adipiscing   elit" (E. Bronte, 1847, p.10).

Lorem   ipsum  dolor sit  amet ,  consectetur   adipiscing   elit (C. Bronte, 1847, p.10).

Full Citation Examples for the Reference List

Archival material :

Child, J. (1974).  Journal, 1974 . [Unpublished journal].  Papers of Julia Child, 1925-1993(MC 644, item 4).  Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America, Radcliffe Institute,  https://id.lib.harvard.edu/ead/c/ sch00222c00006 /catalog .

Child, P. (1967). Julia Child at the White House [Photograph]. Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America, Radcliffe Institute, https://id.lib.harvard.edu/images/olvwork539731/urn-3:RAD.SCHL:4510469/catalog.

Beck, S., Bertholle, L., & Child, J. (1961).  Mastering the art of French cooking.  Knopf.

Child, J. & Child, P. (1968).  The French chef cookbook . Alfred A. Knopf .

Journal article :

Muneal, M. (2011).  Studies in Popular Culture , 34(1), 152–154. www.jstor.org/stable/23416357.

Nussbaum, D. (2005). "In Julia Child's Kitchen, October 5 1998".  Gastronomica , 5(3), 29-38. doi: 10.1525/gfc.2005.5.3.29.

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how to cite research articles in apa

How to Reference Journal Articles in APA Format

Kendra Cherry, MS, is an author and educational consultant focused on helping students learn about psychology.

how to cite research articles in apa

Emily is a board-certified science editor who has worked with top digital publishing brands like Voices for Biodiversity, Study.com, GoodTherapy, Vox, and Verywell.

how to cite research articles in apa

Do you know how to create references for journal articles in APA format ? If you write a psychology paper, then you are going to probably need to reference a number of different journal articles. Such articles summarize the results of studies and experiments conducted by researchers. In most cases, you will need to create references for at least five or more journal articles for every APA format paper you write.

APA format details a set of clear rules for referencing articles that appear in academic journals and other periodicals. These vary somewhat based on where the article appears and who the authors are. While many articles you will use in your references appear in academic and professional journals, you might also find articles in magazines, newspapers, and online publications.

The reference section is one of the easiest places to lose points due to incorrect APA format, so always check your references before you hand in your psychology papers . Learning to reference articles in proper APA style can help you throughout your study of psychology.

Basic Structure for Journal Article References

Start by listing the author's last name and first initials, followed by the date of publication in parentheses. Provide the title of the article, but only capitalize the first letter of the title. Next, list the journal or periodical and volume number in italics, followed by the issue number in parentheses. Finally, provide the page numbers where the article can be found.

Author, I. N. (Year). Title of the article. Title of the Journal or Periodical, volume number (issue number), page numbers.

Smith, L. V. (2000). Referencing articles in APA format. APA Format Weekly, 34 (1), 4-10.

If possible, include the DOI (digital object identifier) number at the end of your reference. If a DOI number is not available and you accessed the article online, give the URL of the journal's home page.

Formatting Rules

Be sure to check your references using the official Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association. See an example of different types of references and learn more about APA format .

Magazine Articles

The structure for an article appearing in a magazine is similar to that of a journal article. However, the publication date should also include the month and day of publication.

James, S. A. (2001, June 7). Magazine articles in APA format. Newsweek, 20, 48-52.

Newspaper Articles

References for newspaper articles follow the basic structure as magazines, but you should list each individual page the article appears on rather than recording a page range.

Tensky, J. A. (2004, January 5). How to cite newspaper articles. The New York Times, 4D, 5D.

Articles With Two Authors

If an article has two authors, follow the basic format for a journal reference. Place a comma after the first initial of the first author followed by an ampersand (&). Then include the last name and first initial of the second author.

Mischel, W., & Baker, N. (1975). Cognitive transformations of reward objects through instructions.  Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 31 , 254-261.

Articles With Three to Twenty Authors

 For journal articles with three to 20 authors, follow a similar format as you would with two authors, but separate each author and initials with a comma. The final author should be preceded by an ampersand. Follow this same format for each additional author up to 20 authors.

Hart, D., Keller, M., Edelstein, W., & Hofmann, V. (1998). Childhood personality influences on social-cognitive development: A longitudinal study. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 74, 1288-1289. doi:10.1037/0022-3514.74.5.1278

Keller, J. L., Smithfield, K. B., Ellis, M., Michelina, R., & Bels, S. (1987). The limitations of anchoring bias. J ournal of Market Research, 17 , 115-119.

Articles With More Than Twenty Authors

The rules for referencing both single and multiple authors apply to all sources, whether the material came from books, magazine articles, newspaper articles, journal articles, or online sources. Include the last name and first initials of each author, with each individual separated by a comma. The last author should be preceded with an ampersand.

If the article includes 20 or fewer authors, list each author separately. If there are more than 20, include the first 19 and then include an ellipses (. . . ) in place of the author names before listing the final author.

Arlo, A., Black, B., Clark, C., Davidson, D., Emerson, E., Fischer, F., Grahmann, G., Habib, H., Ianelli, I., Juarez, J., Kobayashi, K., Lee, L., Martin, M., Naim, N., Odelsson, O., Pierce, P., Qiang, Q., Reed, R., Scofield, S., . . . Thatcher, T. (2011). Even more references. APA Format Today, 11 (4), 30-38.

Articles With No Author

If an article does not cite any authors, then start by giving the title of the article, followed by the publication date, source, and URL if you accessed the article electronically.

Scientists seek source of creativity. (2012, March, 6). Dayton County News. http://www.daytoncountynews.com/news/39756_39275.html

American Psychological Association. Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association  (7th ed.). The American Psychological Association, 2019.

By Kendra Cherry Kendra Cherry, MS, is an author and educational consultant focused on helping students learn about psychology.

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How do you cite a source that you found in another source?

how to cite research articles in apa

Go to 7th edition guidelines

Use secondary sources sparingly, for instance, when the original work is out of print, unavailable through usual sources, or not available in English. Give the secondary source in the reference list; in text, name the original work and give a citation for the secondary source.

For example, if Allport's work is cited in Nicholson and you did not read Allport's work, list the Nicholson reference in the reference list. In the text, use the following citation:

Allport's diary (as cited in Nicholson, 2003).

(adapted from the sixth edition of the APA Publication Manual , © 2010)

APA Style Contacts

APA Journal Article Citation

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How to Reference a Journal Article in APA

Bibme can create journal citations in apa automatically.

Use the following template to cite a journal article using the APA citation format. We also provide style guides for the MLA and check out our free APA citation maker .

Once you’re finished with your citations, we can also help you with creating an APA title page .

Citing a journal article in APA (print)

   Author, A. (Publication Year). Article title. Periodical Title , Volume (Issue), pp-pp.

   Nevin, A. (1990). The changing of teacher education special education. Teacher Education and Special Education: The Journal of the Teacher Education Division of the Council for Exceptional Children , 13 (4), 147-148.

Citing an online journal article in APA

   Author, A. (Publication Year). Article title. Periodical Title , Volume (Issue), pp-pp. doi:XX.XXXXX or Retrieved from URL

   Jameson, J. (2013). E-Leadership in higher education: The fifth “age” of educational technology research. British Journal of Educational Technology , 44 (6), 889-915. doi: 10.1111/bjet.12103

Notes: When creating your online journal article citation, keep in mind:

Citing unpublished journal articles in APA

Unpublished article

   Author, A. (Year). Article title . [Unpublished manuscript]. Department Name, University Name.

   Allen, J. (2020). The Landscape of US Public Health Education.  [Unpublished manuscript]. Department of Health, University of Texas

Submitted for publication

   Author, A. (Year). Article title . [Manuscript submitted for publication]. Department Name, University Name.

  Allen, J. (2020). The Landscape of US Public Health Education.  [Manuscript submitted for publication]. Department of Health, University of Texas

Accepted for publication

   Author, A. (in press). Article title.  Journal Name.

  Allen, J. (in press). The Landscape of US Public Health Education .  Health Education Research.

For more information on how to cite in APA, check out Cornell .

←Back to APA Citation Guide

willa cather apa in text body reference citation

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If any journal article in your reference list is not yet published, then it should be specifically mentioned and marked as an “Unpublished manuscript.” Use the below format to understand and create your own entry.

Last Name, Initials. (Year). Title [Unpublished manuscript]. Name of the Department, Name of the University.

Rajeshwari, K.L., & Kernool, L. (2021). A microscopic view into the minds of toddlers. [Unpublished manuscript]. Department of Psychology, University of Hogsworth.

For a reference entry for a journal article without a DOI, include the author name(s), the date published, the article’s title, the journal’s title, and if applicable, the volume number, issue number, and page range.

Reference Example

Müller, R. D., Royer, J. Y., & Lawver, L. A. (1993). Revised plate motions relative to the hotspots from combined Atlantic and Indian Ocean hotspot tracks. Journal of Petrology , 21 (4), 275–278.

For in-text citations, include the author’s last name(s) and the year of publication in the following formats:

Example for 1 author

Parenthetical Citation: (Wilson, 1963)

Narrative Citation: Wilson (1963)…

Example for 2 authors

Parenthetical Citation: (Koppers & Watts, 2010)

Narrative Citation: Koppers and Watts (2010)…

Example for 3+ authors

Parenthetical Citation: (Müller et al., 1993)

Narrative Citation: Muller et al. (1993)…

How to Cite an Interview APA

An interview is a one-on-one conversation between two people where one person asks the questions and the other answers. It is a structured discussion between the interviewer and interviewee.

Interviews are vital information sources covering different topics. You might encounter a research paper that requires an interview citation. The interview could be published in a book, online article, newspaper, or video.

Citations are mandatory when composing a professional paper. You can use several formatting methods to cite sources in your paper. APA format is a preferred method for citing published and personal interviews.

This article aims to help you understand what an APA citation is, how to cite interviews in APA format, and show examples to guide your compositions.

What is an APA Interview Citation?

The American Psychological Association uses the APA documentation style. Hence, it is popularly known as the APA format. It is mainly used in the social sciences and behavioral field for citing sources. You can also use the APA style to cite different types of interviews.

Thus, an APA interview citation follows the standard APA format requirements. We’ve created an interview citation generator for your convenience to simplify your writing process. The following are essential details you need to fill out in the free tool to generate an accurate citation:

It is imperative to choose the interview source before you fill out the required details. Some of the sources include a website, book, newspaper, journal, online articles, videos, dissertations, blogs, etc.

Let us explore the basics of an APA-style interview format and the details you must include. It consists of the following:

However, the APA format varies, depending on the type of interview source. For instance, personal interviews are informal and unavailable to the general public. These types of interviews are not published and should be referenced inside the text and not in the reference list.

Importance of APA Interview Citation

Citing an interview APA style is significant in the academic field. It provides credible sources of information to support your research paper. Besides, the format is a standard communication style that allows your readers to know the exact location of the information.

Sometimes, students encounter plagiarism challenges during writing. Thus, interview citations play a huge role in preventing plagiarism cases from arising.

Keep in mind that by understanding and following the APA citation for interview, you will craft exceptional papers that readers recognize because of the consistent format. Your audience will locate the citations and their meanings without struggling.

Apart from social sciences learners and professionals, some colleges and researchers use the APA format to cite interviews.

How to Write an APA Citation: Interview APA Citation Example

Before we proceed to the examples, it is imperative to know the process of writing an APA interview citation. Usually, citing an APA interview follows the author-date format. As mentioned above, the citation order depends on the type of interview. Let us take an example of a personal interview citation. Follow the steps below:

Remember that personal interviews are informal, subjective, and not referenced like other types of interviews. Personal communications in APA style include face-to-face conversations, phone calls, emails, text messages, memos, online communication, or unrecorded lectures.

However, the above examples don’t include personal published interviews. For instance, your personal interview can be published on a website, article, or book. In such a case, you can generate an APA citation for interview transcript to incorporate into your paper. Insert the citation in the appendix; then, when you want to reference that particular interview, you can refer to the appendix. Therefore, if you have a published personal interview, you should use the author-date option to cite it inside the text and add a complete reference to the publication source in the reference list.

Here is an APA format you can use when you want to write an interview citation:

(First Name-Initial, Last Name, Interview Type, Full Date)

An example of a proper citation:

(J. Peterson, personal communication, April 3, 2018).

So, you can apply this citation format if you want to paraphrase or quote your interview source.

Sometimes your assignment might require you to reference your personal interview and include it in the APA reference list. In such a scenario, you must add the interviewee’s name, interview date, and interview type.

Here is an APA format for referencing:

Last Name, Last Name-initial, (Full Date-Year, Month, Date). Interview Type (Communication Type).

An example of the above:

Kelly, P. (2017, April 30). Personal communication, (Personal Interview).

APA in Text Citation Interview

As mentioned above, personal interviews are considered personal communications and are not incorporated into the reference list. But the interviews are usually cited within the body of the text. This option is known as an in-text citation and offers your readers enough information to identify the interview source easily. The APA in-text citation includes the author’s name and the publication year.

Here is an example of an in-text citation format:

(Interviewer/Communicator’s name, type of interview, date of interview)

(K. Smith, personal communication, November 5, 2018).

APA Format Citing an Interview: Published Interviews

When citing a published interview, you need to follow the right format for the type of interview source it was published. The sources of published interviews include books, articles, journals, or videos.

It is imperative to note that the author is the interviewer in the APA citation. You should not include the interviewee’s name in the citation or the reference list.

However, writing a clear citation that depicts who says what in an interview someone else has conducted is essential.

Here are a few examples of published interviews citations:

Newspaper Interview

Citing a newspaper interview requires you to follow the right APA format. Apart from the interviewer’s name and date of publication, you should also include the title of the interview and the name of the newspaper and URL.

Here is the APA format:

Interviewer’s name, Last Name Initials. (Date-Year, Month Day). Interview Title. Newspaper Name. URL

Reference entry example:

Mike.K. (2020, July 18). How AI is changing the world today. Guardian Weekly. shorturl.at/eiyXY

APA in-text citation: (Mike, 2020)

YouTube Interview

You can cite a YouTube video since it falls under the published interviews. However, it is imperative to know that the author, in this case, is the individual or company that uploads the video. Not the interviewer or interviewee.

Author’s First Name, Last Name Initials. (Date-Year, Month, Day). Title of Video (video). YouTube. URL.

The Business Talk. (2019, January 12). How to double your income in six months (Video). YouTube. https://youtu.bee/zvv8iFupg19M

APA in-text citation: (The Business Talk, 2019)

Get Personal Interview Citation APA in Minutes!

As a student, it is critical to understand how to cite an interview in APA format. You might get a research paper with instructions to cite a personal or published interview. So, ensure you understand the process of citing different types of interviews. Be keen when using parenthesis, commas, and periods because one mistake might jeopardize your paper.

Therefore, if you are stuck with a complex assignment, you can use our free citation generator to get accurate results within minutes. Contact us for further writing assistance; we will salvage your grades and boost your academic performance.

Cite Your Sources: Annotated Bibliography

APA Quick Links

Apa style annotated bibliographyv.

What is an annotated bibliography?

An annotated bibliography is a list of citations to books, articles, and other sources. Each citation is followed by a brief (usually about 150 words) descriptive and evaluative paragraph, the annotation. The purpose of the annotation is to inform the reader of the relevance, accuracy, and quality of the sources cited.

You will summarize the relevant information you're getting from that source (but remember, this isn't your paper – you are summarizing, not presenting all the information itself) as well as how this well help you in your research (by providing background information, by exploring a certain angle, by presenting a contrary idea...).

How are annotations different from abstracts?

Abstracts  are the purely descriptive summaries often found at the beginning of scholarly journal articles or in periodical indexes.  Annotations  are descriptive and critical; they expose the author's point of view and authority.

Why do I need an annotated bibliography?

Creating an annotated bibliography is not simply an academic exercise. An annotated bibliography is  a tool to help you summarize your source content and evaluate its place within your research . If a source satisfies your "usefulness" criteria, that source belongs on your annotated bibliography. Of course, evaluation of sources goes beyond "usefulness" to the other elements of authority, credibility, currency, and purpose.

This process begins the transition from reading sources to incorporating content (ideas, quotes, paraphrasing) into your work. It is time to  "make sense" of the knowledge you have gained from your research . This knowledge is the foundation on which to build your own voice, explain your methodology, discuss your conclusions, and report on your new knowledge.

How do I craft an annotated bibliography?

Crafting an annotated bibliography calls for the application of a variety of intellectual skills: concise exposition, succinct analysis, and informed library research.

What are the components of an annotated bibliography?

Where can I find more resources about annotated bibliographies?

Explains what an annotated bibliography is and what to include in your annotation for each source

A definition, breakdown, and sample annotated bibliography entry

how to cite research articles in apa

APA 7th Referencing: Journal Articles

On this page

Basic format to reference journal articles

Related links within this guide

APA Referencing: journal articles

APA Referencing: journal articles from Victoria University Library on Vimeo .

Select the 'cc' on the video to turn on/off the captions.

A basic reference list entry for a journal article in APA must include:

Example:  

Ruxton, C. (2016). Tea: Hydration and other health benefits. Primary Health Care , 26 (8), 34-42. https://doi.org/10.7748/phc.2016.e1162

how to cite research articles in apa

Referencing journals articles: Examples

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  1. Research Guides: APA 7th Edition : Citing Articles

    Citing Articles - APA 7th Edition - Research Guides at University of Alabama APA 7th Edition Journal Articles Journal article with a DOI Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial. (Year). Title of article. Name of Journal, Volume Number (Issue Number), page numbers. DOI Journal article with no DOI Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial. (Year).

  2. How to Cite a Journal Article in APA Style

    Basic format for an APA journal citation The article title appears in plain text and sentence case, while the journal name is italicized and in title case (all major words capitalized). When viewing a journal article online, the required information can usually be found on the access page.

  3. In-Text Citations: The Basics

    APA Citation Basics When using APA format, follow the author-date method of in-text citation. This means that the author's last name and the year of publication for the source should appear in the text, like, for example, (Jones, 1998). One complete reference for each source should appear in the reference list at the end of the paper.

  4. Reference List: Articles in Periodicals

    Cite your source automatically in APA Cite Using citation machines responsibly Powered by Basic Form APA style dictates that authors are named with their last name followed by their initials; publication year goes between parentheses, followed by a period.

  5. How to Cite a Research Paper in APA (with Pictures)

    If you're citing a research article or paper in APA style, you'll need to use a specific citation format that varies depending on the source. Assess whether your source is an article or report published in an academic journal or book, or whether it is an unpublished research paper, such as a print-only thesis or dissertation.

  6. APA Formatting and Style Guide (7th Edition)

    Additional Resources. APA Headings and Seriation. APA PowerPoint Slide Presentation. APA Sample Paper. Tables and Figures. Abbreviations. APA Classroom Poster. Changes in the 7th Edition. General APA FAQs.

  7. How to Cite a Website in APA Style

    APA website citations usually include the author, the publication date, the title of the page or article, the website name, and the URL. If there is no author, start the citation with the title of the article. If the page is likely to change over time, add a retrieval date.

  8. How to Properly Cite a Web Article in APA

    Any time you quote or paraphrase from the source, you'll also need to include an in-text citation at the end of the sentence. Method 1 Reference List Entry Download Article 1 Start your entry with the name of the author. Type the author's last name first, followed by a comma, then their first initial, followed by a period.

  9. Writing and Citation Help

    Welcome to the Kinesiology, Health & Sport Studies research guide. This is designed to outline library resources that are available to WSU students, faculty, and community members.

  10. How to Cite a Journal Article in APA

    Paraphrasing in APA. For an in-text APA journal citation that is not a direct quote, or an APA parenthetical citation, all you need to provide is the author's last name and the year of publication.. You may provide a page number (preceded by "p." for one page or "pp." for multiple pages) as well if the passage or idea you are paraphrasing is on a certain page or set of pages, but ...

  11. A systematic review of dementia-related stigma research: Can we move

    Stigma negatively affects individuals with cognitive impairment and dementia. This literature review examined the past decade (January 2004 to December 2015) of world-wide research on dementia-related stigma. Using standard systematic review methodology, original research reports were identified and assessed for inclusion based on defined criteria. Initial database searches yielded 516 ...

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    An Article in a Reference Book with No Author: Licensed practical nurses. (2011). In Encyclopedia of careers and vocational . guidance (15th Ed., Vol. 4, pp. 185-188). Ferguson Publishing. An Article in a Reference Book with an Author: Wexler, B. (2006). Liver function tests. In The gale encyclopedia of nursing and .

  13. apa-style-research-activity.pdf

    View apa-style-research-activity.pdf from ENG 125 at University Of Arizona. 7th Edition Research Article Activity This activity will help students learn how to find, cite, analyze, and summarize a ... Step 2: Citing a Research Article Once you have identified a research article on a topic of interest to you, ...

  14. APA

    Archival material:. Child, J. (1974). Journal, 1974. [Unpublished journal]. Papers of Julia Child, 1925-1993(MC 644, item 4). Schlesinger Library on the History of ...

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    Referencing articles in APA format. APA Format Weekly, 34 (1), 4-10. If possible, include the DOI (digital object identifier) number at the end of your reference. If a DOI number is not available and you accessed the article online, give the URL of the journal's home page. Formatting Rules

  17. How To Cite a Research Paper (With APA Citation Examples)

    Here are the general rules to follow when citing a research paper in an APA style format: Book: Last Name, First Initial. (Year of Publication). Title of the work. Publisher. Example: Thompson, S. (1982). The Year of the Wolf. Preston and Buchanan. Magazine: Last Name, First Initial. (Year, Month of Publication). Article title.

  18. How do you cite a source that you found in another source?

    Give the secondary source in the reference list; in text, name the original work and give a citation for the secondary source. For example, if Allport's work is cited in Nicholson and you did not read Allport's work, list the Nicholson reference in the reference list. In the text, use the following citation: Allport's diary (as cited in ...

  19. APA Format Citation Guide

    APA Format Citation Guide. This is a complete guide to APA (American Psychological Association) in-text and reference list citations. This easy-to-use, comprehensive guide makes citing any source easy. ... J.A. (2017). How citation changed the research world. The Mendeley, pp. 26-28. How to Cite Non-Print Material in APA Format How to Cite an ...

  20. APA Journal Article Citation

    Use the following template to cite a journal article using the APA citation format. We also provide style guides for the MLA and check out our free APA citation maker. ... E-Leadership in higher education: The fifth "age" of educational technology research. British Journal of Educational Technology, 44(6), 889-915. doi: ...

  21. APA Interview Citation Generator: How to Cite an Interview APA

    Follow the steps below: Insert an open parenthesis referencing the interview at the end of the text but before the period. Write the first initial of the interviewee; add a period and their last name. Insert a comma and the type of interview; in this case, personal interview.

  22. LibGuides: Cite Your Sources: Annotated Bibliography

    An annotated bibliography is a list of citations to books, articles, and other sources. Each citation is followed by a brief (usually about 150 words) descriptive and evaluative paragraph, the annotation. The purpose of the annotation is to inform the reader of the relevance, accuracy, and quality of the sources cited. You will summarize the ...

  23. Library Guides: APA 7th Referencing: Journal Articles

    A basic reference list entry for a journal article in APA must include: Author or authors. The surname is followed by first initials. Year of publication of the article (in round brackets). Article title. Journal title (in italics ). Volume of journal (in italics ). Issue number of journal in round brackets (no italics). Page range of article.