APA Guide
Academic Integrity
Documenting Research Sources Using APA Style
Quick Tips
Guidelines for Preparing a References Page
More Help and Disclaimers
Examples of Resources in APA Format:
|
In an assignment, when you use someone else’s idea or information by quoting directly or by re-phrasing the material in your own words, you must acknowledge and identify the source. This is done in two places:
The in text citations and the References list work together. The in text citation , a brief reference to a work, enables the reader to identify the source of an idea quickly and easily. Knowing the author’s last name (or the title) from the in text citation , a reader can locate the complete publication information for that work in the alphabetically arranged References list. An in text citation must point clearly to a specific source in References . |
GUIDELINES FOR PREPARING A REFERENCES PAGE
- List only the resources to which you have specifically referred, not those merely consulted
- Place the page of references at the end of your assignment on a separate page titled References
- Use authors’ names in the order they appear on the title page; do not alphabetize multiple authors of a source
- Invert authors’ names and include only initials of first and middle names (i.e. Adam Smith becomes Smith, A.) Use an ampersand (&) to connect two authors’ names (e.g. Spacey, K. & Butler, G.)
- Use commas to separate authors and an ampersand for the last author if there are three to six authors
- List the first six authors and then et al. if there are more than six
- Begin the reference with the title of the work if no author is given
- Arrange the list alphabetically; if there is no author and the title begins with a , an , or the , alphabetize by the second word
- Begin each entry with a hanging indent (first line begins at the left margin and all other lines are indented ½ inch)
- Double space within and between entries in your list of references
- Capitalize only the first word in the title and the first word after a colon
WANT MORE HELP? THREE CHOICES…
Help is always available through the Library@Mohawk.
- Visit the Library in person. You can chat with staff on the Information Desk or grab a copy of the Library’s handout on APA. Handouts are available at all locations and on TheBRAIN.
- Check out the AskUs! page where you can submit questions via chat, email, or phone.
- A print copy of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association is available in the Library @ Mohawk’s collection (call number BF 76.7.P83 2010). Other print resources are also available to help you with the research process and using APA style. Search the Library’s catalogue or browse the shelves at and around call number BF 76.
- The Library@Mohawk now offers RefWorks. This online tool manages your research and allows you to create bibliographies in seconds.
- This brief guide highlights how to cite sources most commonly used by Mohawk College students as agreed upon by Library staff. The manual outlines far more resources and sources. When in doubt, consult the manual for full citation details and apply good judgement.
- It is important to remember individual instructors may choose to modify these guidelines or use an earlier edition of the manual. To avoid confusion (and disappointment with your grade) use instructions communicated in your course.
EXAMPLES OF RESOURCES IN APA FORMAT
The examples used are based on the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association 6th ed. (2010). The relevant section of the manual is included for each entry. Consult them for further explanation and clarification.
NOTE: Examples of “In Text Citation” are single spaced, but your document text would be double-spaced.
Please note that the APA format does not specify a font size for your References list. The font size used below is for presentation only.
PRINT FORMATBook - single author: From section 6.11 Example 18 (p. 203)
Reference:
Johnson, S. (2006). Everything bad is good for you: How today’s popular
culture is actually making us smarter. New York: Riverhead Books.
In Text Citation:
“Environmental complexity is not limited to …” (Johnson, 2006, p. 146).
list the six and then, et al. Section 6.12 Follow example 18 (p. 203)
Reference:
Tapscott, D., & Williams, A. (2006). Wikinomics: How mass collaboration
changes everything. New York: Portfolio.
In Text Citation:
“If you consider the vernacular, the term ‘open’ is loaded…” (Tapscott and Williams, 2006, pp. 200-201).
Reference:
Hall, C. (1968). Dreams. In International encyclopedia of the social sciences
(Vol. 4, pp. 258-264). New York: Macmillan Company & The Free Press.
In Text Citation:
“Freud hypothesized that the dream…” (Hall, 1968, p. 261).
Reference:
Anucha, U. (2005). We are not just rent receipts. Canadian Social Work
Review, 22 (1), 189-210.
NOTE: Italicize the volume number, but not the issue.
In Text Citation:
“The magnitude of the homelessness problem… by its dynamic nature” (Anucha, 2005, p. 190).
Reference:
Farran, S., & Keller, T. (2007, April 2). What can 70,000 students teach
you? Maclean’s, 120, 28-37.
In Text Citation:
“On the whole, small schools … better than larger institutions” (Farran & Keller, 2007, p. 32).
Reference:
Moko, L. (2007, April 2). Smooth moves; Mohawk honours outstanding
athletic, academic Mountaineers. The Hamilton Spectator, p. SP10.
In Text Citation:
Moko’s (2007) article covers contributions and backgrounds (p. SP10).
DIGITAL FORMAT
Reference:
In Text Citation:
“In the year and a half since, the term "Web 2.0" has clearly taken a hold, with more than 9.5 million citations in Google” (“O'Reilly, 2005,” ¶ 3).
Reference:
In Text Citation:
“Most weight loss occurs because of decreased caloric intake” (“Guide,” n.d., ¶ 1).
Reference:
Harrison, T. (2007). Popular music. In The Canadianencyclopedia. Retrieved
from http://thecanadianencyclopedia.com
In Text Citation:
“In 1996, 3 of the top recording artists were women” (Harrison, 2007, ¶ 1).
Reference
Health Canada. (2006). The national strategy: Moving forward - the 2006
progress report on tobacco control. Retrieved from http://www.
hc-sc.gc.ca/hl-vs/pubs/tobac-tabac/prtc-relct-2006/
index_e.html
In Text Citation:
“Canada is internationally recognized for its success in legislating the tobacco industry” (Health Canada, 2006, Policy section, ¶ 1 ).
Journal article with DOI : From section 6.31, Example 1 (p 198)
Reference:
Hard, S., Conway, J., & Moran, A. (2006). Faculty and college student beliefs about the frequency of student academic misconduct. Journal of Higher Education, 77 (6), 1058-1080. doi: 10.1037/0278-6133.24.2
In Text Citation:
The researchers hypothesized … behaviour would influence their own misconduct. (Hard, Conway & Moran, 2006, p. 1059).
Reference:
$1 Salaries for Google billionaires. (2007, April 5). The Hamilton Spectator, p. A22. Retrieved from http://www.thespec.com/
In Text Citation:
“Schmidt, Page and Brin have refused to take anything more than a token paycheque …” (“$1 Salaries,” 2007, ¶ 4).
Audiovisual Media : Example 49 (p. 209)
Reference:
Schonbach, G. (Producer), & Sharpe, J. (Director). (2005). Weird sex and snowshoes: A trek through the Canadian cinematic psyche. [DVD]. Vancouver, BC: Omni Film Productions.
In Text Citation:
Schonach (2005) in Weird sex dives deeply into Canadian contributions...
