The American Psychological Association (APA) referencing style is widely used by students, researchers, and professionals in the social and behavioral sciences. APA style provides a set of guidelines for formatting and citing sources, ensuring consistency and clarity in academic writing. In this article, we will explore the basics of APA referencing, including in-text citations, reference lists, and formatting guidelines.
In-text citations are brief references in the running text that direct readers to the full reference entry at the end of the paper. An APA in-text citation consists of the author's last name and the year of publication, separated by a comma. For example: (Smith, 2020). If you're citing a specific part of a source, you should also include a locator such as a page number or timestamp.
There are two types of in-text citations: parenthetical and narrative. Parenthetical citations are used when the author's name is not included in the sentence, while narrative citations are used when the author's name is included in the sentence.
The reference list is a list of all the sources cited in the paper, formatted according to APA guidelines. The reference list should be double-spaced, with a hanging indent of ½ inch, and in a legible font (e.g. Times New Roman 12 or Arial 11).
The reference list should include the following elements:
The Scribbr APA Reference Generator is a tool that helps you generate accurate APA style references in seconds. Simply search for your source by title, URL, DOI, or ISBN, and the generator will provide you with a formatted reference.
In addition to the APA Reference Generator, Scribbr provides many more tools and resources to help with citation and referencing, including:
APA referencing is an essential part of academic writing, and using the right tools and resources can make the process easier and more efficient. By following the guidelines outlined in this article, you can ensure that your references are accurate and consistent, and that your paper is well-formatted and easy to read. For more information on APA referencing, visit the Scribbr Knowledge Base.
