4.4 APA Documentation and Citation Conventions

4.4 APA Documentation and Citation Conventions

The American Psychological Association (APA) documentation style is widely used in the social sciences, natural sciences, nursing, business, and education. Now in its 7th edition, APA style emphasizes author accountability and publication currency through an Author-Date citation system. This section details APA in-text mechanics, Reference List formatting, title capitalization rules, and a comprehensive comparison between APA 7th and MLA 9th editions.

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APA In-Text Citations (Author-Date System)

In APA style, every in-text citation must include the author's last name and the year of publication. If directly quoting text, a page number (preceded by "p." or "pp.") or paragraph number (preceded by "para.") is also required.

Parenthetical vs. Narrative Citations

• Parenthetical Citation: Place both author and year in parentheses at the end of the clause.
  • Paraphrase Example: Cognitive decline can be slowed through daily physical exercise (Kowalski, 2022).
  • Direct Quote Example: As demonstrated in clinical trials, "aerobic exercise increases hippocampal volume by 2%" (Kowalski, 2022, p. 114).
• Narrative Citation: Integrate the author's name into the sentence structure, followed immediately by the year in parentheses.
  • Paraphrase Example: Kowalski (2022) demonstrated that cognitive decline can be slowed through physical exercise.
  • Direct Quote Example: Kowalski (2022) emphasized that "aerobic exercise increases hippocampal volume by 2%" (p. 114).

Variations by Author Count

• One Author: (Smith, 2020)
• Two Authors: Use an ampersand ("&") inside parenthetical citations, but spell out "and" in narrative text.
  • Parenthetical: (Chen & Patel, 2021)
  • Narrative: Chen and Patel (2021) discovered that...
• Three or More Authors: Include the first author's last name followed by "et al." in every citation (including the first citation).
  • Parenthetical: (Williams et al., 2023)
  • Narrative: Williams et al. (2023) argued...
• Group / Corporate Authors: State the full organization name in the first citation, with optional abbreviation in square brackets for subsequent use.
  • First Citation: (World Health Organization [WHO], 2021)
  • Subsequent Citations: (WHO, 2021)

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APA Reference List Formatting Rules

The Reference List contains complete bibliographic details for all cited sources. It begins on a separate page titled References (bolded and centered at the top).

General Formatting Standard

• Spacing and Indentation: Double-space all entries. Apply a 0.5-inch hanging indent to every entry.
• Author Names: Provide author last names followed by initials only (e.g., Smith, J. A.). Do not spell out first or middle names.
• Up to 20 Authors: List all authors up to 20 by last name and initials. If a source has 21 or more authors, list the first 19, insert an ellipsis (...), and add the final author's name.

Capitalization Rules in APA

APA utilizes two distinct capitalization rules across reference entries:

1. Sentence-Case Capitalization (Used for titles of books, articles, web pages, and report titles):
   • Capitalize only the first word of the title, the first word after a colon/dash, and proper nouns. Lowercase all other words.
   • Example: Cognitive psychology: A student's handbook.
2. Title Case Capitalization (Used for titles of journals, magazines, and newspapers):
   • Capitalize all major words (nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs).
   • Example: Journal of Educational Psychology

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Detailed APA Reference Examples

1. Journal Article with DOI

Author Last Name, Initials. (Year). Article title in sentence case. Journal Title in Title Case, Volume(Issue), Page Range. https://doi.org/10.xxxx/xxxx

• Example: McCauley, S. M., & Christiansen, M. H. (2019). Language learning as language use: A cross-linguistic model of child language development. Psychological Review, 126(1), 1–51. https://doi.org/10.1037/rev0000126

2. Authored Book

Author Last Name, Initials. (Year). Book title in sentence case (Edition ed.). Publisher.

• Example: Bandura, A. (1997). Self-efficacy: The exercise of control. W. H. Freeman.

3. Webpage on a Website with a Group Author

Group Author Name. (Year, Month Day). Title of page in sentence case. Site Name. URL

• Example: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022, August 15). Preventing chronic disease through physical activity. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. https://www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/resources/activity.htm

4. Chapter in an Edited Book

Author Last Name, Initials. (Year). Title of chapter in sentence case. In Editor Initials. Last Name (Ed.), Title of book in sentence case (pp. xx–xx). Publisher.

• Example: Bjork, R. A. (1994). Memory and metamemory considerations in the training of human beings. In J. Metcalfe & A. Shimamura (Eds.), Metacognition: Knowing about knowing (pp. 185–205). MIT Press.

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Structural Comparison: MLA 9th vs. APA 7th Edition

Understanding the fundamental differences between MLA and APA prevents mixing citation mechanics in college writing.