Below are examples of common APA citation formats. For the most authoritative guide to APA format, please consult the style manual. There is a copy at the Reference Desk.

Please note that this is the 6th edition. Your professor may specify which edition you should use for your citations.

A note about online sources: The APA 6th edition does not require URLs or database information for articles from a database. If you find an article on the "open web" (that is, you found it using a search engine such as Google), you need the URL of the article. If you have a doi (digital object identifier), include it at the end instead of the source URL.

To create correct citations, ask yourself:

1. Did I find this article in print? If yes, no URL is needed.
   
2. Did I find this article in a database? If yes, no URL is needed.
3. Did I find this article on the open web? If yes, then include the doi (if given) or the full URL of the article.
   

Still need help figuring out whether you need a URL or doi? The APA has published this flowchart on their blog: http://blog.apastyle.org/files/doi-and-url-flowchart-8.pdf

Articles 

Article found in a database or in print, with one author:

Lastname, F. M. (Year). Title of article. Title of Journal, volume (issue), pages.

 

Pajares, F. (2001). Toward a positive psychology of academic motivation.

Journal of Educational Research, 95(1), 27-35.

 

Article found on the open web, with one author:

Lastname, F. M. (Year). Title of article. Title of Journal, volume if available

(issue if available), pages if available. doi: OR Retrieved from URL

Cohen, P. (2009, October 9). Author's personal forecast: Not always sunny, but

pleasantly skeptical. The New York Times. Retrieved from

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/10/books/10ehrenreich.html?_r=1

Article (from the open web) with two authors:

Lastname, F. M., & Surname, F. M. (Year). Title of article. Title of Journal,

volume (issue), pages. doi: OR Retrieved from URL 

Norem, J. K., & Chang, E. C. (2002). The positive psychology of negative

thinking. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 58(9), 993-1001.   

doi:10.1002/jclp.10094

Article with three to six authors:

Lastname, F. M., Surname, F. M., & Lastname, F. M. (Year). Title of

article. Title of Journal, volume (issue), pages.   

Jutras, S., Vinay, M. C., & Castonguay, G. (2002). Inner-city children's

perceptions about well-being. Canadian Journal of Community

Mental Health, 21(1), 47-65.

More than seven authors? List the first six authors and the last author.

Authorone, F. M., Authortwo, F. M., Authorthree, F. M., Authorfour, F. M.,

Authorfive, F. M.  . . .  Finalauthor, F. M. (Year). Title of article. Title of

Journal, volume (issue), pages.  

Books

Book with one author:

Lastname, F. M. (Year). Title of book: Subtitle of book. Publication Location:

Publisher.

Seligman, M. E. P. (2004). Authentic happiness: Using the new positive psychology

to realize your potential for deep fulfillment. London: Nicholas Brealey.

Books with multiple authors:

The format follows the author format as listed under articles.

 

An edited book:

Editor, F. M. (Ed.). (Year). Title of book: Subtitle of book. Publication Location:

Publisher.

Snyder, C.R. & Lopez, S. J. (Eds.). (2009). The Oxford handbook of positive

psychology. Oxford; New York: Oxford University Press.

 

Web Sites

Web site with one author:

Lastname, F. M. (Date published). Title of page. Retrieved from URL

 

Lopez, S. J. (2000). The emergence of Positive Psychology: The building

of a field of dreams. Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/apags/profdev/pospsyc.html

Web site with a corporate or organizational author:

Organization name. (Date published). Title of page. Retrieved from URL

 

Positive Psychology Center. (2007). Attributional style research (Adults).

Retrieved from http://www.ppc.sas.upenn.edu/asq.htm

 

Images

Image from an online source with a creator listed:

Creator, F. M. (Date created). Title of image [Description of image]. Retrieved

[date] from URL

Swanbrow, D. (2008, July 23). A happiness ranking of 97 nations [table]. Retrieved

January 21, 2010 from http://www.ur.umich.edu/0708/Jul14_08/23.php

 

Image from an online source with no creator listed:

Title of image [Description of image]. (Date created). Retrieved [date] from URL

 

Image from a print source with a creator listed:

Creator, F. M. (Date created). Title of image. [Continue with title of book or article as appropriate.]