General Rules
APA General Rules
Source
Citation Examples
Type
Title (if relevant), bill or resolution number, xxx Cong. (year)
Bills or
Resolutio
S. 5936, 102nd Cong. (1992)
ns
(Federal In text: Senate Bill 5936 (1992) or (S. 5936, 1992)
unenacte
Every Vote Counts Amendment, H.J. Res. 4, 110th Cong. (2007).
d)
In text: (H.J. Res. 4, 2007)
Lee, Chelsea. (2013, October 18). How to cite social media in APA style
(Twitter,FACEBOOK , and Google+) [Blog post]. Retrieved
Blog Post from http://blog.apastyle.org/apastyle/social-media/
In text: (Lee, 2013)
MiddleKid. (2007, January 5). Re: The unfortunate prerequisites and consequences
Blog of partitioning your mind [Blog comment]. Retrieved from https://science
Comment blog.com/pharyngula/2007/01the_unfortunate_prequisites.php.
In text: (MiddleKid, 2007).
Book Trinkunas, H. A. (2009). Energy security: The case of Venezuela. In D. Moran & J.
Chapters A. Russell (Eds.),Energy security and global politics: The militarization of resource
(in edited management (pp. 175–187). New York: Routledge.
books) In text: (Trinkunas, 2009, p. 12)
Books
(electroni Krishnan, A. (2008). War as business: Technological change and military service
c version contracting [Ebrary version]. Retrieved from http://www.ebrary.com/corp/
of a print In text: (Krishnan, 2008)
book)
Books Strindberg, A., & Wärm, M. (2011). Islamism: Religion, radicalization and
(print) resistance (2nd ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley and Sons.
In text: (Strindberg & Wärm, 2011).
Cordesman, A. H., Mausner, A., & Kasten, D. (2009). Winning in Afghanistan:
Creating effective Afghan security forces. Washington, DC: Center for Strategic &
International Studies.
In text: (Cordesman, Mausner, & Kasten, 2009, p. 19)
Subsequent in-text citations: (Cordesman et al., 2009, pp. 45–46)
Code of Title/number, volume source § xxx (year).
Federal
Renewable Energy Production Incentives, 10 C.F.R. § 451 (2006).
Regulatio
ns In text: (Renewable Energy Production Incentives, 2006)
Liu, S. (2005). Defending against business crises with the help of intelligent agent
Conferen based early warning solutions. Paper presented at the Seventh International
ce Paper Conference on Enterprise Information Systems, Miami, FL. Retrieved
Abstract from http://www.iceis2005/abstracts_2005.htm
Retrieved
In text: (Liu, 2005)
Online
Example from APA Publication Manual (6th ed.)
Published regularly online
Herculano-Houzel, S., Collins, C. E., Wong, P., Kass, J. H., & Lent, R. (2008). The
basic nonuniformity of the central cortex. Proceedings of the National Academy of
Sciences, USA, 105, 12593–12598. doi: 10.1073/pnas.0805417105
In text: (Herculano-Houzel, Collins, Wong, Kass, & Lent, 2008, p. 12595)
Conferen Subsequent in text citations: (Herculano-Houzel et al., 2008)
ce
Example from APA Publication Manual (6th ed.)
Proceedi
ngs Proceedings published in book form
Katz, I., Gabayan,, K. & Aghajan, H. (2007). A multi-touch surface using multiple
cameras. In J. Blanc-Talon, W. Philips, D. Popescu, & P. Scheunders (Eds.) Lecture
Notes in Computer Science: Vol. 4678. Advanced Concepts for Intelligent Vision
Systems (pp. 97–108). Doi 10.1007/978-3-540-74607-2_9
Examples from APA Publication Manual (6th ed.)
Congressi Full Hearing:
onal
Long-term sustainability of current defense plans: Hearing before the Committee on
Hearings
the Budget, House of Representatives, 111th Cong., 1 (2009).
In text: (Long-term Sustainability, 2009)
Testimony within a Hearing:
NASA infrastructure: Enabling discovery, enabling durability: Testimony before the
Subcommittee on Space Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, 113th Cong.,
25 (2013) (testimony of Paul K. Martin).
In text: (NASA Infrastructure, 2009)
Online:
Best, Richard A. (2011). Intelligence issues for Congress (CRS Report No.
Congressi
RL33539). Retrieved from Congressional Research
onal
Service. http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/intel/RL33539.pdf
Research
Service Print:
(CRS)
Best, Richard A. (2011). Intelligence issues for Congress (CRS Report No.
Reports
RL33539). Washington, DC: Congressional Research Service.
In text: (Best, 2011)
Court
Name v. Name, Volume Source Page (Court Date)
Cases –
U.S. Winter v. NRDC, Inc., 129 S. Ct. 365 (2008).
Supreme
In text: (Winter v. NRDC)
Court
Pew Hispanic Center. (2004). Changing channels and crisscrossing culture: A survey
of Latinos on news media [date file and code book]. Retrieved
Data Set from http://pewhispanic.org/datasets
In text: (Pew Hispanic Center, 2004)
Directive
Department of Defense. (2005, Dec. 19). Information assurance training,
certification, and workforce management (DOD Directive 8570.01-M). Washington,
Directives DC: Author.
and In text: (Department of Defense, 2005)
Instructio
ns Instruction
Department of Defense. (2012, April 16). Identification (ID) cards required by the
Geneva Convention(DOD Instruction 1000.01). Washington, DC: Author.
In text: (Department of Defense, 2012)
Executive Exec. Order No. xxxxx, 3 C.F.R. page (year)
Orders
Exec. Order No. 13655, 3 C.F.R. 80451 (2013) Reprinted (codified in U.S.C.)
Exec. Order No. 11,609, 3 C.F.R. 586 (1971–1975), reprinted as amended in 3
U.S.C. 301 app. at 404-407 (1994).
In text: (Executive Order No. 11,609, 1994)
U.S. Department of Labor. (2008). The construction industry under the Fair Labor
Fact
Standards Act (FLSA) [Fact sheet]. Retrieved from
Sheet
http://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/whdfs1.htm
Department of the Army. (1994). Sniper training (FM 23-10). Washington, DC:
Field Author.
Manuals
In text: (Department of the Army, 1994)
*Use this format: Author. (Year). Title of publication (Report number). Place of
publication: Publisher.
White House. (2010). National security strategy. Retrieved
Governm fromhttp://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/rss_viewer/national_security_strat
ent egy.pdf
Agency
Reports In text: (White House, 2010)
and Berrick, C. A. (2009). Homeland security: DHS’s progress and challenges in key
areas of maritime, aviation, and cybersecurity (GAO-10-106). Washington, DC:
Technical Government Accountability Office. Retrieved
Reports from http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d10106.pdf
In text: (Berrick, 2009)
*Find more examples in Citing Government Documents or the Acquisition Research
Program's Handbook.
Briscoe, R. (in press). Egocentric spatial representation in action and perception.
In-Press Philosophy and Phenomenological Research. Retrieved
Article fromhttp://cogprints.org/5780/1/ECSRAP.F07.pdf
Example from APA Style Guide to Electronic References (6th ed.)
Journal *Digital Object Identifier (DOI) preferred.If DOI not given, provide home page URL
Articles of journal publisher. See DOI vs. URL Flowchart
(in
Sanico, G., & Kakinaka, M. (2008). Terrorism and deterrence policy with
electronic
transnational support. Defence & Peace Economics, 19(2), 153–167.
databases
doi:10.1080/10242690701505419
)
In text: (Sanico & Kakinaka, 2008)
Newmann, W. W. (2002). Reorganizing for national security and homeland security.
Public Administration Review, 62(1), 126–137. Retrieved
fromhttp://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1111/(ISSN)1540-6210
In text: (Newmann, 2002)
Journal Griffin, G. (2009). Managing peacekeeping communications. Journal of Business
Articles Continuity & Emergency Planning, 3(4), 317–327.
(print) In text: (Griffin, 2009, pp. 324–325)
Cite by the name of the cartographer:
Maps Lewis County Geographic Information Services. (2002). Population density, 2000
Retrieved U.S. Census [Demographic map]. Retrieved
Online from http://maps.lewiscountywa.gov/maps/Demographics/census-popdens_2000.pdf
In text: (Lewis County Geographic Information Services, 2002)
Motion Ziering, A. (Producer), & Dick, K. (Director). (2012). The Invisible War
Picture [Medium: DVD]. Retrieved from https://www.netflix.com/
Gordon, M. R. (2001, December 9). Shifting fronts, rising danger: The Afghanistan
War evolves. New York Times, pp. A1, B3.
Newspap
er In text: (Gordon, 2001, pp. A1, B3)
Articles 2 tunnels found under the border. (2014, April 5). Monterey Herald, p. A7.
In text: (“2 Tunnels Found,” 2014).
*Give the URL of the home page when the online version of the article is available
by search to avoid nonworking URLs. (Example from the Publication Manual of the
American Psychological Association)
Newspap
Brody, J. E. (2007, December 11). Mental reserves keep brain agile. The New York
er
Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com
Articles
(online) In text: (Brody, 2007)
So long easy money: Foreign drug firms face a sever profit squeeze. (2014, June
12). Economist. Retrieved from www.economist .com.
In text: (“So Long,” 2014)
Official Takia, T. (n.d). Adoption of the national information exchange model within the
Memoran Department of Defense[Memorandum]. Washington, DC: Department of Defense.
da In text: (Takia, n.d.)
*Non-recoverable communications (private letters, memos, non-archived e-mail or
electronic bulletin boards, personal interviews, telephone conversations, etc.) Cite in
Personal text only. Do not include in reference list.
Commun
ications In text: (J. Smith, personal communication, September 8, 2009)
and
According to Joe Smith (personal communication, September 8, 2009)
Interview
s (S. Jones, interview with author, June 1, 2012) or
According to Sam Jones (interview with author, June 1, 2012)
Name of Act, Volume Source § section number (year). URL is optional.
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, Pub. L. No. 101-336 § 2, 104 Stat. 328
Public
(1991). Retrieved
Laws:
fromhttp://library.clerk.house.gov/reference-files/PPL_101_336_AmericansWithDis
U.S.
abilities.pdf.
Statutes
at In text: Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 or (Americans with Disabilities Act,
Large/U. 1990)
S. Code
National Environmental Policy Act, 42 U.S.C. § 4331 (1969).
In text: National Environmental Policy Act (1969)
or National Environmental Policy Act of 1969
*Use sparingly. For example, use for out-of-print materials or when item is not
available in English. List secondary source in reference list, and provide the original
(primary) source in text. *Example fromConcise
Secondar Rules of APA Style.
y Sources
Nicholson, I. A. M. (2003). Inventing personality: Gordon Allport and the science of
selfhood.Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
In text: Allport’s diary (as cited in Nicholson, 2003)
Borenstein, M., Hedges, L., Higgins, J., & Rothstein, H. (2005). Comprehensive
Meta-Analysis (Version 2) [Computer software]. Retrieved from http://www.meta-
Software analysis.com/index.html
Example from APA Style Guide to Electronic References (6th ed.)
Speech,
Presentat Muellbauer, J. (2007, September). Housing
credit, and consumer spending. Presented at Federal Reserve Bank, Kansas City,
ion, or Jackson Hole, WY.
Brief
Televisio
n
(episode Hall, K. (Writer), & Alda, A. (Director). (1981). Communication breakdown.
or [Television series episode. In Burt Metcalfe (Executive Producer),
webisode M*A*S*H. Retrieved from http://
in a http://www.free-tv-video-online.info/internet/mash/season_10.html
television
series)
Moon, T. D. (2009). Rising dragon: Infrastructure development and Chinese influence in
Vietnam(Master’s thesis). Retrieved from Calhoun http://hdl.handle.net/10945/4694
Theses In text: (Moon, 2009)
and
Dissertati Liu, S. (2006). School effectiveness research in China. Doctoral dissertation, Louisiana State
ons University, Baton Rouge, LA.
In text: (Liu, 2006)
*For an entire website, cite in text only.
*Basic template: Author, A. (date). Title of document [Format description].
Retrieved from http://URL
In text: (Author, year)
If there is no author, use the web article title. If there is no date, use n.d. and a
retrieval date:
About. n.d. Retrieved May 12, 2012, from http://www.nps.edu/about/
In text: (“About,” n.d.).
Websites, *Example of format descriptions include: [Letter to the editor], [Special issue],
[Abstract], [Audio podcast], [Data file], [Brochure], [Motion picture], [Lecture
Web
notes], [PowerPoint], [CD], [Computer software], [Video webcast]
Documen
ts * Find many examples of specific Web based references, see the APA Style Guide to
Electronic References (6th ed.) https://wiki.nps.edu/pages/viewpage.action?
title=APA+Style+Guide+to+Electronic+References
%2C+Sixth+Edition&spaceKey=libraryservices.
*If page numbers are not available, include paragraph number (para. 3) under the
section name.
*Page with no author and no date:
About Omega. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.omega.com/info.html
In text: (“About Omega,” n.d., Production section, para. 3)
Psychology. (n.d.) In Wikipedia. Retrieved May 17, 2011, from
Wikipedi https:en.wikipedia.org.wiki/Psychology.
a In text: (“Psychology,” n.d.)
Example from APA Style Guide to Electronic References (6th ed.)
If the user’s real name is available, include it and then the user name in brackets. If
the real name is not available, give the username without brackets.
YouTube
Bellofolletti. (2009, April 8). Ghost caught on surveillance camera [Video file].
Retrieved fromhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dq1ms2JhYBI&feature=related
In text: (Bellofolletti, 2009)
Comments (0)
General Rules
APA is used in the fields of economics, political science, psychology, and other social
sciences. For example, GSBPP primarily uses this style, but please check with your
instructor.
Sample APA Paper (opens in new window)
Reference List
For APA formatting for the List of References is as follows:
Authors: List as last name, first initial(s). For one to six authors, list them all. If there are seven or more authors, list the
first six, an ellipsis mark, and then the last one: Garcia, J. L., Cole, A. G., Jones, G., Frye, M., Chen, C., Smith, K. …
Robinson, C. N. (2014). Amazing title. New York:NORTON .
Multiple entries by the same author(s): Arrange by year of publication, earliest first.
Multiple entries by the same author(s), published in the same year: Arrange in alphabetical order by title (ignore a, an, and
the), and designate as a, b, c. … Jones, J. K., & Cole, H. I. (2010a). The first thesis… Jones, J. K., & Cole, H. I.
(2010b). Go! Go forth and write… The in-text citations would be (Jones & Cole, 2010a) and (Jones & Cole, 2010b),
respectively.
Author and publisher are the same: List publisher first (in place of author) and insert “Author” after the colon, in place of
publisher. Government Accountability Office. (2005). Global war on terrorism: DOD needs to improve the reliability of cost
data and provide additional guidance to control costs (GAO-05-882). Washington, DC: Author. Retrieved
fromhttp://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-05-882
Publication titles: Capitalize all significant words of journal and conference titles (title case). For all other titles, capitalize
only the first word, the first word after a colon or dash, and proper nouns (sentence case). Italicize book, report, manual,
journal, thesis, dissertation, proceedings, or newspaper titles.
URLs: Make consistent, either all hyperlinked or not. Place at end of reference without final period.
Apply Reference List template style to make the indents and spacing proper in accordance with NPS style.
In-Text Citations
APA formatting uses in-text citations as follows:
In-text citations may be given as (Author, date) or Author (date), with all or only
some of the information in parentheses. Include the page number if you have it.
Date will be year only with the exception of personal communications. For
example, According to Jones (2014)… or (Wilson & Garcia, 2012).
If there is no date, use (n.d.): (Chen, n.d).
If there are two authors, give both and separate with an ampersand (in the
parenthetical citation only): (Garcia & Jones, 2012, p. 74).
If there are three to six authors, list them all in the in text citation the first time you cite the source; use et al. thereafter. For
example, (Garcia, Jones, Warbler, & Cole, 2010) then (Garcia et al., 2010).
If there are seven or more authors, use et al. after the first author’s name in the in-text citation: Frye et al. (2010, p. 12) or
(Frye et al., 2010, p. 12).
Page numbers are required for direct quotes and should be used for specific information and paraphrases. Use p. for a
single page (Robinson, 2010, p. 12) and pp. for multiple pages (Robinson, 2010, pp. 4–7, 12).
If there is no author given, use the first couple words of the title. For example: Thesis Success and You: Building One
Citation at a Time would be (Thesis Success, 2014).
If you have two or more citations for a sentence, list in abc order by author and separate with a semicolon: (Cole, 2010;
Frye, 2000).
If you want to abbreviate an organization, spell it out first with the acronyms/abbreviation in
brackets: (Department of Defense [DOD], 2011, p. 14). There after use (DOD, 2011).
Subsequent Subsequent
# Authors First Time Cited First Time Cited
Citation Citation
Walker (2007) (Walker, 2007, p. (Walker, 2007,
One Walker (2007)
25) p. 27)
Walker and Allen Walker and (Walker & Allen, (Walker & Allen,
Two (2004) Allen (2004) 2004) 2004)
Three, Bradley, Ramirez, Bradley et al. (Bradley,
(Bradley et al.,
Four, or and Soo (1999) (1999) Ramirez, & Soo,
1999)
Five 1999)
Wasserstein et al. Wasserstein et (Wasserstein et (Wasserstein et
Six or More
(2005) al. (2005) al., 2005) al., 2005)
Source: American Psychological Association. (2010). Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (6th ed.).
Washington, DC: Author.
URLs
Provide stable URL after the words, "Retrieved from." For example:
Government Accountability Office. (2005). Global war on terrorism: DOD needs
to improve the reliability of cost data and provide additional guidance to control
costs (GAO-05-882). Washington, DC: Author. Retrieved
fromhttp://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-05-882
Do not include retrieval dates unless the source material is likely to change over
time (e.g., Wikis) For example:
Grammar. (n.d.). Wikipedia. Retrieved May 18, 2013, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grammar
Do not add a period at the end of the URL
A URL does not belong in an in text-citation. Ever.
Sources within a Library Database
DOI is preferred over URL if available.
If no DOI, include the home page URL of the journal.
If no DOI, and material is only in this database because journal is discontinued or
not formally published (e.g., JSTOR, ERIC), include either (a) the database name
and accession number or (b) the database home page URL.
See APA DOI vs. URL Flowchart
http://libguides.nps.edu/citation/apa
