How to do APA citation style like a pro

When writing an academic paper, one is expected to rely on external sources. You could analyze, compare or dwell on those sources to add depth and reputability to your own paper. However, without a reference, using an outside source is akin to plagiarism. This is where referencing guides come in. Today, we will be focusing on APA.

APA is one of the most commonly used referencing styles. APA stands for American Psychological Association; hence, this style is used mostly for research on subjects in social and behavioral sciences.

In this article, we will guide you through some of the most common caveats of APA referencing style and hopefully, help you understand it better. So, without further ado, let’s dive in!

APA style basic principles

Referencing in APA is quite easy once you get the hang of it. Most professors will require you to use the latest APA style guide, but some tutors will ask you to use an earlier version. That’s why you need to always check the instructions carefully. For the purpose of this article, we will be referring to the latest style guide at the time of writing, which is the 7th edition.

Here are the basics of referencing your paper in APA:

• Text is double-spaced, 12 pt. Times New Roman throughout
• All margins are one inch
• Indent every body paragraph
• Place page numbers in the upper right corner
• Place running head (title or its shortened version) in the upper left corner

APA style vs. Harvard

The APA in text citation looks like this: (Author, year). It is often confused with Harvard since Harvard citations can look the same. However, Harvard is used in other disciplines, such as Business, humanities, and sciences. Also, reference entries look different in APA and Harvard. Look at the examples below and see if you can spot the differences:

APA:

Grady, J. S., Her, M., Moreno, G., Perez, C., & Yelinek, J. (2019). Emotions in storybooks: A comparison of storybooks that represent ethnic and racial groups in the United States. Psychology of Popular Media Culture, 8(3), 207–217. https://doi.org/10.1037/ppm0000185

Harvard:

Grady, J.S. et al. (2018) 'Emotions in storybooks: A comparison of storybooks that represent ethnic and racial groups in the United States.,' Psychology of Popular Media Culture, 8(3), pp. 207–217. https://doi.org/10.1037/ppm0000185 

Harvard style varies more from one institution to another. It’s more subject to change and less rigid. APA, however, usually follows a strict formatting guide with little to no variation. 

APA format example

The best part about APA formatting is that it follows a strict, all-encompassing guide that you can always refer to. It can be accessed on the APA or Purdue Owl official websites. In the following sections, we will teach you how to reference the most popular sources in APA. 

How to cite a website APA

Using online sources in academic research has become commonplace in recent years. Although some professors still frown upon such references, sometimes, it’s unavoidable. For example, if you’re writing about recent events or issues on social media. Here are a couple of things you should remember before using websites for your papers: 

• Make sure it’s a reputable source 
• Don’t cite the whole website, as a reference must point to a specific webpage

So, here’s how to create an APA website citation according to the latest edition APa manual.

Author, N. (Year, Month day). Name of the article. Website name. Link 

Example:

Daniel N. (2024, December 6). How to Do MLA Citation. Studyfy. https://studyfy.com/blog/how-to-do-mla-citation

How to cite a YouTube video

Referencing videos is also very common now among students, yet, many get confused when it comes to the referencing part. Fortunately, citing a video is almost the same as citing a webpage, except for one small difference. See if you can spot it in the example: 

Vox (2019, August 6). All student debt in the US, visualized. [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NXHwelwmQPA  

The APA citation in text for a YouTube video looks practically the same as for any other source: (Vox, 2019)

Here, the same rules apply as with web pages. See if you can substitute a YouTube video with a proper source. Your professor would probably appreciate a journal article more than a link to YouTube. 

How to cite a book in APA

A book is one of the most common references in APA papers, so, as a student, you should remember how to cite them. Again, all references follow approximately the same format, so once you understand the logic of it, it’s going to get much easier.

Here’s an example:

Last name, Initials. (Year). Book title (Editor/translator initials, Last name, Ed. or Trans.) (Edition). Publisher.

Or

Smith, T. (2020). The citation manual for students: A quick guide (2nd ed.). Wiley.

Best referencing hacks & shortcuts 

If you don’t feel like raking through the APA guide and memorizing rules for referencing every source, it's understandable. There’s lots to remember, and many students don’t have time for that. That’s why we have a list of hacks that can help you in writing academic papers.

First off, Google Docs has come up with a citation tool a couple years back. To access it, open a document, go to Tools and click Citations. 

Grammarly also has a free citation generator. The only drawback is that it doesn’t allow you to pick an edition of the manual. So, we recommend double-checking the references to see if they comply with the latest APA standards.

Alternatively, you can use Studyfy. You can order an academic paper and receive one with a perfect bibliography that you can use for future reference. You can also place an order for rewriting and let a professional writer edit and revise the references you’ve created yourself.

General tips for what & when to cite 

• Always double-check the spelling and make sure it’s the same in references and citations.
• Only refer to those sources that you’ve actually read and used in your research. 
• Place citations immediately after the idea has been presented.
• Give preference to primary sources rather than secondary ones.
• Cite every piece of information that is not common knowledge.

These rules go for any in text citation in APA format. With that, don't forget to appropriately place quotation marks, add a reference list, and check the APA reference page or APA Publication Manual for the most recent rules regarding APA citation basics.

FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions

How many references should I use?

The number of references is usually specified by the professor in the instructions for each individual paper. If they have not instructed you on that, it’s best to ask them directly.

When should I use APA, MLA or Harvard? 

The use of a particular referencing style is determined by the subject you’re writing for. APA is mostly used for social and behavioral sciences, Harvard is used for business and humanities, and MLA is mostly used for languages and literature. If you’re not sure which one to use, it’s always best to check in with your professor.

What are the points I must mention in a reference? 

The things that every APA reference must mention are author, publication date, publication name and source (e.g. website name or publisher). This goes for online journal articles with one or multiple authors as well as narrative citations and webpages.

Conclusion

APA is one of the most common referencing staples used in academic writing. Whether you necessarily like it or not, you will use it, or at least come in contact with it, at some point.

You can get help online by using an APA citation machine for more complicated examples like an article title with only the first word capitalized or double quotation marks.

Memorizing the basic principles of referencing and citation will save you a lot of headaches during your education course. However, remember that you can always use resources like Studyfy to help you with those pesky references.