Why Cite Sources?
Avoid Plagiarizing: You must cite any direct quotation, summary, or paraphrase of any idea or fact from your research. Citing sources is giving credit to the original author and publication where you found the information. Not citing sources is plagiarism and you may be subject to academic discipline.
Lend Authority to Your Paper: By referencing the work of scholars and other professionals, you demonstrate that your own research is based on solid, reliable information and that you are capable of critical thinking by being able to synthesize that research into your own.
Provide a Path: By citing sources, you provide the information readers of your paper need in order to locate the same sources that you did.
Acknowledge Other's Work: Part of your research is built upon the research of other people. It is respectful and fair to give them credit for their hard work (just as you would hope someone would give you credit if they were quoting your own work!)
APA (American Psychological Association) Style is used in Social Science disciplines, like Psychology and Education. Always consult your assignment or ask your instructor for the correct citation style to use
Basic Format - PARAPHRASING:
(Author's Last Name, Date of Publication)
Basic Format - DIRECT QUOTATIONS
(Author's Last Name, Date of Publication, p. #)
| Explanation | Example |
|---|---|
|
Chocolate is often viewed as a junk food, but its value as unique nutritional source should not be underestimated. In fact, a survey of early South Pole explorer diaries shows that larger chocolate rations “may have been a deciding factor between Roald Amundsen’s successful trek to the South Pole and the fatal attempt by Robert Scott” (West, 2009, p. 110). The fact that chocolate was not seen as a frivolity, but deemed important enough staple to pack on these grueling expeditions is a testament to its value in the human diet. Also, there is the more modern comparison that M&M’s chocolate candies were chosen for military expeditions in World War II because they were an energy boosting snack that also did not easily melt (Mirrer, 2018). |
One Author
(Last Name, year).
Two Authors
(Last Name & Last Name, year).
Three or more Authors
(Last Name, et al., year).
Strong, et al. (1999) compared marital fidelity...
No Author
(“Shortened Title,” year).
...incidence of drought increased 10% (“Weather Patterns,” 2009).
[full title = “Weather patterns wreak havoc for Oklahoma farmers”]
No Date
(Last Name, n.d.).
...Orissi dance has undergone a major revival since the 1950s (Gupta, n.d.)
With Page Number
(Last Name, year, p. #).
With No Page Number
(Last Name, year, name of section heading or para. #).
[if possible include heading names or paragraph numbers to help readers locate the passage]
Secondary Source: when your source quotes from another, secondary source
(Secondary Source, year, as cited in Your Source, year, p. #).
Example sources:
Follow guidelines for citing source type and add letters (a, b, c...etc.) after date
| Example |
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022a). Measles. https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/diseases/measles Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022b). Mumps. https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/diseases/mumps World Health Organization. (n.d.-a). Tracking SARS-CoV-2 variants. https://www.who.int/activities/tracking-SARS-CoV-2-variants World Health Organization. (n.d.-b). https://www.who.int/campaigns/vaccine-equity |
| In-Text Paraphrase |
(Author, Year, letter) Example: (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2023b) Example: (World Health Organization, n.d.-a) |
| In-Text Quote |
(Author, Year, letter, page number or para.) Example: (College of Nurses of Ontario, 2023b, para. 5) Example: (World Health Organization, n.d-a, section 4, para. 2) |
from APA Manual Seventh Edition 8.19, 9.47
One Author
Two Authors
Three or more Authors
Strong, et al. (1999) compared marital fidelity...
No Author
...incidence of drought increased 10% (“Weather Patterns,” 2009).
[full title = “Weather patterns wreak havoc for Oklahoma farmers”]
No Date
...Orissi dance has undergone a major revival since the 1950s (Gupta, n.d.)
With Page Number
With No Page Number
“Visualization techniques have proven effective for breast cancer patients” (Smith, 1997, Mind over Matter section, para. 6).
[if possible include heading names or paragraph numbers to help readers locate the passage]
References List
List the first nineteen authors followed by three spaced ellipse points (. . .) , and then the last author's name.
| Example |
Kalnay, E., Kanamitsu, M., Kistler, R., Collins, W., Deaven, D., Gandin, L., Iredell, M., Sha, S., White, G., Woollen, J., Zhu, Y., Chelliah, M., Ebisuzaki, W., Higgins, W., Janowiak, J., Mo, K. C., Ropepelewski, C., Wang, J., Leetmaa, A., ... Joesph, D. (1996). The NCEP/NCAR 40-year reanalysis project. Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, 77(3), 437-471. https://doi.org/fg6rf9 |
| In-Text Paraphrase |
(First author's last name et al., Year) Example: (Nilsson et al., 2016) |
| In-Text Quote |
(First author's last name et al., Year, p. Page number quote is from) Example: (Nilsson et al., 2016, p. 103) |
