When citing print sources other than books in APA format, the most important thing to keep in mind is that the reader needs to be able to accurately reference the source. For periodicals like journals, magazines, and newspapers, provide the author(s)’ last name and initials, publication year, article title in sentence case and italics, journal or magazine title in title case and italics, volume number italicized, issue number in parentheses, page range, and DOI or URL if available.
Newspaper articles follow a similar format but omit the volume and issue numbers, including only the page range. For articles retrieved from databases, provide the DOI or URL instead of the database name. For non-periodical print sources such as reports, brochures, and pamphlets, include the author(s)’ last name and initials, publication year, title in sentence case and italics, publication or organization as the publisher, and the URL if available.
Citing Abstracts
Cite abstracts by providing the author(s)’ last name and initials, publication year, title of the abstract in sentence case and within quotation marks, title of the periodical in italics, volume number italicized, issue number in parentheses, page range, and DOI or URL if available.
Format:
Author, A. A. (Year). “Title of abstract.” Journal Title, Volume(Issue), page range. DOI or URL
Examples:
- Smith, J. A. (2020). “The role of social support in mental health outcomes.” Journal of Counseling Psychology, 35(2), 123-135. https://doi.org/10.1234/jcp.2020.35.2.123
- Johnson, L. R., & Lee, M. (2018). “Effects of mindfulness meditation on stress reduction.” Mindfulness Quarterly, 12(3), 45-56.
- Brown, T. M. (2019). “Parental involvement and academic achievement in adolescents.” Educational Psychology Review, 8(4), 78-91.
Citing Dictionaries (entire)
Cite dictionaries by listing the author(s) or editors, publication year, title of the dictionary in italics, edition if applicable, publisher, and URL if retrieved online.
Format:
Author or Editor, A. A. (Ed.). (Year). Title of Dictionary (Edition). Publisher. URL
Examples:
- Smith, J. A. (Ed.). (2021). Oxford English Dictionary (2nd ed.). Oxford University Press. https://www.example.com/oed
- Johnson, L. R., & Lee, M. (Eds.). (2019). Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary (11th ed.). Merriam-Webster.
- Brown, T. M. (Ed.). (2020). Cambridge Dictionary of Psychology. Cambridge University Press.
Citing Dictionary Entries
When citing dictionary entries in APA format, provide the author(s) of the entry (if available), publication year, title of the entry in sentence case, title of the dictionary in italics, edition if applicable, publisher, and URL if retrieved online.
Format: Author, A. A. (Year). Title of entry. In Title of Dictionary (Edition). Publisher. URL
Examples:
- Merriam-Webster. (2021). Social distancing. In Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary (11th ed.). Merriam-Webster. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/social%20distancing
- Oxford University Press. (2019). Algorithm. In Oxford English Dictionary (2nd ed.). Oxford University Press.
- American Psychological Association. (2020). Bipolar disorder. In APA Dictionary of Psychology (2nd ed.). American Psychological Association.
Citing Government Reports
Cite government reports by providing the author(s), publication year, title of the report in sentence case and italics, report number if available, publisher, and URL if available.
Format:
Author, A. A. (Year). Title of Report (Report No. xxx). Publisher. URL
Examples:
- United States Department of Health and Human Services. (2020). Healthy People 2030. Report No. HHS-XXX-XX-XXXX. U.S. Government Printing Office. https://www.example.com/healthy2030
- National Institute of Mental Health. (2019). Mental Health in America: National Report. NIMH-XXXX. National Institute of Mental Health.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2018). Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS). Report No. 2018-XXX. CDC.
Citing Journals
Cite journal articles by listing the author(s)’ last name and initials, publication year, article title in sentence case and italics, journal title in title case and italics, volume number italicized, issue number in parentheses, page range, and DOI or URL if available.
Format:
Author, A. A. (Year). Article title. Journal Title, Volume(Issue), page range. DOI or URL
Examples:
- Smith, J. A. (2021). The impact of social media on mental health. Journal of Psychology, 15(3), 45-58. https://doi.org/10.1234/jpsy.2021.15.3.45
- Johnson, L. R., & Lee, M. (2019). Trends in digital marketing. Journal of Marketing Research, 28(2), 112-125.
- Brown, T. M., et al. (2020). Consumer behavior in the digital age. Journal of Consumer Psychology, 5(1), 32-45.
Citing Laws and Statutes
Cite laws and statutes by providing the title of the statute in italics, the publication year in parentheses, the abbreviated title of the code in italics, the section number if applicable, and the URL if available.
Format:
Title of Statute, Volume Source § Section Number (Year). URL
Examples:
- Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, 42 U.S.C. § 12101 et seq. (1990). https://www.example.com/ada1990
- Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990, 42 U.S.C. §§ 7401-7671q (1990).
- Civil Rights Act of 1964, Pub. L. No. 88-352, 78 Stat. 241 (1964).
Citing Magazines
Cite magazine articles by listing the author(s)’ last name and initials, publication year, article title in sentence case and within quotation marks, magazine title in title case and italics, volume and issue number if available, page range, and DOI or URL if available.
Format:
Author, A. A. (Year). “Article title.” Magazine Title, Volume(Issue), page range. DOI or URL
Examples:
- Smith, J. A. (2020). “The art of storytelling.” National Geographic, 150(2), 36-41.
- Johnson, L. R., & Lee, M. (2018). “The future of technology.” Time Magazine, 195(10), 24-29.
- Brown, T. M. (2019). “Healthy living tips.” Health & Fitness, 5(3), 58-61.
Citing Newspapers
Cite newspaper articles by listing the author(s)’ last name and initials, publication year, article title in sentence case and within quotation marks, newspaper title in title case and italics, section letter or number if available, page range, and DOI or URL if available.
Format:
Author, A. A. (Year). “Article title.” Newspaper Title, page range. DOI or URL
Examples:
- Smith, J. A. (2022). “Climate change concerns rise.” The New York Times, p. A1.
- Johnson, L. R., & Lee, M. (2020). “Tech giants face antitrust scrutiny.” The Wall Street Journal, p. B4.
- Brown, T. M. (2019). “Economic outlook for the year ahead.” Financial Times, pp. 10-11.
Citing Print Ads
Cite print ads by providing the advertiser, publication year, title or description of the advertisement in sentence case and within quotation marks, publication or magazine title in title case and italics, page number, and URL if available.
Format:
Advertiser. (Year). “Advertisement title or description.” Publication Title, page number. URL
Examples:
- Coca-Cola. (2021). “Share a Coke with Friends.” Time Magazine, p. 25.
- Apple Inc. (2020). “Introducing the New iPhone.” The New York Times, p. 12.
- Nike. (2019). “Just Do It.” Sports Illustrated, p. 8.
Citing Theses & Dissertations
Cite theses and dissertations by listing the author, publication year, title in sentence case and italics, type of document in brackets, academic institution, and URL if available.
Format:
Author, A. A. (Year). Title of dissertation or thesis [Type of document, Name of Institution]. URL
Examples:
- Smith, J. A. (2020). The Effects of Exercise on Mental Health [Doctoral dissertation, University of California, Los Angeles]. https://www.example.com/exercisementalhealth
- Johnson, L. R. (2019). Social Media Usage Patterns among Adolescents [Master’s thesis, Stanford University].
- Brown, T. M. (2018). Understanding Consumer Behavior in Online Shopping [Doctoral dissertation, Harvard University].
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