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APA Style 7th Quick Guide

Updated July 2020
What is APA? What does APA style mean?
APA stands for the American Psychological Association and is a particular style or format (a set of rules,
essentially) for structuring an essay or a research paper in the social and behavioral sciences. The style helps
your professor see exactly where you found the research that you add to the paper and lays out exactly how
the paper should look (margins, titles, page numbers, etc.).

How do I write my paper in APA style?

If you have never used APA before, we recommend that you speak with your professor or visit the
writing center or library for one-on-one assistance. You can visit the library online at library.csn.edu and
the writing center at www.csn.edu/writing-centers. Note: the writing centers are also integrated in
Smarthinking’s online tutoring service within Canvas online courses.

You can also follow this quick guide’s instructions to help you make your paper follow the rules of an APA paper.
More detailed instructions are available at http://libguides.csn.edu/APA. Note: This guide is for the APA 7th
edition, which was released October of 2019.

How should I start?

Step 1 – Set up the paper’s format for an APA paper before you start to write. See our example at the end of
this guide, or talk to a librarian or writing center assistant.

Step 2 - Before you begin to write the essay, make a list of all the resources you have found through research
that you will use (cite) in the essay. This page is called the References page and it will be on a
separate page and the last page of the paper.

Step 3 – Write a rough draft of the essay and mark where you use information (ideas, quotations, or
paraphrasing) from a resource. This is called in-text citation. See examples in Part 2 of this guide.

For the
7th Edition
of APA

Gather your
sources and let’s
get started!
Part 1: Reference Page Citations

The References page lists the long citations for all the sources you will cite in your paper and is included at the
end of your paper. The purpose of a References page is to give the reader all the information needed to find the
sources that you used. All citations are listed alphabetically, by the first piece of information (usually the
author). See the last page of this handout for an example References page.

View the complete guide at: https://libguides.csn.edu/APA library.csn.edu

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ELECTRONIC SOURCES
Items found using an online database (such as those provided by CSN Libraries) and items found on the open
web (such as those you found in a search engine like Google) are cited differently. Look for the correct format.

From Online Library Databases

Online databases accessed through CSN Libraries, such as ProQuest or EBSCO, provide access to information from
journals, magazines, newspapers and other sources. Many online databases have citation tools, which create a
citation for you. However, it is important to review these generated citations and be consistent, especially if using
citations from several different databases. We recommend you consult any specific rules your instructor has as well.

Journal, Scholarly or Peer-Reviewed Article

A DOI (Digital Object Identifier) number is a unique identifier assigned to each article. Think of it like the social
security number for an article, with each article having its own unique DOI. APA uses DOIs in the citations to help the
reader identify the exact article used. A DOI should start with http/https. Use a URL only if a DOI is not available.

FORMAT

Author Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial if Listed. (Year of Publication). Title of article. Name of Journal, Volume

number(Issue number), Inclusive pages. DOI or URL

EXAMPLES

WITH A DOI:

Zhang, L., Peng, P., Wu, Y., Ma, X., Soe, N. N., Huang, X., Wu, H., Markowitz, M., & Meyers, K. (2019). Modelling the

epidemiological impact and cost-effectiveness of PrEP for HIV transmission in MSM in China. AIDS and

Behavior, 23(2), 523-533. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-018-2205-3

WITH A URL:

Dark, D., Barratt, H., Templeton, D. J., O’Connor, C. C., & Gracey, D. M. (2019). Renal function and risk factors for

renal disease for patients receiving HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis at an inner metropolitan health service.

PloS One, 14(1), e0210106.

http://ezproxy.library.csn.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=cmedm&AN

=30653509&site=ehost-live

Magazine/Newspaper Article

FORMAT

Author Last Name, First Initial. (Year, Month of Publication). Title of article. Name of Magazine/Newspaper,

Volume number(Issue number), page numbers.

EXAMPLE

Castillo, B. (2019, April). What nurses really want: Forget hospital swag or meditation rocks! RNs demand safe

staffing, safe workplaces, and guaranteed health care. National Nurse, 115(2), 15.

View the complete guide at: https://libguides.csn.edu/APA library.csn.edu

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eBook
FORMAT

Author Last Name, First Initial. (Year of Publication). Title of book. Publisher. DOI or open access URL (if there is one)

EXAMPLE

Díaz-Loving, R. (2019). Ethnopsychology: Pieces from the Mexican research gallery. Springer International Publishing.

https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-26604-2

Sources from the Open Web

This section contains citation information for things you find freely available on the web. You often find them by using
a search engine, such as Google.

Website
• For a page on a website with an individual author

FORMAT

Author Last Name, First Initial. (Year, Month Day of Publication). Title of webpage. Title of Overall Website. URL

EXAMPLE

Meade, B. (2019, August 20). By 2029, food security is projected to improve in 76 low- and middle-income countries.

USDA. https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2019/08/20/2029-food-security-projected-improve-76-low-and-

middle-income-countries

• For a page on a website with a group author

EXAMPLE

National Aeronautics and Space Administration. (2020, January 8). Goldilocks stars are best places to look for life.

https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2020/goldilocks-stars-are-best-places-to-look-for-life

Online News Article

FORMAT

Author Last Name, First Initial. (Year, Month Day of Publication). Title of article. Name of News Source. URL

EXAMPLE

Torgan, A. (2020, March 12). Children displaced in the Boko Haram conflict are on a path to success thanks to a

school prioritizing peace. CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/12/world/nigeria-boko-haram-conflict-children-

school-cnnheroes/index.html

View the complete guide at: https://libguides.csn.edu/APA library.csn.edu

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Video from the Web (e.g. Youtube or streaming services)

FORMAT

Creator Last Name or Uploader Account. (Year, Month Day). Title of video [Format]. Title of Overall Website. URL

EXAMPLE

PBS. (2018, November 5). The Comanche and the horse: Native America: Sacred stories [Video]. YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRXXvm-zKTY

Post on Social Media (e.g. Twitter)

FORMAT

Author Last Name, First Initial. [@handle]. (Year, Month Day). First 20 words [Format]. Title of Overall Website. URL

EXAMPLE

Pelosi, N. [@SpeakerPelosi]. (2020, January 13). After this weekend’s 6.0 earthquake, we continue to pray for our

fellow American citizens in Puerto Rico. Trump Admin must [Tweet]. Twitter.

https://twitter.com/SpeakerPelosi/status/1216742851926732803

Common Exceptions

• For references with up to 20 authors, include all names.

EXAMPLE

Sapra, N. V., Yang, K. Y., Vercruysse, D., Leedle, K. J., Black, D. S., England, R. J., Su, L., Trivedi, R., Miao, Y.,

Solgaard, O., Byer, R.L., & Vuckovic, J. (2020). On-chip integrated laser-driven particle accelerator. Science,

367(6473), 79-83. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aay5734

• For references with more than 20 authors, include the first 19, an ellipse (…), and then the last author’s name.

EXAMPLE

Goldstein, A., Veres, P., Burns, E., Briggs, M. S., Hamburg, R., Kocevski, D., Wilson-Hodge, C. A., Preece, R. D.,

Poolakkil, S., Roberts, O. J., Hui, C. M., Connaughton, V., Racusin, J., von Kienlin, A., Dal Canton, T.,

Christensen, N. Littenberg, T., Siellez, K. Blackburn, L., . . . Stanbro, M. (2017). An ordinary short gamma-ray

burst with extraordinary implications: Fermi-GBM detection of GRB 170817a. The Astrophysical Journal

Letters, 848(2), 1-14. https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/aa8f41

View the complete guide at: https://libguides.csn.edu/APA library.csn.edu

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• If there is no author: For a book, omit the author and list the title first. For online articles, the site is the author.

EXAMPLE (book with no author)

Diabetes Sourcebook. (2018). Omnigraphics.

EXAMPLE (online article with no author)

National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities. (n.d.). Health information for the public.

https://www.nimhd.nih.gov/resources/health-info.html

• If an organization is responsible for a site’s content and no author is listed, use the organization’s name as author.

EXAMPLE

International Social Science Review. (2018). A question of triumph: Effectively measuring the success of intelligence

against terrorism. 94(1), 1-21.

http://ezproxy.library.csn.edu/login?url=https://search.proquest.com/docview/2124702663?accountid=27953

• If there is no date of publication listed. In its place, write n.d.

EXAMPLE

Field, E. M. (n.d.). Social and emotional resilience. Bully blocking. https://www.bullying.com.au/social-and-emotional-

resilience/index.php

PRINT SOURCES

Book
FORMAT

Author Last Name, First Initial. (Year of Publication). Title of book. Publisher.

EXAMPLE

Rose, P. R. (2018). Health disparities, diversity, and inclusion: Context, controversies, and solutions. Jones & Bartlett

Learning.

Edited Book
Used for books that have an editor and contain sections, such as essays, short stories or poems, by different authors.

FORMAT

Last Name, First Initial of Author of Section. (Year of Publication). Title of section. In First Initial Last Name of Editor

(Ed.), Title of overall book (pp. pages of section). Name of Publisher.

EXAMPLE

Muñoz, M. (2019). Anyone can do it. In A. Doerr (Ed.), The best American short stories 2019 (pp. 182-196). Mariner.

View the complete guide at: https://libguides.csn.edu/APA library.csn.edu

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Part 2: In-Text Citations

When you quote, summarize or paraphrase information found in a source (book, article, etc.), use in-text
citations to give credit to the creator of the information. The purpose of an in-text citation is to help readers find
the source in your References list. In-text citations go directly after your information. There are two types:
Parenthetical citation uses parentheses. Narrative citation uses the author’s name in the sentence.

FORMAT

PARENTHETICAL CITATION:

(Author’s Last Name, year of publication). OR for direct quotations: (Last Name, year of publication, page number).

EXAMPLES

Mexican culture has an important influence on Mexican families (Díaz-Loving, 2019).

“Culture influences the structure and function of families” (Díaz-Loving, 2019, p. 153).

NARRATIVE CITATION:

Díaz-Loving (2019) notes that some scholars confuse gender constructs with stereotypes.

Díaz-Loving (2019) states that “culture influences the structure and function of families” (p. 153).

Common Exceptions

• If there are 2 authors, include both names.

EXAMPLE

(Padilla-Gamez & Díaz-Loving, 2014).

• If there are 3 or more authors, use the first author’s last name followed by et al.

EXAMPLE

(García-Torres et al., 2017).

• If there is a group/organization author with abbreviations, spell out the first citation and use abbreviations after.

EXAMPLE

(American Library Association [ALA], 2020). Then later: (ALA, 2020).

• If there is no author, use the first piece of information from the citation on your References page. For information
from an organization’s website, use the organization name. If there’s no abbreviation, spell out the organization.

EXAMPLE

(Harvard University, 2020).

• For news/magazine/website articles with no author, use the first words of the article’s title in quotation marks.

EXAMPLE

(“Deaf culture, past and present,” 2018).

View the complete guide at: https://libguides.csn.edu/APA library.csn.edu


Part 3: Formatting
Title Page
1 2
Diverse Cultures in American Society
Maria Cruz
College of Southern Nevada
ENG 102: Composition II
Dr. Jane Smith
March 1, 2020
ü Title page should have a page number
and be double spaced. Title is bold,
centered and 3-4 lines down from the top
ü Acceptable fonts are: Times New Roman
(12pt), Calibri (11pt), Arial (11pt), Lucida
Sans Unicode (10pt), Georgia (11pt),
Computer Modern (10pt)
ü After the title, hit enter for a new line for
your name, institution (College of
Southern Nevada), course, professor
name, and due date on each new line
View the complete guide at: https://libguides.csn.edu/APA
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Sample APA Paper
Essay References
8
Diverse Cultures in American Society
References
America is made of a variety of diverse cultures, each with their own
Díaz-Loving, R. (2019). Ethnopsychology: Pieces from the Mexican research
traditions. From food to music to stories, these permeated into American
gallery. Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-
society and influence many behaviors of modern Americans. This essay looks
26604-2
at examples of Mexican, Korean, and Native American culture in the U.S.
Korean hip hop. (2018). In T. Riggs (Ed.). St. James Encyclopedia of Hip Hop
Looking first at Mexican culture, we can see how “culture influences the
Culture (p. 237). St. James Press.
structure and function of families” (Díaz-Loving, 2019, p. 153). It is not
PBS. (2018, November 5). The Comanche and the horse: Native America: Sacred
uncommon for younger members of a Mexican household to live in the same
stories [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRXXvm-zKTY
house as their parents until marriage. We see this happen in modern when
Pelosi, N. [@SpeakerPelosi]. (2020, January 13). After this weekend’s 6.0
college students choose to live at home instead of go away to college at age 18
earthquake, we continue to pray for our fellow American citizens in Puerto Rico.
because of the support offered at home. As Díaz-Loving (2019) states, it’s also
Trump Admin must [Tweet]. Twitter.
important to think about economic, political, and social variables when talking
https://twitter.com/SpeakerPelosi/status/1216742851926732803
about family in Mexican culture. These guide family life and affect the
development of personality, not unlike aspects of culture in other societies.
There are examples of activities that shape personality in Korean culture as
well. Looking at music and dance, we see hip hop especially seeped into
mainstream Korean culture (Korean hip hop, 2018). Family life comes into
play here as “young adults admired and mimicked the hip hop fashion, dance,
and music…to set themselves apart from the older generation” (Korean hip
hop, 2018, p. 238).
ü Continue the page numbering and double ü Continue the page numbering and double
spacing throughout the paper spacing on your references page
ü Repeat and center the full title of your ü Type “References” in bold, centered at
essay, also in bold here the top of the page
ü Include in-text citations in the body of ü List all entries alphabetically, and if the
your paper citation has more than one line, indent
the rest of the lines (this is called a
“hanging indent”)
library.csn.edu