How to Reference in APA 7th Edition
Quick answer: APA 7th edition uses an author–date system: cite the author and year in the text, e.g. (Smith, 2020, p. 14), and list full details in an alphabetical reference list. APA is the standard for psychology, education and many social sciences in the UK.
What is APA 7th edition?
APA (American Psychological Association) style is the dominant referencing system in psychology, education, nursing and the social sciences. The 7th edition (2020) is the current version and simplified several rules from the 6th.
Unlike Harvard, APA is a single published standard, so the rules are consistent across institutions — though your department may still add local requirements.
In-text citations
- Paraphrase: (Smith, 2020).
- Direct quote: (Smith, 2020, p. 14).
- Two authors: (Smith & Jones, 2020) — use ‘and’ in the sentence, & in brackets.
- Three or more authors: (Smith et al., 2020) from the first citation.
- Group author: (World Health Organization [WHO], 2021) first, then (WHO, 2021).
Reference list format
| Source | APA 7th format |
|---|
| Book | Surname, I. (Year). Title of book (edn.). Publisher. |
| Journal article | Surname, I. (Year). Title of article. Journal Name, Volume(Issue), pages. https://doi.org/xxxx |
| Website | Author/Group. (Year, Month Day). Title of page. Site Name. URL |
Worked examples
Book: Gross, R. (2020). Psychology: The science of mind and behaviour (8th ed.). Hodder.
Journal: Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (2000). Self-determination theory. American Psychologist, 55(1), 68–78. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.55.1.68
Key APA 7th changes to know
- Publisher location is no longer required.
- Up to 20 authors are listed in full in the reference list.
- ‘et al.’ is used from the first in-text citation for three or more authors.
- DOIs are presented as full https links.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is APA the same as Harvard?
Both are author–date systems, but APA is a single published standard with fixed rules, while Harvard varies by university. Formatting details (punctuation, ampersands, italics) differ.
When do I use ‘et al.’ in APA 7th?
For three or more authors, use the first author’s surname followed by ‘et al.’ from the very first citation.
Do I need a DOI?
Include a DOI whenever one is available for journal articles; present it as a full https link. If there is no DOI, use the URL for online sources.
What goes on the APA reference page?
A page headed ‘References’, double-spaced, alphabetical by surname, with a hanging indent for each entry.
Which subjects use APA in the UK?
Psychology, education, nursing, health sciences and much of the social sciences most commonly require APA.