What Is Apa Citation Format?

APA Citation Style Citation Styles LibGuides at College of Charleston from libguides.library.cofc.edu

APA citation format, also known as the American Psychological Association (APA) style, is one of the most popular methods used to cite sources in the humanities, social sciences, and sciences. It was first developed in 1929 by a group of American psychologists, anthropologists, and business managers. The style is used in academic writing, particularly in the social sciences, and is often used to cite published articles, books, and other research materials. In this article, we will explain what the APA citation format is and how to use it correctly.

What is APA Citation Format Used For?

The primary purpose of APA citation format is to give credit to the original authors of a work by providing a reference to the original source. It is a system that allows authors to easily give credit to other authors for their work, as well as to provide readers with a way to find out more information about the sources used in the article or book. In addition to giving credit, citation formats also help to make the writing process easier by providing a standard way to organize information. This makes it easier for readers to find the source of information in the article or book.

How to Format an APA Citation?

When formatting an APA citation, it is important to ensure that all of the elements are included and that it is written in a consistent format. An APA citation typically consists of four elements: the author’s name, the publication year, the title of the work, and the URL or DOI of the source. It is also important to note that the year should be written in the same format throughout the citation, with the year always written as four digits. For example, 2021 should be written as “2021,” and not as “21.”

Examples of APA Citation Format

To help you understand how the APA citation format works, here are a few examples:

Journal Article:
Last name, First initial. Middle initial. (Year). Title of article. Journal Name, Volume(Issue), pages.
Book:
Last name, First initial. Middle initial. (Year). Title of book. City, State, Country: Publisher.
Website:
Last name, First initial. Middle initial. (Year). Title of page or article. Retrieved from URL

For example, an APA citation for an article published in a journal might look like this:

Smith, J.M. (2021). The impact of technology on education. Journal of Education, 34(3), 156-167.

An APA citation for a book might look like this:

Smith, J.M. (2021). The future of education. New York, NY: HarperCollins.

And an APA citation for a website might look like this:

Smith, J.M. (2021). The benefits of technology in the classroom. Retrieved from https://example.com/benefits-of-technology-in-the-classroom

Conclusion

APA citation format is a useful and widely used method of citing sources in the humanities, social sciences, and sciences. It is important to ensure that all of the elements of the citation are included, and that the year is written in the same format throughout the citation. By using the APA citation format correctly, authors are able to give credit to the original authors of a work, as well as provide readers with a way to find out more information about the sources used in the article or book.