APA Citation Style 7th Edition

American Psychological Association (APA) style is commonly used for citing references in science and social science courses, such as Nursing, Psychology, Education, and Social Work.

This guide is based on the APA Manual (7th ed.), published in October 2019.

Why bother with citation? Check out our Academic Integrity Guide for a quick introduction!

In all types of research and scholarly writing, it is important to cite your sources in order to:

• Help readers identify and locate the source you used.

Readers may want to locate the source you have cited, to verify the information or to learn more about the topic. A proper citation includes all of the information for readers to locate the source.

• Provide evidence that your position is well-researched.

Scholarly writing is grounded in research. Citations strengthen your argument by demonstrating that your position is thoroughly researched.

• Give credit to the author of ideas which are not your own, and thereby avoid plagiarism.

Giving proper credit to those whose ideas, words, and thoughts you use is not only respectful to those authors, but also helps you avoid plagiarism. Plagiarism is a serious academic offense, usually consisting of "the submission by a student of the writings, ideas or data of another individual as the student’s own in any essay or assignment. Avoid the consequences of plagiarism by giving proper references to your sources” (from the RDP Academic Terminology Glossary).

Citation tools can help quickly generate and manage your citations. Remember to double-check citations for accuracy. Some tools to try: