APA Reference Page: Format and Examples

The American Psychological Association (APA) style is widely used in academic writing, particularly in the social sciences, and one of the essential components of this style is the APA reference page. This page, formatted according to APA guidelines, lets readers locate, trace, and verify the sources cited in a research paper. Understanding the APA format reference page is essential for maintaining credibility and academic integrity in an APA style document. 

But what exactly is an APA reference page? How do you format it? What are the key elements to include? This blog post will provide a comprehensive guide to creating an APA style reference page, with step-by-step instructions. We’ll also explore APA style reference examples, alphabetization rules, and how to make sure your references meet the required standards.  

Whether you are new to APA style or looking for a refresher, this blog post will be useful because it will guide you through the format and examples of an APA reference page, answering critical questions such as what is APA format for references and APA style reference examples. By familiarizing yourself with the principles of APA format references, you will enhance your academic writing and also ensure that your work adheres to professional standards. 

What is a Reference Page?

As an academic, you might be well-versed with the importance of crediting the source of information, idea, or data from another source. Proper citation of references is crucial as it acknowledges the intellectual contributions of other scholars and allows readers to verify sources and claims. Additionally, citations help demonstrate how your work builds upon existing knowledge while avoiding plagiarism and supporting academic integrity. 

You “cite” studies by linking the relevant text in your paper to an in-text citation to a reference. A reference page is a section at the end of an academic paper that lists all the sources cited in the text. Each source cited in your paper must appear in the reference list, and each entry in the reference list must be cited in your text. Thus, a reference page provides complete bibliographic information for each source, enabling readers to locate them easily. 

Different style guides follow different formats for citation and reference pages. It is important for researchers to learn how to make a reference page, APA style being a prominent one. The latest edition of the APA Style Manual is the APA 7th edition, which was introduced in 2019. Let us examine what is APA format for references and look at some APA style reference examples. 

APA Reference Page

An APA format reference page provides an exhaustive list of all the works cited in a paper, presented in the recommended APA reference style. In a nutshell, an APA reference page contains the following (see Figure 1): 

• The title “References” in bold and in the center at the top of the page
• Double-spaced text throughout
• A hanging indent for each entry
• Alphabetical arrangement of cited works by author surname

How to Set up an APA Reference Page

The APA reference page follows specific formatting rules outlined in the 7th edition of the APA Style Manual. Each entry on this page corresponds to an in-text citation in your paper.  

To set up an APA style reference page, follow these guidelines to ensure accuracy: 

• Place the reference list on a separate page after the main text but before any appendices.
• Center and bold the title “References” at the top of the page.
• Double-space all entries.
• Apply a hanging indent (half an inch) for every entry.
• Arrange references alphabetically by the last name of the first author.
• Ensure that every source cited in the text appears in this list.

APA Alphabetization Guidelines

Alphabetizing entries on your APA format reference page ensures clarity and ease of use. The following guidelines will prove useful when you set out to alphabetize your APA reference page. Remember that you need to arrange entries alphabetically by the last name of the first author. But it is not as simple as it sounds. Note the specific APA style reference examples below, which will clarify what to do in certain tricky or exceptional situations. 

Single-author papers

In an APA reference page, arrange works based on the publication date, listing the oldest source first. Studies with no date come before those with a date, and papers that are “In press” are listed last. 

• Marin, A (n.d.)
• Marin, A. (2022)
• Marin, A. (in press)

Multiple papers by the same author

Order works chronologically (earliest first). 

• Rizvi, A. A. (2012)
• Rizvi, A. A. (2015)

Multiple-author papers

In an APA reference page, if the first author is the same, but the other authors are different, order the references based on the second author’s last name. If the second author is also the same, then arrange the references based on the name of the third author, and so on. One-author works come before multiple-author works. 

• Koh, Y
• Koh, Y., & Green, S.
• Koh, Y., Green, S., & Singh, J.

Different authors with the same last name

Arrange works by different authors with the same last name based on their initials, e.g., Sharma, G. precedes Sharma, S. K. 

Same author and same publication year

Provide a lowercase letter after the publication year. These letters are assigned sequentially when the references are placed in the reference list, e.g., Ronaldo, C. (1999a) precedes Ronaldo, C. (1999b). 

No listed author

If there is no author for a paper, alphabetize by the source title, which is placed in the author position in your APA reference page. Disregard “a,” “an,” and “the” appearing at the beginning of the title. If the title starts with a numeral, alphabetize it according to the spelled-out word. 

• The doomscrolling phenomenon (alphabetize by the D of “Doomscrolling”)
• 6 ways to improve mindfulness (alphabetize by the S of “Six”)

Names with apostrophes, hyphens, parentheses, etc.

Disregard apostrophes and hyphens in two-word names. 

• O’Donnell, G. precedes Olambe, M.
• Yeun, C.-J. precedes Yeun, C. P.

Papers by people with the same first and last name but with a suffix, e.g., Jr., Sr., I, II, III, are ordered chronologically, with the oldest first. 

• Burgess, A., Sr. precedes Burgess, A., Jr.
• Trenton, K., II precedes Trenton, K., III

Which Sources to Include in the APA Reference Page

The APA reference page should include all sources cited in your paper. Each entry must correspond directly to an in-text citation. These sources can be books, journal articles, websites, reports, and even audiovisual materials (e.g., YouTube videos). 

Which Sources are Not Included in the APA Reference Page

Coming to what not to include in an APA reference page, remember that you must only include references for sources cited in the body text. You should not include sources that you only consulted, general mentions of websites or periodicals, common knowledge, or personal communications. Personal communications include in-person conversations, telephone conversations, emails or text messages, online chats, memos and letters. 

APA Annotated Bibliography

An annotated bibliography is a list of sources, such as books, journals, articles, or websites, providing “annotations” or descriptive accounts for each source. The format of an annotated bibliography can vary depending on the style guide used, such as APA, MLA, or Chicago.  

In APA style references, an annotated bibliography follows standard formatting rules but with additional annotations beneath each entry (see Figure 2). The annotations appear on a new line below the corresponding reference entry. The entire annotation is indented 0.5 inches.  

 

How to Make a Reference Page in APA

To create a list of APA style references list, note the following steps. 

• Start the APA reference page on a fresh page at the end of the text.
• At the top of the page, the label “References” (not “Works Cited,” “Bibliography,” or “Reference List”) is typed in bold and centered. Note that if the reference list includes only one reference, the label “Reference” (singular) may be used.
• Each reference is entered as a single paragraph, justified to the left margin.
• The references are alphabetized according to the first word of the reference (typically the last name of the first author).
• A half-inch hanging indent is applied to the whole reference list. Note that every line after the first line is indented but not the first line itself (see Figure 1).
• The entire APA format reference page should be double-spaced, without adding extra spaces between references.
• All the studies cited in the text should be included in the reference list. Likewise, all studies listed in the reference list must be cited in the text. If you realize that a study is not cited, you will either add information from the work and cite it or delete the reference from the list.
• On all pages of the reference list, page numbers should appear in the top right corner.
• Author names are inverted; the surname is followed by the given first names d as initials with a period (Durrell, G. for Gerald Durrell).
• If a source has more than one author, list the names in the order they are given by the source. Use commas in between names and place an ampersand symbol (&) before the last author.
• Titles in the reference list are written in sentence case, not title case. That means only the first letter is capitalized (e.g., An immense world).

APA Reference Page Examples

As a researcher, you will refer to a diverse array of sources for your academic articles. You read above that some of these are to be included in the reference list, whereas some are not. However, the various sources meant to be include in an APA reference page are formatted differently. The following examples will guide you when you need to format sources in your APA reference page: 

• Journal article in an APA reference page: Author’s last name, Author’s first initial. (Year published). Title of the article. Journal name, issue number, page or page range, URL.

Example: Parikh, D., & Petrie, C. A. (2019). ‘We are inheritors of a rural civilisation’: rural complexity and the ceramic economy in the Indus Civilisation in northwest India. World Archaeology, 51(2), 252-272. https://doi.org/10.1080/00438243.2019.1601463 

• YouTube video in an APA reference page: Author’s last name, Author’s first initial. (Year, Month Day). Video title [Video]. YouTube. URL.

Example: NASA. (2020, July 20). Apollo 11: The mission that changed the world [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BgXRccS7va0 

• Book in an APA reference page: Author, A. A. (Year of Publication). Title of work: Subtitle if applicable. Publisher.

Example: Renfrew, C., & Bahn, P. (2016). Archaeology: Theories, methods, and practice. Thames & Hudson 

• e-book in an APA reference page: Author’s last name, Author’s first initial. (Year of Publication). Title of the eBook. Publisher. URL or DOI

Example: Smith, J. A. (2020). Understanding psychology: A comprehensive guide. Psychology Press. https://www.psychologypress.com/understanding-psychology 

• Website in an APA reference page: Author’s last name, Author’s first initial. (Year, Month Day of publication). Title of article or post. Website name. URL with active https link

Example: American Psychological Association. (2023). APA’s response to the global climate change crisis. https://www.apa.org/about/policy/climate-change-crisis 

• Newspaper article (online) in an APA reference page: Author’s last name, Author’s first initial. (Year, Month Day published). Title of the article. Newspaper name. URL.

Example: Singh, C. (2022, May 24). Spring never came to India this year. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/24/opinion/india-heat-wave-climate-change.html  

• Newspaper article (in print) in an APA reference page: Author’s last name, Author’s first initial. (Year, Month Day published). Title of the article. Newspaper name, page or page range.

Example: Singh, C. (2022, May 29). Spring never came to India this year. The New York Times, SR2.  

Key Takeaways

• Understanding how to create an accurate and well-formatted APA style reference page is essential for academic success, especially in the social sciences.
• APA format references must be consistent with in-text citations.
• Adhere strictly to formatting rules, such as double-spacing and hanging indents.
• Use proper alphabetization guidelines for clarity.
• Include only sources cited in your paper.

Mastering these principles will ensure that your work adheres to professional standards while presenting your research transparently. By following these guidelines, you will be able to create a polished and professional-looking APA reference page. 

Frequently Asked Questions

How should the reference page be formatted?

Different academic journals and institutions follow different style guides or house styles. A reference page in a paper or thesis must be formatted according to the recommended style. If your department follows the APA style, the reference page in your thesis must be in APA style. References meant to meet the formatting guidelines of MLA, Chicago Manual of Style, and so on, will need to be formatted accordingly.

What is APA format for references?

The APA format for references requires double-spacing, hanging indents, and alphabetical arrangement by author surname.

How do I format multiple authors in an APA reference page?

In an APA reference page, arrange each source alphabetically by authors’ last names. Names are written as follows for each author: [Last name] [comma] [given name initials separated by periods], e.g.: Dillon, M. A., LaGuerta, J., Augustine, G. A. If the first author is the same, but subsequent authors are different, order the references based on the second author’s last name, e.g.: Ora, R., Shelby, A. M., Warner, P. P. Ora, R., Talbot, R. If the second author is also identical, then alphabetize by the third author, and so on.

Is it necessary to double-space the reference page?

Yes, the APA reference page should have double-spaced text. This applies to the annotated bibliography as well.

Do I need to include URLs for online sources?

Yes, for online sources in an APA reference page, the URL must be provided.

How to cite references for studies included in a meta-analysis in APA format references?

In APA style references, references for studies included in a meta-analysis should be included alphabetically in the reference list and not in a separate list. In APA format references, an asterisk is placed at the beginning of each reference list entry that was included in the meta-analysis. Further, on the first page of the reference list, below the label “References,” a statement such as “References with an asterisk indicate studies included in the meta-analysis” is to be added. References included in the meta-analysis do not have to be cited in the text. Note that in-text citations that correspond to these references do not include asterisks.

Are personal communications included in the APA reference page?

Personal communications, which cannot be retrieved, are cited in the text only. Similarly, general mentions of websites simply require a link in the text and need not be included in the APA reference page.

Is title case or sentence case used for titles in the APA reference page?

Note that article titles are provided in sentence case rather than in title case in APA format references, i.e., only the first word and any proper nouns in the title are capitalized, e.g., “Spring never came to India this year” (and not “Spring Never Came to India This Year”).

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