2020 Success Center
Citation Guide
Based on the Publication Manual of the American
Psychological Association—7th Edition
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Citation Guide – 7
th
Edition
This document covers certain citation formats addressed in the 7
th
edition of the
Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA) but is not a complete
guide. Should you have any questions, please contact the CSU Success Center by email at
[email protected] or by phone at (877) 875-0533.
For all rules and requirements of APA, please refer to the 7
th
edition of the Publication
Manual of the American Psychological Association, which can be purchased through the
American Psychological Association at https://apastyle.apa.org/products/publication-manual-
7th-edition/.
The Writing Center also provides an accompanying tutorial for the CSU Citation
Guide. This tutorial provides further explanation on several APA formatting topics:
Citation Guide Tutorial.
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Contents
What is APA format and why is it used? ............................................................................................... 4
Citing Sources ...................................................................................................................................... 5
Citations in In-text .................................................................................................................................... 5
Examples of in-text citations ............................................................................................................... 6
Example of block quote in-text citation .............................................................................................. 7
Reference List ........................................................................................................................................... 7
Examples of reference list entries ....................................................................................................... 8
Selecting Appropriate Research Sources ............................................................................................... 12
Formatting ......................................................................................................................................... 12
Document formatting in APA style ........................................................................................................ 12
Steps for document formatting ............................................................................................................. 13
Specific formatting steps for documents .............................................................................................. 16
Library Resources and Services for CSU Students ............................................................................... 17
Sample Essay ..................................................................................................................................... 18
Sample Research Paper ...................................................................................................................... 19
References ......................................................................................................................................... 20
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What is APA Format and Why is it Used?
The American Psychological Association is a professional organization representing
psychologists in the United States. APA format is a set of rules developed to assist with writing
and the citing of sources. Following the rules laid out in the Publication Manual helps to
prevent plagiarism and acknowledges the original author of the information used. It is meant
to provide a concise and standardized citation format for written assignments (such as essays,
research papers, and article critiques, among others) and is used for all Columbia Southern
University courses.
In educational institutions, academic integrity is an area of great concern. Academic
integrity refers to being intellectually honest by “avoiding… cheating, plagiarism, self-
plagiarism, and/or poor scholarship” (Columbia Southern University, 2019, p.28). Adhering to
APA guidelines can prevent academic integrity violations (especially plagiarism) by clearly
marking which words and ideas belong to outside sources. Committing an academic integrity
violation of any kind can have serious consequences.
Plagiarism is the act of stealing someone else’s work and passing it off as one’s own. It
can be deliberate or accidental; deliberate plagiarism includes directly copying, summarizing, or
paraphrasing a source without giving credit to the author or putting it in quotation marks. This
type of plagiarism also includes turning in a paper that has been bought, written by another
student, or copied from another source. Accidental plagiarism is when a writer uses another
author’s thoughts or ideas without realizing credit must be provided. This includes working in
groups and submitting the same answers as other students, forgetting to place quotation marks
around a direct quotation, omitting an in-text citation for a summary or a paraphrase, and
omitting an in-text citation for the ideas of another writer. Accidental plagiarism also includes
submitting an assignment that has already been previously submitted in another course.
Unfortunately, both types of plagiarism can result in a failing grade, suspension from the
university, or even expulsion.
There are a few ways APA can help students avoid plagiarism. The primary way to avoid
it is to cite any ideas that are not one’s own. Citations help readers to locate the sources used in
a paper. Citations should not only be used for direct quotes, but they should also be provided
when information is paraphrased or summarized from another author. Paraphrasing a source’s
material is a good way to avoid copying directly from an outside source and possibly being
reprimanded. If any questions or concerns about APA format, please feel free to contact the
CSU Success Center by email at [email protected] or by phone at (877) 875-
0533.
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Citing Sources
When writing a paper in APA 7
th
edition style, there are two specific ways to cite the
information that is used: within the text and in the reference list at the end of the paper.
Citations are utilized when a phrase, a piece of specific information, or a sequence of sentences
is drawn from an outside source. To meet APA requirements specified for CSU written essay
responses, in-text citations and a reference list must be included if any outside sources are
used. For formal papers, follow all guidelines listed in this handout. For all rules and
requirements of APA, please refer to the 7
th
edition of the Publication Manual of the American
Psychological Association, which can be purchased through the American Psychological
Association at https://apastyle.apa.org/products/publication-manual-7th-edition/.
In-text Citations
• An in-text citation should be used when a phrase, a piece of specific information, or an
idea is drawn from an outside source.
• In-text citations are also required when putting the author’s information in your own
words (paraphrasing).
• Citing helps to prevent plagiarism, and it acknowledges the original author of the
information used.
• In-text citations and reference citations must always correspond; each in-text citation
must have a matching reference citation and vice-versa. APA uses the author-year
method of citation.
• It is standard practice for the period at the end of the sentence to be placed after the
last parentheses of the in-text citation. An exception is made if inserting a direct quote
that contains more than 40 words; in this instance, the period is placed directly before
the in-text citation.
Paraphrased Information
When paraphrasing or summarizing a source, provide the author’s last name and year of
publication (separated by a comma). Page and paragraph numbers are not required when you
are paraphrasing information. However, be sure to consult with your faculty member to
determine his or her preference on adding page numbers in citations.
Direct Quotations
If utilizing a direct quote, this must be indicated by placing the passage in quotation marks.
Further, the specific page or paragraph number is always required. If there is no page or
paragraph number, as is the case for many electronic sources, provide a section heading or
other label to indicate the passage the quote was borrowed from.
For additional information, please see the Writing Center’s In-text Citations Tutorial.
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Examples of in-text citations
Reference
Type
Examples of in-text citations
Paraphrased
information from
one author
It has been found … can be concluded (Simpson, 2007).
According to Simpson (2007), … can cause problems.
Other people say… based on Simpson (2007).
Paraphrased
information from
two authors
There are … at this point (Stemmer & Tisdale, 2008).
Stemmer and Tisdale (2008) mention … a set of styles.
This plan will … according to Stemmer and Tisdale (2008).
Paraphrased
information from
three or more
authors
When stating…. can be located (Padgett et al., 2004).
Padgett et al. (2004) explain … is further noted.
Direct quotation less
than 40 words
“It is amazing…with confidence” (OSHA, 2010, p. 121).
According to Davis and Dudley (2005), “We are…to save” (para. 5).
“What is lost…come at all” (Ingram et al., 2001, pp. 8-9).
Paraphrased
information with no
author listed
When using data … can be seen (“Title of Document,” 2003).
If information is … was conquered (“Driving and Talking,” 2004).
According to “Leadership Versus Management” (2001), … is an art form.
Information from a
secondary source
It can be found … in Stemmer’s work (as cited in Pratt, 2008).
According to Stemmer’s work (as cited in Pratt, 2008), “…” (p. 65).
**Add the page number if you use a direct quote from Stemmer found in Pratt’s work.
Information via
personal
communication
J. M. Newsome (personal communication, May 30, 2008) expressed …
…of time (V. P. DeLuca, personal communication, November 9, 2007).
**Personal communication should only be listed in the in-text, not on the reference list.
Information found in
classical works
…will have everlasting life (King James Bible, 1769/2017, John 3:16).
…as read in the Bible in John 3:16 (King James Bible, 1769/2017).
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Direct Quotations of 40 or more words
Block quotations (quotes that contain 40 words or more) are formatted differently, as they
have no quotation marks. In formal writing, block quotations are acceptable, although their use
should not be in excess. While block quotes are accepted in formal writing, the use of them in
essay responses is not encouraged due to the length of the assignment. Block quotations are
indented an additional .5” and double spaced. The period is placed before the citation.
Block Quotation Example
The solutions proposed by a number of advocacy groups underscore this interest in
political and cultural change. A report outlined trends that may have contributed to the
childhood obesity crisis.
This includes food advertising for children as well as a reduction in physical
education classes and after-school athletic programs, an increase in the availability
of sodas and snacks in public schools, the growth in the number of fast-food outlets,
and the increasing number of highly processed high-calorie and high-fat grocery
products. (Kaiser, 2004, pp. 1-2)
Reference List
The reference list is of the utmost importance, as it allows the reader to access the sources
cited in the in-text and enables the student writer to give credit where credit is due. For this
reason, the references should contain accurate information, as well as proper punctuation and
spelling. References will follow the conclusion of any APA document. For each reference listed,
there will be at least one corresponding in-text citation in the document. Examples of reference
source formatting can be found on the following pages.
• If there is a digital object identifier (DOI) available, include that in the reference. The DOI
is precisely used to give the reader information about where the document can be
found on the Internet. The DOI is typically located near the copyright notice on the first
page of the electronic journal article. In the case that there is no DOI, provide the
homepage URL of the web page where you found the article. (Please note the DOI,
when available, is required in doctoral courses.)
• Multiple citations containing the same author and year should first be listed
chronologically by the specific date (with newer sources being listed first) and then
alphabetically by the title. A lowercase a, b, c, etc. should be placed after the year to
distinguish between the entries. This is also used in the in-text citations. For example:
Smith, J. (2013a, March 8). How to groom cats. Garden Press.
Smith, J. (2013b, January 20). How to groom dogs. Garden Press.
For additional information, please see the Writing Center’s References Tutorial.
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Examples of reference list entries
Reference
List
What to Include
Information and Examples
General
Referencing
Information
• When listing the author on the reference list, the
last name should be first, followed by the
author’s first and middle (if applicable) initials.
For example: Smith, J. R.
• References should be placed in alphabetical order
by the first author’s last name, by associates (if
the work is authorized by an organization), or by
anonymous. Anonymous should only be listed as
the author if it is signed as such.
• If a particular person did not create the document
being cited, use the organization that created the
document.
• The document title can be substituted as the
author if no author is provided. In this case, the
first word of the title will dictate the alphabetical
placement (“a,” “an,” and “the” notwithstanding).
• The letters “n.d.” (no date) can be utilized if the
source listed has no listed date. Substitute “n.d.”
where the date would normally go.
For example: Smith, R. T. (n.d.)…
• Professional credentials, such as Ph. D., should
not be used on the reference page.
• References beginning with numerals should be
alphabetized based on the spelling of the numeral
• States should be identified with their two letter
abbreviations, such as AL, MS, and NY.
• Spell out cities and countries outside the United
States.
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Reference
List
What to Include
Information and Examples
Books
• For titles on the reference list, only capitalize the
first word of the title, proper nouns, and the first
word after a colon or dash.
• Book titles should be italicized within the
reference list.
• For eBooks, use the URL of the homepage if they
are not available for public access.
Book
Author(s). (date of
publication). Book
title. Publisher.
eBook
Author(s). (date of
publication). Book
title. Publisher.
Retrieval
information
Book Example:
Morenberg, M. (2014). Doing grammar (5
th
ed.).
Oxford University Press.
eBook Example:
Thomas, R. L. (2010). Swimming and the effects on
the respiratory system. Random House.
https://amazon.com
Periodicals:
Journals,
magazines,
and
newspaper
articles
• For the name of the actual publication the article
appears in (journal, magazine, or newspaper), use
standard title capitalization. Capitalize all words
with the exception of conjunctions, articles, and
short propositions; however, capitalize all words
that have four letters or more.
• Magazine articles, newsletters, and newspaper
articles require the listing of the entire date when
available (month or month and day).
For example: (2001, May) or (2001, May 2)
• Journal articles and books only require the year.
• For journal articles, there is no need to write out
the words volume, issue, p., or pp. The order of
the numbers indicate what they represent.
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Reference
List
What to Include
Information and Examples
Periodicals:
Journals,
magazines,
and
newspaper
articles
continued
Author(s). (date of
publication). Article
title. Journal Title,
volume (issue), page
numbers.
Retrieval
information.
*Retrieval
information for
online sources can
be either a URL or a
DOI. If neither is
available, treat the
journal like a print
source.
Journal Examples:
Clark, L. B. (2019, April). Education as property.
Virginia Law Review, 105(2), 397-424.
Rouw, R., & Erfanian, M. (2018, March). A large-scale
study of misophonia. Journal of Clinical
Psychology, 74(3), 453-479.
https://doi.org/10.1002/jclp.22500
Smith, J. E. (2003). Addiction and environmental
change. Journal of Personality and Social
Psychology, 66(3), 47-68.
http://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/psp/
Websites
• Do not add a period after the retrieval
information (URL or DOI). Otherwise, the
period might be mistaken as part of the URL.
• The URL can either be an active hyperlink
(blue and underlined), or the hyperlink
formatting can be removed.
•
To ensure accuracy, always test the URL prior
to submission.
•
Italicize the titles of webpages.
Author(s). (date of
publication). Title of
page. Name of
website. Retrieval
information
(including direct
URL)
Website Examples:
Cain, A., & Burris, M. (1999). Investigation of the use
of mobile phones while driving. Center for
Urban Transportation Research.
http://www.cutr.eng.usf.edu/oldpubs
/mobile_phone.pdf
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Reference
List
What to Include
Information and Examples
Websites
continued
Starbucks Coffee Company. (n.d.). Starbucks social
impact. https://starbucks.com/responsibility
If there is not an author listed, you can use the
company that created the website as an
organizational author. If the company and website
names are the same, the name of the website is not
needed again after the title.
PowerPoint
slides
• The PowerPoint format description in brackets is
used because the format is something out of the
ordinary.
• The title of the PowerPoint should be italicized.
Author(s). (date of
publication). Title of
slideshow [Format
of document].
Retrieval
information
PowerPoint Examples:
Sprott, J. C. (2000). Is global warming for real?
[PowerPoint slides]. Popular Lectures.
http://sprott.physics.wisc.edu/
lectures.htm#warming
How to succeed in business [PowerPoint slides].
(n.d.). Columbia Southern University.
http://online.columbiasouthern.edu
/webapps.jsp
If there is no author, list the title of the document in
the author’s position.
Personal
conversations,
emails,
interviews,
and letters
Do not include on
the reference page.
Due to retrieval inability, personal conversations,
emails, interviews, and letters should not be listed on
the reference page. Instead, cite these as a personal
communication in the in-text. For an example, see
the chart on page 6 (information via personal
communication).
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Selecting Appropriate Research Sources
In academic writing, only certain types of resources are considered acceptable. All sources
mentioned in this guide are sources that are considered to be academic. If you have any
questions regarding acceptable and unacceptable sources or how different types of sources can
be used, please contact the CSU Library. Additional information about the CSU Library can be
found on page 17 of this guide.
Formatting
When writing any type of formal paper, the document should have in-text citations and a
reference list, and should be formatted in accordance to APA format. The following are specific
instructions on how to set up a document in APA format using Microsoft Word.
Document formatting in APA style
General
Formatting
Information
Margins
• All margins (top, bottom, and sides) should be set at one inch.
• Microsoft Word allows the user to set the margin at a default of
one inch on all sides.
Page Numbers
• Page numbers should be listed in the top right corner of the
document, beginning on the title page.
Alignment/
Line Spacing
• All documents following APA guidelines are required to be flush-left
style and double-spaced throughout the entire document.
• Additional spacing should not be used between headings and
paragraphs.
Font Type and
Size
• APA font options include the following:
o Times New Roman, size 12
o Calibri, size 11
o Arial, size 11
o Lucida Sans Unicode, size 10
o Georgia, size 11
o Computer Modern, size 10
Paragraph
Indention
• All papers typed in APA format require the first line of each
paragraph to be indented .5”.
• Pressing the Tab button on the keyboard automatically indents the
text .5”.
For additional information, please see the Writing Center’s Formatting Formal Assignments Tutorial.
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Steps for document formatting
Formatting
Steps
Title Page
NOTE: The title page of the document can be thought of as the paper’s first
impression. For this reason, it is important to pay attention to the format
required by APA.
1. The title of the paper (in bold) should be centered on the page and
followed by an extra line of space between the title and other
information. Then, also centered, list the student’s name, the name
of the university, the course, the name of the instructor, and the
due date.
Abstract
NOTE: All papers at CSU do not require an abstract. Please consult the
course syllabus or professor for specifications about this.
1. The abstract tells the audience why they should care about the
presented topic.
2. It provides the methods that will be utilized in order to get the
results.
3. The word “Abstract” will be listed, centered and bold, one inch from
the top of the page as the heading for the abstract.
4. The abstract itself should be flush left and should not be indented.
5. The abstract should be an accurate and concise reflection of the
document’s content.
6. Typically, the abstract should only be one paragraph (150-250
words) in length, with no direct quotations, and be on a page of its
own directly after the title page.
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Formatting
Steps
Headings
1. Headings are titles of different sections of a formal written
assignment.
2. They can be used to add structure, organize ideas, and tell the
reader what content to expect.
3. The following headings should be used when required:
For additional information, please see the Writing Center’s Level Headings Tutorial.
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Formatting
Steps
References
Page
NOTE: At the end of each APA document, there should be a references page
containing the sources used within the paper.
• Every reference cited in-text should be listed on the references
page(s), and every reference listed on the references page(s) should
be cited in the in-text.
• The exceptions to this are personal communications and secondary
sources.
• With secondary sources, only the original source should be cited on
the reference page.
• References are of the utmost importance, as they allow the reader to
access the sources cited in-text, and they enable the author of the
document to give credit where credit is due.
• The references should contain accurate information, as well as proper
punctuation and spelling.
• References will accompany the conclusion of any APA document.
• For each reference listed, there must be at least one corresponding in-
text citation in the document.
• All margins should be one inch.
• The word “References” should be used as the heading, and it should
be centered and bold.
• Double spacing should be used.
• With the exception of the first line of each reference, all lines are
indented .5”. This is called a hanging indention.
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Library Resources and Services for CSU Students
The CSU Library supports the CSU community with access to information and research
assistance. The online collection contains resources chosen to support the programs of study at
Columbia Southern University. Library resources such as journal articles or ebooks can be
accessed at any time through the library website.
The library resources include:
• Online databases that contain a wide variety of resources including journal, magazine,
and newspaper articles.
• A collection of over 180,000 online books in eBook Academic Collection.
• Electronic journal subscriptions in specialized fields of study.
• Video tutorials and research guides designed by CSU librarians.
Contact a librarian when you need to do the following:
• Brainstorm appropriate research strategies such as determining keywords for your
topic.
• Navigate library databases for journal articles and other library resources to support
your assignments.
• Locate and obtain specific articles or other resources assigned in your courses.
• Limit your search by article type (such as peer-reviewed), date of publication, or article
length.
The CSU Library is staffed by professional librarians available to help when you need them. The
three main avenues of library support are phone, email, and chat. To reach a CSU librarian
during regular business hours, call (877) 268-8046 or email [email protected].
Chat reference assistance is available via the library homepage 24 hours a day, 7 days a week,
including holidays. Students may also communicate with an individual member of the library
staff through the contact information provided on the library webpage.
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References
American Psychological Association. (2020). Publication manual of the American Psychological
Association (7th ed.). https://doi.org/10.1037/0000165-000
Columbia Southern University. (2019). Student handbook.
https://www.columbiasouthern.edu/downloads/pdf/handbook/csustudenthandbook.aspx
