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Home » Blog » APA Referencing Guide for Students (7th Edition) | EasyMarks

Academic Writing Tips

APA Referencing: A Student Guide

The author-date style used across psychology, education and the social sciences.

8 min read · Written by UK academic writers

Quick Answer

APA is an author-date style widely used in psychology, education and the social sciences. You cite author and year in the text and list full references alphabetically. The current version is APA 7th edition, which simplified several earlier rules.

If you study psychology, education, nursing or the social sciences, you will likely use APA. It is similar to Harvard but with its own punctuation and formatting rules. This guide covers the APA 7th edition essentials.

APA In-Text Citations

APA uses author and year: (Jones, 2020). For direct quotations, add the page: (Jones, 2020, p. 9). For narrative citations, the year follows the author name in the sentence: Jones (2020) found…

The Reference List

APA references appear on a separate page titled "References", ordered alphabetically, with a hanging indent. Authors are listed by surname and initials.

Common APA Reference Formats

APA has specific patterns for each source type.

  • Book: Author, A. A. (Year). Title (ed.). Publisher.
  • Journal: Author, A. A. (Year). Title. Journal, volume(issue), pages. DOI
  • Web page: Author/Org. (Year). Title. Site name. URL

What Changed in APA 7

APA 7 dropped the publisher location, allows up to 20 authors in a reference before truncating, and updated guidance for citing online and digital sources. Check you are following the 7th, not 6th, edition.

Be Consistent

As with any style, consistency matters as much as the rules themselves. Use one edition throughout and check every citation against its reference entry.

Key Takeaways
  • APA is an author-date style: (Author, Year)
  • Use APA 7th edition unless told otherwise
  • References go on a separate alphabetical page with hanging indents
  • Add page numbers for direct quotations
  • Apply the rules consistently throughout

Frequently Asked Questions

What subjects use APA referencing?

Psychology, education, nursing and many social sciences commonly use APA.

What is the latest version of APA?

APA 7th edition is current. It simplified several rules from the 6th edition.

How is APA different from Harvard?

Both are author-date styles, but they differ in punctuation, formatting and some reference details. APA is more standardised than Harvard.

Do I include a DOI in APA references?

Yes, include a DOI for journal articles where one is available, formatted as a URL.

Related Guides & Services

Harvard ReferencingVancouver ReferencingIn-Text CitationsProofreading ServiceEssay Writing Service

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