Formatting Citations: Guidelines for Referencing Sources

Understanding Citation Styles:

Academic writing involves referencing sources to acknowledge the work of others and provide readers with the means to verify and expand their knowledge. Various citation styles exist, each with specific rules and formats. For this guide, we will focus on the APA (American Psychological Association) style, commonly used in social sciences, psychology, and education.

In-Text Citations:

In-text citations offer readers a quick reference to the source that supports a particular statement or idea. There are two main types:

1. Parenthetical Citations:

• Format: (Author's Last Name, Year)
• Example: (Smith, 2020)
• Specific Page or Section: (Smith, 2020, p. 123)

2. Narrative Citations:

• Format: Include the author's last name and publication year within the text.
• Example: According to Smith (2020),...
• Specific Page or Section: (Smith, 2020, p. 123)

Reference List Entries:

The reference list provides readers with complete bibliographic information for all sources cited in your paper. Each entry should include:

• Publication Year: Include the year the source was published.
• Publication Information: For books, include the publisher and location of publication. For articles, include the journal title, volume number, issue number, and page range.
• DOI or URL: Provide a DOI (Digital Object Identifier) for online sources. If a DOI is not available, provide the full URL.

Formatting:

• Use double spacing throughout the reference list.
• Indent the second and subsequent lines of each entry by half an inch.
• Alphabetize the reference list by the authors' last names or the first significant word of the title (if no author is listed).

Referencing Different Sources:

Here are examples of how to reference different types of sources using APA style:

1. Books:

• Two or More Authors: Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Year). Title of Book. Publisher.

2. Journal Articles:

• Two or More Authors: Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Year). Title of Article. Journal Title, Volume(Issue), Pages.

3. Online Sources:

• Website: Author, A. A. (Year). Title of Article. Website Title. URL
• Database Article: Author, A. A. (Year). Title of Article. Database Name, Volume(Issue), Pages. DOI

Maintaining Consistency:

As you write your paper, ensure you consistently apply the citation style you have chosen. Uniformity in formatting, punctuation, and referencing is essential for maintaining academic integrity and clarity.

By following these guidelines, you can effectively acknowledge the sources you have used and provide readers with the necessary information to explore them further.