How to Reference Articles in an APA Format Paper: A Comprehensive Guide

Journal Article Reference Structure

1. Author: Last name, initials.
2. Year of Publication: In parentheses.
3. Title of Article: Capitalize only the first letter.
4. Journal/Periodical Name: Italicized.
5. Volume Number: Followed by parentheses and issue number.
6. Page Numbers: Inclusive range of pages the article appears on.

Example:

Smith, L. V. (2000). Referencing articles in APA format. APA Format Weekly, 34(1), 4-10.

Magazine Article Reference Structure

1. Author: Last name, initials.
2. Year of Publication: In parentheses.
3. Title of Article: Capitalize only the first letter.
4. Magazine Name: Italicized.
5. Volume Number: No parentheses, followed by issue number.
6. Page Numbers: Inclusive range of pages the article appears on.

Example:

James, S. A. (2001, June 7). Magazine articles in APA format. Newsweek, 20, 48-52.

Newspaper Article Reference Structure

1. Author: Last name, initials.
2. Year of Publication: In parentheses.
3. Title of Article: Capitalize only the first letter.
4. Newspaper Name: Italicized.
5. Page Numbers: Inclusive range of pages the article appears on.

Example:

Tensky, J. A. (2004, January 5). How to cite newspaper articles. The New York Times, 4D, 5D.

Articles with Multiple Authors

• Two Authors: Separate initials with a comma, followed by an ampersand (&).
• Three to Twenty Authors: List all authors' initials and last names, separated by commas, with an ampersand (&) before the final author's name.
• More Than Twenty Authors: List the first 19 authors' initials and last names, followed by an ellipsis (...).

Examples:

• Two Authors: Mischel, W., & Baker, N. (1975). Cognitive transformations of reward objects through instructions. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 31, 254-261.

• Three to Twenty Authors: Hart, D., Keller, M., Edelstein, W., & Hofmann, V. (1998). Childhood personality influences on social-cognitive development: A longitudinal study. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 74, 1288-1289.

• More Than Twenty Authors: Arlo, A., Black, B., Clark, C., Davidson, D., Emerson, E., Fischer, F., Grahmann, G., Habib, H., Ianelli, I., Juarez, J., Kobayashi, K., Lee, L., Martin, M., Naim, N., Odelsson, O., Pierce, P., Qiang, Q., Reed, R., Scofield, S., ... Thatcher, T. (2011). Even more references. APA Format Today, 11(4), 30-38.

Articles with No Author

• Structure: Title of article, publication date, source, and URL (if accessed electronically).

Example:

Scientists seek source of creativity. (2012, March, 6). Dayton County News. http://www.daytoncountynews.com/news/39756_39275.html

Formatting Rules

• Double spacing throughout the reference page.
• Indent the second and subsequent lines of each reference.
• Capitalize title, subtitle, and proper nouns.
• Follow the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA) for specific formatting requirements.

Importance of Proper Referencing

• APA format is commonly used in academic writing and is required in psychology studies.
• Proper APA referencing demonstrates academic integrity and gives credit to the original authors.
• Consistent and accurate referencing avoids plagiarism and ensures orderly sourcing of information.