how to cite a case study in apa 7

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How to Cite a Case Study in APA, MLA, or Chicago

When citing a case study, the format in MLA and APA is similar to that of a report, and in Chicago style, it is similar to that of a book. For all three citation styles, you will need the name of the author(s), the title of the case study, the year it was published, the publishing organization/publisher, and URL (if applicable). The templates and examples below will demonstrate how to cite a case study in MLA, APA, and Chicago styles.

Author Last Name, Author First Name.  Title of Case Study . Edition (if applicable), volume number (if applicable), Publisher, year of publication, URL without http:// or https:// (if applicable).

Hill, Linda A., et al. HCL Technologies (A). Rev. edition, Harvard Business School, 2008, www.hbs.edu/faculty/Pages/item.aspx?num=34784.

In-text Citation:

(Author Last Name(s) page #)

(Hill et al. 8)

Author Last Name, Author Initial. (Publication Year). Title of Case Study (Case # if applicable). Publishing Organization. URL

Hill, L., Khanna, T., & Stecker, E. (2008). HCL Technologies (A) (Case 408-004). Harvard Business School. https://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Pages/item.aspx?num=34784

(Author Last Name, Publication Year)

(Hill et al., 2008)

Notes-bibliography style

Author Last Name, First Name.  Title of the Case Study . Publishing City: Publishing Organization, Publication Year. URL.

Hill, Linda A., Tarun Khanna, and Emily Stecker. HCL Technologies (A).  Boston: Harvard Business School, 2008. https://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Pages/item.aspx?num=34784.

1. Author First Name Last Name, Title of the Case Study (Publishing City: Publishing Organization, Publication Year), URL.

1. Linda A. Hill, Tarun Khanna, and Emily Stecker, HCL Technologies (A) ( Boston: Harvard Business School, 2008), https://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Pages/item.aspx?num=34784.

Author-date style

Author Last Name, First Name. Publication Year. Title of the Case Study . Publishing City: Publishing Organization. URL.

Hill, Linda A., Tarun Khanna, and Emily Stecker. 2008. HCL Technologies (A).  Boston: Harvard Business School. https://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Pages/item.aspx?num=34784.

In-text citation: 

(Author Last Name Publication Date)

(Holl, Khanna, and Stecker 2008)

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APA Citation Guide (APA 7th Edition): Case Studies

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APA Formatting and Style Guide (7th Edition)

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Q. How do I cite a case study in APA Style?

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APA Style (7th ed.)

Case study with a DOI

If the case study has an assigned DOI (print or online versions), include the DOI in the reference.

Khan, S. (2019). Managing a leadership transition in an non-governmental organization [Case study]. SAGE Business Cases Originals. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781526465061

• In-text citation: (Khan, 2019, p. X)

Case study without a DOI retrieved from an academic research database

Peters, C., Thomas, J., Aponte, M., Connelly, R., & Judge, S. (2014).  Media Arts Group and the case of channel conflict [Case study]. Society for Case Research.

• In-text citation: (Peters et al., 2014, p. X)

American Psychological Association. (2020).  Publication manual of the American Psychological Association  (7th ed.). https://doi.org/10.1037/0000165-000

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APA Style 7th Edition: Citing Your Sources

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APA Publications in the Library

This guide pertains to the 7th edition of the APA Manual.

This guide is designed to support the citation and reference needs of USC students, staff, and faculty.  The 7th edition of the manual does make distinctions between formatting certain components for academic use over publication.  This guide will distinguish student/academic formatting where applicable. 

This guide is designed as a "quick" reference to common APA citation, reference and formatting criteria.  When in doubt, we encourage users to consult with the APA publication manual or APA website for further clarification as the authority on formatting.

Attribution for guide: Adapted from American Psychological Association. (2020). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed).  https://doi.org/10.1037/0000165-000

What is the purpose of citations?

Citations help readers locate your sources. They help to continue the scholarly conversation. To learn more about how citations can help you avoid plagiarism, view this interactive tutorial: 

USC Library Lessons: Avoiding Plagiarism through Citations

When considering citations and references for your papers, you can ask yourself, "could someone find this information in the future?"

A client's personal file would not need a citation because your reader cannot go find that information again.  Census statistics would require a citation because your reader could go locate that information again.

APA requires FOUR ELEMENTS of every citation:

• Who- Author of content
• When- Date content was published
• What- Title of content
• Where- Publication information. This can be the website you got it from or the journal or book's publication information.

If any of the elements listed above are unavailable, check out "Missing Reference Information" from APA for more information.

• APA Style Website As part of our Style and Grammar Guidelines, we explain the basics of paper format, grammar, punctuation, in-text citations, references, bias-free language, and more. Much of what you used to find on the sixth edition blog, you can now find on the APA Style website.
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How to Cite a Case Study in APA: A Comprehensive Guide

If you’re writing an academic paper, you may need to cite a case study. But how do you do that? This guide will explain everything you need to know about citing a case study in APA format.

Table of Contents

What is APA?

APA stands for American Psychological Association. It is a style guide used by many academic disciplines, including psychology, sociology, and business. The purpose of the APA style is to provide a consistent format for academic writing, making it easier for readers to understand and follow the author’s argument.

Why is it important to cite a case study?

Citing a case study is important for several reasons. First, it gives credit to the original author for their work. Second, it allows readers to find the source if they want to learn more. Finally, it adds credibility to your work by demonstrating that you have researched and referenced other relevant studies.

How to cite a case study in APA format

Here are the steps you need to follow to cite a case study in APA format:

Step 1: Start with the author’s last name and first initial.

The first step in citing a case study is to list the author’s last name and first initial. For example Smith, J.

Step 2: Include the year of publication in parentheses.

Next, you need to include the year of publication in parentheses. For example: (2018).

Step 3: Provide the title of the case study in italics.

After the year of publication, you need to provide the title of the case study in italics. For example The impact of social media on adolescent mental health.

Step 4: Add the name of the publisher.

The next step is to add the name of the publisher. For example Harvard Business Review Press.

Step 5: Include the DOI or URL.

Finally, you need to include the DOI or URL where the case study can be found. For example https://doi.org/10.1145/1234567.1234567

Here’s what the final citation should look like:

Smith, J. (2018). The impact of social media on adolescent mental health. Harvard Business Review Press. https://doi.org/10.1145/1234567.1234567

What to do if there is no DOI or URL

If you cannot find a DOI or URL for the case study, you can omit it from the citation. In that case, you should include the name of the database where you found the case study instead. For example:

Smith, J. (2018). The impact of social media on adolescent mental health. Harvard Business Review Press. Academic Search Complete.

Tips for citing a case study in APA format

• Always check the specific requirements of your instructor or publisher to ensure that you are following their guidelines correctly.
• Double-check your citations to make sure that you have included all the necessary information.
• If you are citing multiple case studies from the same author or publisher, you can use a shortened version of the citation after the first one. For example Smith (2018, p. 25).

Citing a case study in APA format may seem daunting at first, but it is quite simple once you know the steps. By following the guidelines in this article, you can ensure that your citations are accurate and complete and that you are giving credit to the original authors for their work.

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APA Citation and University Writing: Examples

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APA Style examples

These examples are references. The examples demonstrate the style and format required for a reference list.

Need help with in-text citation style? Click the tab Citations & Reference List . 

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APA Style Notes

• Date of retrieval
• Missing Info

The examples on this page should only be used as a guide. The following links are official APA Style resources:

APA Style FAQ [APA Style]

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APA Tutorial: The Basics of APA Style

https://URL

URL where information was r etrieved  not required for library database citations.

Database where information was  retrieved not required in most instances except for special cases.

A citation for an article from a library database does not require the URL or name of the database.

ONLINE! URL

Do not include the words "Retrieved from" any longer before the URL

URL is important for items found freely available online. APA rules recommend using the homepage URL when an item can be easily located - such as URLs for news websites or online databases such as Hathi Trust and Internet Archive. Here is an example - only the homepage URL is used, not the full webpage URL.

Gallagher, D. (2018, Feb. 3 ) Is Google Losing to Amazon? Wall Street Journal. https://www.wsj.com

Retrieved date is only included in a reference if the information cited is likely to change.

In general, do not include retrieved date within a citation, unless it is required by your instructor, or you are citing a blog, wiki, and a post from a personal website.

Example of information likely to change:

Neurology. (n.d.). In Wikipedia . Retrieved August 8, 2007 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neurology

This is only in cases where this is no published date and the information is likely to change.

[Square Brackets] 

[Square Brackets] have several functions in APA Style. Regardless of the function, words within square brackets are your words .

1) [Square brackets] identify source types. APA Style recommends (not requires) providing identifying information when the title and other information in the citation does not identify the source. Add [square brackets] when needed to clarify what the item is. For example, [Case study], [Blog post], [Wiki], [Twitter post], [Facebook post] [Personal website], [PDF document], [Excel document], [Video], [Interview], [Data], [Data set].

Sasal, D. (2017, June 13)  Project Management simplified: Learn the fundamentals of PMI's framework  [Video]. Youtube.      https://youtu.be/ZKOL-rZ79gs

2)  Use square brackets If you’re referencing an unusual item.

APA Style Blog: Using Square Brackets

3) Use square brackets when there is missing information - for example, missing date and title.

APA Style Blog: Missing Pieces: How to Write an APA Style Reference Even Without All the Information

Do you have questions about authors?

• Click here. APA FAQ tab. Need help formatting AUTHOR names? No author, multiple authors, etc... In the AUTHOR box, click the tabs IN-TEXT or REFERENCE to learn how to handle 1-5 authors, and 6+ authors.

Authors for websites are often corporations, organizations or governments. If there is no person as the author consider using a corporate/group name.

Use a corporate/group name when an o rganization, rather than an individual, takes responsibility for the creation of a work. Ask yourself, whose website is it - what company, organization or government agency?

No author? Are you sure? Is it a Group/corporate Author?

APA Style Blog on group authors

If there is no author and no group/corporate author, begin the reference with the TITLE in the author-place. Use a shortened version of the title in when using in-text citations.

How to write an APA Style reference when information is missing

No date? Missing title? Missing source?

APA Style Blog on missing information

• Guidelines for missing information This PDF was created and made available by the APA Style Blog.
• Articles - Print
• Articles - Online
• Articles - Library database
• Articles - Library database with DOI

Working Papers

Article - print.

I ansiti , M., Lakhani, K. R., McBrien, K., & Moon, M. (2017). Managing our hub economy: Strategy, ethics, and network competition in the age of digital superpower. Harvard Business Review , 95 (5), 84-92.

Online Journal Article

Klein, G., & Aubry, M. (2017). Introducing the issue on megaprojects. Project Management Journal , 48 (6), 3-4. https://www.pmi.org/PMJ

Wang, J., Meric, G., Liu, Z., & Meric, I. (2010). A comparison of the determinants of stock returns in the 1987 and 2008 stock market meltdowns. Banking and Finance Review, 2 (1), 15-26. http://www.bankingandfinancereview.com/

Online Newspaper Article

Gallagher , D. (2018, February 3 ). Is Google losing to Amazon? The Wall Street Journal. https://www.wsj.com

Krauss, C. (2008, August 30). Surge in natural gas has Utah driving cheaply. The New York Times . https://www.nytimes.com

APA Style Blog on citing newspapers

Is this website a newspaper, magazine or journal?

"There’s no governing authority who decides what’s a newspaper versus a website versus an online magazine versus something else entirely. Best to look at how the site refers to itself and follow the convention associated with that. So if they call themselves a newspaper, italicize the name; otherwise, don’t." APA Style Blog

If the site does not refer to itself as a newspaper, magazine or journal cite the source as a webpage - scroll down to Online - Webpage.

Articles from library databases without doi .

Journal Article:

Arruda-Filho, E., Cabusas, J., & Dholakia, N. (2010). Social behavior and brand devotion among iPhone innovators.  International Journal of Information Management,   30 (6), 475-480.

Magazine Article:

Barkin, E. (2010, April). Jetting to greener pastures.  Customer Relationship Management,   14 (4), 30-33,36.

Newspaper Article:

Krauss, C. (2008, August 30). Surge in natural gas has Utah driving cheaply. The New York Times , 157 (54418), A1.  https://www.nytimes.com/

Articles from library databases with doi.

Gonzalez, J., Ragins, B., Ehrhardt, K., & Singh, R. (2018). Friends and family: The role of relationships in community and workplace attachment. Journal of Business & Psychology , 33 (1), 89-104. https://doi.org/ 10.1007/s10869-016-9476-3

Holland, C. P. (1995). Cooperative supply chain management: The impact of interorganizational information systems. The Journal of Strategic Information Systems, 4 (2), 117-133. https://doi.org/10.1016/0963-8687(95)80020-Q

Deming, D., & Dynarski, S. (2008). The lengthening of childhood (National Bureau of Economic Research Working Paper No. 14124). http://www.nber.org/papers/w14124

White papers.

Department for Business Innovation & Skills. (2016).  Success as a knowledge economy: Teaching excellent, social mobility and student choice  [White paper]. Crown.  https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/523396/bis-16-265-success-as-a-knowledge-economy.pdf

APA Style on White Papers

Author, A. A. (year). Title of work (Report No. 123). Publisher.

Author, A. A. (year). Title of work (Report No. 123). http:// www.URL.com

Source: American Psychological Association, 2010, p.206.

• Books in print

Book in print

Brader, t. (2006). campaigning for hearts and minds: how emotional appeals in political ads work . university of chicago press., laudon, k.c. & traver, c.g. (2016). e-commerce: business, technology, society (12 th ed.). pearson., lewis, r., & dart, m. (2010). the new rules of retail: competing in the world's toughest marketplace . palgrave macmillan., miller, t. e., bender, b. e., & schuh, j. h. (2005). promoting reasonable expectations: aligning student and institutional views of the college experience . jossey-bass..

Book with no author, but has an editor or editors:   add (Ed.) or (Eds.)

Duncan , G. J., & Brooks-Gunn, J. (Eds.). (1997). Consequences of growing up poor . Russell Sage Foundation.

Ebooks (APA 7)

Ebook from a library database (ie. Ebook Central ProQuest)

Kerzner, H. (2017). Project management metrics, KPIS, and dashboards: A guide to measuring and monitoring project performance .  https://ebookcentral.proquest.com

Ebook found online:

Barton, Clara. (1904). A story of the Red Cross: Glimpses of field work . D. Appleton and Company. http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/30230

Ebook accessed using a specific reader

Gladwell, M. (2011). Outliers: The story of success . Back Bay Books. https://www.amazon.com

Case Studies

Case study published by harvard business school publishing.

Thomas, D.A. (1999). Leaving. HBS No. 400033-PDF-ENG. Harvard Business School Publishing. 

Eisenmann, T., & Herman, K. (2010). Google, Inc. HBS No. 910036-PDF-ENG. Harvard Business School Publishing. 

Case Study published by Ivey Publishing

Bernhut, S. (2013). The Ivey Business Journal Interview: State Capitalism, with Aldo Musacchio . Ivey ID: 9B13TB08. Ivey Publishing. 

• General Guidelines
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Figures: graphs, flow charts, maps, drawings, photos, etc.

Looking for tables > use formatting information in the box Tables.

Click through the tabs and find in-text citation and reference examples.

Using Statista? Scroll down to the Statista box.

Video tutorial: APA Style for Figures and Tables

Looking for tables > using formatting information in the box Tables.

A figure may be a chart, a graph, a photograph, a drawing, or any other illustration or nontextual depiction. Any type of illustration other than a table is referred to as a figure.

When you use a figure that has been adapted or copied directly from another source, you need to reference that original source. This reference appears as a caption underneath the figure (image):

• don't include a title on top - the caption is your title
• concise explanation of the figure; i.e. a brief but descriptive phrase
• include copyright information
• format your caption - use italics and a capital F for Figure and sequential numbering (if you have more than one Figure)

Legend (if needed) :

A legend explains the symbols used in the figure. It should have the same kind and proportion of lettering that appear in the rest of the figure.

• capitalize major words in the legend
• place the legend within the figure (it may already be there if you have copied the graph from elsewhere)

General rules:

• Number all figures with Arabic numerals in the order in which they are first mentioned in text, regardless of whether a more detailed discussion of the figure occurs later in the paper. For example, Figure 1...Figure 2...etc.
• Refer to the figure in your writing - no italics, but with capital F, for example "In Figure 1..."
• Copyright permission for using figures and images in theses/dissertations/exegeses - obtain written copyright permission from the copyright holder if you reproduced or adapted a figure from a copyrighted source. If you are adapting material from multiple sources, and integrating them into a single figure, you might need to include multiple permission statements, one for each source.
• Figures must have a reference in your Reference List.

Multiple Sources:

See Simon Fraser University's instructions for citing multi-sources.

Created by Auckland University of Technology Library, and adapted with permission.

APA Style on citing Tables & Figures

Figure reproduced in your paper

Use this format for figures you COPY - reproduced exactly as they appear in another source. Use this format when you do not make any modifications or add data to the table.

Caption Format - caption under a figure

Figure 1. FinSec's communication networks. Reprinted from Employment Relations in New Zealand (2nd ed., p.355), by E. Rasmussen, 2009. Pearson. Copyright 2009 by Erling Rasmussen.

In-text citation:

Reference list entry:

Figure referred to and not reproduced in your paper

If you simply refer to a figure, format the in text-citation and the reference list entry in the usual way.

Figure 1. Factors influencing the formation of tourists' needs. Reprinted from "Factors that Obstruct Tourism Development in Bangladesh", by N. Jahan and S. Rahman, 2016, CLEAR International Journal of Research in Commerce & Management, 7 (9) , p.53. Copyright 2016 by Chinniah Lakshmiammal Educational Academy & Research (CLEAR) Foundation.

If you simply refer to a figure and do not include it in your text, format the in text citation and the reference list entry in the usual way.

Caption Format - caption under a figure

Example from ACNielsen Market Information Digest database

Figure 1 . The market location and dollar sales of meat pies in New Zealand. SMAP is the segment of market for the Auckland Province, SMLNI for the Lower North Island, SMSI for the South Island; MAP is the moving annual total. Nielsen Market Information Digest New Zealand database. Copyright 2011 by The Nielsen Company.

Example: from Passport (Euromonitor) database

Figure 2 .  Trade volume of ready to drink high strength premixes sold in New Zealand, measured in 000 litres. Passport database. Copyright 2010 by Euromonitor International.

If you refer to a figure, format the in-text citation and the reference list entry in the usual way:

Caption Format - caption under a figure

Figure 1 . Vermeer, J. (c. 1665). Girl with a pearl earring . From Mauritshuis Royal Picture Gallery, The Hague. http://www.mauritshuis.nl/index.aspx?Chapterid=2295. Reprinted with permission.

Figure 2 . America's Army screen dump showing soldiers and watch tower. From America's Army (Version 3). http://www.americasarmy.com. Copyright 2010 by America’s Army.

If you refer to a figure, format the in-text citation and the reference list entry in the usual way.

• Not every reference to an artwork needs a reference list entry, for example, if you refer to a famous painting, as above, it would not need a reference.

• clicking on or hovering your mouse over the image
• looking at the bottom of the image
• looking at the URL
• if there is no title, create a short descriptive one yourself and put it in square brackets e.g. [...]

Reference List

Examples of references for figures.

Retrieved from a library database

Euromonitor International. (2013). Youth unemployment rate vs. total unemployment rate: 2006-2011 [Graph]. Euromonitor Passport database .

Format: Figure

Author. (year created). Title of work [Type of work], Database name or URL.

No author? Use a corporate/agency/company (as known as group author name), or a screen name. If this is not an option, use the title in place of the author.

• Library Databases
• Multiple sources

Tables: numerical values or text displayed in clearly designated columns and rows

Looking for: graphs, flow charts, maps, drawings, photos, etc. > see box Figures.

Created by Auckland University of Technology Library , and adapted with permission.

Tables usually show numerical value or textual information and are almost always characterized by a row-column structure. Any type of illustration other than a table is a  figure .

General notes on tables:

• Tables are located at the end of your paper, after the reference list and before any appendixes. Each table is on a separate page.
• Tables may use single-spacing or one-and-a-half spacing (p. 229).
• Information necessary for understanding the table and definitions of abbreviations used within the table appear in a table note. ( APA Style Blog )
• All tables must be cited in-text and discussed within the body of your paper, and be included in your reference list.

Basic instructions for formatting tables

Number t ables sequentially (i.e.if you have more than one table in your writing) e.g. Table 1, Table  2 .....

• Each table must be referred to in the text, using a capital T,  for example: ...as shown in Table 1

Title is placed directly a bove the table itself and below the table number.

• Brief but clear and explanatory, in italics and with major words capitalized with no full stop.

Note is placed directly below the table, the word "Note" in italics with a full stop, for example:  Note.

• Explain abbreviations, symbols etc
• Acknowledge the source of the table
• Include a copyright statement at the end of the note. 

     ​  For specific and probability note (section 5.16, p 138).

Ruling (Lines)

• Limit the use of lines to those that are necessary
• Appropriately positioned white space can be an effective substitute.
• Tables  may be submitted either single or double spaced. Consider readability (section 5.17, p 141).

Sales of  Take Home Ice Cream in New Zealand

Note . MAT= moving annual total, From ACNielsen Market Information Digest New Zealand .Copyright 2010 by The Nielsen Company.

Table reproduced in your paper

Use this format for tables you COPY - reproduced exactly as they appear in another source. Use this format when you do not make any modifications or add data to the table.

Note format - note under a table

Note. Reprinted from Employment relations in New Zealand (p 98), by E. Rasmussen, 2009. Pearson. Copyright (2009) by Erling Rasmussen. 

Use the reference style for books - see go to box Books

Table referred to and not reproduced in your paper

If you simply refer to a table, format the in-text citation and the reference list entry in the usual way.

Note format - note under a table

   In-text citation:

Use the reference style for articles - see box Articles .

Table referred to but not reproduced in your paper

Note Format : note below a table

Percentage of Men and Women Who Have Bought Fruit and Vegetable Products in the Last Four Weeks

Note.  wc = weighted count, shown in thousands; v% =vertical percentage, showing which % of the column group also belongs to the row group; h% = horizontal percentage showing which percentage of the row group also belongs to the column group. Roy Morgan Single Source New Zealand database. Copyright 2015 by Roy Morgan New Zealand Ltd. 

Reference  List entry:

Note format - note below a table

Percentage of New Zealand Population Who Have Never Worked by Age Group. By age group June 2016 quarter

Note . Adapted from  http://www.stats.govt.nz/browse_for_stats/income-and-work/employment_and_unemployment/people-never-worked.aspx . Copyright (2016) by Statistics New Zealand. 

Use the reference style for websites - see box Online , tab Websites.

If you refer to a table but don’t provide a copy of it in your assessment, simply give an in-text citation in the usual way

​ Reference list entry:

Table - compiled from a variety of sources

Multi source data

If you create your own table by compiling data from multiple sources, you will still need to cite where you got your information from. You do not need to give the full bibliographic citation in the note, an author and date is sufficient. 

Note format - note under table:

In-text citation: 

Multiple kinds of data

If you have multiple kinds of data (population figures, employment information... etc.) in one table you would describe each set of data)

Note format - note under Table:

 For more information see:

APA Style for figures & tables

Examples of references for tables.

Retrieved from a book

New Strategist. (2008). Women's time use by age, 2007 [Table]. In New Strategist Editors, American women: Who they are and how they live (4th ed.) . New Strategist Publications, Inc.

Retrieved from a online source

US Census Bureau. (2002). Industries in Which California Ranks First in Terms of Sales or Receipts Per Capita [Table]. 2002 Economic Census . http://www.census.gov/econ/census02/data/tops/TOPSTCA.HTM

National Center for Education Statistics. (2007). [Chart showing racial makeup of San Francisco Unified School District students under age 18]. Common Core of Data . http://nces.ed.gov/ccd/districtsearch/

If the table you find does not have a title, then describe the content in [square brackets].

Format: Table

Author. (Publication Date). Title of  table [Table]. In author or editor of work Title of work . Publisher.

Author. (Publication Date). Title of table [Table]. Title of website. URL

Author. (Publication Date). [Title of table] [Table]. Title of website. URL

Interviews, Emails, Personal Communications

• Interview, Email & Personal Communications

Personal interviews that you conduct do not have references. Personal interviews are considered personal communication. Include any relevant and important information about the interview in the body of your paper. APA Style states, "An interview is not considered recoverable data, so no reference to this is provided in the reference list. You may, however, cite the interview within the text as a personal communication." APA Style

Interviews - research participants .  APA Style

An interview you read has a citation and reference. Where did you find the interview? Is it from a magazine article, website, blog, etc.? Use the appropriate APA Style format to create the reference.

Email & Personal Communications

Email & personal communications do not have references at the end of your paper, but you will create a citation within the body of your paper.

Why do personal communications not have references? References are created to direct your reader to the sources of information you used in your paper. With personal communications you cannot direct the reader to the source - to the phone conversation you had, to your email inbox, to the day of the interview - the reader of your paper cannot access these sources.

Include any relevant and important information about the email and personal communication in the body of your paper.

Here is an example for the APA Style :

• Blogs & Wikipedia
• YouTube & Video

Social Media

• Help! More info for web sources...

Website (entire website, not a webpage)

No citation is needed for an entire website. Include the website within the body of a paper.

"In my paper, I mention a website. I refer to the website as a whole, and I am not discussing a specific webpage or an article within a website. Do I need to create an in-text citation and a reference list citation?"

NO . All you need to do is include the URL within the body of your paper, and you do not need to include the website and URL in your reference list at the end of the paper. In APA Style there is no specific formatting recommendations.

Two examples - full websites mentioned within a paper.

1) The Department of Health has just released a new website to help people identify and compare health care programs available in their area. The website is called HealthCare.gov at http://www.healthcare.gov/ This resource is easy to use and the interface is intuitive, but the website will not support members of the population not using the internet.

2) Kidspsych ( http://www.kidspsych.org ) is a wonderful interactive website for children. This resource is appropriate for children ages 3 to 10.

APA Style Blog: Websites & Webpages

Webpage (not an online journal, magazine or newspaper > use article format) (APA 7)

Webpage with author:

Doyle, A. (2017, July 1). Best questions to ask at a job interview: What to ask the employer during a job interview. The balance careers. The Balance. https://www.thebalance.com/questions-to-ask-in-a-job-interview-2061205

Webpage without a person as the author - there are options! (APA 7)

Authors for websites are often corporations, organizations or governments. If there is no person listed as the author consider using a corporate/group name . Use a corporate/group name when an o rganization, rather than an individual, takes responsibility for the creation of a work. Ask yourself, whose website is it - what company, organization or government agency?

Webpage with no person as author. Use a corporate/group author.  (APA 7)

United States government agency

U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (2018, February 14). Traumatic brain injury: FDA actions and research. http://usgov.info/2018/02/14/traumatic-brain-injury-fda-actions-and-research/

U.S. Small Business Association. (n.d.). Build your business plan. https://www.sba.gov/tools/business-plan/1?interiorpage2015

Ben & Jerry's. (n.d.). Our history. https://www.benjerry.com/about-us

Samsung. (2018). Vision 2020. https://www.samsung.com/us/aboutsamsung/vision/vision2020/

Kaiser Permanente. (2013, November). Measuring quality and patient safety. https://healthy.kaiserpermanente.org

Webpage with no author

Effective business plans: Strategies for managers. (2018, March 4). Business Pros. http:// www.businesspros.com

Format:      Title of webpage. (Year, Month Day web page was last updated). Webpage. URL

In-text citation for no author:   ("First Few Words of Title," YEAR).    ("Effective Business Plans," 2018).

If the site refers to itself as a newspaper, magazine or journal cite the source using an article format. Scroll up to Articles - Online.

"There’s no governing authority who decides what’s a newspaper versus a website versus an online magazine versus something else entirely. Best to look at how the site refers to itself and follow the convention associated with that. So if they call themselves a newspaper, italicize the name; otherwise, don’t." 

Blogs, wikis, and posts on personal websites

Stephanie (2018, february 5). what to do if your obamacare 1095-a column b is zero. poorer than you . http://poorerthanyou.com/category/taxes/.

APA Style on citing Blogs

When citing Wikipedia, cite an archived version of a Wikipedia page so that readers can retrieve the version you used.

*Access the archived version on Wikipedia by selecting “View history” and then the time and date of the version you used.

*If a wiki does not provide permanent links to archived versions of the page, include the URL for the entry and a retrieval date.

Business performance management. ( 2018,  January 25 ). In Wikipedia . https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Business_performance_ management

Neurology. (n.d.). In Wikipedia . Retrieved December 15, 2017 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neurology

APA Style Blog on citing Wikipedia

Entire blog, wiki, or personal website

"In my paper, I mention a blog. I refer to the blog as a whole, and I am not discussing a specific blog post. Do I need to create an in-text citation and a reference list citation?"

No. All you need to do is include the URL within the body of your paper, and you do not need to include the website and URL in your reference list at the end of the paper. In APA Style there is no specific formatting recommendations.

Two examples for mentioning the entire blog, wiki or personal website.  In the body of the paper:

1) At age 22, blogger Stephanee (Stephanie), started her the blog Poorer Than You (http://poorerthanyou.com). The posts are aimed at millennials and provide financial advice on a variety of topics.

2) I have learned a lot by reading the Psych Learning Curve blog (http://psychlearningcurve.org). This blog is an excellent resource for teachers.

Glass, I. (Producer). (2013, September 6). How I got into college [Audio podcast]. In  This American Life . http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/504/how-i-got-into-college

Purdue OWL  APA Style: How to Cite a Podcast

LastName, A. A. (Producer). (Year, Month Day {of podcast}). Title of podcast [Audio podcast]. In  Title of Podcast Series . Publisher. URL

Podcast without a series - stand alone

LastName, A. A. (Host). (Year, Month Day {of podcast}). Title of podcast [Audio podcast episode]. Publisher. URL

Gallagher , D. (2018, February 3 ). Is Google losing to Amazon? The Wall Street Journal. https://www.wsj.com

Krauss, C. (2008, August 30). Surge in natural gas has Utah driving cheaply. The New York Times . https://www.nytimes.com

CNN. (2015, February 15). Boston sets new snow record [Video]. https://www.cnn.com/videos/weather/2015/02/15/newday-alesci-ripley-boston-sets-new-snow-record.cnn/video/playlists/top-news-videos/

Online Newspaper format:

Author, A. A. (Year, Month Day). Title of article: Capital letter to start subtitle. Title of Newspaper . https://www.someaddress.com

Online Magazine format:

Author, A. A. (Year, Month Day). Title of article: Capital letter to start subtitle. Title of Magazine, volume number (issue number if available). https://www.someaddress.com

Online News broadcast video:

Producer Name. (Year, Month Day). Video title [Video]. Website host. https://www.someaddress.com

Youtube video

Forbes. (2018, January 19).  Facebook announces algorithm changes; Apple brings money back to U.S. [Video]. Youtube. https://youtube/39gFZawmKfM

Sasal, D. (2017, June 13) Project Management simplified: Learn the fundamentals of PMI's framework [Video]. Youtube. https://youtu.be/ZKOL-rZ79gs

APA Style: How to Create a Reference for a YouTube Video

TikTok  video

Cook, P. [@chemteacherphil]. (2019, November 19). Alkali salts get lit. #chemistry #chemteacherphil #scienceexperiments #foryou #jobforme #trend #featurethis #science #vibecheck [Video]. TikTok. https://vm.tiktok.com/xP1r1m

Washington Post [@washingtonpost]. (2019, December 3). News is all around us #frozen #newsroom #newspaper [Video]. TikTok. https://vm.tiktok.com/x2sKUu

TikTok  Profile

Witherspoon, R. [@officialreesetiktok]. (n.d.). vsco mom [TikTok profile]. TikTok. Retrieved January 12, 2020, from https://vm.tiktok.com/xS3B86

APA 7 TikTok Citation Guide

TED Talk video

If you viewed the video on the TED website:

Palmer, A. (2013, February). Amanda Palmer: The art of asking [Video]. TED. https://www.ted.com/talks/amanda_palmer_the_art_of_asking

If you viewed the video on YouTube, the same TED Talk would be referenced as follows:

TED. (2013, March 1). Amanda Palmer: The art of asking [Video]. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xMj_P_6H69g

APA Style Blog: How to Cite a TED Talk in APA Style

Film, Video, or DVD

Selick, H. (Director). (1993). The nightmare before Christmas [Film]. Touchstone.

Smithee, A. F. (Director). (2001). Really big disaster movie [ Film ]. Paramount Pictures.

APA Style Film and TV

NY Review of Books. (2013, September 6). The total weight of jellyfish in the Black Sea is 10x greater than that of all fish caught around the world in a year. [Tweet; thumbnail link to article]. Twitter. https://twitter.com/nybooks/status/376055502880665600

Obama, M. (2013, February 28). “ We can give all our children the bright, healthy futures they so richly deserve .” —the First Lady on why healthier food options are good for American businesses   [Image attached] [Status update] .  Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php? fbid =10152608245040578& set=a.10150238318835578.467644.22092775577&type=1

Gaiman, N. (2012, February 29). Please celebrate Leap Year Day in the traditional manner by taking a writer out for dinner.  [Status update]. Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/neilgaiman/posts/10150574185041016

Reuters Top News [Reuters]. (2016, November 1). Inside David Bowie's art collection [Twitter moment]. Twitter. https://twitter.com/i/moments/793575609028915200

APA Style: How to Cite a Twitter Moment

APA Style: How to Cite Facebook

APA Style: How to Cite Instagram

In APA Style there are no specific formatting rules for citing PDFs.

Why? PDF is just a file format. To cite this type of document, ask yourself: What is this?

You must determine what the nature of the PDF, and then use the corresponding format.

There are two common types of documents that appear as PDFs:

- Articles (magazines, newspapers, journals, newsletters, etc.)

- Reports (government report, company profile, company annual report, etc.)

Need help? Ask us by emailing [email protected]

For Webinar citations in APA 7, Please check out Purdue University APA 7 citation guide on Other Non-Print Sources available here:

https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_formatting_and_style_guide/reference_list_other_non_print_sources.html

Rules for citing information found on the web:

No author? Start with the title and then the date. A screen-name can be used as the author. An organization/company can be the author.

Date? If a date is not specifically included with the item you are citing, look for the last updated date. No date type (n.d.)

Titles? Keep it simple - do not italicize website titles. This can get confusing:  If a webpage is part of a larger website, do not italicize the title of the page. If the webpage is an independent document on the website, do italicize the title of the page. This is also a judgment call that you will have to make. If you are not sure, do not italicize.

URL? Yes, include it. www.theURL.com

Retrieved on date? In general, do not include the retrieved date for most web sources. If a webpage is likely to change over time, such as a wiki or personal website, include the date that you looked at the page.

Author and website name? If the name of the website is the same as the name of the author, you do not need to include it a second time.

[Square Brackets]?  APA Style recommends providing identifying information - when needed for clarification. If the information in the citation and URL do not clearly identify what it is you are citing, add [square brackets]. For example, [Blog post], [Wiki], [Twitter post], [Facebook post] [Personal website], [PDF document], [Video], [Interview], [Data].

Presentations

Instructors frequently require students to use APA Style within presentations. APA Style does not provide specific guidelines for PowerPoint presentations and visuals. You will be adapting APA Style guidelines. Check with your instructor about the format. You will likely need to have in-text citations on the slides throughout your presentation for images, data, quotes and paraphrased statements, AND a slide at the end for a reference list.

• Statistics & Data Sets
• Dictionary / Definitions

Barr, J. G. (2018). Artificial intelligence . Faulkner Advisory for IT Studies database.  MarketLine . (2013, April 29). NIKE, Inc.: Company profile . 

Annual Report

American Psychological Association. (2013). 2012 annual report of the American  Psychological Association . http://www.apa.org/pubs/info/reports/2012-report.pdf

Unilever. (2015). Annual report and accounts 2015 strategic report.  https://www.unilever.com/Images/annual_report_and_accounts_ar15_tcm244-478426_en.pdf

APA Style on citing annual reports

Microsoft. (2005, September 25). Form 10-Q.  Arrow International, Inc. (2009). 10-K Annual Report 2009 .

Government Report

San Francisco Department of Public Health. (2016). San Francisco community health needs assessment 2016 . https://www.sfdph.org/dph/hc/HCAgen/HCAgen2016/May%2017/2016CHNA-2.pdf

U.S. Department of Education. (2014). Profile of undergraduate students: 2011-12. Web tables (NCES 2015-167). https://nces.ed.gov/ pubs2015/2015167.pdf

National Cancer Institute. (2016). Taking part in cancer treatment research studies  (Publication No. 16-6249). https://www.cancer.gov/publications/patient-education/CRS.pdf

Office of the Inspector General U.S. Department of Justice. (2017, May). Review of the handling of sexual harassment and misconduct allegations by the department’s Civil Division . https://oig.justice.gov/reports/2017/e1703.pdf

APA Style: How to Cite Government Report

U.S. Constitution

APA Style Blog states, "All citations of the U.S. Constitution begin with U.S. Const. , followed by the article, amendment, section, and/or clause numbers as relevant."   APA Style Blog: How to Cite the U.S. Constitution in APA Style

In-text                   (U.S. Const. amend. II)

Reference             U.S. Const. amend. II

Congressional Bill

Equitable Health Care for Severe Mental Illnesses Act of 1993, S. 671, 103d Cong., 1st Sess. (1993).

Federal Statutes

Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993, 29 U.S.C. §§ 2601–2654 (2006).

FORMAT: Name of the Statute, Tile number Source  § Section number(s) (Year).

APA Style: Writing References for Federal Statutes

Statistics & Data Sets

Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2016). Consumer price index - all urban consumers, 1956-2016 [Time series]. http://data.bls.gov

Pew Research Center. (2016). June 10-July 12, 2015 – Gaming, jobs and broadband [Data file and codebook]. http://www.pewresearch.org

World Bank, World Development Indicators. (2016). Firms using banks to finance working capital (% of firms) [Data file]. http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/IC.FRM.BKWC.ZS?view= chart

United States Department of Housing and Urban Development. (2008). Indiana income limits [Data set]. http://www.huduser.org/Datasets/IL/IL08/in_fy2008.pdf

APA Style on citing data sets

U.S. Census

U.S. Census Bureau (2011). Selected housing characteristics, 2007-2011 American community survey 5-year estimates [Data file]. http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=ACS_11_5YR_DP04

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. (2009). Cahaba River Natural Refuge. https://www.fws.gov/cahabariver/maps.html

International Monetary Fund. (2017, May 8). IMF lending at a glance. http://www.imf.org/external/np/exr/map/lending/

WOU APA Style on citing maps

Google Maps

Google. (n.d.). [Google Maps directions for driving from Ingolstadt, Germany, to Geneva, Switzerland]. Retrieved August 4, 2015 from https://goo.gl/maps/ILt8O

APA Style on citing online map s

IAC. (n.d.).  Impact investing. In Investopedia . Retrieved May 15, 2016 from  https://www.investopedia.com/terms/i/impact-investing.asp

Merriam Webster (n.d.). R eliability. In Merriam-Webster.com dictionary (11th ed.). Retrieved January 11, 2020 from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reliability

Dictionary references in APA 7

BizJournals (via American City Business Journals)

Dittmer, M. (2018, March 16). Busiest Bay Area airlines. San Francisco Business Times .

Britannica Academic & Encyclopaedia Britannica

Library database fisher, w. w. (2018). patent. encyclopaedia britannica ., online britannica, t. editors of encyclopaedia (2019, november 20). prohibition. encyclopedia britannica. https://www.britannica.com/event/prohibition-united-states-history-1920-1933 note: encyclopedia britannica online  has a citation tool., business source complete.

Is it an article?  Use the format: Articles - library database

Is it a report? >> Use the format: Reports

The database Business Source Complete has a citation tool. Click CITE and select APA citation format. Review the citation and edit it.

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed): DSM–5

American psychiatric association. (2013). diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.).      https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.books.9780890425596, (american psychiatric association, 2013), faulkner reports.

Reports from these databases: Faulkner Advisory for IT Studies (FAITS), and Faulkner Security Management Practices.

Barr, J. G. (2019). Artificial intelligence . Faulkner Advisory for IT Studies.

Keston, G. (2019). Network access control . Faulkner Security Management Practices.

Gale Ebooks

Agile software. In Encyclopedia of Emerging Industries (7th ed., pp. 5-10). Gale. https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/CX3664200008/GVRL?u=ggusf_main&sid=GVRL&xid=4c07cc09

Harvard Business Review

Is it an article? >> Use the article format .

Is it a case study? >> Use the case study format .

Mergent Online

Mergent Inc. (n.d.). Apple, Inc.: Business segments .

Mergent Inc. (2014, February 28). McDonald's Corp.: Ford Equity research report .

Apple Inc. (2013, October 30). Form 10-K . 

Microsoft. (2005, September 25). Form 10-Q.  

Morningstar Investment Research Center

Google , Inc. (2011, December 31). Form 10-K .

Morningstar . (n.d.). Google: Key ratios . Retrieved March 13, 2014, from Morningstar Investment Research.

Morningstar . (2014, February 28) Fidelity Blue Chip Growth: Rating and risk .  Morningstar Investment Research.

Reichart, K. R. (2014, March 6). Fidelity Blue Chip Growth: Fund analyst repor t. Morningstar Investment Research database.

Summer, R. (2014, February 25). Google, Inc.: Stock analyst report . Morningstar Investment Research database.

Pew Research Center

Lopez, G., Ruis, N.G. & Patten, E. (2017, September 8) Key facts about Asian Americans, a diverse and growing population. http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/09/08/key-facts-about-asian-americans/

Shearer, E. & Gottfried, J. (2017, September 6). In 2017, two-thirds of U.S. adults get news from social media [Table]. In News Use Across Social Media Platforms 2017. http://www.journalism.org/2017/09/07/news-use-across-social-media-platforms-2017/pi_17-08-23_socialmediaupdate_0-01/

Pew Research Center. (2016). June 10-July 12, 2015 – Gaming, Jobs and Broadband [Data file and code book]. http://www.pewresearch.org

Pew Research Center. (2018, January 2018). They’re waiting longer, but U.S. women today more likely to have children than a decade ago: More than half of never-married women in their early 40s have given birth [Report]. http://www.pewsocialtrends.org/2018/01/18/theyre-waiting-longer-but-u-s-women-today-more-likely-to-have-children-than-a-decade-ago/

S&P Global NetAdvantage

Industry survey.

Snyder, K. (2017, October). Health care equipment and supplies. CFRA Industry Surveys [PDF].

Library database - Statista - citing data and charts

When you are viewing data, look for the citation button. SELECT CITATION. From the drop-down menu, click APA. We recommend you edit the citation. Note, Statista uses many difference SOURCES - the source is in the place of the author.

Atlas Van Lines. (May 27, 2020). Internal factors that influenced employee relocations in the United States in 2020 [Chart]. In Statista - The Statistics Portal . Retrieved April 08, 2021 from https://www.statista.com/statistics/763368/internal-factors-on-employee-relocation-us/

Airnow. (February 17, 2021). Leading iPhone apps in the Apple App Store worldwide in January 2021, by revenue (in million U.S. dollars) [Graph]. In  Statista . Retrieved April 08, 2021, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/271103/top-iphone-apps-worldwide-by-revenue/

Library database - Statista - citing a full report

Collignon , H. & Sultan, N. (2014, November). Winning the business of sports 2014 . Retrieved from Statista database.

Janßen , B., Krützfeldt, W., Ramcke, K., & Staffa, V. (2014, August).  Industry report - Computer and electronic product manufacturing NAICS Code 334 . Retrieved from Statista database.

Statista. (2018). Coffee market in the U.S. [Report]. Retrieved from Statista database.

Online - using Statista's website - citing data and charts

When there is no author name, use the SOURCE name in place of the author. Statista uses many difference SOURCES. Look under the table or figure for the word SOURCE.

ITU. (2011, October). Number of active mobile broadband subscriptions worldwide from 2005 to 2011 (in millions) [Chart].  In Statista . Retrieved from http://www.statista.com/statistics/186337/number-of-mobile-broadband-subscriptions-worldwide-since-2005/

Value Line Publishing. (2010, November 26). Ford Motor. Value Line Investment Survey .

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How to Write a Case Study in APA Format

Table of contents

• 1 What Is a Case Study In APA Format?
• 2.1 Sample Of APA Case Study Outline
• 3.1 Title Page in APA for Case Study Project
• 3.2 APA Title Page Example
• 3.3 The Abstract for an APA case study

Whether you study social sciences or life sciences, you’re likely to encounter a case study analysis in your academic journey. These papers demand a lot from students. First, you must have impeccable research and analysis skills. Sample populations, particularly people, can be challenging to analyze. It’s easy to misinterpret data and come up with the wrong conclusions. Additionally, you’ll need to have a knack for writing to present your findings persuasively, backed up by evidence-based arguments that build confidence for your teacher to accept the results of your work. If you need to boost your paper, Papers Owl is here to help you with a wide range of guidelines on how to write a case study in APA.

What Is a Case Study In APA Format?

To make your success, first realize that a case study is detective work. Your research may have an unresolved question or to carry out some testing to validate a hypothesis; in this case, studies are born. Psychology, nursing, and business are common fields this method is applied. In this scientific method, you’ll approach an event, action, individual, etc. And apply a set of circumstances to observe outcomes. Most papers in this field are written in the APA format, which can be a burden for students, especially if they aren’t familiar with this style. If you lack time or motivation for writing, appeal to our professional writers to write a case study  in APA format, and we will ensure your paper is perfectly formatted and gets a high grade.

Structure of Case Study Report In APA

First, let’s look at the sections in writing a case study in APA, which shares a few similarities to a typical research paper.

Introduction: Introduce your topic to the reader. Be sure to include the state of current research and where you plan to develop the current state of knowledge. You should include an interesting fact to reinforce your work’s importance and develop an interest in your hypothesis. Finish off with a thesis statement that you’ll focus on your workaround.

Aims: In this section, you answer the questions regarding why you are conducting your research and any questions you’ll explore. Avid case study writer recommends focusing your questions around your thesis. You can develop a triangle with a diagram and drill down your questions in a logical format that matches your paper’s main purpose.

Methods: Writing a case study in APA requires a methods section that details how you conducted your research. Did you conduct any interviews, send out questionnaires, or observe any behaviors? Detail them in this section, and state the environment and circumstances surrounding your data collection.

Results: Now that you’ve identified what you’d planned to accomplish and how you went about it in your APA case study format, it’s time to post the results. Don’t be shy if things don’t go swimmingly. Often in studies, we have unexpected results, which sometimes makes your paper more interesting to read.

Discussion: It’s time for the heart and soul of your paper. After all your research and observation, it is time to have a discourse on the results. The key to how to write a case paper in APA hangs on your ability to interpret the results in a meaningful way. Be sure to focus the discussion on your stated methods and how they pertain to your aims.

Recommendations: Here you want to detail what is to follow your research. Professional case study writers advise stating any knowledge gaps in your work and any unanswered or new questions you had found in the process. Your insights will be useful for others to follow in your footsteps and expand on your analysis.

Sample Of APA Case Study Outline

Example of writing a case study analysis in APA format:

Writing a case study in APA Step By Step

Knowing how to write a case study in APA format is a common question for students. In addition to the typical academic standards, APA has its own requirements that must be adhered to. The first step is to create a heading, known as a running head, that will be present on each page of your paper. The running head includes:

• The page number on the right margin
• A shortened title of your paper in ALL-CAPS no longer than 50 characters to the right

Title Page in APA for Case Study Project

The title of a case study in an APA paper is a requirement. The purpose is to state the name of the work, who the author is, and the institution that sponsored the research. It has the following parts:

• The words “running head” at the top, followed by the actual running head
• The full title of your paper using APA titling no longer than 12 words
• Your name without any designations (Dr/Ph.D./Rev/etc.) and the institution you attend

For APA Style ( 7th edition ), the cover page should also have:

• A page number at the top right corner.
• The institutional affiliation where the research took place.
• Course information, which is mandatory for student papers.
• The author’s note is optional and usually appears in professional papers.
• Font options have expanded to include Calibri 11, Arial 11, Lucida Sans Unicode 10, Times New Roman 12, or Georgia 11.
• All text on the title page should be double-spaced.
• Center all page contents and capitalize the first letter of significant words.

Note: APA 7 distinguishes between the formatting of title pages for professional and student papers. For instance, professional papers include a running head, while student papers do not necessarily include one.

APA Title Page Example

The Abstract for an APA case study

The abstract of your paper works as a summary to give a brief overview of what it contains. Include the running head at the top; the first line should have the word “abstract” centered. Follow the abstract with 150-250 words summarizing your paper. You may also index some keywords to help find the contents of your work in academic databases. At the end of your summary, indent once, and in italics, indicate keywords related to your work.

Writing an effective college paper requires a lot of planning and formatting to get it done right. Brush up on these guidelines for how to write your paper in APA format . If you need someone to review your work or write any parts of your paper, reach out to our professional writers, who are always willing to lend a hand.

Additionally, with the help of our blog, you can make sure you create a professional PowerPoint presentation that clearly outlines the main points of your paper. If you need help with this, our professional writers can provide guidance.

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• MJC Library & Learning Center
• Research Guides

Format Your Paper & Cite Your Sources

• APA Style, 7th Edition
• Citing Sources
• Avoid Plagiarism
• MLA Style (8th/9th ed.)

APA Tutorial

Formatting your paper, headings organize your paper (2.27), video tutorials, reference list format (9.43).

• Elements of a Reference

Reference Examples (Chapter 10)

Dois and urls (9.34-9.36), in-text citations.

• In-Text Citations Format
• In-Text Citations for Specific Source Types

NoodleTools

• Chicago Style
• Harvard Style
• Other Styles
• Annotated Bibliographies
• How to Create an Attribution

What is APA Style?

APA style was created by social and behavioral scientists to standardize scientific writing. APA style is most often used in:

• psychology,
• social sciences (sociology, business), and

If you're taking courses in any of these areas, be prepared to use APA style.

For in-depth guidance on using this citation style, refer to Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association , 7th ed. We have several copies available at the MJC Library at the call number  BF 76.7 .P83 2020 .

APA Style, 7th ed.

In October 2019, the American Psychological Association made radical changes its style, especially with regard to the format and citation rules for students writing academic papers. Use this guide to learn how to format and cite your papers using APA Style, 7th edition.

You can start by viewing the  video tutorial .

For help on all aspects of formatting your paper in APA Style, see   The Essentials  page on the APA Style website.

• sans serif fonts such as 11-point Calibri, 11-point Arial, or 10-point Lucida Sans Unicode, or
• serif fonts such as 12-point Times New Roman, 11-point Georgia, or normal (10-point) Computer Modern (the default font for LaTeX)
• There are exceptions for the  title page ,  tables ,  figures ,  footnotes , and  displayed equations .
• Margins :  Use 1-in. margins on every side of the page.
• Align the text of an APA Style  paper to the left margin . Leave the right margin uneven, or “ragged.”
• Do not use full justification for student papers.
• Do not insert hyphens (manual breaks) in words at the end of line. However, it is acceptable if your word-processing program automatically inserts breaks in long hyperlinks (such as in a DOI or URL in a reference list entry).
• Indent the first line of each paragraph of text 0.5 in . from the left margin. Use the tab key or the automatic paragraph-formatting function of your word-processing program to achieve the indentation (the default setting is likely already 0.5 in.). Do not use the space bar to create indentation. 
• There are exceptions for the  title page ,  section labels ,  abstract ,  block quotations ,  headings ,  tables and figures ,  reference list , and  appendices .

Paper Elements

Student papers generally include, at a minimum: 

• Title Page (2.3)
• Text (2.11)
• References  (2.12)

Student papers may include additional elements such as tables and figures depending on the assignment. So, please check with your teacher!

Student papers generally  DO NOT  include the following unless your teacher specifically requests it:

• Running head
• Author note

For complete information on the  order of pages , see the APA Style website.

Number your pages consecutively starting with page 1. Each section begins on a new page. Put the pages in the following order:

• Page 1: Title page
• Page 2: Abstract (if your teacher requires an abstract)
• Page 3: Text 
• References begin on a new page after the last page of text
• Footnotes begin on a new page after the references (if your teacher requires footnotes)
• Tables begin each on a new page after the footnotes (if your teacher requires tables) 
• Figures begin on a new page after the tables (if your teacher requires figures)
• Appendices begin on a new page after the tables and/or figures (if your teacher requires appendices)

Sample Papers With Built-In Instructions

To see what your paper should look like, check out these sample papers with built-in instructions.

APA Style uses five (5) levels of headings to help you organize your paper and allow your audience to identify its key points easily. Levels of headings establish the hierarchy of your sections just like you did in your paper outline.

APA tells us to use "only the number of headings necessary to differentiate distinct section in your paper." Therefore, the number of heading levels you create depends on the length and complexity of your paper.

See the chart below for instructions on formatting your headings:

Use Word to Format Your Paper:

Use Google Docs to Format Your Paper:

Placement:  The reference list  appears at the end of the paper, on its own page(s). If your research paper ends on page 8, your References begin on page 9.

Heading:  Place the section label References  in bold at the top of the page, centered.

Arrangement:  Alphabetize entries by author's last name. If source has no named author, alphabetize by the title, ignoring A, An, or The. (9.44-9.48)

Spacing:  Like the rest of the APA paper, the reference list is double-spaced throughout. Be sure NOT to add extra spaces between citations.

Indentation:  To make citations easier to scan, add a  hanging indent  of 0.5 in. to any citation that runs more than one line. Use the paragraph-formatting function of your word processing program to create your hanging indent.  

See Sample References Page (from APA Sample Student Paper):

Elements of Reference List Entries: (Chapter 9)

References generally have four elements, each of which has a corresponding question for you to answer:

• Author:   Who is responsible for this work? (9.7-9.12)
• Date:   When was this work published? (9.13-9.17)
• Title:   What is this work called? (9.18-9.22)
• Source:   Where can I retrieve this work? (9.23-9.37)

By using these four elements and answering these four questions, you should be able to create a citation for any type of source.

For complete information on all of these elements, checkout the APA Style website.

This infographic shows the first page of a journal article. The locations of the reference elements are highlighted with different colors and callouts, and the same colors are used in the reference list entry to show how the entry corresponds to the source.

To create your references, you'll simple look for these elements in your source and put them together in your reference list entry.

American Psychological Association.  Example of where to find reference information for a journal article  [Infographic]. APA Style Center. https://apastyle.apa.org/style-grammar-guidelines/references/basic-principles

Below you'll find two printable handouts showing APA citation examples. The first is an abbreviated list created by MJC Librarians. The second, which is more comprehensive, is from the APA Style website. Feel free to print these for your convenience or use the links to reference examples below:

• APA Citation Examples Created by MJC Librarians for you.
• Common References Examples (APA Handout) Printable handout from the American Psychological Association.
• Journal Article
• Magazine Article
• Newspaper Article
• Edited Book Chapter
• Webpage on a Website

Classroom or Intranet Sources

• Classroom Course Pack Materials
• How to Cite ChatGPT
• Dictionary Entry
• Government Report
• Legal References (Laws & Cases)
• TED Talk References
• Religious Works
• Open Educational Resources (OER)
• Archival Documents and Collections

You can view the entire Reference Examples website below and view a helpful guide to finding useful APA style topics easily:

• APA Style: Reference Examples
• Navigating the not-so-hidden treasures of the APA Style website
• Missing Reference Information

Sometimes you won't be able to find all the elements required for your reference. In that case, see the  instructions in Table 9.1 of the APA style manual in section 9.4 or the APA Style website below:

• Direct Quotation of Material Without Page Numbers

The DOI or URL is the final component of a reference list entry. Because so much scholarship is available and/or retrieved online, most reference list entries end with either a DOI or a URL.

• A  DOI  is a unique alphanumeric string that identifies content and provides a persistent link to its location on the internet. DOIs can be found in database records and the reference lists of published works.
• A  URL  specifies the location of digital information on the internet and can be found in the address bar of your internet browser. URLs in references should link directly to the cited work when possible.

When to Include DOIs and URLs:

• Include a DOI for all works that have a DOI, regardless of whether you used the online version or the print version.
• If an online work has both a DOI and a URL, include only the DOI.
• For works without DOIs from websites (not including academic research databases), provide a URL in the reference (as long as the URL will work for readers).
• For works without DOIs from most academic research databases, do not include a URL or database information in the reference because these works are widely available. The reference should be the same as the reference for a print version of the work.
• For works from databases that publish original, proprietary material available only in that database (such as the UpToDate database) or for works of limited circulation in databases (such as monographs in the ERIC database), include the name of the database or archive and the URL of the work. If the URL requires a login or is session-specific (meaning it will not resolve for readers), provide the URL of the database or archive home page or login page instead of the URL for the work. (See APA Section 9.30 for more information). 
• If the URL is no longer working or no longer provides readers access to the content you intend to cite, try to find an archived version using the Internet Archive , then use the archived URL. If there is no archived URL, do not use that resource.

Format of DOIs and URLs:

Your DOI should look like this: 

https://doi.org/10.1037/a0040251

Follow these guidelines from the APA Style website.

APA Style uses the  author–date citation system , in which a brief in-text citation points your reader to the full reference list entry at the end of your paper. The in-text citation appears within the body of the paper and briefly identifies the cited work by its author and date of publication. This method enables your reader to locate the corresponding entry in the alphabetical reference list at the end of your paper.

Each work you cite  must  appear in the reference list, and each work in the reference list must be cited in the text (or in a table, figure, footnote, or appendix) except for the following (See APA, 8.4):

• Personal communications (8.9)
• General mentions of entire websites, whole periodicals (8.22), and common software and apps (10.10) in the text do not require a citation or reference list entry.
• The source of an epigraph does not usually appear in the reference list (8.35)
• Quotations from your research participants do not need citations or reference list entries (8.36)
• References included in a statistical meta-analysis, which are marked with an asterisk in the reference list, may be cited in the text (or not) at the author’s discretion. This exception is relevant only to authors who are conducting a meta-analysis (9.52).

Formatting Your In-Text Citations

Parenthetical and Narrative Citations: ( See APA Section  8.11)

In APA style you use the author-date citation system for citing references within your paper. You incorporate these references using either a  parenthetical   or a  narrative  style.

Parenthetical Citations

• In parenthetical citations, the author name and publication date appear in parentheses, separated by a comma. (Jones, 2018)
• A parenthetical citation can appear within or at the end of a sentence.
• When the parenthetical citation is at the end of the sentence, put the period or other end punctuation after the closing parenthesis.
• If there is no author, use the first few words of the reference list entry, usually the "Title" of the source: ("Autism," 2008) See APA 8.14
• When quoting, always provide the author, year, and specific page citation or paragraph number for nonpaginated materials in the text (Santa Barbara, 2010, p. 243).  See APA 8.13
• For most citations, the parenthetical reference is placed BEFORE the punctuation: Magnesium can be effective in treating PMS (Haggerty, 2012).

Narrative Citations 

In narrative citations, the author name or title of your source appears within your text and the publication date appears in parentheses immediately after the author name. 

• Santa Barbara (2010) noted a decline in the approval of disciplinary spanking of 26 percentage points from 1968 to 1994.

In-Text Citation Checklist

• In-Text Citation Checklist Use this useful checklist from the American Psychological Association to ensure that you've created your in-text citations correctly.

In-Text Citations for Specific Types of Sources

Quotations from Research Participants

Personal Communications

Secondary Sources  

Use NoodleTools to Cite Your Sources  

NoodleTools can help you create your references and your in-text citations.

• NoodleTools Express No sign in required . When you need one or two quick citations in MLA, APA, or Chicago style, simply generate them in NoodleTools Express then copy and paste what you need into your document. Note: Citations are not saved and cannot be exported to a word processor using NoodleTools Express.
• NoodleTools (Login Full Database) This link opens in a new window Create and organize your research notes, share and collaborate on research projects, compose and error check citations, and complete your list of works cited in MLA, APA, or Chicago style using the full version of NoodleTools. You'll need to Create a Personal ID and password the first time you use NoodleTools.

See How to Use NoodleTools Express to Create a Citation in APA Format

Additional NoodleTools Help

• NoodleTools Help Desk Look up questions and answers on the NoodleTools Web site
• << Previous: MLA Style (8th/9th ed.)
• Next: Chicago Style >>
• Last Updated: Jul 10, 2024 5:03 PM
• URL: https://libguides.mjc.edu/citeyoursources

Except where otherwise noted, this work is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 and CC BY-NC 4.0 Licenses .

Generate accurate APA citations for free

• Knowledge Base
• APA Style 7th edition
• APA format for academic papers and essays

APA Formatting and Citation (7th Ed.) | Generator, Template, Examples

Published on November 6, 2020 by Raimo Streefkerk . Revised on January 17, 2024.

The 7th edition of the APA Publication Manual provides guidelines for clear communication , citing sources , and formatting documents. This article focuses on paper formatting.

Generate accurate APA citations with Scribbr

Throughout your paper, you need to apply the following APA format guidelines:

• Set page margins to 1 inch on all sides.
• Double-space all text, including headings.
• Indent the first line of every paragraph 0.5 inches.
• Use an accessible font (e.g., Times New Roman 12pt., Arial 11pt., or Georgia 11pt.).
• Include a page number on every page.

Let an expert format your paper

Our APA formatting experts can help you to format your paper according to APA guidelines. They can help you with:

• Margins, line spacing, and indentation
• Font and headings
• Running head and page numbering

Table of contents

How to set up apa format (with template), apa alphabetization guidelines, apa format template [free download], page header, headings and subheadings, reference page, tables and figures, frequently asked questions about apa format.

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References are ordered alphabetically by the first author’s last name. If the author is unknown, order the reference entry by the first meaningful word of the title (ignoring articles: “the”, “a”, or “an”).

Why set up APA format from scratch if you can download Scribbr’s template for free?

Student papers and professional papers have slightly different guidelines regarding the title page, abstract, and running head. Our template is available in Word and Google Docs format for both versions.

• Student paper: Word | Google Docs
• Professional paper: Word | Google Docs

In an APA Style paper, every page has a page header. For student papers, the page header usually consists of just a page number in the page’s top-right corner. For professional papers intended for publication, it also includes a running head .

A running head is simply the paper’s title in all capital letters. It is left-aligned and can be up to 50 characters in length. Longer titles are abbreviated .

APA headings have five possible levels. Heading level 1 is used for main sections such as “ Methods ” or “ Results ”. Heading levels 2 to 5 are used for subheadings. Each heading level is formatted differently.

Want to know how many heading levels you should use, when to use which heading level, and how to set up heading styles in Word or Google Docs? Then check out our in-depth article on APA headings .

The title page is the first page of an APA Style paper. There are different guidelines for student and professional papers.

Both versions include the paper title and author’s name and affiliation. The student version includes the course number and name, instructor name, and due date of the assignment. The professional version includes an author note and running head .

For more information on writing a striking title, crediting multiple authors (with different affiliations), and writing the author note, check out our in-depth article on the APA title page .

The abstract is a 150–250 word summary of your paper. An abstract is usually required in professional papers, but it’s rare to include one in student papers (except for longer texts like theses and dissertations).

The abstract is placed on a separate page after the title page . At the top of the page, write the section label “Abstract” (bold and centered). The contents of the abstract appear directly under the label. Unlike regular paragraphs, the first line is not indented. Abstracts are usually written as a single paragraph without headings or blank lines.

Directly below the abstract, you may list three to five relevant keywords . On a new line, write the label “Keywords:” (italicized and indented), followed by the keywords in lowercase letters, separated by commas.

APA Style does not provide guidelines for formatting the table of contents . It’s also not a required paper element in either professional or student papers. If your instructor wants you to include a table of contents, it’s best to follow the general guidelines.

Place the table of contents on a separate page between the abstract and introduction. Write the section label “Contents” at the top (bold and centered), press “Enter” once, and list the important headings with corresponding page numbers.

The APA reference page is placed after the main body of your paper but before any appendices . Here you list all sources that you’ve cited in your paper (through APA in-text citations ). APA provides guidelines for formatting the references as well as the page itself.

Creating APA Style references

Play around with the Scribbr Citation Example Generator below to learn about the APA reference format of the most common source types or generate APA citations for free with Scribbr’s APA Citation Generator .

Formatting the reference page

Write the section label “References” at the top of a new page (bold and centered). Place the reference entries directly under the label in alphabetical order.

Finally, apply a hanging indent , meaning the first line of each reference is left-aligned, and all subsequent lines are indented 0.5 inches.

Tables and figures are presented in a similar format. They’re preceded by a number and title and followed by explanatory notes (if necessary).

Use bold styling for the word “Table” or “Figure” and the number, and place the title on a separate line directly below it (in italics and title case). Try to keep tables clean; don’t use any vertical lines, use as few horizontal lines as possible, and keep row and column labels concise.

Keep the design of figures as simple as possible. Include labels and a legend if needed, and only use color when necessary (not to make it look more appealing).

Check out our in-depth article about table and figure notes to learn when to use notes and how to format them.

The easiest way to set up APA format in Word is to download Scribbr’s free APA format template for student papers or professional papers.

Alternatively, you can watch Scribbr’s 5-minute step-by-step tutorial or check out our APA format guide with examples.

APA Style papers should be written in a font that is legible and widely accessible. For example:

• Times New Roman (12pt.)
• Arial (11pt.)
• Calibri (11pt.)
• Georgia (11pt.)

The same font and font size is used throughout the document, including the running head , page numbers, headings , and the reference page . Text in footnotes and figure images may be smaller and use single line spacing.

You need an APA in-text citation and reference entry . Each source type has its own format; for example, a webpage citation is different from a book citation .

Use Scribbr’s free APA Citation Generator to generate flawless citations in seconds or take a look at our APA citation examples .

Yes, page numbers are included on all pages, including the title page , table of contents , and reference page . Page numbers should be right-aligned in the page header.

To insert page numbers in Microsoft Word or Google Docs, click ‘Insert’ and then ‘Page number’.

APA format is widely used by professionals, researchers, and students in the social and behavioral sciences, including fields like education, psychology, and business.

Be sure to check the guidelines of your university or the journal you want to be published in to double-check which style you should be using.

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.

Streefkerk, R. (2024, January 17). APA Formatting and Citation (7th Ed.) | Generator, Template, Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved August 19, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/apa-style/format/

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• Knowledge Base
• Referencing
• APA Referencing (7th Ed.) Quick Guide | In-text Citations & References

APA Referencing (7th Ed.) Quick Guide | In-text Citations & References

Published on 18 January 2021 by Raimo Streefkerk . Revised on 22 May 2024.

This citation guide outlines the most important citation guidelines from the 7th edition APA Publication Manual (2020). Scribbr also offers free guides for the older APA 6th edition , MLA Style , and Chicago Style .

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Table of contents

Apa in-text citations, apa references, formatting the apa reference page, free lecture slides.

In-text citations are brief references in the running text that direct readers to the reference entry at the end of the paper. You include them every time you quote or paraphrase someone else’s ideas or words.

An APA in-text citation consists of the author’s last name and the year of publication (also known as the author-date system). If you’re citing a specific part of a source, you should also include a locator such as a page number or timestamp. For example: (Smith, 2020, p. 170) .

Parenthetical vs. narrative citation

The in-text citation can take two forms: parenthetical and narrative. Both types are generated automatically when citing a source with Scribbr’s APA Citation Generator.

• Parenthetical citation: According to new research … (Smith, 2020) .
• Narrative citation: Smith (2020) notes that …

Multiple authors and corporate authors

The in-text citation changes slightly when a source has multiple authors or an organization as an author. Pay attention to punctuation and the use of the ampersand (&) symbol.

Missing information

When the author, publication date or locator is unknown, take the steps outlined below.

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APA references generally include information about the author , publication date , title , and source . Depending on the type of source, you may have to include extra information that helps your reader locate the source.

Reference examples

Citing a source starts with choosing the correct reference format. Use Scribbr’s Citation Example Generator to learn more about the format for the most common source types. Pay close attention to punctuation, capitalization, and italicization.

Generate APA citations for free

It is not uncommon for certain information to be unknown or missing, especially with sources found online. In these cases, the reference is slightly adjusted.

On the first line of the page, write the section label “References” (in bold and centred). On the second line, start listing your references in alphabetical order .

Apply these formatting guidelines to the APA reference page:

• Double spacing (within and between references)
• Hanging indent of ½ inch
• Legible font (e.g. Times New Roman 12 or Arial 11)
• Page number in the top-right header

Which sources to include

On the reference page, you only include sources that you have cited in the text (with an in-text citation ). You should not include references to personal communications that your reader can’t access (e.g. emails, phone conversations or private online material).

Are you a teacher or professor looking to introduce your students to APA Style? Download our free introductory lecture slides, available for Google Slides and Microsoft PowerPoint.

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If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the ‘Cite this Scribbr article’ button to automatically add the citation to our free Reference Generator.

Streefkerk, R. (2024, May 22). APA Referencing (7th Ed.) Quick Guide | In-text Citations & References. Scribbr. Retrieved 19 August 2024, from https://www.scribbr.co.uk/referencing/apa-style/

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• Case studies

General format

There is no specific way to reference a case study in APA style. Case studies are typically published as an article or report, or within a book. Format the reference list entry according to the type of publication. Following are some examples of case studies in business.

Business case study

Author(s). (Year).   Title of case study . Number of case study. URL

Harvard business school case study

Dey, A. (2022). Corporate governance: A three pillar framework. HBS No. 491-009.  https://hbsp.harvard.edu/cases/

Ivey business school case study

Dunbar, C., & Southam, C. (2005). London youth symphony. Ivey ID: 9B05009.  http://iveycases.com

Style notes

• If the case study is not numbered, leave it out of the reference entry.
• If the source is a book, format the reference according to the rules for books.
• If the source is a journal, format the reference according to the rules for journal articles.
• << Previous: Book and chapter
• Next: Dictionary or encyclopaedia entry >>
• Indigenous authors
• In-text citations
• Artificial intelligence tools
• Book and chapter
• Dictionary or encyclopaedia entry
• Health information sources
• Journal article
• Newspaper or magazine article
• Thesis or dissertation
• Webpage or website
• Writing style resources & sample papers

APA 7th Edition Citation Examples

• Volume and Issue Numbers
• Page Numbers
• Undated Sources
• Citing a Source Within a Source

Citing a Source within a Source

• In-Text Citations
• Academic Journals
• Encyclopedia Articles
• Book, Film, and Product Reviews
• Online Classroom Materials
• Conference Papers
• Technical + Research Reports
• Court Decisions
• Treaties and Other International Agreements
• Federal Regulations: I. The Code of Federal Regulations
• Federal Regulations: II. The Federal Register
• Executive Orders
• Charter of the United Nations
• Federal Statutes
• Dissertations and Theses
• Interviews, E-mail Messages + Other Personal Communications
• Social Media
• Business Sources
• PowerPoints
• AI: ChatGPT, etc.

Scenario: You read a 2007 article by Linhares and Brum that cites an earlier article, by Klein. You want to cite Klein's article, but you have not read Klein's article itself.

Reference list citation

Linhares, A., & Brum, P. (2007). Understanding our understanding of strategic scenarios: What role do chunks play? Cognitive Science , 31 (6), 989-1007. https://doi.org/10.1080/03640210701703725

Your Reference list will contain the article you read, by Linhares and Brum. Your Reference list will NOT contain a citation for Klein's article.

In-text citation

Klein's study (as cited in Linhares & Brum, 2007) found that...

Your in-text citation gives credit to Klein and shows the source in which you found Klein's ideas.

See  Publication Manual , p. 258.

• << Previous: Undated Sources
• Next: In-Text Citations >>
• Last Updated: Mar 18, 2024 12:55 PM
• URL: https://libguides.umgc.edu/apa-examples

APA Citation Guide (7th edition) : Welcome

• Advertisements
• Annual Reports
• Books & eBooks
• Book Reviews
• Class Notes, Class Lectures and Presentations
• Encyclopedias & Dictionaries
• Exhibitions and Galleries
• Government Documents
• Images, Charts, Graphs, Maps & Tables
• Journal Articles
• Magazine Articles
• Newspaper Articles
• Personal Communication (Interviews, Emails)
• Social Media
• Videos & DVDs
• When Creating Digital Assignments
• When Information Is Missing
• Works Cited in Another Source
• Dissertations & Theses
• Paraphrasing
• Reference List Information, Sample Papers, and Templates
• Annotated Bibliography
• How Did We Do?

Seneca College Libraries

This guide is used/adapted with the permission of Seneca College Libraries. For information please contact [email protected] .

What is APA?

APA style was created by the American Psychological Association. It is a set of rules for publications, including research papers.

In APA, you must "cite" sources that you have paraphrased, quoted or otherwise used to write your research paper. Cite your sources in two places:

• In the body of your paper where you add a brief in-text citation.
• In the Reference list at the end of your paper where you give more complete information for the source.

General APA Information

• What's New in APA 7th
• Common Terms when Using APA

Below is a summary of the major changes in the 7th edition of the APA Publication Manual.

Paper Format:

• Font  - While you still can use Times New Roman 12, you are free to use other fonts. Calibri 11, Arial 11, Lucida Sans 10, and Georgia 11 are all acceptable.
• Tables and Figures  - There is a standardized format for both tables and figures.

Style, Grammar, Usage:

• Singular "they" required in two situations: when used by a known person as their personal pronoun or when the gender of a singular person is not known.
• Use only one space after a sentence-ending period.

Citation Style:

• Developed the 'Four Elements of a Reference" (Author, Date, Title, Source) to help writers to create references for source types not explicitly examined in the APA Manual.
• Three or more authors can be abbreviated to First author, et al. on the first citation.
• Up to 20 authors are spelled out in the References List.
• Publisher location is not required for books.
• Ebook platform, format, or device is not required for eBooks.  
• Library database names are generally not required.
• No "doi:" prefix, simply include the doi.
• All hyperlinks retain the https://
• Links can be "live" in blue with underline or black without underlining

Citing : The process of acknowledging the sources of your information and ideas.

DOI (doi) : Some electronic content, such as online journal articles, is assigned a unique number called a Digital Object Identifier (DOI or doi). Items can be tracked down online using their doi.

In-Text Citation : A brief note at the point where information is used from a source to indicate where the information came from. An in-text citation should always match more detailed information that is available in the Reference List.

Paraphrasing : Taking information that you have read and putting it into your own words.

Plagiarism : Taking, using, and passing off as your own, the ideas or words of another.

Quoting : The copying of words of text originally published elsewhere. Direct quotations generally appear in quotation marks and end with a citation.

Reference : Details about one cited source.

Reference List : Contains details on ALL the sources cited in a text or essay, and supports your research and/or premise.

Retrieval Date : Used for websites where content is likely to change over time (e.g. Wikis), the retrieval date refers to the date you last visited the website.

• Next: How Do I Cite? >>
• Last Updated: Mar 6, 2024 11:18 AM
• URL: https://libguides.brenau.edu/APA7

Title Case Capitalization

APA Style uses two types of capitalization for titles of works (such as paper titles ) and headings within works : title case and sentence case .

In title case, major words are capitalized, and most minor words are lowercase. In sentence case, most major and minor words are lowercase ( proper nouns are an exception in that they are always capitalized).

• major words: Nouns, verbs (including linking verbs), adjectives, adverbs, pronouns, and all words of four letters or more are considered major words.
• minor words: Short (i.e., three letters or fewer) conjunctions, short prepositions, and all articles are considered minor words.

Title case capitalization is covered in the seventh edition APA Style manuals in the Publication Manual Section 6.17 and the Concise Guide Section 5.7

How to implement title case

In title case, capitalize the following words in a title or heading:

• the first word of the title or heading, even if it is a minor word such as “The” or “A”
• the first word of a subtitle
• the first word after a colon, em dash, or end punctuation in a heading
• major words, including the second part of hyphenated major words (e.g., “Self-Report,” not “Self-report”)
• words of four letters or more (e.g., “With,” “Between,” “From”)

Lowercase only minor words that are three letters or fewer in a title or heading (except the first word in a title or subtitle or the first word after a colon, em dash, or end punctuation in a heading):

• short conjunctions (e.g., “and,” “as,” “but,” “for,” “if,” “nor,” “or,” “so,” “yet”)
• articles (“a,” “an,” “the”)
• short prepositions (e.g., “as,” “at,” “by,” “for,” “in,” “of,” “off,” “on,” “per,” “to,” “up,” “via”)

When to use title case

Use title case for the following:

• titles of articles, books, reports, and other works appearing in text

In the book Train Your Mind for Peak Performance: A Science-Based Approach for Achieving Your Goals

In the article “Turning Frowns (and Smiles) Upside Down: A Multilevel Examination of Surface Acting Positive and Negative Emotions on Well-Being”

• titles of tests or measures, including subscales

Beck Depression Inventory–II

• all headings within a work (Levels 1–5; these are also bold or bold italic)
• the title of your own paper and of named sections and subsections within it

the Results section

• titles of periodicals (these are also italicized)

Journal of Latinx Psychology

Chicago Tribune

• table titles (these are also italicized)
• figure titles (these are also italicized), axis labels, and legends