APA referencing guidelines
APA Style is widely used by students, researchers, and professionals in the social and behavioral sciences. The Scribbr APA Reference Generator automatically generates accurate references and in-text citations for free.
This referencing guide outlines the most important referencing guidelines from the 7th edition APA Publication Manual (2020). Scribbr also offers free guides for the older APA 6th edition, Vancouver Style, and Harvard Style.
APA in-text citations
The basics
In-text citations are brief references in the running text that direct readers to the full 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.
| Author type | Parenthetical citation | Narrative citation |
|---|---|---|
| One author | (Smith, 2020) | Smith (2020) |
| Two authors | (Smith & Jones, 2020) | Smith and Jones (2020) |
| Three or more authors | (Smith et al., 2020) | Smith et al. (2020) |
| Organization | (Scribbr, 2020) | Scribbr (2020) |
Missing information
When the author, publication date or locator is unknown, take the steps outlined below.
| Missing element | What to do | Parenthetical citation |
|---|---|---|
| Author | Use the source title.* | (Source Title, 2020) |
| Date | Write “n.d.” for “no date”. | (Smith, n.d.) |
| Page number | Either use an alternative locator or omit the page number. |
(Smith, 2020, Chapter 3) or (Smith, 2020) |
APA references
The basics
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 references for free
Missing information
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.
| Missing element | What to do | Reference format |
|---|---|---|
| Author | Start the reference entry with the source title. | Title. (Date). Source. |
| Date | Write “n.d.” for “no date”. | Author. (n.d.). Title. Source. |
| Title | Describe the work in square brackets. | Author. (Date). [Description]. Source. |
Formatting the APA reference page
The basics
On the reference page, you list all the sources that you’ve cited throughout your paper. Place the page, right after the main body and before any appendices.
On the first line of the page, write the word “References” (in bold and centered). 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).
Tools and resources
In addition to the APA Reference Generator, Scribbr provides many more tools and resources that help millions of students and academics every month.
- Citation Checker: Upload your paper and have artificial intelligence check your citations for errors and inconsistencies.
- Citation Editing: Have an APA expert review every reference to ensure the correct information is included, formatting requirements are met, and capitalization and punctuation are spot on.
- Plagiarism Checker: Detect, understand, and resolve plagiarism by comparing your paper with billions of sources.
- Guides and videos: Explore hundreds of articles, bite-sized videos, time-saving templates, and handy checklists that guide you through the process of research, writing, and citation.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is the Scribbr Reference Generator free?
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Yes, the Scribbr APA Reference Generator is 100% free.
- Why should I use the Scribbr Reference Generator?
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The Scribbr Reference Generator is easy to use, accurate, and accessible for all students. Some features you’ll definitely like include:
- Lightning-fast autocite using a URL, DOI, ISBN or title
- Smart citation forms that help you avoid incorrect citations
- Quick tips that make citing easier
- No costs, no ads, no limitations
- Can I download my sources to Word?
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Yes, after creating your references you can download your reference list to Word. Simply click on download > Microsoft Word (.docx) in the menu above your reference list.
To save you some time, the downloaded file is already set up in APA format.
- Do I have to create an account?
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An account is not required to use the Scribbr Reference Generator. However, creating a Scribbr account does have some benefits:
- Safely store your reference list
- Create multiple reference lists
- Work from multiple devices
Note that if you’re not signed in, your reference list is stored as a cookie on your browser, which means you can easily lose your work. Be sure to download a backup on a regular basis, or sign in to store it in your account automatically.
- What does a reference generator do?
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A reference generator is an easy tool that helps you cite sources in a specific reference style.
You fill in the forms with information about a source, such as the author(s), title, and publication date. The tool then creates an accurate reference and in-text citation that you can use to give credit to the original author.
- What citation styles does the Scribbr Reference Generator support?
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The Scribbr Reference Generator currently supports the following citation styles, and we’re working hard on supporting more styles in future.
Scribbr uses industry-standard citation styles from the Citation Styles Language project.