How to Create a Works Cited Page in APA Format
Using APA Format
APA (American Psychological Association) format is the preferred method of citing sources for papers written in the social sciences.
How to Prepare a Reference or Works Cited Page
The reference page is the last page of your paper. Continue to double space this page. The page should be labelled "References" at the top.
- alphabetize your references by the last name of the first author.
- indent the second line of each reference 1/2 inch from the margin
- Italicize letters of titles of books or journals
- capitalize only the first letter of titles (except the titles of journals). If there is a subtitle, capitalize the first letter after the colon.
BOOKS
EX: Auletta, Ken. (2009). Googled: The end of the world as we know it. New York: Penguin Press.
As you can see from that example, the appropriate format for book citations is:
Author last, Author first. (date). Title: This is italicized. City: Publisher.
ARTICLES IN PERIODICALS
EX: Dalton, M. A. (2009). "What's Constraining Your Innovation?" Research Technology Management, 52, (5). 52-64.
As you can see from this example, the appropriate format for articles from a periodical is:
Author last, Author first initials. (date). "Title" Title of Journal, Volume Number, (Issue Number). Pages.
If the article appears in a magazine, there will be no volume number. Instead include the date of the magazine as well as the year.
EX: Evans, Rory (2010, July) "Fine Lines" Martha Stewart Living, 200. 86-93.
Citing Websites
When citing a website, include as much information as you can find about the authors and the last updated date (also useful information when determining an online source's reliability). Include the URL that you used to access the site.
EX: Author, Name and Author, Name. (2010 or n.d. if no date is available). How to Create a Works Cited Page in APA Format. Accessed at http://hubpages.com/hub/How-to-Create-a-Works-Cited-Page-in-APA-Format
Resources
Purdue Online Writing Lab, or OWL, is an excellent resource that I have drawn on widely while preparing my own papers, as well as while writing this hub. Find it here:
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/section/2/10/
