APA Style Overview
APA Style uses the author–date citation system, in which a brief in-text citation directs readers to a full reference list entry. The in-text citation appears within the body of the paper (or in a table, figure, footnote, or appendix) and briefly identifies the cited work by its author and date of publication. This enables readers to locate the corresponding entry in the alphabetical reference list at the end of the paper.
Each work cited 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).
Both paraphrases and quotations require citations.
Finding and Using a DOI
The DOI (digital object identifier) 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 a print work does not have a DOI, do not include any DOI or URL in the reference.
- If an online work has both a DOI and a URL, include only the DOI
- If an online work has a URL but no DOI, include the URL in the reference as follows:
- 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.
Finding a DOI With CrossRef
Having trouble finding a DOI or the DOI provided is a broken link? CrossRef links research objects, entities, and actions, creating a lasting and reusable scholarly record. Search the article title in CrossRef and copy the DOI Link at the bottom of the record.
Common APA 7th Edition In-Text Citation & Reference Examples
| Resource Type | In-Text Citation | Reference List |
|---|---|---|
| Book | (Koehler, 2015) | Koehler, W. C. (2015). Ethics and values in librarianship: A history. Rowman & Littlefield. |
| Chapter in an edited book | (Echols, 2025) | Echols, S. M. (2025). Resurgence of a bibliotherapist: Exploring the life and times of Sadie "Sara" Marie Paterson Delaney. In N. A. Cooke (Ed.), The legacy of Black women in librarianship: When they dared to be powerful (pp. Pages of Chapter). ALA Neal-Schuman. |
| Article from an electronic journal | (Knox, 2024) | Knox, E. (2024). Intellectual freedom and privacy: A core value of librarianship. Journal of Intellectual Freedom & Privacy, 8(3), 2. https://doi.org/10.5860/jifp.v8i3.8284 |
| Website | (American Library Association, 2025) | American Library Association. (2025). Banned & challenged books. https://www.ala.org/bbooks |
| A work by two authors | (Winberry & Bishop, 2021) | Winberry, J. & Bishop, B. W. (2021). Documenting social justice in library and information science research: A literature review. Journal of Documentation, 77(3), 743-754. https://doi.org/10.1108/JD-08-2020-0136 |
| A work by three or more authors | (Jones et al., 2022) | Jones, E. P., Mani, N. S., Carlson, R. B., Welker, C. G., Cawley, M., & Yu, F. (2022). Analysis of anti-racism, equity, inclusion and social justice initiatives in library and information science literature. Reference Services Review, 50(1), 81-101. https://doi.org/10.1108/rsr-07-2021-0032 |