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Citation Quick Guide (APA, MLA, Chicago, AMA)

This guide will provide quick citation guidelines for common resource types in APA, MLA, Chicago-Style, and AMA..

Little Seagull Handbook Reference Pages

In-Text Citation Guidelines

Basic APA In-Text Citation Styles
Author Type Parenthetical Citation Narrative Citation
One author (Grace, 2003) Grace (2003)
Two authors (Verminski & Blanchat, 2017) Verminski and Blanchat (2017)
Three or more authors (Helling et al., 2021) Helling et al. (2021)

Group author with abbreviation

1. First citation

2. Subsequent citation

 

1. (National Institute of Mental Health [NIMH], 2021)

2. (NIMH, 2021)

 

1. National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH, 2021)

2. NIMH (2021)
Group author without abbreviation (University of Chicago, 2019) University of Chicago (2019)

Notes:

  • Define the abbreviation for a group author only once either in the parenthetical or narrative in-text citation. Every subsequent mention of the group author name can use the abbreviation. 

Exceptions to the basic in-text citation styles:

  • When two works in a paper would both abbreviate to the same "et al." form, spell out as many surnames as needed to differentiate between the two.
  • When multiple works in a paper have an identical author(s) and publication year, append letters to the year: (hooks, 1995a); (hooks, 1995b).
  • When the first authors of multiple references in a paper share the same surname but have different initials, use the initials in the in-text citation. 

For additional guidance please see the Author-Date Citation system page from the APA Style website

What is an indirect citation?

An indirect citation is when the ideas of one author are referenced in another author's work, and you have only read the second author's work and not the original work. When this occurs and you want to cite the original idea you will need to:

  • Include both the original author and the secondary author where the quote/idea was found in the text
  • Add "as cited in/by" before the author of the in-text reference: (as cited by Komlodi, 2005).
  • The reference list should contain an entry for the work in which you found the quotation/idea, and not for where that idea originated (original work)
Citing an indirect citation
Elements of the reference Follow the format type for the item in which you found the indirect citation (book, journal article, etc.)
In-text reference Hofstede (as cited by Komlodi, 2005) described uncertainty avoidance as...
Reference List Komlodi, A. (2005). Cultural models of Hall and Hofstede. In K. Fisher, S. Erdelez, & L. McKechnie (Eds.), Theories of Information Behavior (pp. 108-112). American Society for Information Science and Technology. 

blue icon depicting a bookChanges to quotations are covered in Sections 8.30–8.31 of the APA Publication Manual, Seventh Edition

This guidance has been taken directly from the APA Style website changes to quotations page: 

Changes to a quotation not requiring an explanation for readers: 

  • The first letter of the first word in a quotation may be changed to an uppercase or a lowercase letter to fit the context of the sentence in which the quotation appears.
  • Some punctuation marks at the end of a quotation may be changed to fit the syntax of the sentence in which the quotation appears, as long as meaning is not changed (e.g., it might alter meaning to change a period to a question mark, depending on how the sentence is written).
  • Single quotation marks may be changed to double quotation marks and vice versa.
  • Footnote or endnote number callouts can be omitted.
  • Any other changes (e.g., italicizing words for emphasis or omitting words) must be explicitly indicated.

Changes to a quotation requiring an explanation for readers: 

 
  • Use an ellipsis to indicate that you have omitted words within a quotation (e.g., to shorten a sentence or tie two sentences together).
  • Either type three periods with spaces around each ( . . . ) or use the ellipsis character created by your word processing program when you type three periods in a row ( … ), with a space before and after.
  • Use four periods—that is, a period plus an ellipsis (. … )—to show a sentence break within omitted material, such as when a quotation includes the end of one sentence and the beginning of another sentence.
  • Use square brackets, not parentheses, to enclose material such as an addition or explanation you have inserted in a quotation.
  • If you want to emphasize a word or words in a quotation, use italics. Immediately after the italicized words, insert “emphasis added” within square brackets as follows: [emphasis added].

If the quotation contains an error, it is necessary to indicate the error.

screenshot of quotation examples from the APA Style Website

 

How to Cite with Missing Information

If no author or creator is provided, start the citation with the title of the item you are citing. Follow the title of the item with the date of publication, and the continue with other citation details based on the type of item you are citing (journal article, website, book . . .).

Remember: an author or creator doesn't necessarily have to be an individual person. It may be an organization or corporation like The Center of Disease Control or a username on a site such a YouTube. 

Reference list entry with no author

Title. (Date). Source Information. 

Article on a website with no author example

Loenbro sheds new light on industry to Great Falls College welding students. (2021, Dec 13). Great Falls College Montana State University. https://www.gfcmsu.edu/news/news_details.html?Loenbro-sheds-new-light-on-industry-to-Great-Falls-College-welding-students-764

Parenthetical citation: ("Loenbro sheds new light," 2021)

Narrative citation: "Loenbro sheds new light" (2021)

Note: Use a shortened version of the title in in-text references. 

*You could also cite this particular source as a webpage with a group author rather than citing as a webpage with no author. 

If no date is provided, or is very difficult to determine, use the initials n.d. where you would normally put the date. Complete the rest of the citation following the proper format for the type of source (journal article, book, website . . .).

Source with no date reference page entry

Author. (n.d.). Title of work. Source of Work. 

Webpage on a website with no date example

Workman, K. (n.d.). How to make a perfect roast chicken. The Mom 100. https://themom100.com/recipe/how-to-make-a-perfect-roast-chicken/

Parenthetical citation: (Workman, n.d.)

Narrative citation: Workman (n.d.)

Page numbers may not be provided for some items, such as online materials. In this case, do not include the page number element in the reference list entry. For the rest of the citation follow the citation format for the type of source (journal article, book, website . . .).

Reference list entry

If no page numbers are given, do not include them in the reference list entry. Complete the rest of the entry like normal. 

In-text citation: direct quote

When directly quoting a source in the text of your paper, you would normally include page numbers. If there are no page numbers given:

  • Indicate the paragraph number with the word "para." before it. For example: (Matthews, 2017, para. 3)
  • If there are headings, give the name of the heading, followed by the word "section" and the number of the paragraph within the section it is from. For example: (Matthews, 2017, results section, para. 3)
  • If there is only one paragraph, provide the author's last name and the year and omit the page number. For example: (Matthews, 2017).

Occasionally an item may not have a title. If you are citing something with no identified title, write a description of the item placed in square brackets. Put this description in brackets where you'd normally put the title. The rest of the citation will follow the format according to item type (journal article, book, website . . .).

Reference list entry no title

Author, A. (Date). [Description of resource]. Source Information. 

Reference list entry example: webpage with no title

Smith, J. (2013). [Article about APA citations]. Website Title. website.com/articleaboutAPAcitations

Parenthetical citation: (Smith, 2013)

Narrative citation: Smith (2013)

Journal Articles

Basic Format:

Author, A. A., Author, B. B., Author, C.C. (Date). Article title: Article subtitle, only first words in title and subtitle and proper nouns capitalized. Journal Title, Volume(Issue), pages. DOI. 

Reference Page Example:

Bell, T., Montague, J., Elander, J., & Gilbert, P. (2020). "A definite feel-it moment": Embodiment, externalisation and emotion during chair-work in compassion-focused therapy. Counseling & Psychotherapy Research, 20(1), 143-153. https://doi.org/10.1002/capr.12248.

Parenthetical Citation: (Bell et al., 2020)

Narrative Citation: Bell et al. (2020)

Generative AI (ChatGPT)

APA recommends that you credit the author of the algorithm with a reference list entry and a corresponding in-text citation. When possible, include a transcript of the chat as an appendix to your paper. 

Example: AI/ChatGPT

Narrative Citation: 

When asked to explain how rainbows are formed, Open AI's ChatGPT response included . . . (2023). 

Parenthetical Citation:

When asked to explain how rainbows are formed, ChatGPT's response included . . . (OpenAI, 2023).

In-text Citation with Appendix:

When asked to explain how rainbows are formed, ChatGPT's response included . . . (OpenAI, 2023; see appendix A for full transcript). 

Reference Entry:

OpenAI. (2023). ChatGPT (Mar 14 version) [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com/chat

  • For detailed explanation of Citing ChatGPT in APA Style, see the post from the APA Style website: How to Cite ChatGPT.
  • cite a generative AI tool whenever you paraphrase, quote, or incorporate into your own work any content (whether text, image, data, or other) that was created by it 
  • acknowledge all functional uses of the tool (like editing your prose or translating words) in a note or your text
  • take care to evaluate the secondary sources it cites

Magazine Articles

Basic Format:

Author, A. A., Author, B. B., Author, C.C. (Date). Article title: Article subtitle, only first words in title and subtitle and proper nouns capitalized. Magazine Title, Volume(Issue), pages. DOI. 

Reference Page Example:

Dellenger, R. (2018). Failure is not an option (or is it?). Sports Illustrated, 129(8), 38-42. 

Parenthetical Citation: (Dellenger, 2018)

Narrative Citation: Dellenger (2018)

Note:

  • DOI: If DOI is not available, end citation after the page numbers. 

Newspaper Articles

Basic Format:

Author, A. A. (Date). Article title: Article subtitle, only first words in title and subtitle and proper nouns capitalized. Newspaper Title, pages.

Reference Page Example:

Iyer, P. (2017, Dec. 21). Troubled waters: A natural disaster leaves a haunting spiritual legacy in Japan. The New York Times, A11. 

Parenthetical Citation: (Iyer, 2017)

Narrative Citation: Iyer (2017)

Notes:

  • URL: If the newspaper article is from an online newspaper and the URL will resolve for readers, include it at the end of the reference citation. Do not include database information if you retrieved the article from a scholarly database. 
  • Page Numbers: If page numbers are missing from an online newspaper article, do not include them in the reference. If you used a print version of a newspaper, always include page numbers. 
  • News Website: If the article is from a news website that does not have an associated daily/weekly print paper, use the format for a webpage on a news website instead. 

Webpage on a Website

Webpage with a Group Author: Basic Format

Group Author. (Year). Webpage title. URL.

Reference Page Example:

World Health Organization. (2020, Dec. 9). The top 10 causes of death. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/the-top-10-causes-of-death

Webpage with an Individual Author: Basic Format

Author, A. (Year). Webpage title. Website title. URL

Reference Page Example:

DeVore, J. (2021, Aug. 18). 150 word review: 'Sunshine' (2007). Medium. https://medium.com/humungus/150-word-review-sunshine-2007-a3fab753a2e6

Parenthetical Citation: (World Health Organization, 2020); (DeVore, 2021)

Narrative Citation: World Health Organization (2020); DeVore (2021)

Notes:

  • Dates: Provide as specific as a date as possible for the webpage. When contents of a page are designed to change over time, include a retrieval date in the reference.
  • Authors: For a page from an organization's website without individual authors, use the name of the organization as the author. Because the author of the webpage and the site name are the same, omit the site name from the source element to avoid repetition (like in the group author example).
  • Title of a webpage: Italicize the title of a webpage.

 

Whole Authored Book/E-Book

Basic Format:

Author, A. A. (Date). Book title: Book subtitle, only first words in title and subtitle and proper nouns capitalized (edition if applicable). Publisher. DOI if available for eBooks. 

Reference List Example: 

Kendi, I. X. (2019). How to be an antiracist. One World. 

Parenthetical Citation: (Kendi, 2019)

Narrative Citation: Kendi (2019)

Edited Book/E-Book

Basic Format:

Editor, A. A., Editor, B. B., & Editor, C. C. (Eds.). (Year). Book title: Book subtitle, only first words in title and subtitle and proper nouns capitalized (edition if applicable). Publisher. DOI if available for eBooks. 

Reference Page Example:

Souza, J. M., & Rose, T. A. (Eds.). (2021). Exemplars of assessment in higher education: Diverse approaches to addressing accreditation standards. Stylus Publishing, LLC. 

Parenthetical Citation: (Souza & Rose, 2021)

Narrative Citation: Souza and Rose (2021)

Chapter in an Edited Book/E-Book

Basic Format:

Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Year). Chapter title: Chapter subtitle. In A. A. Editor, & B. B. Editor (Eds.), Book title: Book subtitle, only first words in title and subtitle and proper nouns capitalized (pp.). Publisher. DOI if available for eBooks. 

Reference Page Example:

Helling, M. K., Hanson, J., & Sackreiter, K. (2021). A systematic approach to building a culture of assessment: A multiyear, cohort-based professional development model. In J. M. Souza, & T. A. Rose (Eds.), Exemplars of assessment in higher education: Diverse approaches to addressing accreditation standards. Stylus Publishing, LLC. 

Parenthetical Citation: (Helling et al., 2021)

Narrative Citation: Helling et al. (2021)

Multi-volume Books/E-Books

Basic Format:

Editor, A. A., Editor, B. B., & Editor, C. C. (Eds.). (Year). Book title: Book subtitle, only first words in title and subtitle and proper nouns capitalized (Volumes). Publisher. DOI if available for eBooks. 

Reference Page Example:

Parini, J. (Ed.). (2003). American writers classics (Vols. 1-2). Charles Scribner's Sons. 

Parenthetical Citation: (Parini, 2003)

Narrative Citation: Parini (2003) 

Notes:

  • Provide the names of the editor(s)-in-chief as the editors of the entire work, even if each volume's editors are different. 

Children's Book or Other Illustrated Books/E-Books

Children's Book with Illustrator Different than Author: Basic Format

Author, A. A. (Year). Title of book: Subtitle of book (A. Illustrator, Illus.). Publisher. DOI/URL if available for eBooks

Reference Page Example:

Rodman, M. A. (2005). My best friend (E. B. Lewis, Illus.). Viking Press. 

Children's Book with Illustrator Same as Author: Basic Format

Author, A. (Year). Title of book (A. Author, Illus.). Publisher. DOI/URL (for E-Books)

Reference Page Example:

Pinkney, J. (2009). The lion & the mouse (J. Pinkney, Illus.). Little, Brown and Company. 

Parenthetical Citation: (Rodman, 2005); (Pinkney, 2005)

Narrative Citation: Rodman (2005); Pinkney (2005)

Report by a Government Agency

Basic Format:

Agency Author. (Year). Report title: Report subtitle. Parent Agency. URL. 

Reference Page Example:

National Cancer Institute. (2019). Taking time: Support for people with cancer (NIH Publication No. 18-2059). U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health. https://www.cancer.gov/publications/patient-education/takingtime.pdf

Parenthetical Citation: (National Cancer Institute, 2019)

Narrative Citation: National Cancer Institute (2019)

Note:

  • The specific agency responsible for the report appears as the author. The names of parent agencies not present in the group author name appear in the source element as the publisher. 

Online Dictionary or Encyclopedia Entries

Reference Entry Basic Format: Individual Author

Author of entry. (date). Title of dictionary entry. In Title of Dictionary/Encyclopedia. Publisher. Retrieved Date, from DOI/URL. 

Reference Entry Example: Individual Author

Cash, J. (2018). Halloween. In S. Bronner (Ed.), Encyclopedia of American Studies. Johns Hopkins University Press. Retrieved September 30, 2021, from https://search.credoreference.com/content/entry/jhueas/halloween/0

Basic Format: Group Author

Group Author Name. (Date). Title of dictionary/encyclopedia entry. In Title of Dictionary/Encyclopedia. Publisher. Retrieved Date, from DOI/URL.

Reference Entry Example: Group Author

Merriam-Webster. (n.d.) Semantics. In Merriam-Webster.com dictionary. Retrieved September 30, 2021, from  https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/semantics

Columbia University Press. (2018). Semantics. In The Columbia Encyclopedia (8th ed.). Retrieved September 30, 2021, from https://search.credoreference.com/content/entry/columency/semantics/0

Bloomsbury. (1993). Semantics. In K. McLeish (Ed.), Bloomsbury Guide to Human Thought. Retrieved September 30, 2021, from https://search.credoreference.com/content/entry/bght/semantics/0

Parenthetical Citation: (Cash, 2018); (Merriam-Webster, n.d.); (Columbia University Press, 2018); (Bloomsbury, 1993)

Narrative Citation: Cash (2018); Merriam-Webster (n.d.); Columbia University Press (2018); Bloomsbury (1993)

Notes:

  • If the entry does not have an individual author, use the publisher as a group author. 
  • Please note that if you use online databases like Credo Reference to find encyclopedia entries, Credo Reference is never listed in the citation as the source, or author. The source will be the specific encyclopedia or dictionary where the reference entry is from. In the screenshot from Credo Reference below, the source name is outlined in red. The entry itself will have additional information (publisher, author, edition) at the bottom of the page. 

Screenshot of Credo Reference entry with the source name "From: Bloomsbury Guide to Human Thought," outlined in red

Audiovisual Media

Reference Entry Basic Format

Director, Name. (Director). (Year). Title of movie [Film]. Production Company. 

Reference Entry Example

Cuarón, A. (Director). (2013). Gravity [Film]. Warner Bros.; Esperanto Filmoj; Heyday Films. 

Parenthetical Citation: (Cuarón, 2013)

Narrative Citation: Cuarón (2013)

Notes:

  • Provide the director in the author element of the reference followed by the notation "(Director)"
  • Provide the production company or companies in the source element of the reference. Separate multiple production companies with a semi-colon. 

Reference List Entry Basic Format

Executive Producer Name. (Executive Producer). (Years the series aired). Title of tv series [TV Series]. Production Company. 

Reference List Entry Example

Lorre, C., & Prady, B. (Executive Producers). (2007-2019). The big bang theory [TV Series]. Chuck Lorre Productions; Warner Bros. Television. 

Parenthetical Citation Example: (Lorre & Prady, 2007-2019)

Narrative Citation Example: Lorre and Prady (2007-2019)

Notes:

  • Provide the executive producer(s) in the author element of the reference.
  • When there is one executive producer, use the notation “(Executive Producer).” When there are multiple executive producers, provide the notation once after all the producers’ names, the same as you would the notation “(Eds.)” for an edited book: “(Executive Producers).”
  • Provide the year(s) during which the series aired in the date element of the reference.
  • If the series is still airing at the time you are writing the paper, replace the second year with “present”: (2017–present).
  • Provide the production company or companies in the source element of the reference. Separate multiple production companies with a semicolon.

TV Series Episode Basic Format

Writer, W. (Writer), & Director, D. (Director). (Date of Episode). Title of episode (season x, episode x) [TV series episode]. In Producer, A. & Producer, B. (Executive Producers). Title of tv series. Production Company. 

TV Series Episode Example

Sherman-Palladino, A. (Writer & Director). (2018, December 5). All alone (Season 2, Episode 10) [TV series episode]. In A. Sherman-Palladino, D. Palladino, D. Gilbert, M. Shapiro, S. Carino, & S. Lawrence (Executive Producers), The marvelous Mrs. Maisel. Dorothy Parker Drank Here Productions; Picrow; Amazon Studios.

Parenthetical Citation: (Sherman-Palladino, 2018)

Narrative Citation: Sherman-Palladino, 2018

Notes:

  • Include the writers and directors for the episode. Include the contributor’s role in parentheses after each name.
  • If one person performed multiple roles, combine the descriptions with an ampersand.
  • Provide the season number and episode number after the title in parentheses.
  • Provide the production company or companies in the source element of the reference. Separate multiple production companies with a semicolon.

[examples from apastyle.org]

Reference Entry Basic Format

Director, Name. (Director). (Year). Title of movie [English translation] [Film]. Production Company. 

Reference Entry Example

Alfredson, T. (Director). (2008). Låt den rätte komma in [Let the right one in] [Film]. EFTI; Sveriges Television (SVT); Filmpool Nord; Sandrew Metronome; WAG; Fido Film; The Chimney Pot; Ljudligan.

Parenthetical Citation: (Alfredson, 2008)

Narrative Citation: Alfredson (2008)

Notes:

  • Provide the director in the author element of the reference followed by the notation "(Director)"
  • Provide the production company or companies in the source element of the reference. Separate multiple production companies with a semi-colon. 
  • As in all references, if the original title of the work is a language different from that of the paper you are writing, provide a translation of the title in square brackets after the title and before the bracketed description and period.

Personal Communication

Personal communication citations include the name of the communicator, the date, and the description "personal communication." Examples of personal communication include emails, conversations, personal interviews, etc. 

Example: interview

Narrative Citation: R. Roberts (personal communication, August 10, 2020)

Parenthetical Citation: (R. Roberts, personal communication, August 10, 2020)