How To Cite APA 7th Edition

The need for referencing has never been more important, in a digital world that has seen misinformation increase. In the worlds of academic research and writing, citation allows us to follow original sources and helps to avoid plagiarism. 

The APA (American Psychological Association) style is one of the most popular standard citation styles. Used globally, but more particularly in the fields of psychology, social sciences, and education, it’s a practical and useful framework that many follow. 

This article summarizes the key APA 7th edition citation rules, including in-text citations and reference list entries, and provides examples for different types of sources serving as a guide for a proper APA citation.

What Is APA Format?

The APA format was created in 1929 by a group of scholars affiliated with the American Psychological Association. These initial recommendations were published in the research journal Psychological Bulletin under the article titled “Instructions in Preparing Manuscripts” [1]. 

Since then, a number of guides have been released to accommodate evolving communication channels and needs. The most recent edition (7th), which was published in 2019, included principles for inclusive and bias-free language as well as citation examples for new information sources such as YouTube videos, podcast episodes and even AI-generated text (e.g., ChatGPT) [2].

How To Cite In APA

In APA style, every source you cite in-text must appear in your reference list, and vice versa. In-text citations use the author-date system and are brief; the reference list provides full details. These are the differences: 

In-text citation: Includes the author’s last name and the year of publication, and is usually placed after the statement it refers to. If quoting or referencing a specific passage, include the page number (e.g., Ryan & Deci, 2000, p. 15). Titles and URLs are not included in in-text citations.

There are two common formats:

• Narrative citation is used when the author’s name is part of the sentence:

For example: Ryan and Deci (2000) argue that…

• Parenthetical citation is used when the citation appears at the end of the sentence:

For example: Self-Determination Theory emphasizes intrinsic motivation as a key factor in well-being and performance (Ryan & Deci, 2000).

Additionally, when a source has three or more authors, APA style uses “et al.” after the first author’s name in all in-text citations.

For example: Ryan et al. (2000) argue that… or  (Ryan et al., 2020)

Reference list entry: It provides full source details and is listed at the end of the document, arranged in alphabetical order by the authors’ last names.

For example: Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2000). Self-determination theory and the facilitation of intrinsic motivation, social development, and well-being. American Psychologist, 55(1), 68–78. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.55.1.68 

While in-text citations follow a consistent format regardless of the type of source (e.g., book, journal article, website, etc.), the reference list format varies depending on the source type. In the next sections, we will look at the specific APA formats for each source type.

How To Cite A Journal Article APA 7th Edition 

When citing a journal article in APA 7th edition, include the following:

• Last name of the author(s), a comma and their initials (e.g., Bandura, A., Ross, D., & Ross).
• The publication year in parenthesis (e.g., (1961)).
• The article title in sentence case (e.g., Transmission of aggression through imitation of aggressive models) where italics are not used and only the first word and proper nouns are capitalized.
• Journal title italicized and in title case (e.g., Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology).
• Number of volume in italics (e.g., 63).
• If available, the issue number in parenthesis, but not italicized and immediately after the volume number (e.g., 63(3)).
• The article’s page range (e.g., 575–582). Add an en dash without any spaces between page numbers.
• If a clickable DOI (such as https://doi.org/10.1037/h0045925) is available, add it.

Full citation example:

Bandura, A., Ross, D., & Ross, S. A. (1961). Transmission of aggression through imitation of aggressive models. Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 63(3), 575–582. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0045925

How To Cite A Website APA 7th Edition

If you’re citing a website in APA 7th edition, include the following:

• The name of the author or group author, followed by a period (e.g., American Psychological Association).
• The publication year in parentheses (e.g., (2024)). If no date is available, use (n.d.).
• The title of the webpage in sentence case and italics. Only the first word of the title, the first word after a colon (if any), and proper nouns should be capitalized (e.g., Practitioner guidance for 2024).
• The website name (if different from the author) in plain text, followed by a period.
• The full URL (e.g., https://www.apa.org/pubs/reports/practitioner/2024). Do not add a period after the URL.
  

Full citation example:

American Psychological Association. (2024). Practitioner guidance for 2024. https://www.apa.org/pubs/reports/practitioner/2024

How To Cite A Book APA 7th Edition

If you’re citing a book in APA 7th edition, include the following:

• The last name of the author(s), a comma, and their initials (e.g., Kahneman, D.).
• The book publication year in parentheses (e.g., (2011)).
• The book title in sentence case and italicized, where only the first word and proper nouns are capitalized (e.g., Thinking, fast and slow).
• If the book is not the first edition, include the edition in parentheses after the title (e.g., (2nd ed.)). Do not italicize the edition.
• The name of the publisher, omitting legal terms such as “Co.” or “Inc.” (e.g., Farrar, Straus and Giroux).
• A clickable DOI or the URL at the end (e.g., https://doi.org/xxxxx or https://www.example.com) if the book is available online or has a DOI.

Full citation example:

Kahneman, D. (2011). Thinking, fast and slow. Farrar, Straus and Giroux.

How To Cite ChatGPT APA 7th Edition

When citing ChatGPT in APA 7th edition, include the following:

• The name of the author or group author, followed by a period (e.g., OpenAI).
• The year of the model you used in parentheses. If you’re unsure, use the year of the interaction (e.g., (2025)).
• The title of the response or description of the interaction in sentence case and italics. Since there’s no official title, use a brief, descriptive phrase in italics (e.g., Response to a question about APA citation).
• The phrase “ChatGPT” followed by the model version in square brackets (e.g., [ChatGPT, GPT-4]).
• The full URL where ChatGPT can be accessed (e.g., https://chat.openai.com). Do not add a period after the URL.

Full citation example:

OpenAI. (2025). Response to a question about APA citation [ChatGPT, GPT-4]. https://chat.openai.com 

How To Cite A YouTube Video APA 7th Edition 

If you’re citing a YouTube video in APA 7th edition, include the following:

• The name of the channel, followed by a period (e.g., Pursuit of Wonder).
• The publication date in parentheses (e.g., (2022)).
• The title of the video in sentence case and italics (e.g., Becoming your true self – The psychology of Carl Jung). Capitalize only the first word and proper nouns
•  Include the label “[Video]” after the title (e.g., How photosynthesis works [Video]).
• The name of the website (YouTube) in plain text, followed by a period.
• The full URL of the video (e.g., https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxxxxx). Do not add a period after the URL.

Full citation example:

Pursuit of Wonder. (2020). Becoming your true self – The psychology of Carl Jung [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uRDy4M5jI-g 

How To Cite An Image APA 7th Edition

If you’re citing an image in APA 7th edition, be sure to include:

• The creator’s name (artist, photographer, or organization), followed by a period.
• The year of creation or publication in parentheses. You should use (n.d.) if no 
• date is provided.
• The title of the image in sentence case and italics. If there’s no formal title, use a short description in square brackets (e.g., [Facial expression of fear]).
• The image format in square brackets (e.g., [Photograph], [Diagram]).
• The source or publisher (e.g., website, museum), followed by a period.
• The full URL, without a terminal period.

Full citation example:

Ekman, P. (n.d.). [Facial expression of fear] [Photograph]. Paul Ekman Group. https://www.paulekman.com/universal-emotions/what-is-fear

How To Cite Government Website APA 7th Edition 

If you’re citing a government website in APA 7th edition, include the following:

• The name of the government agency or department as the author, followed by a period (e.g., Centers for Disease Control and Prevention).
• The publication year in parentheses. If no date is provided, use (n.d.).
• The title of the specific webpage in sentence case and italics. Only the first word and proper nouns should be capitalized (e.g., Benefits of physical activity).
• The name of the website (if different from the author), followed by a period.
• The full URL without a period at the end.

Full citation example:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (n.d.). Benefits of physical activity. https://www.cdc.gov/physical-activity-basics/benefits/index.html#cdc_generic_section_5-perform-daily-activities-and-prevent-falls

How Do I Make A Hanging Indent? 

A hanging indent is when the first line of a citation is flush left, and all subsequent lines are indented. This format is required for APA reference lists.

In a Word document:

• Highlight the citations.
• Right-click and select ‘Paragraph’.
• Under ‘Indentation’, go to ‘Special’ and select ‘Hanging’.
• Click OK.

In a Google Doc:

• Highlight the citations.
• Click on ‘Format’ in the top menu.
• Select ‘Align & Indent’, then ‘Indentation options’.
• Under ‘Special indent’, choose ‘Hanging’ from the dropdown and add ‘0.5’.
• Click ‘Apply’.

Below is an example of a properly formatted reference list using hanging indents and arranged in alphabetical order.

American Psychological Association. (2024). Practitioner guidance for 2024. https://www.apa.org/pubs/reports/practitioner/2024

Bandura, A., Ross, D., & Ross, S. A. (1961). Transmission of aggression through imitation of aggressive models. Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 63(3), 575–582. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0045925

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (n.d.). Benefits of physical activity. https://www.cdc.gov/physical-activity-basics/benefits/index.html#cdc_generic_section_5-perform-daily-activities-and-prevent-falls

Ekman, P. (n.d.). [Facial expression of fear] [Photograph]. Paul Ekman Group. https://www.paulekman.com/universal-emotions/what-is-fear

Kahneman, D. (2011). Thinking, fast and slow. Farrar, Straus and Giroux.

OpenAI. (2025). Response to a question about APA citation [ChatGPT, GPT-4]. https://chat.openai.com

Pursuit of Wonder. (2020). Becoming your true self – The psychology of Carl Jung [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uRDy4M5jI-g

Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2000). Self-determination theory and the facilitation of intrinsic motivation, social development, and well-being. American Psychologist, 55(1), 68–78. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.55.1.68