Creating Reference Entries in APA 7th Edition

In the APA format, the reference list presents complete information about all the sources used in the paper. 

Each source that you use in your writing gets a brief in-text citation and a corresponding reference list entry. The in-text citation merely indicates the place where a source is used, while the reference entry provides information about the source. 

The reference entry has four essential components:

• Author
• Date
• Title
• Source

That is, each reference entry tells the reader who created the work, when it was published, what it is called, and from where it can be retrieved. 

So how can you create reference entries for different types of sources?

Read on to learn how you can create accurate references according to the guidelines of the APA 7th edition. 

Formatting Rules for Reference Section 

Follow the guidelines below to format the references page in APA style:

• Start the reference section on a new page after the main text. Center the title "References" at the top of the page, in bold and title case.
• Arrange references alphabetically by the surname of the first author. If there is no author, use the first word of the title.
• Double-space all reference entries. Do not add an extra space between entries.
• Use a hanging indent for each reference entry. This means that the first line should be flush left, and subsequent lines indented by 0.5 inches.
• The font style, font size, and margins remain the same as the rest of the paper (which are Times New Roman, 12-pt size, and 1” margins on all sides for APA papers).

Components of a Reference Entry

A reference entry is a single source that you have cited in your paper, such as a book, an article, a website, etc. A reference entry should provide the full details of the source, such as the author, title, publisher, date, and URL. 

Let’s discuss these components in detail:

Author

The author is anyone who is responsible for creating the work. It could be a person, several persons (multiple authors), an organization, or a collective entity. It’s not always a writer, but it could also be a painter, editor of a collection, director of a film, or host of a podcast, etc. 

Here’s how to add authors in APA reference entries:

• General Format

The last name of the author comes first, followed by a comma and initials of the first and middle name of the author.

Example: Smith, J. K. (2008). The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business. Random House.

• Multiple Authors

When there are multiple authors, you need to separate their names with commas. Moreover, you should add an “&” before the last author’s name.

Example: Johnson, M. L., Brown, A. T., & Miller, P. R. (2015). Social Psychology: Understanding Human Interaction. Pearson.

• Organization

The author of any source produced by a company, government department, or institution is that specific organization. Source material such as reports often have organizations as their authors. 

Use the complete name of the organization without abbreviations and punctuation.

Example: World Health Organization. 

• Unknown Author

If the author is not known, you need to use the title of the work instead.

Example: Mysterious Chronicles: Unraveling the Enigma. (2017). Secrets Publishing.

Date

The date comes after the author. The date in APA reference entries usually refer to the publication dates. However, there are several aspects to this:

• General Format

For sources such as books, journals, newspapers, posts, you need to provide the date on which they were published. In case of events such as conferences or speeches, you should provide the full date on which they occurred.

Example: (2021, January 15)

• Date of Retrieval 

For online material that could be updated or edited, you need to provide the date on which you accessed it.

Example: Doe, A. R. (n.d.). Unraveling Dark Matter. Retrieved October 20, 2022, from https://www.darkmatterstudies.org/unraveling-dark-matter 

• Multiple Works, Same Author, Same Date

If you are referring to two different works that were published in the same year by the same author, you need to add a letter along with the date to differentiate them.

Example: 

Smith, J. K. (2018a).

Smith, J. K. (2018b).

• No Date

In case the date is unknown, you should write “(n.d.)” instead of the date. The abbreviation represents “no date”.

Example:  Doe, A. R. (n.d.). Unraveling Dark Matter. Retrieved October 20, 2022, from https://www.darkmatterstudies.org/unraveling-dark-matter

Title

All references must contain the title or name of the work. Most sources have a name, whether it is an article, book, report, blog post, or any other kind of work.

• Standalone Work

You should present the title of a standalone work in italics, with a sentence case.

Example: Tarkovsky, A. (2019). Sculpting Time: The Artistry of Andrei Tarkovsky. Film Publications.

• Part of a Larger Work

If the source is just part of a larger whole, such as a journal article or book chapter, its title is written without italics. The larger whole is covered in the “source” component.

Example: Johnson, M. L. (2020). Understanding Dark Matter: Insights from Quantum Physics.  Journal of Astrophysics and Cosmology, 25(3), 112-130.

• Unknown Title

In cases where the title is not known, you need to provide its description in square brackets in place of the title.

Example: Beethoven, L. (1803). [Exploration of Harmony] [Musical Composition]. Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra.

Source

The “source” provides information about where the work can be retrieved. This component helps the readers to locate and review the material for themselves. 

For instance, for journal articles, the source includes the journal name, its volume and edition, page numbers, and doi. Similarly, for book chapters, the source would include the name and edition of the book. For online sources, you need to provide the URL.

Here are the aspects you should include for this component:

• Title of the Collection

If the cited material is part of another work, then the title of the whole work becomes crucial in the source. It provides readers with the broader context of the material. 

Example: Johnson, A. (2018). Mysteries of the Cosmos. Journal of Astrophysics, 15(2), 112-130. https://doi.org/10.1234/jastro.2018.002

• Edition, Volume, Issue Number

Edition, volume, and issue numbers are specified in the source component to guide readers to the exact version of the material. Edition information is included in parentheses for books, and for journals, the volume (italicized) and issue number (in parentheses) are highlighted.

Example: 

Smith, J. (2019). Navigating the Quantum Realm (3rd ed.). Quantum Publications.

Evans, M. (2020). The Marvels Beyond. Journal of Exploration, 7(3). 45-56. https://doi.org/10.789/exploration.2020.003

• Page Range

The page range denotes the specific pages where the content is located within a larger work. This detail is essential for pinpointing the exact location of information within a book or journal.

Example: Evans, M. (2020). The Marvels Beyond. Journal of Exploration, 7(3). 45-56. https://doi.org/10.789/exploration.2020.003

• Publisher and Contributors

The publisher and contributors' names provide additional context and acknowledgment of those involved in producing the work. For books, the publisher is mentioned after the title, and contributors' roles (e.g., editors) are specified.

Example: Smith, J. (2019). Navigating the Quantum Realm (3rd ed.). Quantum Publications.

• DOI and URL

The Digital Object Identifier (DOI) and URL are critical for online sources, ensuring accessibility for readers. A DOI, preferred for academic works, offers a stable link, while a URL is employed for various online materials.

Example: Evans, M. (2020). The Marvels Beyond. Journal of Exploration, 7(3). 45-56. https://doi.org/10.789/exploration.2020.003

Reference Format for Different Types of Sources

Here is how you should format reference entries for different types of sources:

Books

• Single Author

• Multiple Authors

Journal Articles

• Single Author

• Multiple Authors

Webpages

• Blog Post

• Social Media Post

• YouTube Video

To Wrap Up,

These are the general rules and examples for creating references in APA 7th edition. However, it’s not easy to remember and ensure accuracy for various kinds of references. 

Luckily, you don’t have to! You can use PerfectEssayWriter.ai’s Citation Machine to generate accurate and updated reference list entries for you. 

PerfectEssayWriter.ai is an AI essay writing tool that can help you generate references in APA 7th edition in seconds. Plus, you can find relevant source material for your topic to strengthen your paper and ensure academic credibility.