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APA Style: Source

Source

APA Style

Source Definition: The source indicates where readers can retrieve the cited work.

Sources fall into two categories:

  • Source for a work that is part of a greater whole (journal, magazine, newspaper, etc) need to include the title of the greater whole (journal, magazines and newspaper) plus DOI or URL
  • Source for a work that stands alone ( book, report, dissertation, film, social media, webpage) need the publisher or the work
Guidelines for the Source Element
  • The source element of a reference has one or two parts, depending on the reference category.
Information Provided in the Source by Reference Category
Publisher Information Location
Print Book Book Publisher  
Online Book Book Publisher DOI or URL
Print Journal Journal Name, volume number, issue number, page range  
Online Journal Journal Name, volume number, issue number, page range DOI or URL
  • There is no location information for print resources (Journals, encyclopedias, books)
  • For a source obtained online, a URL or the DOI (Digital Object Identifier) will help readers find it.  

The Name of the Publisher

the name of the publisher 

  • When the author is also the publisher, use Author to indicate the publisher
  • Give the name of the publisher in as brief a form as is intelligible
  • Write out the names of associations, corporations, and university presses
  • Omit terms such as Publishers, Co., and Inc

Examples

  • Garton, A. (2005). Exploring cognitive development: The child as problem solver. Malden, MA: Blackwell.[no location information for print books]
  • Keizman, D., Ish-Shalom, M., & Konikoff, F. M. (2007). The clinical significance of bile duct sludge: Is it different from bile duct stones? Surgical Endoscopy, 21, 769-773. doi:10.1007/s00464-006-9153-0

 

What to do if there is no source

Cite as a personal communication, or find another work to cite.

  • Reference:
    • no reference list entry
  • In-Text 
    • ​​​​​​​(C.C. Communicator, personal communication, month, day, year) or C.C. Communicator (personal communication, month, day, year)

 

Source in unusual situations

   
Database where the work can be found  put in reference only if it is necessary for readers to retrieve the cited work from that exact database 
Archive where the work can be found put in reference only if it is necessary for readers to retrieve the cited work from that exact archive
Social media site Use social media as a source only when the content was originally published there.
Website sources Provide the website name in title case without italics
   

The source is the publisher of the work, or database where the work can be found, or archive where the work can be found, or social media site, or webpage.