The Charles Sturt University
APA Referencing Summary
Academic Skills - Division of Student Success
Based on the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.)
This summary gives examples of the APA referencing style for some commonly used information sources. If the source you want to cite
does not match any example, choose the category and type that are most similar and adapt the format using the elements shown in the
relevant template (APA, 2020, section 9.1).
Other referencing resources can be found on the referencing page or on the Ask an Academic Skills Adviser Forum. EndNote helps you
cite your sources correctly and organise your research notes. Download it for free from the library website.
Contents
Principles ................................................................................................................................................................2
The reference list
.................................................................................................................................. 2
In-text citations
......................................................................................................................................2
Page and paragraph numbers
.....................................................................................................2
Books and reference works (print and electronic versions)
..............................................3
Periodicals
.............................................................................................................................................................8
Journal articles
....................................................................................................................................... 8
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
......................................................................................................8
Audio-visual media
..........................................................................................................................................12
Charles Sturt curriculum and course materials
........................................................................... 16
Technical and research reports
..............................................................................................................17
General websites
............................................................................................................................................... 20
Personal communications
..........................................................................................................................21
Secondary sources
.........................................................................................................................................21
Legal materials, legislation and case law
.........................................................................................22
Example of a reference list in APA style
...........................................................................................24
Note on assignment layout
........................................................................................................................25
Other resources
.................................................................................................................................................25
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The reference list In-text citations Page and paragraph numbers
(APA, 2020, sections 2.21, 9.43, 9.44, Chapter 10)
See page 24 for an example of a reference list.
A reference list is an alphabetically arranged
list of sources used in a paper. It starts on a
new page immediately after the last page of
the paper. The list has the heading References
(centred, bold, not in italics, and not underlined).
Each item on your list has a hanging indent of
1 cm. (Highlight text + Ctrl T). See the examples
on the following pages. No bullets or numbers.
Double space all reference entries.
The basic form of a reference list entry displays
the following: author: Who is responsible for this
work? Date: When was this work published? Title:
What is this work called? Source: Where can I
retrieve this work?
Hint: begin your reference list as you start work
on your assignment, adding items as you locate
each source. This will save time and energy later.
1. Names of authors appear in the order listed
on the title page. An ampersand (&) joins the
last two names in the series.
2. When you have more than one source with the
same author and date, put a lower-case letter
to differentiate between them and use the
corresponding letters for the in-text citation
e.g. (Brown, 2018a) and (Brown, 2018b).
3. When there are 21 or more authors, include
the first 19 authors’ names, insert an ellipsis
(but no ampersand), and then add the final
author’s name (see p. 10).
4. Format according to this table if you have
missing source information.
(APA, 2020, Chapter 8)
In-text citations should correspond to the
author-date information of that source in the
reference list. Insert citations as you write. If you
wait until later, you may forget the details.
1. When a work has one or two authors, always
cite each name every time the reference
occurs in the text.
2. When a work has more than two authors
include only the surname of the first author
followed by “et al.” and the year of publication.
3. Within a paragraph, when the author’s name is
outside the parentheses, you do not need to
include the year in subsequent references so
long as this does not lead to confusion.
e.g. McLean (2004, p. 32) has shown that
the effect of the drought on rural towns . . .
McLean also demonstrated . .. .
4. When you use the exact words (direct quote)
from a source, you must enclose these in
double quotation marks “. . .” and follow
immediately with an in-text citation, including
page number or other section identifier. If
the citation is at the end of the sentence, the
punctuation goes after the parentheses, as
the citation is part of the sentence.
5. Quotations of 40 or more words are set as a
block quotation, indented about 1 cm. Do not
use quotation marks or italics. The citation
is given after the full stop at the end of the
quotation. APA has sample block quotes here.
6. To cite multiple sources within parentheses,
list citations in alphabetical order separated
by a semi-colon e.g. (Cox et al., 2019; Jones,
2017).
(APA, 2020, sections 8.25-8.28)
Whether quoting an author directly, or paraphrasing,
you must credit the source.
1. For direct quotations, the author, year, and page
number are given (APA, 2020, p. 270).
Many electronic sources do not provide page
numbers. When using direct quotations in such
cases, give a section identifier and/or paragraph
number instead, like this:
(Leech, 2006, para. 13)
(Boland, 2001, Conclusion section, para. 2).
Alternatively, for audio-visual material, provide
a timestamp (e.g. 1:02) for the beginning of
the quotation instead of a page number. For
religious or classical work use the name of the
book, chapter, verse, line, and/or canto. For plays,
cite the act, scene, and line(s).
Although section identifiers are not required for
paraphrased material, getting into the habit of
quoting page numbers will help readers locate
material in lengthy texts, and will assist in your
revision (APA, 2020, p. 269).
For a single page, the number is given thus: p. 27.
For multiple pages use pp. e.g. for page range use
pp. 245–246 or a selection of pages pp. 7, 12, 15.
Notice that there is always a space between p. or
pp. and the page number.
Principles
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Books and reference works (print and electronic versions)
The books category includes authored books, edited books, anthologies, religious works, and classical works. The reference works category includes
dictionaries, encyclopaedias (including Wikipedia), and diagnostic manuals.
This category includes both print and electronic versions. If a book has a digital object identifier (DOI, see p. 8) or is from most academic
research databases, it is presented the same for print or electronic versions. The platform or device (e.g. Kindle) is not included in the reference. If an
ebook does not come from a database (all ebooks from the Charles Sturt library are from academic databases), then include a URL. If you retrieved
an ebook elsewhere (e.g. Kindle book) use model 22 in chapter 10 of the manual. Where an author wrote the whole book, reference the book in its
entirety; there is no need to provide entries for individual chapters.
Book type Reference list In-text citation
One author
(Basic form)
Apostolides, N. (2016). Management accounting for beginners.
Routledge.
The title is in italics, with sentence-style capitalisation. This means in book
and article titles, capitalise only the first word, the first word after a colon (:)
or em dash (—), and proper nouns.
If you are writing the source title within the body of your assignment,
use italics and title case, e.g. The descriptions provided in Management
Accounting for Beginners demonstrate that…(Apostolides, 2019, p. 45).
In reference lists and in-text citations, a full stop is always followed by a
space.
If a book has a DOI, include it after the publisher. See page 8 for more
information on how to present this.
If you can find an electronic book in the library at Charles Sturt University, it
comes from an academic research database and is presented in the same
format as a printed book.
(Apostolides, 2016)
1) Parenthetical citation: both the
author and date, separated by a
comma, appear in parentheses.
The appropriation account
tracks …(Apostolides, 2016, p.
25).
2) Narrative citation: the author’s
name is included in the sentence:
Apostolides (2016, p. 25)
suggests that…
For either form, you can separate
the page number, which follows the
cited information:
Apostolides (2016) argues
that…(p. 25).
Note: When using short direct
quotations (less than 40 words), the
words are enclosed within double
quotation marks: “. . .” and there must
be a page number or section identifier
in the citation (see p. 2).
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Book type Reference list In-text citation
Two authors Nelson, D. L., & Cox, M. M. (2005). Principles of biochemistry (4th ed.).
Freeman.
Note the 1 cm hanging indent for each reference list entry.
The publisher location is no longer a requirement in the seventh edition.
Buchner’s work in biochemistry was
a “pioneering discovery” (Nelson &
Cox, 2005, p. 45).
Cite both names every time the
citation occurs in text. Use ‘and’
when author names are part of
the sentence, or ‘&’ when inside
parentheses.
Three or more authors Booth, W. C., Colomb, G. G., & Williams, J. M. (2008). The craft of
research. University of Chicago Press.
As noted on page 2, when there are 20 authors or fewer, include them
all in the reference list entry. For 21 or more authors include the first 19
authors’ names, then insert an ellipsis (three spaced periods / full stops), and
add the last author’s name. See the periodicals category for an example.
Note the position of the authors’ initials, the space before a second initial,
and the punctuation.
(Booth et al., 2008)
For three or more authors, cite only
the first author, followed by ‘et al.’ for
all citations.
Three or more authors
(with subtitle)
Malcolm, L. R., Barlow, S., Leury, B., & Sale, P. (2009). Agriculture in
Australia: An introduction (2nd ed.). Oxford University Press.
Capitalise the start of a subtitle as though it were a new sentence.
(Malcolm et al., 2009)
Entire edited book
(with DOI assigned)
Sleezer, C. M., Russ-Eft, D. F., & Gupta, K. (Eds.). (2014). A practical
guide to needs assessment. John Wiley & Sons. https://doi.
org/10.1002/9781118826164
Use ‘(Ed.)’ if there is just one editor.
If a print book has a DOI, include it at the end of your reference list entry. As
shown in the above example, this should be in the hyperlink format https://
doi.org/xxxxx
Read more about this on page 8.
(Sleezer et al., 2014)
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Book type Reference list In-text citation
Article or chapter in an
edited book
(without a DOI, from
most academic research
databases or print version)
Goeser, A. L. (2009). Skin, hair, and nails. In R. M. Jones & R. M. Rospond
(Eds.), Patient assessment in pharmacy practice (2nd ed., pp.
118–140). Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Please note:
• the edition number and page numbers are in the same parentheses;
• the position of the editors’ initials.
(Goeser, 2009, p. 119)
Goeser (2009) writes that “hair
follicles do not continuously
produce hair” (p. 120).
The full stop follows the closing
parenthesis, because the citation is
a part of the sentence.
Multi-volume work Lynch, D. S., & Stillinger, J. (Eds.). (2012). The Norton anthology of English
literature: The Romantic period (9th ed., Vol. D). Norton.
(Lynch & Stillinger, 2012, p. 4)
Lynch and Stillinger (2012, p. 4)
maintain . . .
Lynch and Stillinger (2012) suggest “.
. .” (p. 4).
Illustrated book French, J. (2002). Diary of a wombat (F. Whatley, Illus.). Angus &
Robertson.
Illustrated books follow the same format as authored books. Where an
illustrator is credited on the front cover or in another prominent position,
include the illustrator in the same way as you would for an editor of a book
as above. Where the illustrator is the same as the author, you can credit them
twice.
(French, 2002)
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Type of book or
reference material
Reference list In-text citation
Item in a series Nicholas, P. (Comp. & Ed.). (2004). Soil, irrigation and nutrition. In
Grape Production Series: No. 2. South Australian Resource and
Development Institute.
Note: “Comp.” = “Compiled by”.
(Nicholas, 2004, p. 17)
Republished book,
ebook, or audiobook
Shakespeare, W. (1990). The tragedy of Macbeth (N. Brooke, Ed.). Oxford
University Press. (Original work published 1623)
(Shakespeare, 1623/1990)
Encyclopaedia or
dictionary article
(author known)
Porta, M. (2018). Kurtosis. In J. M. Last (Ed.), A Dictionary of Public
Health (2nd ed.). Oxford University Press. http://doi.org/10.1093/
acref/9780191844386.001.0001
(Porta, 2018)
Entry in a dictionary,
thesaurus, or
encyclopedia, with a
group author
MIMS. (n.d.). Rivaroxaban. In MIMS Online. Retrieved November
15, 2019, from https://www-mimsonline-com-au.ezproxy.
csu.edu.au/Search/FullPI.aspx?ModuleName=Product
Info&searchKeyword=Rivaroxaban&PreviousPage=~/Search/
QuickSearch.aspx&SearchType=&ID=81970001_2
When an online reference work is continually updated and the versions are not
archived, use ‘n.d.’ as the year of publication and include a retrieval date.
(MIMS, n.d.)
If you have more than one source
with the same author and no date,
put a dash and a lower-case letter
to differentiate between them and
use the corresponding letters for
the in-text citation, e.g. (MIMS,
n.d.-a) and (MIMS, n.d.-b).
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Type of book or
reference material
Reference list In-text citation
Wikipedia entry
(author unknown)
Yellow fever. (2019, 4 November). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.
org/w/index.php?title=Yellow_fever&oldid=924612955
When the author is unknown, the title of the work is moved to the author
position.
Cite the archived version of the page so that readers can retrieve the version
you used. Select the archived version by clicking on “view history”. If a wiki
does not provide permanent links to archived versions of the page, include
the URL for the entry and the retrieval date.
(“Yellow fever”, 2019)
When the author is unknown,
the title of the work is placed in
the author’s position in double
quotation marks.
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Periodicals
Periodicals are generally published on a continuous basis and include journals, magazines, newspapers, newsletters and even blogs, and other
online platforms that publish articles (see APA, 2020, section 10.1).
Journal articles
Most journal articles (sometimes called periodicals) are available on the web. Some have previously been published in print; others are only available
electronically. Peer-reviewed journals provide reliable information. In contrast, general websites are often unreliable, and can be dicult to cite.
For these reasons, the following approach is highly recommended:
1. Use the university library’s databases to find reliable, peer-reviewed (academic-quality) articles;
2. Select the pdf versions of articles whenever possible;
3. Cite the articles using the models given below.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
• Many scholarly publishers assign a Digital Object Identifier (DOI) to journal articles and other documents. Include a DOI for all works (see APA,
2020, 9.34) that have a DOI, regardless of whether you used the online version or the print version.
• The DOI is a unique string of numbers that identifies content and provides a lasting link to its location on the Internet.
• The DOI is usually located on the first page of an article. It may also be listed on the full record display of the database you used to find the
article.
• Present a DOI in the standardised format: https://doi.org/10.xxxxx. For example, use https://doi.org/10.1037/a0040251 in your reference even
though an article may have presented the number in an older format.
• When a DOI or URL is long or complex, you can you the shortDOI service if desired (http://shortdoi.org/).
Retrieval dates: The retrieval date is NOT included when electronic content is in its final form, and is not likely to be changed.
Database name: In general, it is NOT necessary to include a database name in a reference list entry.
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Periodical type Reference list In-text citation
Article with DOI assigned McDougall, K. L. (2007). Grazing and fire in two subalpine
peatlands. Australian Journal of Botany, 55(1), 42–47.
https://doi.org/10.1071/BT06096
If a DOI is available, include it in https://doi.org/10.xxxxx form at the
end of your reference list entry.
(McDougall, 2007, p. 43)
Journal article with one author
(no DOI)
Buxton, L. (2017). Ditching deficit thinking: Changing to a culture
of high expectations. Issues in Educational Research, 27(2),
198–214.
The title of the article is in plain text (i.e. not italics), with sentence-
style capitalisation. The first word of the subtitle begins with a
capital.
The volume number is italicised, but the issue number (and its
parentheses) are in plain text. There is no space between the volume
number and the opening parenthesis.
(Buxton, 2017, pp. 203–204)
Journal article with two
authors
Charman, R. E., & Vasey, J. R. (2008). Surgical treatment of
carpal flexural deformity in 72 horses. Australian Veterinary
Journal, 86(5), 195–199. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1751-
0813.2008.00275.x
(Charman & Vasey, 2008, p. 196)
Journal article with three or
more authors
Mills, K. E., von Keyserlingk, M. A. G., & Niel, L. (2016). A review of
medically unnecessary surgeries in dogs and cats. Journal
of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 248(2),
162–171. https://doi.org/10.2460/javma.248.2.162
This is a review article. These provide an overview of a topic, and are
useful for finding other relevant sources.
(Mills et al., 2016, p. 169)
For three or more authors, cite only
the first author, followed by ‘et al.’ for
all citations.
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Periodical type Reference list In-text citation
Journal article with an article
number or eLocator
Wantong, X., & Heffernan, C. (2021). Therapeutic communication
within the nurse-patient relationship: A concept analysis.
International Journal of Nursing Practice, 27(6), Article
e12938. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijn.12938
Capitalise the word “Article” before the article number or eLocator.
(Wantong & Heffernan, 2021)
Twenty authors or fewer
List all authors in the reference list entry. For three or more authors, cite only
the first author, followed by ‘et al.’ for
all citations.
Twenty-one or more authors Knuuti, J., Wijns, W., Saraste, A., Capodanno, D., Barbato, E.,
Funck-Brentano, C., Prescott, E., Storey, R. F., Deaton,
C., Cuisset, T., Agewall, S., Dickstein, K., Edvardsen, T.,
Escaned, J., Gersh, B. J., Svitil, P., Gilard, M., Hasdai, D.,
Hatala, R., Mahfoud, F., . . . Bax, J. J. (2019). 2019 ESC
Guidelines for the diagnosis and management of chronic
coronary syndromes: The Task Force for the diagnosis
and management of chronic coronary syndromes of the
European Society of Cardiology (ESC), European Heart
Journal, 407-477. https://doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehz425
Include the first twenty authors’ names, then insert an ellipsis (three
spaced full stops), and add the last author’s name.
(Knuuti et al., 2019)
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Periodical type Reference list In-text citation
Monthly magazine article Gibbens, S. (2018, April 4). Famous Japanese snow monkeys take
baths to lower stress. National Geographic. https://www.
nationalgeographic.com/news/2018/04/japanese-snow-
monkey-macaques-bath-stress-spd/
(Gibbens, 2005, p. 31)
Weekly magazine article Gasparino, C. (2005, July 25). Good news: You’re fired.
Newsweek, 146, 48.
(Gasparino, 2005)
Newspaper article (online)
Yeates, C. (2022, August 4). CBA, ANZ raise rates on home loans,
some savings accounts. The Sydney Morning Herald.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/banking-and-finance/
cba-raises-rates-on-home-loans-key-savings-account-
20220804-p5b785.html
(Yeates, 2022)
Letter to the editor (paper
copy)
Rush, D. (2017, July 25). [Letter to the editor]. The Sydney
Morning Herald, p. 14.
When citing a newspaper, the page number is indicated with p. or pp.
(Rush, 2017)
Blog
Pratt, E. (2018, March 11). Times tables art. Global Explorers.
https://madamepratt.edublogs.org/2018/03/11/times-
tables-art
(Pratt, 2018)
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Audio-visual media
Square brackets [ ] are used to describe the type of resource being cited, e.g. [Film], [TV series], [Audio podcast episode], or [painting].
The author may include the director for a film, producer for a television series, writer and director for a television episode, host or composer, artist, or
uploader for other medium types. Include the role in brackets for the director, writer, producer, and host.
If you want to include an audio-visual work in your assignment rather than cite it (e.g. a photograph from a website), you may need to seek permission
from the copyright owner and/or provide copyright attribution according to the terms of the image licence.
Audio-visual media type Reference list In-text citation
Film or video Lonergan, K. (Director). (2000). You can count on me [Film].
Paramount Pictures.
Use “Director” in the author position if known. If this role is unknown,
include someone in a similar role to assist readers to retrieve the
work.
You need not distinguish between how you watched the film (e.g.
DVD, theatre, streaming online). If you wish to include additional
information, you can follow the word “film” with a semi-colon (;) when
it includes a special feature that you used such as a commentary e.g.
[Film; four-disc special extended ed. on DVD].
(Lonergan, 2000)
Television series
Taylor, J. (Producer). (1991–present). Landline [TV series]. ABC.
https://www.abc.net.au/landline/
If a series is still airing and spans multiple years, show this as a range
with an en dash (–) and write “present”.
(Taylor, 1991–present)
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Audio-visual media type Reference list In-text citation
Television episode or webisode Mecklenburg, J. (Writer), & Levy, S. (Director). (2016, July
15). Chapter three: Holly jolly (Season 1, Episode 3)
[TV series episode]. In M. Duffer, R. Duffer, S. Levy, & D.
Cohen (Executive Producers). Stranger Things. 21 Laps
Entertainment; Monkey Massacre.
Include all production companies and separate these with a semi-
colon (;).
(Mecklenburg & Levy, 2016)
Music album Eilish, B. (2019). When we fall asleep, where do we go? [Album]
Darkroom; Interscope.
Include a URL in the reference if that location is the only means of
retrieval (such as artists who only provide music online).
(Eilish, 2019)
Streaming video
(e.g. YouTube video)
TED. (2019, November). Lori Gottlieb: How changing your story
can change your life [Video]. YouTube. https://www.
youtube.com/watch?v=O_MQr4lHm0c
Benzine, C. [WheezyWaiter]. (2019, October 21). Why do people
like college? [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=X_RNvO2q0xw
The person who posted the video is credited as the author. If the
person’s real name and user name are both available, provide the
real name in the format Author, A. A., followed by the user name
inside square brackets.
When the real name is not available, include only the user name,
without brackets.
(TED, 2019)
(Benzine, 2019)
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Audio-visual media type Reference list In-text citation
Song or track Coldplay. (2019). Trouble in town [Song]. On Everyday Life.
Parlophone; Atlantic Records; Warner Music.
Bach, J. S. (Composer). (2007). Italian Concerto in F Major, BWV
971 - 1. (Allegro) [Song recorded by Alfred Brendel]. On
Italian Concerto BWV 971; Chromatic Fantasia and Fugue
BWV 903. Philips. (Original work published in 1735)
For a recording of a classical work, provide the composer as the
author and write in square brackets who recorded the version you
used. For all other recordings, provide the name of the recording
artist or group as the author.
(Coldplay, 2019, Track 3)
(Bach, 2007, Track 1)
Radio segment (book review)
O’Shaughnessy, G. (Host). (2017, August 8). Barb’s book review:
Kim Scott Taboo [Radio segment]. On WA Afternoons.
Australian Broadcasting Corporation. https://www.abc.net.
au/radio/perth/programs/wa-afternoons/book-review:-
kim-scott-taboo/8789136
(O’Shaughnessy, 2017, 1:12)
When you directly quote from an
audio-visual work, use a timestamp.
Podcast Zaltzman, H. (2015–present). The Allusionist [Audio podcast].
https://www.theallusionist.org/
When a podcast spans multiple years, separate the years with an en
dash (–). If the podcast is still airing, replace the second year with
“present”.
(Zaltzman, 2015-present)
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Audio-visual media type Reference list In-text citation
Podcast episode Longworth, K. (Host). (2019, October 21). Disney’s most
controversial film (six degrees of song in the south,
episode 1) [Audio podcast episode]. In You must remember
this. http://www.youmustrememberthispodcast.com/
episodes/2019/10/21/six-degrees-of-song-of-the-south-
episode-1-disneys-most-controversial-film
(Longworth, 2019)
Artwork in a museum or on a
museum website
Cossington Smith, G. (1929). The bridge in building [Painting].
National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, ACT, Australia.
https://artsearch.nga.gov.au/detail.cfm?irn=131114
Include the museum name and location.
(Cossington Smith, 1929)
Photograph
Selbert, A. (2020). The abandoned house [Photograph].
Aperture. https://aperture.org/editorial/2022-portfolio-
prize-runner-up-adrien-selbert/
Cite photographs according to this format, but to reproduce
images not connected to a museum, permission and/or a copyright
attribution may be needed.
(Selbert, 2020)
Photograph (no title given)
Chin, J. (2019). [Photograph of Alex Honnold climbing El
Capitan’s sheer face without ropes]. National Geographic.
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/article/
alex-honnold-made-ultimate-climb-el-capitan-without-
rope
For unnamed photos, include a description in square brackets in
place of a title.
(Chin, 2019)
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Charles Sturt curriculum and course materials
This includes Subject Outlines and the content of Brightspace sites. If a source is accessible to the readers, such as class materials or material on a
company’s intranet, then a URL reference to the login page is acceptable. An article or chapter in a collection of readings is presented as if you read
it in its original journal or book.
Curriculum type Reference list In-text citation
Subject Outline Bridges, D. (2024). Understanding the social world [Subject
Outline]. SOC101, Brightspace.
https://learn.csu.edu.au/d2l/home
Ensure your reader can access the materials referenced. If the
source is not traceable, it should be referenced as personal
communication.
(Bridges, 2024, p. 9)
Lecture notes
Anderson, D. (2024). Lecture 8: Learning [PowerPoint slides].
PSY101, Brightspace. https://learn.csu.edu.au/d2l/home
A group author, such as Charles Sturt University, could be listed if no
individual authors are listed.
(Anderson, 2024, Slide 4)
Charles Sturt University
Brightspace material
Bedgood, D., & Schwarz, L. (2024). The professional scientist and
information literacy [Topic overview]. SCI101, Brightspace.
https://learn.csu.edu.au/d2l/home
(Bedgood & Schwarz, 2024)
Discussion forum posting
Hansen, M. (2024, June 26). Using feedback to improve your
grades [Online discussion comment]. NRS160, Brightspace.
https://learn.csu.edu.au/d2l/home
Use more specific dates for things that are published more
frequently. In these cases, put the year first, followed by a comma,
and then the month and date.
(Hansen, 2024)
https://csu.edu.au/academicskills Page 17 of 25
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Technical and research reports
Technical and research reports “usually cover original research, but may or may not be peer reviewed” (APA, 2020, p. 329, 10.4). Such reports are
produced by a range of organisations including government departments, advocacy groups, trade groups, and corporations, and are sometimes
known as grey literature. It is optional, but often helpful, to describe what type of literature it is in square brackets.
The seventh edition no longer requires the use of the statement ‘Retrieved from . . .” for the URL or the DOI. In the following examples a retrieval date
is NOT necessary because the documents are dated and are not likely to be changed.
Type Reference list In-text citation
Code of conduct Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia. (2022). Code of
conduct for nurses. https://www.nursingmidwiferyboard.gov.
au/Codes-Guidelines-Statements/Professional-standards.
aspx
Provide the year of the version used in the date element of the
reference.
First mention: (Nursing and
Midwifery Board of Australia [NMBA],
2022, p. 10)
Subsequent citations: (NMBA, 2022,
p. 16)
Early Years Learning
Framework
Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations.
(2009). Belonging, being & becoming: The early years
learning framework for Australia. https://www.acecqa.
gov.au/sites/default/files/2020-05/belonging_being_
and_becoming_the_early_years_learning_framework_for_
australia.pdf
(DEEWR, 2009)
If you have previously explained the
acronym in the first mention, simply
referring to the acronym thereafter is
sucient.
https://csu.edu.au/academicskills Page 18 of 25
Updated July 2024
Type Reference list In-text citation
Fact sheet
(Group, or corporate author)
Department of Health. (2019). The flu vaccine: Your best shot
at stopping the flu [Fact sheet]. https://www.health.gov.
au/sites/default/files/the-flu-vaccine-information-for-
consumers-in-2019-fact-sheet_0.pdf
When the author is the same as the publisher, you can omit that
section from the reference list entry. This is often the case with
group authors.
(Department of Health, 2019, para. 2)
Consumer brochure
California Board of Psychology. (2005). For your peace of mind:
A consumer guide to psychological services [Brochure].
https://www.psychology.ca.gov/forms_pubs/consumer_
guide.pdf
(California Board of Psychology,
2005)
Press release
NSW Department of Primary Industries. (2022, August 26). New
project to unlock perfect fodder crop combination [Press
release]. https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/about-us/media-
centre/releases/2022/general/new-project-to-unlock-
perfect-fodder-crop-combination
(NSW Department of Primary
Industries, 2022, para. 5)
Australian Bureau of Statistics
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2019). Disability, ageing and
carers: Summary of findings, 2018. https://www.abs.gov.au/
statistics/health/disability/disability-ageing-and-carers-
australia-summary-findings/2018
(Australian Bureau of Statistics [ABS],
2019)
https://csu.edu.au/academicskills Page 19 of 25
Updated July 2024
Type Reference list In-text citation
Conference paper presented
at a meeting, and retrieved
electronically
Evans, L. (2007, August). Observations on the changing
language of accounting [Paper presentation]. Accounting
History Fifth International Conference, Banff, Alberta,
Canada. http://www.commerce.usask.ca/special/5ahic/
papers/5AHIC-62%20Final%20paper.pdf
This conference paper was published informally online. See below if
your source was published more formally.
(Evans, 2007)
Conference paper in published
conference proceedings
Buchanan, G. R., McKay, D., & Makri, S. (2019). Take me out:
Space and place in library interactions. In L. Azzopardi,
M. Halvey and I. Ruthven (Eds.), Proceedings of the
2019 conference on human information interaction
and retrieval, Glasgow, UK, 10-14 March 2019 (pp. 45-
53). Association for Computing Machinery. https://doi.
org/10.1145/3295750.3298935
Alternatively, conference proceedings published in a journal should
follow the models on presenting journal articles.
(Buchanan et al., 2019)
https://csu.edu.au/academicskills Page 20 of 25
Updated July 2024
General websites
University teachers advise against using websites that are not associated with identifiable and reliable journals, scholars, universities, research
organisations (such as the CSIRO), or government bodies (including the ABS). All websites should be carefully evaluated. If you cannot find out who is
responsible for a site, then you should avoid it. The library have resources to help you evaluate information.
If page numbers are not given on a website, then include a section identifier and/or paragraph number: (Wilson, 2005, Introduction section, para. 3).
Website type Reference list In-text citation
Webpage - group author ACT Raising Safe Kids Program. (n.d.). About ACT raising safe
kids program. https://www.apa.org/act/about
(n.d.) means that the date of publication was unavailable. When the
author and publisher are the same, omit the publisher section.
If you have other missing information, refer to this table from the APA
Style Blog.
(ACT Raising Safe Kids Program
[ACTRSKP], n.d.)
Webpage - individual author
Nordquist, R. (2021, June 13). Cohesion exercise: Combining and
connecting sentences. ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.
com/cohesion-exercise-combining-sentences-1692189
(Nordquist, 2021, Sample answers).
Generative artificial
intelligence*
*Generative AI tools, including
ChatGPT, must not be used in
the production of any content
for student assessments, unless
the use of such software is listed
as permitted in the relevant
assessment item criteria within
the Subject Outline. Penalties
apply under the Student
Misconduct Rule 2020.
OpenAI. (2023). ChatGPT (Mar 23 version) [Large language
model]. https://chat.openai.com/chat
When prompted with “What were
the causes of the Great Depression
in 1929?”, ChatGPT identified the
stock market crash of 1929 as a
major source of financial problems
(OpenAI, 2023; see Appendix A for
the full transcript).
https://csu.edu.au/academicskills Page 21 of 25
Updated July 2024
Personal communications
Personal communication Reference list In-text citation
Personal communication
(Including letters, conversations,
personal interviews, and e-mail
messages.)
Not included in the reference list as they cannot be traced by the
reader.
R. Smith reported that 27 mm of
rain fell on the paddock last week
(personal communication, July 31,
2017).
(B. G. Binns, personal communication,
July 31, 2017)
Please note the position of the
author’s initials.
Secondary sources
Source type Reference list In-text citation
Book Truss, L. (2003). Eats, shoots, and leaves: The zero tolerance
approach to punctuation. Profile.
Cite the book that you actually read.
Cite secondary sources sparingly and if possible find the primary
source, and read and cite it, rather than citing a secondary source.
According to Paul Robinson (2002,
as cited in Truss, 2003, p. 124), semi-
colons are often used pretentiously.
If the year of publication from the
primary source is known, include it in
the citation.
Journal article Bourke, C. A. (2005). A review of kikuyu grass (Pennisetum
clandestinum) poisoning in cattle. Australian Veterinary
Journal, 85(7), 261–267. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1751-
0813.2007.00168.x
Cite the journal that you actually read.
Peet et al. (1990, as cited in
Bourke, 2005, p. 264) examined the
stomachs of affected sheep . . .
. . . (Peet et al., 1990, as cited in
Bourke, 2005, p. 264).
https://csu.edu.au/academicskills Page 22 of 25
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Legal materials, legislation and case law
Generally, legal materials within Australia are referenced according to the Australian Guide to Legal Citation (4th ed.) (AGLC4, 2018). However, you
must check with your lecturer as to their requirements for referencing legal material, and you must use the referencing resources they provide.
Case law Reference list In-text citation
Case law Mabo v Queensland, 166 CLR 186 (1988). https://eresources.
hcourt.gov.au/showbyHandle/1/8784
Carey v Australian Broadcasting Corporation, NSWCA
176 (2012). https://www.caselaw.nsw.gov.au/deci-
sion/54a637ae3004de94513d9acb
Note. The case name appears in standard type in the reference list,
but in italics in the in-text citation. A URL can and should (where
possible) be included after the year in the reference list to help your
reader locate the relevant case online.
In the case of Mabo v Queensland
(1988), the judgement...
This was disputed by council for
the plaintiff (Carey v Australian
Broadcasting Corporation, 2012)...
The in-text case name is written in
italics and the year is in brackets.
https://csu.edu.au/academicskills Page 23 of 25
Updated July 2024
Legislation Reference list In-text citation
Statutes, acts and regulations
These may be produced by
the Commonwealth and State
governments. The AGLC4 also
provides the format for international
law.
Law Enforcement (Powers and Responsibilities) Act 2002 (NSW)
s 14. https://legislation.nsw.gov.au/view/html/inforce/cur-
rent/act-2002-103#sec.14
Anti-Discrimination Act 1991 (Qld) s 15 (2019). https://www.
legislation.qld.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/act-1991-
085#sec.15
Copyright Act 1968 (Cth). https://www.legislation.gov.au/
C1968A00063/latest/text
Place reference list entries for legislation and case law after the
general reference list, listed alphabetically and under their relevant
title, as shown below. The titles ‘References’, ‘Cases’ and ‘Legislation’
should all be centred and presented in bold. See the Example of a
reference list in APA style below for the correct presentation.
The Anti-Discrimination Act (1991), s
15 states that ...
According to section 3 of the
Commonwealth Copyright Act (1968)
...
Examples showing different ways of
integrating legislation into sentences:
According to section 14 of the
Law Enforcement (Powers and
Responsibilities) Act (2002), an ocer
may ask a driver and the passenger/s
of a vehicle for the identities, which
means their names and addresses.
Law Enforcement (Powers and
Responsibilities) Act (2002), s 14
stipulates that an ocer may ask
a driver and the passenger/s of a
vehicle for their identities, which
means their names and addresses.
An ocer may ask a driver and the
passenger/s of a vehicle for their
identities, which means their names
and addresses (Law Enforcement
[Powers and Responsibilities] Act
2002, s 14).
https://csu.edu.au/academicskills Page 24 of 25
Updated July 2024
Example of a reference list in APA style
References
Levett-Jones, T., & Smith, J. (2023). Caring for a person experiencing an adverse drug reaction. In T. Levett-Jones, (Ed.), Clinical reasoning: Learning
to think like a nurse (3rd ed.). Pearson Australia.
MIMS. (2023a). Amoxil oral. In MIMS Online. Retrieved July 13, 2023, from https://www-mimsonline-com-au.ezproxy.csu.edu.au/Search/AbbrPI.
aspx?ModuleName=Product%20Info&searchKeyword=amoxil&PreviousPage=~/Search/QuickSearch.aspx&SearchType=&ID=8390006_2
MIMS. (2023b). Central nervous system - antipsychotic agents. In MIMS Online. Retrieved July 13, 2023, from https://www-mimsonline-com-au.
ezproxy.csu.edu.au/MIMSData/en-AU/AbbrevXML/TCheadnotes/SH30300.htm
NSW Government Department of Health. (2022). Medication handling. https://www1.health.nsw.gov.au/pds/ActivePDSDocuments/PD2022_032.pdf
Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia. (2022). Code of conduct for nurses. http://www.nursingmidwiferyboard.gov.au/Codes-Guidelines-
Statements/Professional-standards.aspx
Saladin, K. S., Gan, C. A., & Cushman, H. N. (2021). Anatomy & physiology: The unity of form and function (9th ed.). McGraw-Hill.
Cases
McIntyre v Regina, NSWCCA 305 (2009). https://www.caselaw.nsw.gov.au/decision/549feee43004262463c4a66e
R v Lavender, 222 CLR 67 (2005). https://cdn.hcourt.gov.au/assets/publications/judgments/2005/The%20Queen%20v%20Lavender%20(S499-
20040%20%5b2005%5d%20HCA%2037.rtf
https://csu.edu.au/academicskills Page 25 of 25
Updated July 2024
Legislation
Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 (NSW) s 1. https://legislation.nsw.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/act-1999-092#sec.1
Law Enforcement (Powers and Responsibilities) Act 2002 (NSW) s 14, s 99 (1)(b) & s 198. https://legislation.nsw.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/act-
2002-103
Note on assignment layout
The APA Publication Manual (7th ed.), which offers guidance on many aspects of formatting and presentation, was written to provide guidance for
authors preparing manuscripts to be submitted for publication in journals. While student work may not be formally published, it still warrants the same
care and attention to writing and referencing (APA, 2020, p. 3). However, student assignments are not usually intended for publication: they are a ‘final’
product. Consequently, the requirements for the presentation of university essays, theses, and reports—particularly in relation to questions of layout
and structure—may differ from APA style. In all cases, the rules should be balanced with good judgement. If in doubt, check your subject outline or ask
your lecturer.
Other resources
• American Psychological Association. (2020). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association: The ocial guide to APA style (7th ed.). https://
doi.org/10.1037/0000165-000
• Chapter 10 of the APA Publication Manual (7th ed.) is available electronically through the library: https://primo.csu.edu.au/discovery/delivery/61CSU_
INST:61CSU/12161762790002357
• The ocial APA Style Blog (https://apastyle.apa.org/blog) is searchable and contains excellent advice for APA users.
• The Academic Referencing Tool (ART), which is available at https://student.csu.edu.au/learning-skills/referencing.
• The Ask an Academic Skills Adviser discussion forum in the Academic Skills site on Brightspace. This provides responses to referencing questions and can be
searched.