Module No.

2- Review of Related Literature

How to write a literature review

Published on February 22, 2019 by Shona McCombes. Revised on October
13, 2020.

A literature review is a survey of scholarly sources on a specific topic. It

provides an overview of current knowledge, allowing you to identify relevant
theories, methods, and gaps in the existing research.

Writing a literature review involves finding relevant publications (such as

books and journal articles), critically analyzing them, and explaining what you
found.

There are five key steps:

1. Search for relevant literature
2. Evaluate sources
3. Identify themes, debates and gaps
4. Outline the structure
5. Write your literature review

A good literature review doesn’t just summarize sources – it

analyzes, synthesizes, and critically evaluates to give a clear picture of the state
of knowledge on the subject.
Why write a literature review?

When you write a thesis, dissertation, or research paper, you will have to
conduct a literature review to situate your research within existing knowledge.

The literature review gives you a chance to:

• Demonstrate your familiarity with the topic and scholarly context
• Develop a theoretical framework and methodology for your research
• Position yourself in relation to other researchers and theorists
• Show how your research addresses a gap or contributes to a debate

You might also have to write a literature review as a stand-alone

assignment. In this case, the purpose is to evaluate the current state of research
and demonstrate your knowledge of scholarly debates around a topic.
The content will look slightly different in each case, but the process of conducting
a literature review follows the same steps.

Step 1: Search for relevant literature

Before you begin searching for literature, you need a clearly defined topic.
 If you are writing the literature review section of a dissertation or research
paper, you will search for literature related to your research
problem and questions.

If you are writing a literature review as a stand-alone assignment, you will

have to choose a focus and develop a central question to direct your search.
Unlike a dissertation research question, this question has to be answerable
without collecting original data. You should be able to answer it based only on a
review of existing publications.

Research question example What is the impact of social media on body

image among Generation Z?
Make a list of keywords

Start by creating a list of keywords related to your research question.

Include each of the key concepts or variables you’re interested in, and list any
synonyms and related terms. You can add to this list if you discover new
keywords in the process of your literature search.

Keywords example
• Social media, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, TikTok
• Body image, self-perception, self-esteem, mental health
• Generation Z, teenagers, adolescents, youth
•
Search for relevant sources
Use your keywords to begin searching for sources. Some useful databases to
search for journals and articles include:
• Your university’s library catalogue
• Google Scholar
• JSTOR
• EBSCO
• Project Muse (humanities and social sciences)
• Medline (life sciences and biomedicine)
• EconLit (economics)
• Inspec (physics, engineering and computer science)

You can use boolean operators to help narrow down your search:
• AND to find sources that contain more than one keyword (e.g. social media
AND body image AND generation Z)
• OR to find sources that contain one of a range of synonyms (e.g. generation
Z OR teenagers OR adolescents)
• NOT to exclude results containing certain terms (e.g. apple NOT fruit)
Read the abstract to find out whether an article is relevant to your
question. When you find a useful book or article, you can check the bibliography
to find other relevant sources.
 To identify the most important publications on your topic, take note of
recurring citations. If the same authors, books or articles keep appearing in your
reading, make sure to seek them out.

Step 2: Evaluate and select sources

You probably won’t be able to read absolutely everything that has been
written on the topic – you’ll have to evaluate which sources are most relevant to
your questions.

For each publication, ask yourself:

• What question or problem is the author addressing?
• What are the key concepts and how are they defined?
• What are the key theories, models and methods? Does the research use
established frameworks or take an innovative approach?
• What are the results and conclusions of the study?
• How does the publication relate to other literature in the field? Does it
confirm, add to, or challenge established knowledge?
• How does the publication contribute to your understanding of the topic?
What are its key insights and arguments?
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of the research?

Make sure the sources you use are credible, and make sure you read any
landmark studies and major theories in your field of research.

You can find out how many times an article has been cited on Google
Scholar – a high citation count means the article has been influential in the field,
and should certainly be included in your literature review.

The scope of your review will depend on your topic and discipline: in the
sciences you usually only review recent literature, but in the humanities you
might take a long historical perspective (for example, to trace how a concept has
changed in meaning over time).
Take notes and cite your sources

As you read, you should also begin the writing process. Take notes that
you can later incorporate into the text of your literature review.

It is important to keep track of your sources with citations to avoid

plagiarism. It can be helpful to make an annotated bibliography, where you
compile full citation information and write a paragraph of summary and analysis
for each source. This helps you remember what you read and saves time later in
the process.

You can use our free citation generator to quickly create correct and
consistent APA citations or MLA format citations.
Step 3: Identify themes, debates, and gaps
To begin organizing your literature review’s argument and structure, you need
to understand the connections and relationships between the sources you’ve
read. Based on your reading and notes, you can look for:
• Trends and patterns (in theory, method or results): do certain
approaches become more or less popular over time?
• Themes: what questions or concepts recur across the literature?
• Debates, conflicts and contradictions: where do sources disagree?
• Pivotal publications: are there any influential theories or studies that
changed the direction of the field?
• Gaps: what is missing from the literature? Are there weaknesses that need
to be addressed?
This step will help you work out the structure of your literature review and (if
applicable) show how your own research will contribute to existing knowledge.

Step 4: Outline your literature review’s structure

There are various approaches to organizing the body of a literature review.
You should have a rough idea of your strategy before you start writing.
Depending on the length of your literature review, you can combine several of
these strategies (for example, your overall structure might be thematic, but each
theme is discussed chronologically).

Chronological
The simplest approach is to trace the development of the topic over time.
However, if you choose this strategy, be careful to avoid simply listing and
summarizing sources in order.

Try to analyze patterns, turning points and key debates that have shaped
the direction of the field. Give your interpretation of how and why certain
developments occurred.

Thematic
If you have found some recurring central themes, you can organize your
literature review into subsections that address different aspects of the topic.

For example, if you are reviewing literature about inequalities in migrant

health outcomes, key themes might include healthcare policy, language barriers,
cultural attitudes, legal status, and economic access.
Methodological
If you draw your sources from different disciplines or fields that use a variety
of research methods, you might want to compare the results and conclusions
that emerge from different approaches.

For example:
 • Look at what results have emerged in qualitative versus quantitative
research
• Discuss how the topic has been approached by empirical versus
theoretical scholarship
• Divide the literature into sociological, historical, and cultural sources

Theoretical
A literature review is often the foundation for a theoretical framework. You
can use it to discuss various theories, models, and definitions of key concepts.

You might argue for the relevance of a specific theoretical approach, or

combine various theoretical concepts to create a framework for your research.

Step 5: Write your literature review

Like any other academic text, your literature review should have
an introduction, a main body, and a conclusion. What you include in each
depends on the objective of your literature review.

Introduction
The introduction should clearly establish the focus and purpose of the
literature review.

Dissertation literature reviewIf you are writing the literature review as part
of your dissertation or thesis, reiterate your central problem or research question
and give a brief summary of the scholarly context. You can emphasize the
timeliness of the topic (“many recent studies have focused on the problem of x”)
or highlight a gap in the literature (“while there has been much research on x,
few researchers have taken y into consideration”).Stand-alone literature reviewIf
you are writing a stand-alone paper, give some background on the topic and its
importance, discuss the scope of the literature you will review (for example, the
time period of your sources), and state your objective. What new insight will you
draw from the literature?

Body
Depending on the length of your literature review, you might want to divide
the body into subsections. You can use a subheading for each theme, time
period, or methodological approach.

As you write, you can follow these tips:

• Summarize and synthesize: give an overview of the main points of each
source and combine them into a coherent whole
• Analyze and interpret: don’t just paraphrase other researchers—add
your own interpretations where possible, discussing the significance of
findings in relation to the literature as a whole
 • Critically evaluate: mention the strengths and weaknesses of your
sources
• Write in well-structured paragraphs: use transition words and topic
sentences to draw connections, comparisons and contrasts

Conclusion
In the conclusion, you should summarize the key findings you have taken
from the literature and emphasize their significance.

Dissertation literature reviewIf the literature review is part of your thesis

or dissertation, show how your research addresses gaps and contributes new
knowledge, or discuss how you have drawn on existing theories and methods to
build a framework for your research.Stand-alone literature reviewIf you are
writing a stand-alone paper, you can discuss the overall implications of the
literature or make suggestions for future research based on the gaps you have
identified.

When you’ve finished writing and revising your literature review, don’t
forget to proofread thoroughly before submitting. Our quick guide to
proofreading offers some useful tips and tricks!

A Comprehensive Guide to APA

Citations and Format
Overview of this guide:
This page provides you with an overview of APA format, 7th edition. Included is
information about referencing, various citation formats with examples for each
source type, and other helpful information.
If you’re looking for MLA format, check out the Citation Machine MLA Guide.
Also, visit the Citation Machine homepage to use the APA formatter, which is an
APA citation generator, and to see more styles.

Being responsible while researching

When you’re writing a research paper or creating a research project, you will
probably use another individual’s work to help develop your own assignment. A
good researcher or scholar uses another individual’s work in a responsible way.
This involves indicating that the work of other individuals is included in your
project (i.e., citing), which is one way to prevent plagiarism.
Plagiarism? What is it?
The word plagiarism is derived from the Latin word, plagiare, which means “to
kidnap.” The term has evolved over the years to now mean the act of taking
another individual’s work and using it as your own, without acknowledging the
original author (American Psychological Association, 2020 p. 21). Plagiarism can
be illegal and there can be serious ramifications for plagiarizing someone else’s
work. Thankfully, plagiarism can be prevented. One way it can be prevented is
by including citations and references in your research project. Want to make
them quickly and easily? Try the Citation Machine citation generator, which is
found on our homepage.

All about citations & references

Citations and references should be included anytime you use another
individual’s work in your own assignment. When including a quote, paraphrased
information, images, or any other piece of information from another’s work, you
need to show where you found it by including a citation and a reference. This
guide explains how to make them.
APA style citations are added in the body of a research paper or project and
references are added to the last page.
Citations, which are called in-text citations, are included when you’re adding
information from another individual’s work into your own project. When you add
text word-for-word from another source into your project, or take information
from another source and place it in your own words and writing style (known as
paraphrasing), you create an in-text citation. These citations are short in length
and are placed in the main part of your project, directly after the borrowed
information.

References are found at the end of your research project, usually on the last
page. Included on this reference list page is the full information for any in-text
citations found in the body of the project. These references are listed in
alphabetical order by the author's last name.

An APA in-text citation includes only three items: the last name(s) of the
author(s), the year the source was published, and sometimes the page or location
of the information. References include more information such as the name of the
author(s), the year the source was published, the full title of the source, and the
URL or page range.
Why is it important to include citations & references
Including APA citations and references in your research projects is a very
important component of the research process. When you include citations, you’re
being a responsible researcher. You’re showing readers that you were able to find
valuable, high-quality information from other sources, place them into your
project where appropriate, all while acknowledging the original authors and their
work.
Common ways students and scholars accidentally plagiarize
Believe it or not, there are instances when you could attempt to include in-text
and full references in the appropriate places, but still accidentally plagiarize.
Here are some common mistakes to be aware of:
Mistake #1 - Misquoting sources: If you plan to use a direct quote, make sure
you copy it exactly as is. Sure, you can use part of the full quote or sentence,
but if you decide to put quotation marks around any words, those words should
match exactly what was found in the original source. Here’s a line from The Little
Prince, by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry:

“Grown-ups never understand anything by themselves, and it is tiresome for

children to be always and forever explaining things to them.”
Here’s an acceptable option:
“Grown-ups never understand anything by themselves,” stated de Saint-Exupéry
(1943, p. 3).
Here’s a misquote:
“Grown-ups barely ever understand anything by themselves,” stated de Saint-
Exupéry (1943, p. 3).
Notice the slight change in the words. The incorrect phrasing is an instance of
accidental plagiarism.
Mistake #2 - Problems with paraphrasing: When we paraphrase, we restate
information using our own words and writing style. It’s not acceptable to
substitute words from the original source with synonyms.

Let’s use the same sentence from The Little Prince.

A correct paraphrase could be:

de Saint-Exupéry (1943) shares various ways adults frustrate children. One of
the biggest being that kids have to explain everything. It’s too bad adults are
unable to comprehend anything on their own (p. 3).
An incorrect paraphrase would be:
de Saint-Exupéry (1943) shares that adults never understand anything by
themselves, and it is exhausting for kids to be always and forever clarifying
things to them (p.3).
Notice how close the incorrect paraphrase is from the original. This is an instance
of accidental plagiarism.
Make sure you quote and paraphrase properly in order to prevent accidental
plagiarism.
If you’re having a difficult time paraphrasing properly, it is acceptable to
paraphrase part of the text AND use a direct quote. Here’s an example:
de Saint-Exupery (1943) shares various ways adults frustrate children. One of
the biggest being that kids have to explain everything, and “it is tiresome for
children to be always and forever explaining things to them” (p. 3).

Information About APA

Who created it?
The American Psychological Association is an organization created for
individuals in the psychology field. With close to 121,000 members, they provide
educational opportunities, funding, guidance, and research information for
everything psychology-related. They also have numerous high-quality databases,
peer-reviewed journals, and books that revolve around mental health.

The American Psychological Association is also credited with creating their

own specific citation and reference style. Today, this format is used by
individuals not only in the psychology field, but many other subject areas as
well. Education, economics, business, and social sciences also use APA style
quite frequently. Click here for more information. This guide covers general
information about the style, but is not affiliated with the American Psychological
Association.

Why was this style created?

This format was first developed in 1929 to form a standardized way for
researchers in science fields to document their sources. Prior to the inception of
these standards and guidelines, individuals were recognizing the work of other
authors by including bits and pieces of information in random order. There
wasn’t a set way to format citations and references. You can probably imagine
how difficult it was to understand the sources that were used for research
projects!

Having a standard format for citing sources allows readers to glance at a

citation or APA reference and easily locate the title, author, year published, and
other critical pieces of information needed to understand a source.

The evolution of this style

The guide below is based on APA style 7th edition, which was released in
2020. In previous versions of APA format, researchers and scholars were
required to include the publisher location for books and the date that an
electronic resource was accessed. Both are no longer required to be included.
 Details on the differences between the 6th and 7th editions is addressed
later in this guide.

Citations & References

The appearance of citations & references
The format for references varies, but most use this general format:
Author’s Last name, First initial. (Date published). Title. URL
Researchers and scholars must look up the proper format for the source that
they’re attempting to cite. Books have a certain format, websites have a different
format, periodicals have a different format, and so on. Scroll down to find the
proper format for the source you’re citing or referencing.
If you would like help citing your sources, CitationMachine.com has a
citation generator that will help make the APA citation process much easier for
you.

In-text citations
An APA in-text citation is included in research projects in three instances:
When using a direct quote, paraphrasing information, or simply referring to a
piece of information from another source.
Quite often, researchers and scholars use a small amount of text, word for
word, from another source and include it in their own research projects. This is
done for many reasons. Sometimes, another author’s words are so eloquently
written that there isn’t a better way to rephrase it yourself. Other times, the
author’s words can help prove a point or establish an understanding for
something in your research project. When using another author’s exact words in
your research project, include an APA in-text citation directly following it.
In addition to using the exact words from another source and placing them
into your project, these citations are also added anytime you paraphrase
information. Paraphrasing is when you take information from another source
and rephrase it, in your own words.
When simply referring to another piece of information from another
source, also include a citation directly following it.
Citations in the text are found near a direct quote, paraphrased
information, or next to a mention of another source. To see examples of some
narrative/parenthetical citations in action, look at the image above, under “All
About Citations & References.”

Note: *Only include the page or paragraph number when using a direct quote or
paraphrase. Page numbers have a p. before the number, pp. before the page range,
and para. before the paragraph number. This information is included to help the
reader locate the exact portion of text themselves. It is unnecessary to include this
information when you’re simply referring to another source.

Examples of APA in-text citations:

“Well, you’re about to enter the land of the free and the brave. And I don’t know
how you got that stamp on your passport. The priest must know someone”
(Tóibín, 2009, p. 52).
and
Student teachers who use technology in their lessons tend to continue using
technology tools throughout their teaching careers (Kent & Giles, 2017, p. 12).
If including the author’s name in the sentence, place the year in the
parentheses directly next to his or her name. Add the page number at the end,
unless it’s a source without any pages or paragraph numbers (See Section 8.10
of the Publication manual for more details).

In-text citation APA example:

According to a study done by Kent and Giles (2017), student teachers who
use technology in their lessons tend to continue using technology tools
throughout their teaching careers.
The full references, or citations, for these sources can be found on the last
part of a research project, titled the “References.”
Here’s how to create in-text citations for specific amounts of authors:

APA citation with no author

When the source lacks an author’s name, place the title, year, and page number
(if available) in the text. The title should be in italics if it sits alone (such as a
movie, brochure, or report). If the source is part of a whole (as many web pages
and articles are), place the title in quotation marks without italics (See Section
8.14 of the Publication manual).

Structure of an APA format citation in the text narratively, with the

author's name missing:
Title of Source (Year) or “Title of Source” (Year)
OR
Structure of an APA style format citation, in parentheses at the end of the
sentence, with the author’s name missing: (Title of Source, Year) or (“Title of
Source,” Year)
Structure for one author
In the text, narratively: Last name of Author (Year)...(page number).
OR
In parentheses, at the end of the sentence: (Last name of Author, Year, page
number).

Structure for two authors

Place the authors in the order they appear on the source. Only use the
ampersand in the parenthetical citations (see Section 8.17 of the Publication
manual). Use ‘and’ to separate the author names if they’re in the text of the
sentence.
In the text, narratively: Last name of Author 1 and Last name of Author 2
(Year)....(page number).
OR
In parentheses, at the end of the sentence: (Last name of Author 1 & Last
name of Author 2, Year, page number).

Structure for three or more authors

Only include the first listed author’s name in the first and any subsequent
citations. Follow it with et al.
(Last name Author 1 et al., Year, page number)
(Agbayani et al., 2020, p. 99)
OR
Last name of Author 1 et al. (Year)...(page).
Agbayani et al. (2020)...(p. 99)

One author, multiple works, same year

What do you do when you want to cite multiple works by an author, and the
sources all written in the same year?
Include the letters ‘a’ ‘b’ ‘c’ and so on after the year in the citation.
(Jackson, 2013a)
OR
Jackson (2013a)
Writers can even lump dates together.
Example: Jackson often studied mammals while in Africa (2013a, 2013b).
On the APA reference page, include the same letters in the full references.

Groups and organizations

Write out the full name of the group or organization in the first citation
and place the abbreviation next to it in brackets. If the group or organization is
cited again, only include the abbreviation. If it doesn’t have an abbreviation
associated with it, write out the entire organization’s name each and every time
(see Section 8.21 of the Publication manual).

Example:
First APA citation for an organization with an abbreviation: (World Health
Organization [WHO], Year)
OR
World Health Organization (WHO, Year)
Notice in the example directly above, the name of the organization is
written out in full in the text of the sentence, and the abbreviation is placed in
parentheses next to it.
Subsequent APA citations in the text for an organization with an
abbreviation: (WHO, Year) OR WHO (Year)
Example:
All citations in the text for an organization without an abbreviation:
(Citation Machine, Year) or Citation Machine (Year)

One in-text citation, multiple works

Sometimes you’ll need to cite more than one work within an in-text
citation. Follow the same format (author, year) format but place semicolons
between works (p. 263).
Example:
(Obama, 2016; Monroe et al., 1820; Hoover & Coolidge, 1928)
Reminder: There are many citation tools available on CitationMachine.com. Head
to our homepage to learn more, check out our APA citation website, and cite your
sources easily! The most useful resource on our website? Our APA citation
generator, which doesn’t just create full references, it’s also an APA in-text
citation website! It’ll do both for you!
Reference list citation components
References display the full information for all the citations found in the
body of a research project.
Some things to keep in mind when it comes to the references:
• All references sit together on their own page, which is usually the last
page(s) of a paper.
• Title the page ‘References’
• Place ‘References’ in the center of the page and bold it. Keep the title in the
same font and size as the references. Do not italicize, underline, place the
title in quotation marks, or increase the font size.
• The entire page is double spaced.
• All references are listed in alphabetical order by the first word in the
reference, which is usually the author’s last name. If the source lacks an
author, alphabetize the source by the title (ignore A, An, or The)
• All references have a hanging indent, meaning that the second line of text
is indented in half an inch. See examples throughout this guide.
• Remember, each and every citation in the text of the paper MUST have a
full reference displayed in the reference list. The citations in the text
provide the reader with a quick glimpse about the sources used, but the
references in the reference list provide the reader with all the information
needed to seek out the source themselves.

Learn more about each component of the reference citation and how to format
it in the sections that follow. See an APA sample paper reference list at the end
of this entire section.

Author’s names
The names of authors are written in reverse order. Include the initials for
the first and middle names. End this information with a period (see Section 9.8
of the Publication manual).
Format: Last name, F. M.
Example:
• Angelou, M.
• Doyle, A. C.

Two or more authors

When two or more authors work together on a source, write them in the
order in which they appear on the source. You can name up to 20 authors in the
reference. For sources with 2 to 20 authors, place an ampersand (&) before the
final author. Use this format:
Last name, F. M., & Last name, F. M.
OR
Last name, F. M., Last name, F. M., Last name, F. M., Last name, F. M., & Last
name, F. M.
Kent, A. G., Giles, R. M., Thorpe, A., Lukes, R., Bever, D. J., & He, Y.
If there are 21 or more authors listed on a source, only include the first 19
authors, add three ellipses, and then add the last author’s name.
Roberts, A., Johnson, M. C., Klein, J., Cheng, E. V., Sherman, A., Levin, K. K. ,
...Lopez, G. S.
If you plan on using a free APA citation tool, like the one at CitationMachine.com,
the names of the authors will format properly for you.

No authors
If the source lacks an author, place the title in the first position in the
reference (Section 9.12 of the Publication manual). When the source’s title begins
with a number (Such as 101 Dalmatians), place the reference alphabetically as
if the number was spelled out. 101 Dalmatians would be placed in the spot where
‘One hundred’ would go, but keep the numbers in their place.
Additionally, if the title begins with the words ‘A’, ‘An,’ or ‘The,’ ignore these words
and place the title alphabetically according to the next word.
See the “Titles” section below for more information on formatting the title of
sources.

Corporate/Organization authors
On an APA reference page, corporate authors are always written out in
full. In the text of your paper, you may have some abbreviations (such as UN for
United Nations), but in the full references, always include the full names of the
corporation or organization (following Section 9.11 of the official Publication
manual).

Example:
United Nations. (2019). Libya: \$202 million needed to bring life-saving aid to
half a million people hit by humanitarian
crisis. https://news.un.org/en/story/2019/02/1031981
Publication date & retrieval date
Directly after the author’s name is the date the source was published.
Include the full date for newspapers and magazine articles, and only the year for
journals and all other sources. If no date is found on the source, include the
initials, n.d. for “no date.”
Newspaper:
Narducci, M. (2017, May 19). City renames part of 11th Street Ed Snider
Way to honor Flyers founder. The Philadelphia Inquirer. http://www.philly.com/
If using our APA Citation Machine, our citation generator will add the correct
format for you automatically.
Giving a retrieval date is not needed unless the online content is likely to
be frequently updated and changed (e.g., encyclopedia article, dictionary entry,
Twitter profile, etc.).
Citation Machine [@CiteMachine]. (n.d.). Tweets [Twitter profile]. Twitter.
Retrieved October 10, 2019, from https://twitter.com/CiteMachine

Titles
When writing out titles for books, articles, chapters, or other non-
periodical sources, only capitalize the first word of the title and the first word of
the subtitle. Names of people, places, organizations, and other proper nouns also
have the first letter capitalized. For books and reports, italicize the title in the
APA citation.

Examples:
Strange case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
Roots: The saga of an American family.
For articles and chapters in APA referencing, do not italicize the title.
Examples:
Wake up the nation: Public libraries, policy making, and political
discourse.
For newspapers, magazines, journals, newsletters, and other periodicals,
capitalize the first letter in each word and italicize the title.
Example:
The Seattle Times.
A common question is whether to underline your title or place it in italics
or quotation marks in the reference list. Here’s a good general rule: When a
source sits alone and is not part of a larger whole, place the title in italics. If the
source does not sit alone and is part of a larger whole, do not place it in italics.
 Books, movies, journals, and television shows are placed in italics since
they stand alone. Songs on an album, episodes of television shows, chapters in
books, and articles in journals are not placed in italics since they are smaller
pieces of larger wholes.
The Citation Machine citation generator will format the title in your
citations automatically.

Additional information about the title

If you feel it would be helpful to include additional information about the
source type, include a descriptive noun or two in brackets immediately following
the title. Capitalize the first letter.

Example:
Kennedy, K., & Molen, G. R. (Producers), & Spielberg, S. (Director).
(1993). Jurassic Park [Film]. USA: Universal.
Besides [Film], other common notations include:
• [Audio podcast]
• [Brochure]
• [Letter to the editor]
• [Television series episode]
• [Tweet]
• [Facebook page]
• [Blog post]
• [Lecture notes]
• [PowerPoint presentation]
• [Video file]

If you are using Citation Machine citing tools, additional information about the
title is automatically added for you.

Publisher information
For books and reports, include the publisher name but not the location
(see Section 9.29 of the Publication manual). Older editions of the style required
the city, state and/or country, but this hasn't been the case since the 7th edition
was released.

It is not necessary to include the entire name of the publisher. It is

acceptable to use a brief, intelligible form. However, if Books or Press are part of
the publisher’s names, keep these words in the reference. Other common terms,
such as Inc., Co., Publishers, and others can be omitted.
 For newspapers, journals, magazines, and other periodicals, include the
volume and issue number after the title. The volume number is listed first, by
itself, in italics. The issue number is in parentheses immediately after it, not
italicized. There is no space after the closing parenthesis and before the volume
number.
Example:
Giannoukos, G., Besas, G., Hictour, V., & Georgas, T. (2016). A study on the role
of computers in adult education. Educational Research and Reviews, 11(9), 907-
923. https://doi.org/10.5897/ERR2016.2688
After including the publisher information, end this section with a period.
Examples:
Pearson.
Perseus Books.

Electronic source information:

For online sources, the URL or DOI (Direct Object Identifier) are included
at the end of an APA citation.
DOI numbers are often created by publishers for journal articles and other
periodical sources. They were created in response to the problem of broken or
outdated links and URLs. When a journal article is assigned a DOI number, it is
static and will never change. Because of its permanent characteristic, DOIs are
the preferred type of electronic information to include in APA citations. When a
DOI number is not available, include the source’s URL (see Section 9.34 in
the Publication manual).

For DOIs, include the number in this format:

http://doi.org/xxxx
For URLs, type them in this format:
http:// or https://
Other information about electronic sources:
• If the URL is longer than a line, break it up before a punctuation mark.
• Do not place a period at the end of the citation/URL.
• It is unnecessary to include retrieval dates, unless the source changes
often over time (like in a Wikipedia article).
• It is not necessary to include the names of databases

If using the Citation Machine APA citation website autocite features, the online
publication information will be automatically replaced by the DOI. The Citation
Machine APA template will properly cite your online sources for you.
Sample - Student Paper Reference Page
APA:

Make sure you run your completed paper through the Citation Machine
Plus smart proofreader, which scans for grammar, spelling, and plagiarism.
Whether it’s an adjective, verb, or pronoun out-of-place, our technology helps
edits your paper for you!

Citation Examples for Sources

The following examples are based on information from Chapter 10 of
the Publication manual.

Books:
Print books with one author:
APA citation format:
Author Last name, First initial. Middle initial. (Year Published). Title of work.
Publisher.
Example:
Moriarty, L. (2014). Big little lies. G. P. Putnam’s Sons.

Print books with two or more authors:

Structure:
Last name, First initial. Middle initial., Last name, First initial. Middle initial., &
Last name, First initial. Middle initial. (Date). Title. Publisher.

Examples:
Goldin, C. D., & Katz, L. F. (2008). The race between education and technology.
Belknap Press of Harvard University Press.
Matthews, G., Smith, Y., & Knowles, G. (2009). Disaster management in archives,
libraries and museums. Ashgate.

Chapters in edited books:

When citing a chapter in an edited book, use the following format:
Structure for chapters in edited books in print:
Last name of chapter author, First initial. Middle initial. (Year published).
Chapter title. In First initial. Middle initial. Last name of Editor (Ed.), Book
title (pp. xx-xx). Publisher.
Example:
De Abreu, B.S. (2001). The role of media literacy education within social
networking and the library. In D. E. Agosto & J. Abbas (Eds.), Teens, libraries,
and social networking (pp. 39-48). ABC-CLIO.
Structure for chapters in edited books, found online:
Last name of chapter author, First initial. Middle initial. (Year published).
Chapter title. In First initial. Last name of Editor (Ed.), Book title (pp. xx-
xx). http://xxxx
Do not include [Nook version], [Kindle version], or another type of e-reader
or digital format version in brackets after the book’s title. This was required in
previous style editions, but not since the 7th edition was released.
Example:
Lobo, R. F. (2003). Introduction to the structural chemistry of zeolites. In S.
Auerbach, K. Carrado, & P. Dutta (Eds.), Handbook of zeolite science and
technology (pp. 65-89). https://books.google.com
If you’re still unsure about how to cite a chapter in a book, use Citation
Machine’s free citation generator to help you. Your citations will automatically
format properly for you.
Full versions of E-books:
E-books are generally read either on a website, on an e-reader, or on a
database.
Structure:
Author Last Name, First initial. Middle initial. (Year Published). Title of
work. https://doi.org/xxxx or http://xxxx

Example:
Auster, P. (2007). The Brooklyn follies. http://www.barnesandnoble.com/
To cite your ebooks automatically, use the “Book” form at CitationMachine.com,
click “Manual entry mode,” and click the “E-book” tab. Everything will be
properly formatted following APA bibliography guidelines.

Journal articles in print:

Structure:
Author Last name, First initial. Middle initial. (Year Published). Title of
article. Title of Periodical, Volume(Issue), page range.

Example:
Gleditsch, N. P., Pinker, S., Thayer, B. A., Levy, J. S., & Thompson, W. R. (2013).
The forum: The decline of war. International Studies Review, 15(3), 396-419.

Journal articles online:

• If your source is found online, but there is no DOI provided, you can
include the URL instead.
• A DOI (digital object identifier) is basically a number that links a source to
its location on the Internet. This number isn’t always provided, but if it is,
you should include it in your citation rather than including a URL.
• Unlike previous editions, the current edition does not require including a
retrieval date or date accessed for online sources. A retrieval date is only
necessary if the source is likely to change (ex. Wikipedia, encyclopedia
entry, Facebook homepage, etc.).

Structure:
Author Last name, First initial. Middle initial. (Year Published). Title of
article. Title of Periodical, Volume(Issue), page range. https://doi.org/xxxx or
URL

Example:
Burnell, K. J., Coleman, P. G., & Hunt, N. (2010). Coping with traumatic
memories: Second World War veterans’ experiences of social support in relation
to the narrative coherence of war memories. Ageing and Society, 30(1), 57-
78. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0144686X0999016X
If you need additional help, the Citation Machine APA reference generator will
cite your sources automatically for you.

Newspaper articles in print:

Structure:
Author's Last name, First initial. Middle initial. (Year, Month Day Published).
Title of article. Title of Newspaper, page range.

Example:
Frost, L. (2006, September 14). First passengers ride monster jet. The Salt Lake
Tribune, p. A2.
Page numbers: If the article is only one page long, use ‘p.’ For any articles longer
than one page, use ‘pp.’
• If an article appears on non-sequential pages, separate each page number
with a comma.
• Example: pp. D4, D5, D7-D8

Newspaper articles found online:

Structure:
Author Last name, First initial. Middle initial. (Year, Month Date Published). Title
of article. Title of Newspaper. Newspaper homepage URL

Example:
Whiteside, K. (2004, August 31). College athletes want cut of action. USA
Today. http://www.usatoday.com

Magazine articles in print:

Structure:
Author Last Name, First initial. Middle initial. (Year, Month Published). Title of
article. Title of Magazine, Volume(Issue), page range.
Example:
Quammen, D. (2008, December). The man who wasn’t Darwin. National
Geographic Magazine, 214(6), 106.

Magazine articles found online:

• Magazine references include the full date, rather than just the year.
 • If the issue begins on page 1, include the issue number in parentheses. If
not, only include the volume number.

Structure:
Author Last Name, First initial. Middle initial. (Year, Month Published). Title of
article. Title of Magazine, Volume(Issue). URL

Example:
Pelz, W. (2018, Winter). A basket of dreams for different times. Fleurieu Living
Magazine. https://issuu.com/fleurieu-living/docs/flm_winter_2018/a/126958

Websites:
If you’re wondering how to cite a website in APA, use the structure below.

Structure:
Author Last Name, First initial. (Year, Month Date Published). Title of web page.
Name of Website. URL
Example of an APA format website:
Austerlitz, S. (2015, March 3). How long can a spinoff like ‘Better Call Saul’
last? FiveThirtyEight. http://fivethirtyeight.com/features/how-long-can-a-
spinoff-like-better-call-saul-last/

Keep in mind that not all information found on a website follows the
structure above. Only use the Website format above if your online source does
not fit another source category. For example, if you’re looking at a video on
YouTube, refer to the ‘YouTube Video’ section. If you’re citing a newspaper article
found online, refer to ‘Newspapers Found Online’ section. Again, an APA website
citation is strictly for web pages that do not fit better with one of the other
categories on this page.

Blogs:
APA format:
Last name, First initial. Middle initial. (Year, Month, Date of blog post). Title of
blog post. Title of the Blog. URL

Example:
McClintock Miller, S. (2014, January 28). EasyBib joins the Rainbow Loom
project as we dive into research with the third graders. The Library
Voice. http://vanmeterlibraryvoice.blogspot.com
On the Citation Machine.com form for blogs, you have the option to choose from
standard, audio, and video blogs. The Citation Machine.com APA generator will
automatically cite blogs for you.
Images found online:
APA citation format:
Creator’s Last name. F. M. (Year published). Title of image [Format].
Publisher. URL

In the brackets, describe the type of image to help the reader better
understand the source. Was it a [Painting], [Photograph], [Sculpture], or
[Drawing]? Believe it or not, even a [Meme] can be used in research projects!

Example:
Chang, H. (2019). Young dancers perform the Blossoming Flowers Chinese Folk
Dance during the 2019 Colorado Chinese New Year celebration at Citypoint
Church in Denver [Photograph]. The Denver
Post. https://www.denverpost.com/2019/02/05/chinese-new-year-
celebration-photos/

TV and radio broadcasts:

Structure:
Writer Last Name, First initial. Middle initial. (Writer), & Director Last
Name, First initial. (Director). (Date aired). Title of episode (Season #, Episode #)
[TV or Radio series episode]. In First initial. Producer’s Last name (Executive
Producer), TV or Radio series name. Studio.

Example:
Lin, K. (Writer), & Coles, J. D. (Director). (2014). Chapter 18 (Season 2, Episode
5) [TV series episode]. In Bays, C. (Executive producer), House of cards. Netflix.
If using the Citation Machine citation generator, television and radio broadcasts
use the same form.

Films:
Structure:
Producer Last Name, First initial. Middle initial. (Producer), & Director Last
Name, First initial. Middle initial. (Director). (Year Released). Title of film [Film].
Studio.

Example:
Kurtz, G. (Producer), & Kershner, I. (Director). (1980). The emperor strikes
back [Film]. 20th Century Fox.
There is the option to automatically cite films found online, in film, and on a
database when using the Citation Machine APA citation builder.
Interviews:
It is highly recommended not to use personal (unpublished) interviews in your
reference list. Instead, this type of source should be formatted as an in-text
citation.
In-text citation APA example:
Structure: (Interviewee First initial., Last Name, personal communication, Date
Interviewed)

Example: (D. Halsey, personal communication, December 12, 2011)

Published Interviews should be cited accordingly if they appear as journal
articles, newspaper articles, television programs, radio programs, or films.
If your instructor requires an APA style citation in the reference list, use the
following structure:
Structure:
Last Name, First initial. Middle initial. of Individual being interviewed (Year,
Month Day Interviewed). Interview by F. I. Last name [Format of interview].
Example:
Halsey, D. (2011, December 12). Interview by S. L. Ferguson [In-person].
If you are planning on using Citation Machine, a note is displayed above the form
stating that personal interviews are not typically cited in text.
If, however, you’re using a published interview, rather than a personal interview,
follow the structure for the specific source type. For example, if you read the
interview in a magazine, use the magazine structure. If you read it on a website,
use the website structure. .

Songs & musical recordings found online

*Note: If the name of the songwriter is the same as the name of the recording artist,
leave out the bracketed information located after the name of the song.

Structure:
Last name, First initial. Middle initial. of Songwriter. (Year created). Song title
[Song recorded by First initial. Middle initial. Last name of the performer’s name
or the name of the band]. On Album title [Medium]. URL

Example:
Hedfors, A., Ingrosso, S., & Angello, S. (2012). Greyhound [Song recorded by
Swedish House Mafia]. On Until now [Audio
file]. https://open.spotify.com/track/0VffaI2jwQknRrxpECYHsF
If using the APA Citation Machine, choose the form titled, “Music/Audio,” to
automatically cite your songs and musical recordings. Our APA citation maker
is free and easy to use.

Doctoral dissertations & Master’s theses found on a database:

APA format:
Last name, First initial. Middle initial. (Year published). Title of dissertation or
thesis [Doctoral dissertation or Master’s thesis, Name of Institution]. Name of
database or archive. URL

Example:
Frederickson, J. (2020). Paleoecology of Medial Cretaceous Dinosaurs from
Western North America. [Doctoral Dissertation, University of Oklahoma]. EBSCO
Open
Dissertations. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ddu&A
N=BED47433A6CF4E99&site=ehost-live
If you found the dissertation or thesis on a website, instead of a database, include
the name of the website and the URL at the end of the reference.
Examples:
English, L. S. (2014). The influences of community college library characteristics
on institutional graduation rates: A national study [Doctoral dissertation,
University of
Toledo]. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=toledo1416330653
Oba, M. (2015). Adsorption selectivity of cations in constrained
environments [Master’s thesis, University of Connecticut].
OpenCommons&UConn. https://opencommons.uconn.edu/gs_theses/781/
The Citation Machine form for dissertations and theses that will automatically
cite this source type for you.

Research reports & grey literature:

You’ll generally come across two types of research reports: those that are
found in peer-reviewed journals and those that aren’t. If you’re attempting to
create a reference for a research article or case study found in a peer-reviewed
journal, follow the directions in the “Journal articles” section above.
Research reports that aren’t peer-reviewed and are not formally published
in a journal fall under the gray literature umbrella. Gray literature is information
that is published by an organization that doesn’t mainly publish information. It’s
not their primary objective. In addition, these groups often do not seek to gain
profit from administering and dispersing their research.

A non-profit group sharing a research study into the habits of their donors,
a government agency posting an environmental study, or a teacher’s union
sharing an end of year research report are a few examples of research reports
that fall under this category.

Structure:
Author Last Name, First initial. Middle initial. (Year published). Title of research
report (Report no.) [Format, if an explanation is necessary]. Company or
Organization that published the report. DOI or URL
Notes:
• If the publisher and author are the same, omit publisher information.

Examples:
Boussios, E. & O’Donoghue E. J. (2019). Potential variability in commodity
support: Agriculture risk coverage and price loss coverage programs (Report no.
267). U.S. Department of
Agriculture. https://www.ers.usda.gov/webdocs/publications/93604/err-
267.pdf?v=2784.6
Government Finance Officers Association (2019). Infrastructure funding in the
new budget
environment. https://www.gfoa.org/sites/default/files/InfraFunding012019_0.
PDF

Audio podcast episode:

Structure:
Last name, First initial. Middle initial. (Host). (Year, Month Day). Title of podcast
(No. episode #) [Audio podcast]. In Podcast Name. Publisher. URL

Example:
Mars, R. (Host).l (2020, February 4). Missing the bus (No. 388) [Audio podcast].
In 99% Invisible. Radiotopia. https://99percentinvisible.org/episode/missing-
the-bus/

If using the Citation Machine APA format generator, choose the

“Blog/Podcast,” form to cite your podcasts automatically.

YouTube videos:
Structure:
Last name, First initial. Middle initial. [YouTube username]. (Year, Month Day of
posting). Title of YouTube video [Video]. YouTube. URL
APA format example:
Damien, M. [Marcelo Damien]. (2014, April 10). Tiesto @ Ultra Buenos Aires 2014
(full set) [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/mr4TDnR0ScM
If using the Citation Machine APA citation machine, choose the form titled, “Film”
to automatically cite your YouTube videos.
Looking for a source type that is not on this guide? Here is another useful
link to follow.

Social media:
When adding the text of a post, keep the original capitalization, spelling,
hashtags, emojis (if possible), and links within the text.

Facebook posts:
Structure:
Facebook user’s Last name, F. M. (Year, Monday Day of Post). Up to the first 20
words of Facebook post [Source type if attached] [Post type]. Facebook. URL
Source type examples: [Video attached], [Image attached]
Post type examples: [Status update], [Video], [Image], [Infographic]
Examples:
Gomez, S. (2020, February 4). Guys, I’ve been working on this special project for
two years and can officially say Rare Beauty is launching in [Video].
Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/Selena/videos/1340031502835436/
Life at Chegg. (2020, February 7) It breaks our heart that 50% of college students
right here in Silicon Valley are hungry. That’s why Chegg has [Images attached]
[Status update].
Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/LifeAtChegg/posts/1076718522691591

Twitter posts:
Structure:
Account holder’s Last name, F. M. [Twitter Handle]. (Year, Month Day of Post). Up
to the first 20 words of tweet [source type if attached] [Tweet]. Twitter. URL
Source type examples: [Video attached], [Image attached], [Poll attached]
Example:
Edelman, J. [Edelman11]. (2018, April 26). Nine years ago today my life changed
forever. New England took a chance on a long shot and I’ve worked [Video
attached] [Tweet].
Twitter. https://twitter.com/Edelman11/status/989652345922473985
Instagram posts:
APA citation format:
Account holder’s Last name, F. M. [@Instagram handle]. (Year, Month Day). Up
to the first 20 words of caption [Photograph(s) and/or Video(s)]. Instagram. URL

Example:
Portman, N. [@natalieportman]. (2019, January 5). Many of my best experiences
last year were getting to listen to and learn from so many incredible people
through [Videos]. Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/p/BsRD-
FBB8HI/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Annotated bibliographies:
An APA annotated bibliography is a full bibliography that includes a small
note for each reference citation. Each note should be short (1-2 paragraphs) and
contain a summary or your evaluation about each source. When creating your
citations on CitationMachine.net, there is a field at the bottom of each form to
add your own annotations.
Follow the publication manual guidelines on paper format and writing
style. Let your instructor guide other details about your annotations. Still
confused? Read our guide on annotated bibliographies.

These types of projects look different depending on the style you’re using.
Use the link at the top of the page to access resources related to the Modern
Language Association’s style. Here’s information related to Chicago citation
style.

Page formatting
Need help with the design and formatting of your paper? Look no further! This
section provides the ins and outs of properly displaying the information in your
APA essay.
• Font = Here are the recommended fonts and sizes (from Section 2.19 of
the Publication manual):
o Times New Roman, 12-point size.
o Calibri, Arial, or Georgia, 11-point size
o Lucida, Sans Unicode, or Computer Modern, 10-point size
• Indents = Every paragraph should start with an indent.
• Margins = 1 inch around the entire document
• Spacing = Double space everything!

Arrange your pages in this order:

 • Page 1 - APA Title Page (see below for information on the title page)
• Page 2 - Abstract (If your professor requests one)
• Page 3 - First page of text
• References begin on their own page. Include the list of references on the
page after the text.
• Tables and figures

Keep in mind that the order above is the recommendation for papers being
submitted for peer review. If you’re writing an APA style paper for a class, your
professor may be more lenient about the requirements. Also, if you’re submitting
your paper for a specific journal, check the requirements on the journal’s
website. Each journal has different rules and procedures.

Running heads
In older editions of APA, running heads were required for all papers. Since
the 7th edition, that’s changed.
• Student paper: No running head
• Professional paper: Include a running head
The running head displays the title of the paper and the page number on all
pages of the paper. This header is found on every page of a professional paper
(not a student paper), even on the title page (sometimes called an APA cover page)
and reference list (taken from Section 2.8 of the Publication manual).
It's displayed all in capital letters at the top of the page. Across from the running
head, along the right margin, is the page number.
• Use the header feature in your word processor. Both Google Docs and
Word have these features available.
• Use one fo the recommended fonts mentioned uder "Page formatting."

Title pages
A title page, sometimes called an APA cover page, graces the cover of an essay
or paper. An APA title page should follow rules from Section 2.3 of the
official Publication manual and include:
1. Page number, which is page 1
2. Title of your project
o Use title case and bold font
o The title should be under 12 words in length
o The title should be a direct explanation of the focus of the paper. Do
not include any unnecessary descriptors such as “An Analysis of…”
or “A Study of…”
3. Names of the authors
o Exclude any labels such as Mr., Ms., Dr, PhD...
 4. Name of the school or institution
5. Course number and/or class name
6. Name of your instructor, including their preferred honorifics (e.g., PhD,
Dr., etc.)
7. Paper’s due date
8. If this is a professional paper, also include a running head. If this is a
student paper, do not include one.

Follow the directions for the running head and page number in the section
above. Below the running head, a few lines beneath, and centered in the middle
of the page, should be the title. The next line below is the author’s name(s),
followed by the name of the school or institution, the class or course name, your
instructor’s name, and the paper’s due date.
All components on this page should be written in the same font and size
as the rest of your paper. Double space the title, names, name of school or
institution, and all other information on the page (except for the running head
and page number).
Example - Student Title Page APA:

Example - Professional Title Page APA:

 If you’re submitting your paper to a journal for publication, check the
journal’s website for exact requirements. Each journal is different and some may
request a different type of APA format cover page.
Looking to create an APA format title page? Head to CitationMachine.com’s
homepage and choose “Title Page” at the top of the screen.

Abstracts
An abstract briefly but thoroughly summarizes dissertation contents. It’s
found in the beginning of a professional paper, right after the title page. Abstracts
are meant to help readers determine whether to continue reading the entire
document. With that in mind, try to craft the lead sentence to entice the reader
to continue reading.
Here are a few tips:
• Be factual and keep your opinions out. An abstract should accurately
reflect the paper or dissertation and should not involve information or
commentary not in the thesis.
• Communicate your main thesis. What was the examined problem or
hypothesis? A reader should know this from reading your abstract.
• Keep it brief. Stick to the main points and don’t add unnecessary words
or facts. It should not exceed 250 words.
• Consider your paper’s purpose. It’s important to cater your abstract to
your paper type and think about what information the target audience for
 that paper type would want. For example, an empirical article may
mention methodology or participant description. A quantitative or
qualitative meta-analysis would mention the different variables considered
and how information was synthesized.
• Use verbs over noun equivalents, and active voice. Example: “There
was research into…” becomes “We researched…”

Formatting guidelines:
• The abstract goes after the title page.
• It should have the same font (size and type) as the rest of the paper.
• It should stick to one page.
• Double-space all page text.
• Center and bold the word “Abstract” at the top of the paper.
• Don’t indent the first line of the abstract body. The body should also be in
plain text.
• For the keywords, place it on the line after the abstract and indent the first
line (but not subsequent lines). The word “Keywords:” is capitalized,
italicized, and followed by a colon. The actual keywords are sentence case
and in plan font.
• List each keyword one after the other, and separate them by a comma.
• After the last keyword, no ending punctuation is needed.
Example
abstract:

Tables & Figures

If your paper includes a lot of numerical information or data, you may want to
consider placing it into a table or a figure, rather than typing it all out. A visual
figure or simple, organized table filled with numerical data is often easier for
readers to digest and comprehend than tons of paragraphs filled with numbers.
Chapter 7 of the Publication manual outlines formatting for tables and figures.

Let's cover the basics below.

If you’d like to include a table or figure in your paper, here are a few key pieces
of information to keep in mind:
• Either place all tables and figures:
1. At the end of the paper after the APA reference page
2. In the text after it is first mentioned
• The table first mentioned in the text should be titled ‘Table 1.’ The next
table mentioned in the text is ‘Table 2,’ and so on. For figures, it would be
'Figure 1,' 'Figure 2,' and so forth.

• Even though every table and figure is numbered, also create a title for
each that describes the information it contains. Capitalize all important
words in the title.
• For tables, do not use any vertical lines, only use horizontal to break up
information and headings.
• Single spacing is acceptable to use in tables and figures. If you prefer
double spacing your information, that is okay too.
• Do not include extra information or “fluff.” Keep it simple!
• Do not include the same exact information in the paper. Only include the
complete information in one area—the table or the text.
• All tables and figures must be referenced in the text. It is unacceptable to
throw a table or figure into the back of the paper without first providing a
brief summary or explanation of its relevance.
Example:

Publication Manual 6th Edition vs 7th Edition

The 6th edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological
Association was released in 2009. The current 7th edition came out in the fall
of 2019 and was designed to be more student focused, provide more guidance
on accessibility, and address changes that have developed over the last 10
years.

Below, we’ve listed what we feel are the most relevant changes related to
APA format.
Journals and DOIs
DOI stands for “digital object identifier.” Many journal articles use and have a
unique DOI that should be included in a full citation.
When including a DOI in a citation, format it as a URL. Do not label it “DOI.”
Articles without DOIs from databases are treated as print works. For example:
6th edition:
Gänsicke, B. T., Schreiber, M. R., Toloza, O., Fusillo, N. P. G., Koester, D., &
Manser, C. J. (2019). Accretion of a giant planet onto a white dwarf
star. Nature, 576(7785), 61–64. doi: 10.1038/s41586-019-1789-8
7th edition:
Gänsicke, B. T., Schreiber, M. R., Toloza, O., Fusillo, N. P. G., Koester, D., &
Manser, C. J. (2019). Accretion of a giant planet onto a white dwarf
star. Nature, 576(7785), 61–64. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-019-1789-8

Citing Books
There are few new guidelines when you are citing a book. First, the publisher
location no longer needs to be indicated.
6th edition:
Zack, P. O. (2001). The shoals of time. Bloomington, IN: First Books Library.
7th edition:
Zack, P. O. (2001). The shoals of time. First Books Library.
Second, the format of an ebook (e.g., Kindle, etc.) no longer needs to be
indicated.
6th edition:
Niven, J. (2012). Ada Blackjack: A true story of survival in the Arctic [Kindle].
7th edition:
Niven, J. (2012). Ada Blackjack: A true story of survival in the Arctic.
Lastly, books from research databases without DOIs are treated the same as
print works.

URLs
When using a URL in a citation, you no longer need to include the term
“Retrieved from” before URLs (except with retrieval dates). The font should be
blue and underlined, or black and not underlined.
6th Edition:
Flood, A. (2019, December 6). Britain has closed almost 800 libraries since
2010, figures show. The Guardian. Retrieved
from https://www.theguardian.com/books/2019/dec/06/britain-has-closed-
almost-800-libraries-since-2010-figures-show
7th Edition:
Flood, A. (2019, December 6). Britain has closed almost 800 libraries since
2010, figures show. The
Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/books/2019/dec/06/britain-has-
closed-almost-800-libraries-since-2010-figures-show

Authors
Within a full APA citation, you may spell out up to 20 author names. For two to
20 authors, include an ampersand (&) before the name of the last author. For
sources with 21 or more authors, structure it as follows:
Structure: First 19 authors’ names, . . . Last author’s name.
7th edition example: Washington, G., Adams, J., Jefferson, T., Madison, J.,
Monroe, J., Adams, J. Q., Jackson, A., Van Buren, M., Harrison, W. H., Tyler,
J., Polk, J. K., Taylor, Z., Filmore, M., Pierce, F., Buchanan, J., Lincoln, A.,
Johnson, A., Grant, U. S., Hayes, R. B., Garfield, . . . Trump, D.
When creating an in-text citation for a source with 3 or more authors, use “et
al.” after the first author’s name. This helps abbreviate the mention.
6th Edition: (Honda, Johnson, Prosser, Rossi, 2019)
7th Edition: (Honda et al., 2019)

Tables and Figures

Instead of having different formats for tables and figures, both use one
standardized format. Now both tables and figures have a number, a title, name
of the table/figure, and a note at the bottom.
If you’re still typing into Google “how to cite a website APA” among other related
questions and keywords, click here for further reading on the style.
When you’re through with your writing, toss your entire paper into the Citation
Machine Plus plagiarism checker, which will scan your paper for grammar edits
and give you up to 5 suggestions cards for free! Worry less about
a determiner, preposition, or adverb out of place and focus on your research!

References
https://www.scribbr.com/dissertation/literature-review/
https://www.citationmachine.net/apa/cite-a-book
Activity No. 2
Write a sample review of related literature per variable as stated in your SOP.