Common questions about APA 7 referencing
Learn how to handle tricky APA citations and references. Get clear tips for academic writing and referencing at Federation University.
Sometimes, the source you are referencing may not fit neatly into the in-text citation or reference list templates. When this happens, use these tips to adjust your in-text citation and reference list entries while staying consistent with APA 7 guidelines.
List multiple citations in alphabetical order, with a semi-colon (;) to separate them.
| Citation format | Example |
| Template | (Author 1, Year; Author 2, Year; Author 3, Year; Author 4, Year) |
| In-text citation | … along with other studies (Keen, 2005; Lee, 2004; Wojk, 2003, 2006). |
When referencing two works published in the same year by the same author, distinguish each article by using a lower-case letter (e.g. 'a', 'b', 'c', etc). First, create the reference list entries and then create the corresponding in-text citations.
In-text citation
In each in-text citation, distinguish each work by using a lower-case letter immediately after the year within the brackets. The lower-case letter should be the same as the letter assigned to the same work in the reference list.
| Citation format | Example |
| Template |
(Author, Yeara) (Author, Yearb) |
| In-text citation |
Bozkurt, A. (2024a) argues that generative artificial intelligence [GenAI] has raised ethical concerns related to authorship and copyright laws that ... Generative artificial intelligence [GenAI] has highlighted the need for specialised literacy skills in educational settings that include ... (Bozkurt, 2024b). |
Reference list
In the reference list, works by the same author in the same year are listed alphabetically by title, with the letter ‘a’ assigned to the first work listed, ‘b’ to the second, etc.
| Reference format | Example |
| Template |
(Yeara) (Yearb) |
| Reference list entry |
Bozkurt, A. (2024a). GenAI et al.: Cocreation, authorship, ownership, academic ethics and integrity in a time of generative AI. Open Praxis, 16(1), 1-10. https://doi.org/10.55982/openpraxis.16.1.654 Bozkurt, A. (2024b). Tell me your prompts and I will make them true: The alchemy of prompt engineering and generative AI. Open Praxis, 16(2), 111-118. https://doi.org/10.55982/openpraxis.16.2.661 |
Occasionally you’ll need to create citations and references when key information is missing. In such cases, there are several solutions you can use to adapt the reference.
The following examples illustrate how to reference a website post or page when some reference information is unavailable. For guidance on referencing other materials such as books or journal articles, please refer to the specific section in FedCite dedicated to those materials.
| Missing element | In-text citation | Reference list |
| Nothing missing |
(Author, Year) or (Author, Year, Page) (Patterson, 2021) |
Author, A. (Year). Title. Source. Patterson, R. (2021). Textbook reading for ultra-efficient learning. College Info Geek. https://collegeinfogeek.com/how-to-read-a-textbook/ |
| No author |
If using the whole title, use italics. (Title of document, date) (Textbook reading for ultra-efficient learning, 2021) |
Substitute document title for Author in sentence case, then Year. Title of document [Format if needed]. (date). Source Textbook reading for ultra-efficient learning. (2021). College Info Geek. |
| No date |
Use 'n.d.' for no date. (Author, n.d.) (Patterson, n.d.) |
Substitute n.d. for no date if no Year/Date can be found on the Source. Author, A. (n.d.). Title of document. Source Patterson, R. (n.d.). Textbook reading for ultra-efficient learning. College Info Geek. https://collegeinfogeek.com/how-to-read-a-textbook/ |
| No title |
No effect on in-text citation. |
Give brief descriptive title in your own words inside square brackets. Author, A. (date). [Description of document]. Source. Patterson, R. (2021). [How to read a textbook]. College Info Geek. https://collegeinfogeek.com/how-to-read-a-textbook/ |
| No author and date |
Substitute Title for Author and 'n.d.' for no date. (Title of document, n.d.) (Textbook reading for ultra-efficient learning, n.d.) |
Substitute Title for Author and 'n.d.' for no date; then give Source. Title of document [Format]. (n.d.). Source Textbook reading for ultra-efficient learning. (n.d.). College Info Geek. https://collegeinfogeek.com/how-to-read-a-textbook/ |
| No author and title |
Substitute description of document inside square brackets, and then provide Year. ([Description of document], Year) ([How to read a textbook], 2021) |
Substitute description of document inside square brackets for Author; then give date and Source. [Description of document]. (date). Source. [How to read a textbook]. (2021). College Info Geek. https://collegeinfogeek.com/how-to-read-a-textbook/ |
| No date and title |
Provide Author and 'n.d.' for no date. (Author, n.d.) (Patterson, n.d.) |
Provide Author, substitute 'n.d.' for no date, describe document inside square brackets, and then give Source. Author, A. A. (n.d.). [Description of document]. Source. Patterson, R. (n.d.). [How to read a textbook]. College Info Geek. https://collegeinfogeek.com/how-to-read-a-textbook/ |
|
No author, date and title *Citing from a source with so few credentials may not be suitable in a piece of academic writing. |
Substitute description of document inside square brackets for Author, then 'n.d.' for no date. ([Description of document], n.d.) ([How to read a textbook], n.d.) |
Substitute description of document inside square brackets for Author, substitute 'n.d.' for no date, and then give Source. [Description of document]. (n.d.). Source. [How to read a textbook]. (n.d.). College Info Geek. https://collegeinfogeek.com/how-to-read-a-textbook/ |
| No source |
No effect on in-text citation. |
Cite as personal communication or find a substitute. |
| No pagination |
When quoting directly in the text of your paper, you would normally include page numbers if they were given. If there are no page numbers given:
|
Skip for reference list if not present. However, Journal articles with article numbers are treated differently even if the pdf version has page numbers. See Journal articles with an article number. |
References
American Psychological Association. (2022). Missing reference information. https://apastyle.apa.org/style-grammar-guidelines/references/missing-information
American Psychological Association. (2019). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association: The official guide to APA style. (7th ed.). American Psychological Association.
A secondary or indirect citation is where you refer to a source that you haven't read but which is cited in another source.
You should avoid secondary citations wherever possible. Only use them when you can't find and read the original (primary) source. You should also only use a secondary citation if you're using a direct quotation or if there is significant importance to the original source.
Reading the original source is good academic practice; it gives you the full context without any reinterpretations.
Consult the reference list provided in the secondary source to identify the original source so that you can find it - ask a librarian if you need help with this.
In-text citations
- Include the words 'as quoted in' in the in-text citation (or 'as cited in' if it is not a direct quote). This makes it clear that you have used a secondary source.
- Include the year of publication of the original source if known.
- When quoting directly, include the page number indicating where the quote appears in the secondary source.
| Citation format | Example |
| Template | (Secondary Author, Year, as quoted in Author, Year, p. x) |
| Direct quote |
"Whether the formats differ in effectiveness at the conclusion..." (Seamons, 2004, as quoted in Austin & Gustafson, 2006, p. 27). Hilferty describes the nature of teacher professionalism as “an evolving idea that responds to political, social & historical contexts” (as quoted in Meldrum & Peters, 2012, p. 109). |