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Nursing Libguide

APA Introduction- University of Louisville

In-text Citation of Sources versus Reference Listings

When you are using ideas or information from a source, you should credit the author both in the text with a brief author-date citation, and at the end of your paper in the reference list.

If you are citing three or more authors or a group/organization as author, see page 266 of the APA Style Manual. The in-text citation might look like this:

In their article on opioid use before and after completion of a pain management program, the authors address the need to treat both the physiological and psychological impacts of pain in the patient (Nielssen et al., 2019).

If you use the author(s) name in the text of the sentence, follow with the year of publication in parentheses immediately after the name(s). You don't need to repeat this information in parentheses at the end of that sentence.

Nielson et al. (2019) address the need to treat both the physiological and psychological impacts of pain.

At the end of your paper after you insert a page break, include the full reference listing for all cited sources with the information someone else would need to find your source in a references list like this:

Cite tool

Most of our databases (including PsycARTICLES) allow you to click on the cite tool (see above) to create a citation formatted in your chosen style. After you create this citation for your reference list, be sure to check it with the APA style manual just to make sure it is correct.
 

American Psychological Association (APA) Style Resources

American Psychological Association (APA) Style is used in the social sciences including psychology, social work, sociology, education, business, and communications. Health care and natural sciences to include engineering often use APA style. APA Style focuses on maintaining scientific rigor, and has numerous rules to limit plagiarism and to make scholarly communication concise and usable. The Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.) is the definitive authority for APA Style.  

American Psychological Association. (2020). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.). https://doi.org/10.1037/0000165-000

Manual available at the Jefferson College Library Circulation Desk Reserves shelf for use in the library only. Ask your librarian for assistance.