Basics of APA and MLA

1. APA & MLA
Citation Styles
Athens State University Library

2. Why a citation style?
• Used correctly, it helps you credit your sources
and avoid plagiarism
• It provides an accepted, standardized way to cite
sources
• It is required by many publications and
institutions (including many academic
departments within ASU)
• It helps readers follow and possibly extend your
research

3. Information You Need for References
• Author(s)
• Title of journal, book, conference, etc.
• Title of article, chapter, etc., & pages
• For journals: volume and issue
• For books: place of publication & publisher
• For websites: URL
• Date of publication
• Miscellaneous information (report number, conference
location, …)

4. APA
American Psychological Association

5. General Rules : APA
• Every source you have cited in the text of your paper needs to be listed at
the end of the paper in the Reference list. The only exception to this rule
are the personal communications or any other unpublished sources.
• Arrange the list by author’s last name. Anonymous entries begin with the
title and date
• List authors by full last name, but use only initials for first and middle
names.
• Capitalize the first word in the title and the subtitle. Capitalize any proper
nouns. DO NOT capitalize any other words in the title.
• Like the rest of your paper, your reference list must be double-spaced.
• Hanging indention (*the slides are not exactly hanging indention or double
spaced to save room)
• Online sources are treated like print sources, plus URL.

6. Preparation of the Reference List
• Title: References
• Alphabetize by author (or title if no author)
• Use hanging indent
• Double space entire list, unless otherwise
instructed

7. Print Book: 1 Author
Scott, D.M. (2005). Cashing in with content: How
innovative marketers use digital information to turn
browsers into buyers. Medford, NJ: Information
Today/CyberAge Books.

8. Print Book – 2 Authors
Both names reversed and use ‘&’ between them…
Strayer, J.R., & Munro, D.C. (1942). The Middle
Ages: 395-1500. NewYork, NY: Appleton-Century.
[Note: The reason Middle Ages is capitalized is due to it being a proper
noun.]

9. E-book
Robert, M., & Racine, B. (2001). E-strategy pure
and simple: Connecting your Internet strategy
to your business strategy. New York, NY:
McGraw-Hill. Retrieved from
http://www.netlibrary.com
[Notice there is no period at the end of the URL and that the
URL is not an active link.]

10. Print Article
Howell, R.A. (2004). Turn your budgeting
process upside down. Harvard Business
Review, 82(7/8), 21-22.
[Note: #82 = Volume , #7/8 = Issue]

11. Database Article
Williamson, E., Farnam, T.W., & Mullins, B. (2009).
Finance lobby cut spending as feds targeting
Wall Street. Business Finance Journal 30(4), 120-
122. doi: 10.1108/03092560710821116
[no longer require Retrieved line or URLs; treat like print; APA suggests
that you use the DOI for an Online article if available; There is no
period after the DOI and DOI is written as ‘doi’]

12. Magazine, Newspaper, Trade Journal
Schultz, S. (2005, December 28). Calls made to
strengthen state energy policies. The Country
Today, pp. 1A, 2A.
[p. or pp. precedes page numbers for a newspaper
reference in APA style. Single pages take p., multiple pages
take pp. Also, exact dates are used.]

13. Conference Proceeding: Entire
Schnase, J.L., & Cunnius, E.L. (Eds.). (1995). Proceedings
from CSCL ’95: The First International Conference on
Computer Support for Collaborative Learning.
Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.

14. Conference Proceeding: Section
Gibson, C.C. (1995). Impact of the larger social
context on the distance learner. In Schnase,
J.L., & Cunnius, E.L. (Eds.), Proceedings from
CSCL ’95: The First International Conference
on Computer Support for Collaborative
Learning (pp. 279-282). Mahwah, NJ:
Erlbaum.

15. Websites
ONeal, D.M., & ONeal, H.L. (1982). DIY cargo
trailer conversion. Retrieved from
http://www.fake.org
[Note: No period after the URL]

16. MLA
Modern Language Association

17. MLA (8th Edition)
• “While earlier editions emphasized the
importance of following specific guidelines for
formatting, the eighth edition focuses on the
practice and process of scholarly documentation.
…this handbook outlines the principles of MLA
documentation and explains how writers can use
them in many different situations.” (Taken from
the Purdue Owl website)

18. General Rules : MLA
• Alphabetize list by author’s last name.
• First author’s name is last-name-first followed by the name as it
appears on the item being cited.
• All other authors have their names in regular order as they appear
on the item being cited.
• If no author, list the entry by using the title of the work (article or
book). Underline or italicize titles of books, journals and magazines.
• Titles of articles or chapters are placed inside quotation marks “”.
• Capitalize the first word, last word and all principle words in the
title.

19. URLs and DOIs
• MLA recommends you use a doi in liu of a URL.
• If you do use a url, omit the http:// and https://
Here is how you use them:
ONeal, Delos M., and Holly L. ONeal. “DIY Cargo Trailer
Conversion.” TNTT Fans,1982, www.fake.org
If you had a DOI, it would be doi: 10.1108/03090560710821161
19

20. Print Book: 1 Author
Scott, David Meerman. Cashing in with Content:
How Innovative Marketers Use Digital
Information to Turn Browsers into Buyers.
Information Today/CyberAge Books, 2005.

21. Print Book – 2 Authors
Only first author reversed and use ‘and’
between them…
Strayer, Joseph R., and Dana C. Munro. The
Middle Ages: 395-1500. Appleton-Century,
1942.

22. E-book
Robert, Michael, and Bonni Racine. E-strategy
Pure and Simple: Connecting Your Internet
Strategy to Your Business Strategy. McGraw-
Hill, 2001, NetLibrary.com. Accessed 20 April
2014.
[If you used a database or internet site italicize the title and put
the Accessed information]

23. Print Article
Howell, Robert A. “Turn Your Budgeting Process
Upside Down.” Harvard Business Review, vol.
82, no. 7/8, 2004, pp. 21-22.
[Note: vol. and no. are used to identify the numbers]

24. Database Article
Williamson, Ethan, Thomas W. Farnam, and
Betsy Mullins. “Finance Lobby Cut Spending
as Feds Targeting Wall Street.” Business
Finance Journal, vol. 30, no. 4, 2009, pp. 120-
122. ABI/Inform Complete,
doi:10.1108/03092560710821116.
[The database is italicized, doi is preferable for MLA]

25. Magazine, Newspaper, Trade Journal
Schultz, Steve. “Calls Made to Strengthen State
Energy Policies.” The Country Today, 28
December 2005, pp. 1A-2A.

26. Conference Proceeding: Entire
Schnase, John L., and Elizabeth Lynn Cunnius,
editors. Proceedings from CSCL ’95: The First
International Conference on Computer
Support for Collaborative Learning: October
17-20, 1995, Indiana University, Bloomington,
Indiana, USA, Mahwah, NJ, Erlbaum, 1995.

27. Conference Proceeding: Section
Gibson, Charles C. “Impact of the Larger Social
Context on the Distance Learner.” Proceedings
from CSCL ’95: The First International Conference
on Computer Support for Collaborative Learning:
October 17-20, 1995, Indiana University,
Bloomington, Indiana, USA, edited by, John L.
Schnase and Elizabeth Lynn Cunnius, Mahwah,
NJ, Erlbaum, 1995, pp. 1-10 .

28. Websites
ONeal, Delos M., and Holly L. ONeal. “DIY Cargo
Trailer Conversion.” TNTT Fans, Jan 1982,
www.fake.org. Accessed 23 Jan. 2016.