This document provides guidance on creating reference lists according to APA (6th ed) style. It explains that a reference list only includes sources that are cited within the text. All citations must have a corresponding reference. References are listed alphabetically and include author name, date of publication, title, and publication details. Electronic sources should provide a URL or DOI. Examples are provided for different source types like books, articles, videos and conference papers. Additional online help through the APA website and reference books are also mentioned.

1. APA (6th ed) referencing
The reference list
Jenny Trevitt, Senior Librarian

2. The reference list
• Is not a bibliography [not an option in APA]
• Provides full publication details ONLY for sources
cited in the assignment.
• ALL in text citations require a matching reference in
the reference list.
• List references alphabetically.
Note: Check author and date details in the text citation
match details in the reference list.

3. Reference components
• “In general, a reference should contain the author
names, date of publication, title of the work, and
publication data” (American Psychological
Association, 2009, p. 183).
• For full details see the chapter “Reference List” in the
Publication Manual of the APA (American
Psychological Association, 2009, pp. 180-192).

4. Author component
• Author surname first, followed by initials.
• Edited book - editor’s surname replaces the author’s
surname and is followed by (Ed.) or (Eds.).
– Little, P. E.
– Jacobs, D. E. (Ed.).
– Australian Council for Educational Research.
Note: Do not abbreviate the name of a group author.

5. Date component
• Date of publication in parenthesis followed by a full
stop.
• For conference papers, magazines, newspapers,
newsletters give the year followed by a comma and
then any month or day.
(2014).
(2014, June 1).

6. Title: Books and reports
• Italicise the title followed by a full stop.
• Capitalise the first word of the title and any proper
nouns.
– What teachers need to know about assessment.
– Assessment in Australian schools.

7. Title: Periodical
• Give the full name of a periodical
• Capitalise each word of a periodical title
• If volume, issue, page details follow then end title
with a comma
Assessment in Education: Principles, Policy & Practice,

8. Title: Article or Chapter Title
• Capitalise the first word of an article or chapter title
• Capitalise the first word of a subtitle
• Capitalise any proper nouns in the title or subtitle
A brief history: Assessment and reporting
Large scale assessment in Australia
Note: Do not italicise the title of a chapter or an
article.

9. Publication: Books and reports
• Location: Publisher.
• Provide location as city and state if in the USA or city
and country if outside the USA.
• Use details of first publisher in a list of multiple
publishers.
Camberwell, Australia: ACER Press.
London, United Kingdom: Sage Publications.

10. Publication: Periodicals
• Follow periodical title with italicised volume number
• Include issue number in parenthesis (not italicised)
but only if issues are paginated separately
• Include page number(s)
Assessment in Education: Principles, Policies & Practice,
24(2), 44-67.
Assessment in Science, 32, 89-95.

11. Electronic sources
“recommend that you include the same elements, in
the same order, as you would for a reference to a
fixed-media source and add as much electronic
retrieval information as needed for others to locate
the sources you cited.” (American Psychological
Association, 2009, p. 187).
• Retrieval dates no longer need to be included
• Further detail on electronic sources is available in the
Publication Manual of the APA (2009, pp. 187-192).

12. Electronic sources: DOI
• Provide the Digital Object Identifier (DOI) if one has
been given to a publication or article.
Hailaya, W., Alagumalai, S., & Ben, F. (2014).
Examining the utility of Assessment Literacy
Inventory and its portability to education systems in
the Asia Pacific region. Australian Journal of
Education, 58, pp. 297-317. doi:
10.1177/0004944114542984
Note: This is an online journal article with DOI.
There is also a print version of this journal so pp.
is used.

13. Electronic sources: No DOI
• If there is no DOI then provide the publisher’s home
page URL for the journal, book or report.
Hailaya, W., Alagumalai, S., & Ben, F. (2014).
Examining the utility of Assessment Literacy
Inventory and its portability to education
systems in the Asia Pacific region. Australian
Journal of Education, 58, 297-317. Retrieved
from http://intl-aed.sagepub.com

14. 1. Referencing challenge
This is a journal which is only published online and
has no pagination. How would you reference it?

15. 1. Challenge solution
Wright, J. (2014). Participation in the classroom: Classification
and assessment techniques. Teaching Innovation Projects,
4(1). Retrieved from http://ir.lib.uwo.ca/tips/vol4/iss1/3

16. 2. Referencing challenge
How would you reference this video?

17. 2. Challenge solution
Australian Council for Educational Research
(Producer). (2014, November 21). Teachers and
ICT [Video/Infographic]. Teacher. Available from
http://teacher.acer.edu.au/article/teachers-and-
ict

18. 3. Referencing challenge
How would you reference this video?

19. 3. Challenge solution
This is one possibility for referencing the video:
Curic, E., Pirola, S., & Ward A. (Producers). (2014). 2014 Sleek
Geeks Eureka Science School Prize: Colour blindness
[Video]. ABC Science: Dr. Karl. Retrieved from
http://www.abc.net.au/science/video/2014/colourblin
dness.html
Note: If you cannot find an exact match for your reference
in the manual for the APA Style, then chose an example
that could be adapted. The above is based on the video
style and a chapter in book style.

20. 4. Referencing challenge
How would you reference this conference paper
from the ACEReSearch (ACER’s research
repository)?

21. 4. Challenge Solution
Ainley, J., & Gebhardt, E. (2014, August 4). Perspectives on Quality
and Equity from Large-Scale Assessment Studies. Paper
presented at the Australian Council for Education Research
Conference 2014 on Quality and Equity: What Does the
Research Tell Us?, Adelaide, Australia. Retrieved from
http://research.acer.edu.au/research_conference/RC2014/
4august/6/

22. 5. Referencing challenge
How would you reference this television program?

23. 5. Challenge Solution
PBS Frontline (Program By), & O’Brien, K. (Presenter). (2014,
July 22). Generation Like [Television Series Episode]. In
D. Rushkoff and F. Koughan (Co-Producers), Four
Corners. Australia: ABC Television.

24. Online help
See the American Psychological Association
website:
• The Basics of APA Style - slides 13 to 25
• In-text citations
• Punctuating the Reference List Entry
• APA Style FAQs
• The APA Style Blog

25. Further Help
• American Psychological Association. (2009). Publication
Manual of the American Psychological Association (6th ed.).
Washington, DC: Author. Refer to chapters 6 & 7.
• American Psychological Association. (2010). Concise rules
of APA style (6th ed.). Washington, DC: Author. Refer to
chapters 7 & 8.
• Note: These books can be borrowed from the Library. Submit an
online request and items will be express posted to students
within Australia. Submit a Book Request.
Full details are set under services on the Library’s Student Portal
page.
Students are responsible for any cost to return borrowed items.

26. Reference List
American Psychological Association. (2009).
Publication Manual of the American Psychological
Association (6th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.