The proper way to quote using the APA style may vary depending on where the article comes from. Here are step-by-step instructions on how to cite an article from a magazine, periodical, newspaper, book, or online publication.
Steps
Method 1 of 4: Article taken from a magazine or periodical
Step 1. Write the name of the author or authors
For each author you should write the surname and initial of the name. If it has one, include the initial of the middle name after that of the first. Separate two authors with ampersand (&) and three or more authors with commas.
- Doe, J.
- Doe, J. & Smith, A. B.
- Doe, J., Smith, A. B. & Johnson, K.
Step 2. Specify the posting date of the article
Often the only available date of a magazine or periodical is the year and month. Write the date in month-year format, in parentheses. If the date includes two months, write them both. Put a period after the brackets.
- Doe, J. (June 2010).
- Doe, J. & Smith, A. B. (January / February 2008).
Step 3. Write the title of the article
Capitalize the first letter of the first word and each proper name. Do not use italics or quotation marks. Close with a period.
Doe, J. (June 2010). Thoughts on Victorian literature
Step 4. Write the name of the periodical or magazine
Capitalize each significant word and italicize the entire title. Then put a comma.
Doe, J. (June 2010). Thoughts on Victorian literature. Journal of Literary Criticism,
Step 5. Write the volume and topic number
The volume number should be in italics, while the topic number should not. The argument should also be in parentheses and be followed by a comma. No space should be left between the volume number and the topic number. If no number related to the topic is provided, do not write it down.
- Doe, J. (June 2010). Thoughts on Victorian literature. Journal of Literary Criticism, 9 (5),
- Doe, J. & Smith, A. B. (January / February 2008). Newest Tech Gadgets. Popular Computer Magazine, 3.
Step 6. Specify the page numbers where the article is located
Separate the number of the first page from that of the last with a hyphen. Conclude with a period.
Doe, J. (June 2010). Thoughts on Victorian literature. Journal of Literary Criticism, 9 (5), 18-23
Method 2 of 4: Article from a Newspaper
Step 1. Write the name of the author or authors
Write all names in the format surname, initial of the name. Put an ampersand between two authors and use commas to list the names of three or more authors.
- Rockwell, J. C.
- Hoffman, D. & Rowell, S.
Step 2. Write when the article was published
Newspapers usually contain the day and month when printed. If so, write the date in day-month-year format in parentheses and end with a period.
Hoffman, D. & Rowell, S. (April 27, 2009)
Step 3. Write the title of the article
Capitalize only the first letter of the first word and proper names. Put a period after the title.
Hoffman, D. & Rowell, S. (April 27, 2009). State of the economy
Step 4. Write the name of the newspaper
Italicize the name of the newspaper and capitalize the first letter of each significant word. Then put a comma.
Hoffman, D. & Rowell, S. (April 27, 2009). State of the economy. Fort Wayne News,
Step 5. Specify which pages the article is on
Enter page numbers with the abbreviation "p." for a single page, or "pp." for multiple pages. If the pages are not continuous, separate them with a comma. If they are continuous, separate them with a hyphen. Conclude with another point.
- Rockwell, J. C. (February 14, 2012). Large company shuts down. Oakwood Sentinel, p. A2.
- Hoffman, D. & Rowell, S. (April 27, 2009). State of the economy. Fort Wayne News, pp. A1-A2.
- Hoffman, D. & Rowell, S. (April 27, 2009). State of the economy. Fort Wayne News, pp. A1, A10.
Method 3 of 4: Article from a Book
Step 1. Write the name of the author or authors
Write all names in the format surname, initial of the name. Put an ampersand between two authors and use commas to list the names of three or more authors (&).
- Doe, J.
- Smith, S. J., Keller, J. H. & Dalton, U.
Step 2. Write the year of publication
When citing an article from a book, you only need to mention the year of publication, not the full date. Put the year in parentheses followed by a period.
Doe, J. (2008)
Step 3. Write the name of the article
Capitalize only the first letter of the first word and proper names. Close with a period.
Doe, J. (2008). New thoughts on science
Step 4. Write the name of the editor (s) (if any)
Write the name of the editor in the initial format of the name-surname. For an editor, write the abbreviation "Ed." in brackets immediately after the surname. For multiple editors, write the abbreviation "Eds." in brackets. Then put a comma.
- Doe, J. (2008). New thoughts on science. B. Smith (Ed.),
- Smith, S. J., Keller, J. H. & Dalton, U. (2010). Computer technology trends. B. Smith & Y. Joyce (Eds.),
Step 5. Write the title of the book
Capitalize only the first letter of the first word and proper names. Italicize the entire title.
Doe, J. (2008). New thoughts on science. B. Smith (Ed.), The big book of science
Step 6. Specify the page number
Write the numbers of the pages where the article is located. Enclose the numbers in parentheses and close with a period.
Doe, J. (2008). New thoughts on science. B. Smith (Ed.), The big book of science (104-118)
Step 7. Enter the place of publication and the name of the publisher
Write the city where the book was published, followed by a comma. Conclude with the publisher's name and a period.
Doe, J. (2008). New thoughts on science. B. Smith (Ed.), The big book of science (104-118). New York: Big Time Press
Method 4 of 4: Online Article
Step 1. Quote the article as if it were printed
Write the author's name, publication date, title, volume number, edition number, and pages, as usual.
Doe, J. (June 2010). Thoughts on Victorian literature. Journal of Literary Criticism, 9 (5), 18-23
Step 2. Write the DOI
DOI, or Digital Object Identifier, is a system used by many editors to create fixed positions for online articles. Each item registered in the system has a unique DOI. Write it including the abbreviation "doi" followed by a colon.
Doe, J. (June 2010). Thoughts on Victorian literature. Journal of Literary Criticism, 9 (5), 18-23. doi: 55.5555 / j.sampledoi.2010.06.001
Step 3. Alternatively, enter the URL
If the article does not have a DOI, indicate the URL from which you obtained it. Include the URL with the expression "Taken from."
