Duke Libraries

Ask us now

APA Style Guide

What is it?

Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association. 6th ed. Washington: American Psychological Association, 2010.

Where can I find a copy?

  • Perkins Reference Desk BF76.7 .P83 2010 c.1

  • Perkins Reference BF76.7 .P83 2010 c.2
  • Bostock Help Desk BF76.7 .P83 2010

  • Medical Center Library PE1475 Am35p 2010 c.1

APA also sponsors a web site, Electronic References, which addresses the issue of citing information gathered from electronic media.

Who should use it?

  • Students whose professors require APA style

  • Scholars writing on psychology or behavioral sciences.

  • Scholars in the social sciences.

How to cite works in the body of your paper using the APA style:

APA style uses in-text parenthetical citations – that is, you document each quote, paraphrase, etc., in the text of your paper, using parentheses. No footnotes are used in this style. Each parenthetical citation refers to a complete citation found in the list of references at the end of the paper. Unless otherwise indicated, on-line sources follow the same pattern as print versions. Examples.

How to cite works in the reference list at the end of your paper using APA style:

APA style includes a complete list of all references at the end of the paper. Each parenthetical citation in the text should refer to a work in the list of references. Each kind of work is cited in its own way; for details, see the Examples.

Have more questions?

For up-to-date information on citing electronic sources, go to the APA's Style Guide or Online! For citing government documents, consult the current edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, available from the Perkins and Lilly Reference desks. If you have further questions, consult the Reference Desks at Perkins or Lilly Libraries.


Last modified November 20, 2009 4:31:17 PM EST

Home | Libraries | Ask Us Now | Catalog | Hours | Library Web Site Search | Site Index

Mobile Library Home (content for handheld devices such as cellphones)

Creative Commons License
Unless otherwise specified on this page, this work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.

Perkins Circulation Desk: 919-660-5870