Scenario 1: The online book has a DOI
If the book has a DOI, this is the preferred way to cite it. The DOI is a persistent identifier, meaning it's less likely to change than a URL.
Example:
Author, A. A. (Year). *Title of work*. Retrieved from [DOI]
Example with specific information:
Smith, J. (2023). *The history of online books*. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.12345/exampledoi
Scenario 2: The online book only has a URL (no DOI)
If there's no DOI, use the URL. Note that URLs can change, making this less stable than a DOI citation.
Example:
Author, A. A. (Year). *Title of work*. Retrieved from [URL]
Example with specific information:
Jones, M. (2022). *Digital storytelling techniques*. Retrieved from https://www.examplewebsite.com/onlinebook
Important Considerations for Both Scenarios:
* Author: Use the author's last name and initials. If there are multiple authors, list them in the order they appear on the book. If there's no author, start with the title.
* Year: Use the year of publication.
* Title of work: Italicize the title of the book.
* Retrieved from: This phrase indicates where the source was accessed.
* DOI or URL: Include the DOI or URL exactly as it appears. Make sure the link works.
* Capitalization: Capitalize only the first word of the title and subtitle, and proper nouns.
Example with additional information (e.g., edition):
Author, A. A. (Year). *Title of work* (Ed., edition). Retrieved from [DOI or URL]
Remember to always double-check your citation against the most recent APA style guide. The specifics can change slightly over time. You can find the most up-to-date information on the official APA Style website.