How to Cite Using Footnotes in APA

If you are adhering to the formatting guidelines set out by the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA), you should never use footnotes to cite sources. Sources should be cited within the text, and all sources cited should have corresponding entries in a reference list at the end of your paper. According to APA style guidelines, it is only permissible to use footnotes if you are either including an explanatory note or including copyright permission.

Instructions

    • 1

      Position a superscripted number after the passage that you wish to footnote. In general, footnote marks should appear after punctuation marks such as periods, colons, semicolons or commas. This is unlike parenthetical citations, which in APA format usually come before punctuation marks. The exception is when you are footnoting a sentence that appears in parentheses. In this case, the superscripted number should appear before the closing period.

    • 2

      Position your footnote at the bottom of the page. Begin your footnote with a superscripted number that is the same as the number that appears in the text.

    • 3

      Begin with the word "note" if you are providing a copyright permission in your footnote. The word "note" should appear in italics. You must include the publication information, copyright date and copyright holder's name. End your note with the phrase "reprinted with permission." For example: 2 Note. From "Moons of Mars," by S. Smith, 2011, Space Journal, 18, p. 7. Copyright 2011 by S. Smith. Reprinted with permission.

      If you are providing explanatory information rather than copyright permission, APA style encourages you to be brief and write no more than a short paragraph. If you are pointing readers to a source in your reference list, include the author's last name and the year of publication. For example: 2 See Jones (2011) for a thorough exploration of oddities in the orbital patterns of moons.

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