APA Reference Format for Books

The American Psychological Association sets out guidelines for the correct way to format an entry for a book in the reference list of a term paper. Conforming to correct reference guidelines is a good way to avoid losing points on a term paper for format issues and to make sure you avoid plagiarizing any content. The correct way to cite a book in APA format depends upon whether the book you are citing has been edited, translated or is in an edition other than the first.
  1. General Citation Form

    • Write the last name followed by the initial of the first name. Enclose the year of publication in parenthesis. Write the title in italics with only the first letter capitalized. Then write the place of publication followed by a colon and the publisher name. Format your reference entry in this format if your book has an author but no editor or translator and is in the first edition. For example:

      Arnold, H. (2010). How to love the lighthouse bear. Chicago: University Press.

    Authored and Edited Books

    • If your book has an author and an editor, begin with the last name of the author followed by the initial of the author's first name. Again write the year in parenthesis. Then write the title of the book followed by the first initial of the editor's first name and then his surname. Enclose the note Ed. in parenthesis. Finish with the place of publication, a colon, and the publisher. Follow this example:

      Arnold, H. (2010). How to love the lighthouse bear J. Jones, (Ed.). Chicago: University Press.

    Edited Book With No Author

    • If your book has no author but does have an editor format the citation beginning with the editor's last name and his initial. Note Ed. in parentheses. Then following the same guidelines for writing a citation with an author. As an example:

      Jones, J. (Ed.). (2010). How to love the lighthouse bear. Chicago: University Press.

    Translated Book

    • To format the citation for a translated book, begin with the author's last name, followed by his first initial. Place the year in parenthesis and the title in italics, with only the first letter capitalized. Then, enclose the translator's first initial and last name, followed by "Trans." in parentheses. Write the place of publication, colon, then the publisher. At the end, enclose the year that the original work was published in parentheses. Consult this example:

      Arnold, H. (2010). How to love the lighthouse bear. (J. Jones, Trans.). Chicago: University Press. (Original work published 2007).

    An Edition of a Book

    • If your reference is in an edition other than the first, format the citation the same as you would a normal book citation with an author. However, add the edition number in parentheses after the title of the book. For example:

      Arnold, H. (2010). How to love the lighthouse bear (6th ed.). Chicago: University Press.

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