In-text citations give the author of the source, the year of publication and a page number in parentheses (if available). The reference page at the end of the paper gives complete information about the in-text citation.
One example of in-text citations, used on the Bedford St. Martin's website, appears this way:
Yanovski and Yanovski (2002) reported that "the current state of the treatment for obesity is similar to the state of the treatment of hypertension several decades ago" (p. 600).
If the author is not mentioned in the sentence, include it in the parenthetical citation. For example:
"APA style is a difficult citation format for first-time learners" (Jones, 1998, p. 199).
If you are paraphrasing an author, it is not necessary to include a page number. For example:
According to Jones (1998), APA style is a difficult citation format for first-time learners.
APA does not recommend the use of footnotes or endnotes unless the explanatory notes are necessary. Writers can use two types of footnotes: content and copyright.
To use either type of footnote, insert a number formatted in superscript following any punctuation mark. Footnote numbers should not follow dashes, and if you use them in a parenthetical statement, insert them within the parentheses.
When using footnotes in a word-processing program, place all footnotes at the bottom of the page where they appear. You can also document footnotes on a final page after the references page. Center the word "Footnotes" at the top of the page, indent five spaces on the first line of each footnote and follow paragraph spacing rules. Double space throughout the page.
Place the reference list at the end of the paper and center the title, "References" 1 inch from the top of the page. Double space between the title and the first entry and double space both within and between entries. Begin each entry flush with the left margin and indent subsequent lines one-half inch (five spaces).
Alphabetize authors (or editors) on the reference page, listing the last name first, followed by a comma and first initial. For example, Chamberlin, J., Novotney, A., Packared, E., & Price. M. Entries without an author are alphabetized by title.
When citing books, list the name of the author first, followed by the year of publication in parentheses followed by a period. Then capitalize the title of the work (and the subtitle if there is one) followed by a period. Next give the place of publication followed by a colon and then give the name of the publisher. For example:
McKenzie, F.R. (2008). Theory and Practice with Adolescents: An Applied Approach. Chicago, IL: Lyceum Books.
For journals, magazines, and newspaper articles, list the author(s), followed by the year in parentheses. Next give the title of the article followed by a period, the title of the periodical, the volume (or issue) number, and the page range. For example:
Zhang, L.F. (2008). Teachers' Styles of Thinking: An Exploratory Study. The Journal of Psychology, 42, 37-55.
Online versions of journals, magazines, or newspaper articles are referenced the same way as print articles, but references should include the Document Object Identifer (DOI) number assigned to the article:
Whitmeyer, J.M. (2000). Power through appointment. Social Science Research, 29, 535-555. DOI: 10.1006/ssre.2000.0680.
If a DOI is not available, include the URL of the journal, magazine, or newspaper home page:
Ashe, D. D., & McCutcheon, L. E. (2001). Shyness, loneliness and attitude toward celebrities. Current Research in Social Psychology, 6, 124-133. Retrieved from http://www.uiowa.edu/~grpproc/crisp/crisp.html
For web pages, list the author, date of publication (in parentheses), the title of the page or document, and last the URL. If there is no date, write (n.d.) after the author's name. For example:
Archer, D. (n.d.). Exploring nonverbal communication. Retrieved from http://nonverbal.ucsc.edu