Basic Structure
* Author's Last Name & Year of Publication: (Smith, 2023)
* Multiple Authors: (Smith & Jones, 2023)
* More Than Two Authors: (Smith et al., 2023)
* No Author: ("Title of Work," 2023)
Placement
* At the end of the sentence: "The study found that exercise improved mood (Smith, 2023)."
* Before punctuation: (Smith, 2023).
* Within a sentence: Smith (2023) found that exercise improved mood.
Specific Examples
* Direct quote: "This is a direct quote from the source" (Smith, 2023, p. 12).
* Paraphrased information: A recent study suggests that exercise improves mood (Smith, 2023).
* Multiple works by the same author in the same year: (Smith, 2023a) and (Smith, 2023b)
* Multiple sources: (Smith, 2023; Jones, 2022)
* Source with no author: ("Title of the Report," 2023)
Additional Notes
* Use the same reference format consistently throughout your work.
* If you have multiple references by the same author, list them in order of publication date.
* If you cite a specific page number, include it after the year.
* For online sources, use the retrieval date if the content is likely to change.
Example
"Stress can have a significant impact on cognitive function (Smith, 2023). This is particularly true for individuals who are experiencing chronic stress (Jones & Brown, 2022). Research suggests that mindfulness practices may help reduce stress and improve cognitive performance (Smith, 2023b). One study found that participants who practiced mindfulness meditation for 30 minutes a day experienced significant improvements in their attention spans and memory (Jones, 2022). "
Remember: Consult the official APA Publication Manual for the most comprehensive and up-to-date guidelines.