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How do I properly format an APA citation for a paper?

The formatting of an APA citation depends on the *type* of source. There's no single "paper" citation format. Here's a breakdown of how to cite common source types in APA 7th edition:

General Formatting Rules (apply to all citation types):

* Hanging Indent: The first line of each citation is flush left; subsequent lines are indented (usually 0.5 inches).

* Alphabetical Order: Citations in your References list are alphabetized by the first author's last name. If there's no author, alphabetize by the title.

* Italics: Titles of books, journals, and databases are italicized.

* Capitalization: Only capitalize the first word of titles (except for proper nouns). Capitalize all major words in journal titles.

Examples of Common Source Types:

1. Journal Article:

* With DOI:

Author, A. A., Author, B. B., & Author, C. C. (Year). Title of article. *Title of Journal*, *Volume*(Issue), pages-pages. https://doi.org/xx.xxxx/xxxxx

*Example:*

Smith, J., Jones, A., & Brown, B. (2023). The impact of social media on adolescent well-being. *Journal of Adolescent Research*, *18*(2), 123-145. https://doi.org/10.1000/example

* Without DOI:

Author, A. A., Author, B. B., & Author, C. C. (Year). Title of article. *Title of Journal*, *Volume*(Issue), pages-pages.

*Example:*

Miller, K. (2022). Climate change and its effects on coastal communities. *Environmental Science Today*, *5*(1), 55-72.

2. Book:

Author, A. A. (Year). *Title of work*. Publisher.

*Example:*

Strunk, W., Jr., & White, E. B. (2000). *The elements of style* (4th ed.). Longman.

3. Book Chapter:

Author, A. A. (Year). Title of chapter. In A. Editor, B. Editor, & C. Editor (Eds.), *Title of book* (pp. pages-pages). Publisher.

*Example:*

Bloch, E. (2018). The history of psychoanalysis. In J. Smith & A. Jones (Eds.), *Theories of the mind* (pp. 100-130). Oxford University Press.

4. Website:

Author, A. A. (Year, Month Day). *Title of page*. Site name. URL

*Example:*

American Psychological Association. (2023, July 26). *APA style*. https://apastyle.apa.org/

5. Online Video:

Creator. (Year, Month Day). *Title of video* [Video]. Platform. URL

*Example:*

Khan Academy. (2015, May 12). *Introduction to psychology* [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXXXX

Important Considerations:

* Multiple Authors: List up to 20 authors. For 21 or more, list the first 19, then add an ellipsis (...) and the last author's name.

* No Author: If there's no author, start the citation with the title.

* No Date: Use (n.d.) in place of the year.

* Retrieval Information: For online sources, include retrieval information only if the content is likely to change.

APA Style Manual:

For the most accurate and comprehensive guide, consult the official *Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association* (7th ed.). Many universities also have online guides and citation generators to help. Using a citation management tool (like Zotero or Mendeley) can greatly simplify the process.

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