APA Style

APA style is a writing and citation system published by the American Psychological Association. It specifies how to format scholarly work: page layout, section headings, figures, language use, and in particular how to cite sources.

This style is most common in psychology, education, public health, and social science generally. It is defined in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, which is updated regularly with new editions.

In-text citation method

APA uses the author–date citation method. When a writer cites a source, the author's last name and publication year appear in parentheses in the text, for example: (Ali, 2019). If a direct quote is used, the page number is also included. This method allows readers to quickly assess how recent the information is.

Reference list

At the end of the paper is a page titled "References." Sources are arranged alphabetically by the author's last name. Each source type—book, journal article, website—has its own format specifying author name, date, title, and publication information or electronic link. Every source cited in the text must appear in the reference list.

Paper structure

APA recommends a standard format: title page, abstract, main text, and references. Empirical research papers typically include sections on introduction, methods, results, and discussion. The style also sets out rules for citing figures and images, and for presenting numbers and tables.

Inclusive language

A key feature of APA is guidance on language. The manual encourages writers to use terms free of bias when referring to sex, race, age, or disability, and to treat research participants with respect.