APA Format Guidelines

Quotations

Short Quotation (fewer than 40 words)
A direct quote is a word for word copy of source material. Enclose the quote in quotation marks.  Include the author's last name and date of publication.

Example

It is recommended to "have your resume with you while completing the application so all information will be accurate and consistent” (Morris, 2018, p.18).  

Long Quotations (more than 40 words)
The block quote is used for direct quotations that are longer than 40 words.  Do not use quotation marks. Indent the entire quote 0.5 inch. Double space the entire quotation.

Example  

The actual interview is as much about you evaluating the institution and people as they evaluate you. You can have an awesome interview, but just not feel a “click”. It is absolutely acceptable to ask for time to consider if you are offered the position at the interview. (Morris, 2018, p.32). 

Rules

  1. The line before your long quotation, when you're introducing the quote, usually ends with a colon.
  2. The long quotation is indented half an inch from the rest of the text, so it looks like a block of text.
  3. There are no quotation marks around the quotation.
  4. The period at the end of the quotation comes before your in-text citation as opposed to after, as it does with regular quotations.

Paraphrase or Summary

Unlike a direct quotation, a summary or paraphrase still relays ideas from a source but in your own words to make it fit better with your document. A paraphrase is a specific idea from a source that needs a citation with author, year, and page number.

Paraphrasing from One Page

Include a full in-text citation with the author name and page number (if there is one). For example:

  • Mother-infant attachment became a leading topic of developmental research following the publication of John Bowlby's studies (Hunt, 1986, p. 65).

Paraphrasing from Multiple Pages

If the paraphrased information/idea is from several pages, include them. 

  • Mother-infant attachment became a leading topic of developmental research following the publication of John Bowlby's studies (Hunt, 1979, p. 50, 55, 65-71).

One or Multiple Authors

Citation rules vary based on how many authors a source. Consult the following table for how to handle these different situations.

Type of Citation First In-Text Citation Subsequent In-Text Citations First Parenthetical Format Subsequent Parenthetical Format
1 Author Haller (2008) Haller (2008) (Haller, 2008) (Haller, 2008)
2 Authors Busker and Haller (2008) Busker and Haller (2008) (Busker & Haller, 2008) (Busker & Haller, 2008)
3 - 5 Authors Barrett, Busker,  and Haller (2008) Barrett et al. (2008) (Barrett, Busker, and Haller, 2008) (Barret et al., 2008)
6+ Authors Barrett et al. (2008) Barrett et al. (2008) (Barrett et al., 2008) (Barrett et al., 2008)
Group authors with common abbreviations Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI, 2008) FBI (2008) (Federal Bureau of Investigation [FBI], 2008) (FBI, 2008)
Group authors with uncommon/no abbreviation Duke University (2008) Duke University (2008) (Duke University, 2008) (Duke University, 2008)

Indirect (Secondary) Sources

When citing a quotation from a source, include the quotation's original author and year in text and insert a parenthetical citation that begins with the words "as cited in" to indicate the source from which the quotation came.

  • According to Allegeria (1985), biology "revolves around the idea that the cell is a fundamental unit of life" (as cited in Smith, 2020, p. 15).

Authors with the Same Surname

When two sources have primary authors (i.e. the first author listed for a source) with the same last name, include each primary author's initials.

  • While R. Grayson (2018) offers a surface level analysis of criminal theory, D. Grayson (1940) uses a deductive approach that considers patient history along with psychological profiles.

Anonymous Author

When a source's author is unknown, cite the first few words of the source's reference list entry, usually the title with appropriate formatting if an article (quotation marks) or book (italicized).

  • Cell biology is an area of science that focuses on the structure and function of cells (Cell Biology, 2011, p. 15).

If a source has an anonymous author, treat the word "Anonymous" like an author's last name.

  • (Anonymous, 2000)

Personal Communication

Personal communications (e-mail, memos, letters, etc.) are not included in the reference list, but they should be cited in the text. Identify the author, exact date of the communication, and the phrase "personal communication."

  • B. Gordon (personal communication, June, 07, 2023)