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Y7-13 Citation Expectations

Unfamiliar with American Psychological Association style? Start by looking at sample papers to get an understanding of how in-text and Work Cited look. 

APA Sample Papers

Select a citation tool for APA

Set yourself for success by selecting a citation tool (NoodleTools or MyBib) and setting up the tool properly for APA.

See instructions on how to set up your selected tool below. 

NoodleTools settings for APA style

MyBib settings for APA style

APA Basics for full citations

APA Basics for in-text citations

A basic in-text citation for APA includes:

1. Authors last name

2. a comma

3. Publication date

Example:

(Smith, 2024)

If you have two authors names, you include both last names as such:

(Smith and Jacobsen, 2024) 

If you have 3 or more authors, you use the last name of the first author listed followed by et al which is latin for 'everyone else':

(Smith et al., 2024)


If your source has page numbers or you are discussing a scene in a film, you add the page numbers or timestamp range after the copyright date.

Page number:

(Smith, 2024, p. 22)

Page numbers:

(Smith, 2024, pp. 22-65)

Timestamp for a screenshot or still image from a video:

(Smith, 2024, 00:07:58)

Timestamp range (for dialogue or scenes being discussed):

(Smith, 2024, 03:00:00-0:4:00:00)

Use NoodleTools to generate in-text citations

Use the basic video above to learn how to generate in-text citations easily in NoodleTools. The video shows a project folder set to MLA citation style. Your citations will look different because your project folder will be set to APA. 

Use MyBib to generate in-text citations