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APA Quick Referencing: Books

Referencing a Book

      The information required when referencing a book in a Reference List is:

  • author (surname and initials)
  • year of publication (in brackets)
  • title of book (in italics)
  • edition (if not the first)
  • publisher     

       
      Where to look for information when referencing a book:

  • on the title page for the title, author and publisher
  • on the back of the title page for the year of publication

Examples of Books

Material Type In-Text Reference Reference List
 Book:
 One Author		  (Thompson, 2012)  Thompson, K. (2012). The fitness book. Dorling Kindersley.
     
 Book:
 Multiple Authors		  (Wrigley & Fagg, 2007)  Wrigley, J., & Fagg, M. (2007). Australian native plants. Reed New Holland.
     
 Book:
 No Author		  
 (Oxford essential dictionary, 2012)

 
 Oxford essential dictionary. (2nd ed.). (2012).Oxford University Press.
    Hint: The title is not italicized when there is no author.
 Book:
 One Editor		  (Doyle, 2007)  Doyle, C. (Ed.). (2007). Travel: Where to go when. Dorling Kindersley.
    Hint: Place a colon between the title and subtitle
 Book: 
 Multiple Editors		  (Perkins, Langton & Atkinson,   2008)

 Perkins, R., Langton, M., & Atkinson, W. (Eds.). (2008). First Australians: An illustrated history.
       Melbourne University Publishing.
     
 Book: 
 in Series		  (Healey, 2012)  Healey, J. (Ed.). (2012). Issues in Society: Vegetarianism. Spinney Press.
     

Referencing Part of a Book

     The information required when referencing a chapter or article in a Reference List is:

  • author (surname and initials)
  • year of publication (in brackets)
  • title of chapter or article
  • In
  • name of editor(s)
  • title of book (in italics)
  • page numbers of chapter or article (in brackets)
  • publisher

More Book Examples

Material Type In-Text Reference Reference List
 Chapter in an   Edited Book  (Williams, 2007)  Williams, P. (2007). The natural environment. In S. Thompson (Ed.), Planning Australia       
        (pp. 117-139). Cambridge University Press.
     
 Article in an   Encyclopedia  (Stauffer, 2005)  Stauffer, G. (2005). Fishing industry. In World Book Encyclopedia (Vol.7, pp.180-188). 
       World Book. 
     

Book: Single Author

Book: Single Editor

 

HINT!    

Only include the edition number (e.g. 2nd, 3rd, 4th, etc) if it is not the 1st edition.