How to Cite a Book in APA Style
Understanding APA Citation Style for Books
When citing a book in APA style, it is important to understand the basic rules of the citation style. The purpose of citing sources is to give credit to the authors of the information and ideas used in your work, and to help readers locate the original sources you used.
In APA style, citations for books typically include the author’s name, publication year, book title, and publisher. Depending on the type of book, additional information such as the edition, volume number, or chapter may also be required.
It is also important to note that different types of books may require different citation formats. For example, the citation format for a chapter in an edited book may differ from that of a single-authored book.
To ensure that your book citations are accurate and properly formatted, it is recommended to consult the official APA style manual or a reliable online resource.
Formatting Book Citations in APA Style
In APA style, book citations follow a specific format that includes the author’s name, publication year, book title, and publisher information. The general format for citing a book in APA style is as follows:
Author, A. A. (Year of publication). Title of book. Publisher.
If the book has multiple authors, the format differs slightly. The names of up to 20 authors can be included in the citation, separated by commas. If there are more than 20 authors, list the first 19 followed by an ellipsis (…) and the last author’s name.
For edited books and anthologies, the citation format may include the names of the editor(s) as well as the authors of the individual chapters. The format for citing a chapter in an edited book is as follows:
Author, A. A. (Year of publication). Title of chapter. In B. B. Editor (Ed.), Title of book (pp. xx-xx). Publisher.
It is important to note that the page numbers of the specific chapter being cited should be included in the citation.
Properly formatting book citations in APA style is crucial for ensuring that your work is accurate and meets the standards of academic writing.
Citing a Book with One Author in APA Style
When citing a book with one author in APA style, the format follows the basic citation format for books. The author’s name should be listed last name first, followed by the initials of their first and middle names (if given). The publication year should be enclosed in parentheses, followed by the title of the book in sentence case (only the first word and any proper nouns capitalized). Finally, the publisher’s name should be listed.
The basic format for citing a book with one author in APA style is as follows:
Author, A. A. (Year of publication). Title of book. Publisher.
For example, a citation for the book “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee would look like this:
Lee, H. (1960). To kill a mockingbird. J. B. Lippincott & Co.
It is important to note that the title of the book should be italicized, and the publisher’s name should be listed in full.
When citing a direct quote from the book, the page number should be included in the citation. For example:
(Lee, 1960, p. 37)
Properly citing sources is an essential aspect of academic writing and ensures that your work is accurate and credible.
Citing a Book with Multiple Authors in APA Style
When citing a book with multiple authors in APA style, the format differs slightly from that of a book with one author. In this case, all of the authors’ names should be listed in the order they appear on the title page, separated by commas. The final author’s name should be preceded by an ampersand (&) instead of the word “and.” The publication year, title of the book, and publisher information should be listed as well.
The basic format for citing a book with multiple authors in APA style is as follows:
Author, A. A., Author, B. B., & Author, C. C. (Year of publication). Title of book. Publisher.
For example, a citation for the book “Thinking, Fast and Slow” by Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky would look like this:
Kahneman, D., & Tversky, A. (2011). Thinking, fast and slow. Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
When citing a direct quote from the book, the page number should be included in the citation. For example:
(Kahneman & Tversky, 2011, p. 32)
It is important to note that the order of the authors’ names in the citation should match the order they appear on the title page of the book. Properly citing sources is an important aspect of academic writing and demonstrates your ability to accurately and ethically use information from other sources.
Citing Edited Books and Anthologies in APA Style
When citing edited books and anthologies in APA style, the format differs from that of single-authored or multiple-authored books. In addition to the names of the editors, the citation should also include the names of the authors of the individual chapters or sections being cited, as well as the title of the specific chapter or section. The publication year, book title, and publisher information should also be included.
The basic format for citing an edited book or anthology in APA style is as follows:
Editor, A. A. (Ed.). (Year of publication). Title of book. Publisher.
When citing a specific chapter or section of the edited book, the format is as follows:
Author, A. A. (Year of publication). Title of chapter or section. In A. A. Editor (Ed.), Title of book (pp. xx-xx). Publisher.
For example, a citation for a chapter in the edited book “The Social Animal” edited by David Brooks would look like this:
Ariely, D. (2011). The case for revenge. In D. Brooks (Ed.), The social animal (pp. 107-126). Random House.
It is important to note that the page numbers of the specific chapter being cited should be included in the citation.
Properly citing edited books and anthologies in APA style is important for accurately and ethically using information from these sources in your work.
