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APA Style Guide

Citing Books in APA

Key Elements of a Book Citation

  • Author(s)
  • Publication Date
  • Title(s)
  • Source

One Author

Author, A. A. (Publication Date). Title of book is italicized: First letter of subtitle is capitalized. Publisher 

Name. 

Enterline, L. (1956). The tears of Narcissus: Melancholia and masculinity in early modern writing.

Stanford University Press. 

No Author

Title of book is italicized: First letter of subtitle is capitalized. (Publication Date). Publisher Name.

The American Heritage college dictionary (4th ed.). (2002). Houghton Mifflin. 

Two Authors

Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Publication Date). Title of book is italicized: First letter of subtitle is

capitalized. Publisher Name. 

Austen-Leigh, W., & Austen-Leigh, R. A. (1965). Jane Austen: Her life and letters, a family record.

Russell & Russell.

Three to Twenty Authors

Author, A. A., Author, B. B., Author, C. C., Author, D. D., & Author, E. E. (Publication Date). Title of book

is italicized: First letter of subtitle is capitalized. Publisher Name. 

Taylor, C. R., Lillis, C., Lynn, P. B., & LeMone, P.  (2015). Fundamentals of nursing: The art and science

of person-centered nursing care. Wolters Kluwer Health.

Organization as Author

American Psychological Association. (1952). Publication manual of the American Psychological

Association. American Psychological Association.

Edited Book, No Author

Editor, A. A. (Ed.). (Publication Date). Title of book is italicized: First letter of subtitle is capitalized.

Publisher Name. 

Finch, J., & Dutton, H. (Eds.). (2018). Acute and critical care nursing at a glance. Wiley Blackwell. 

Edited Book, Author(s)

Author, A. A. (Publication Date). Title of book is italicized: First letter of subtitle is capitalized (A. Editor,

Ed.). Publisher.

Austen, J. (2013). Sense and sensibility: An annotated edition (P. M. Spacks, Ed.). Belknap Press. 

Edition Other Than the First

Author, A. A. (Publication Date). Title of book is italicized: First letter of subtitle is capitalized (edition #).

Publisher. 

American Psychological Association. (2020). Publication manual of the American Psychological

Association: The official guide to APA style (7th ed.). American Psychological Association.

Chapter in an Edited Book

Author, A. A. (Publication Date). Title of chapter. In A. A. Editor, & B. B. Editor (Eds.), Title of book is

italicized: First letter of subtitle is capitalized (pages of chapter). Publisher.

Harris, M. (2000). Talk to me: Engaging reluctant writers. In B. Rafoth (Ed.), A tutor's guide: Helping

writers one-to-one (pp. 24-34). Heinemann. 

eBook

Use the same format for print books and eBooks. A URL is no longer required. 

Additional Resource