APA 7
APA 7th Edition is the most commonly used referencing style here at the University of Portsmouth. Below you will find general guidance on how to reference and cite using APA 7th Edition, as well as examples for the specific sources you are likely to use in your assignments.
Your department or lecturer may prefer you to reference sources differently from the guidance given here. Always follow the requirements of your department or lecturer.
External visitors are welcome to use this guide, but note that your institution's requirements may differ from those suggested here.
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The author of the chapter you are referencing is always given at the start of the reference.
The name(s) of the editor(s) of the book which appear within the reference need to be formatted slightly differently, with their initial before their surname.
If you are using an ebook where no page numbers are available (for example a Kindle book), omit these from the reference.
Reference
Author of the chapter/section, Initials. (Year of publication). Title of chapter/section. In Initials. Editor of book (Ed.), Title of book (pp. page numbers of chapter/section). Publisher. https://doi.org/ or URL
Lumsden, A. (2010). Stevenson, Scott and Scottish history. In P. Fielding (Ed.), The Edinburgh companion to Robert Louis Stevenson (pp. 70-85). Edinburgh University Press. https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/portsmouth-ebooks/detail.action?docID=581391
In-text Citation
For information about the use of page numbers within in-text citations please see our guidance here.
A study of his work (Lumsden, 2010) argued that…
Lumsden (2010, p. 73) suggested that…
For examples of chapters with multiple authors, or chapters in books with multiple editors, please click 'more' below.
more
Single author of a chapter in a book with multiple editors
Reference
Author of the chapter/section, Initials. (Year of publication). Title of chapter/section. In Initials. Editor of book & Initials. Editor of book (Eds.), Title of book (pp. page numbers of chapter/section). Publisher. https://doi.org/ or URL
Stickells, L. (2013). Swiss cheese and beanbags: producing interior urbanism. In L. Weinthal & G. Brooker (Eds.), Handbook of interior architecture and design (pp. 180-198). Bloomsbury. https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/portsmouth-ebooks/detail.action?docID=1589535
In-text Citation
For information about the use of page numbers within in-text citations, please see our guidance here.
It can be argued that… (Stickells, 2013).
Stickells (2013, p. 190) suggested that…
Two authors of a chapter in a book with multiple editors
Reference
Author of the chapter/section, Initials., & Author of the chapter/section, Initials. (Year of publication). Title of chapter/section. In Initials. Editor of book, Initials. Editor of book & Initials. Editor of book (Eds.), Title of book (pp. page numbers of chapter/section). Publisher. https://doi.org/ or URL
Wright, R., & Kelly, W. (2017). Is civilization sustainable? In W. E. Kelly, B. Luke, & R. N. Wright (Eds.), Engineering for sustainable communities: Principles and practices (pp. 29-34). American Society of Civil Engineers. https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/portsmouth-ebooks/detail.action?docID=5164375
In-text Citation
For sources with two authors, you should use both authors' surnames in each citation. If the citation is inside brackets, use an ampersand (&) between the names. If they are in the text of your work, use 'and' between them.
For information about the use of page numbers within in-text citations, please see our guidance here.
It was suggested that... (Wright & Kelly, 2017).
Wright and Kelly (2017, p. 31) suggest that...
More than two authors of a chapter in a book with multiple editors
Reference
Author of the chapter/section, Initials., Author of the chapter/section, Initials., & Author of the chapter/section, Initials. (Year of publication). Title of chapter/section. In Initials. Editor of book, Initials. Editor of book & Initials. Editor of book (Eds.), Title of book (pp. page numbers of chapter/section). Publisher. https://doi.org/ or URL
Aron, L., Botella, M., & Lubart, T. (2019). Culinary arts: Talent and their development. In R. F. Subotnik, P. Olszewski-Kubilius, & F. C. Worrell (Eds.), The psychology of high performance: Developing human potential into domain-specific talent (pp. 345–359). American Psychological Association. https://doi.org/10.1037/0000120-016
In-text citation
For sources with three or more authors, you only need to state the name of the first author, followed by 'et al.'
'et al.' is plural, meaning "and others".
For information about the use of page numbers within in-text citations, please see our guidance here.
It can be argued that... (Aron et al., 2019).
In their study of this, Aron et al. (2019, p. 348) suggested that…
Introductions in edited ebooks
If you are using the introduction to an edited book, this should be treated as a chapter. The author and editor will most likely be the same.
Reference
Author of the chapter/section, Initials. (Year of publication). Introduction. In Initials, Editor of book (Ed.), Title of book (pp. page numbers of chapter/section). Publisher. https://doi.org/ or URL
Erkkila, B. (2011). Introduction. In B. Erkkila (Ed.), Ezra Pound: The contemporary reviews (pp. viii-lvii). Cambridge University Press. https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/portsmouth-ebooks/detail.action?docID=807259
In-text Citation
For information about the use of page numbers within in-text citations, please see our guidance here.
It can be argued that... (Erkkila, 2011).
In their study of this, Erkkila (2011, p. viii) suggested that…