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.
Need More Help?
If, after looking at this guidance, you are still stuck, then we can help. If you have a quick question then chat to us online, and if you need more help then you can Book an online APA 7 referencing appointment.
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.
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.
Graham, J. (2012). Artistic inspirations. In E. Prettejohn (Ed.), The Cambridge companion to the Pre-Raphaelites (pp. 32-46). Cambridge University Press.
In-text Citation
For information about the use of page numbers within in-text citations, please see our guidance here.
It could be argued that… (Graham, 2012).
Graham (2012, p. 33) states that...
For examples of chapters with multiple authors, or chapters in books with multiple editors, please click 'more' below.
more
Chapter by a single author 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.
Siengthai, S. (2014). Human resource management in Thailand. In A. Varma & P. S. Budhwar (Eds.), Managing human resources in Asia-Pacific (2nd ed., pp. 150-165). Routledge.
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… (Siengthai, 2014).
Siengthai (2014, p. 153) suggested that…
Chapter with two authors 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.
Bennett, D., & Thompson, P. (2017). Use of anthropomorphic brand mascots for student motivation and engagement: A promotional case study with Pablo the penguin at the University of Portsmouth Library. In H. Fallon & G. Walton (Eds.), Librarian as communicator: Case studies and international perspectives (pp. 119-131). Routledge.
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... (Bennett & Thompson, 2017).
Bennett and Thompson (2017, p. 122) suggest that...
Chapter with more than two authors 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.
Berkeley, N., Jarvis, D., & Noon, D. (2017). Funding economic regeneration. In R. Granger, H. Sykes & P. W. Roberts (Eds.), Urban regeneration (2nd ed., pp. 71-86). Sage.
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... (Berkeley et al., 2017).
In their study of this, Berkeley et al. (2017, p. 77) suggested that…
Introductions in edited books
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.
White, C. & Williams, S. R. (1998). Introduction. In C. White & S. R. Williams (Eds.), Struggle or starve: Women's lives in the South Wales valleys between the two World Wars (pp. 9-34). Honno.
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... (White & Williams, 1998).
In their study of this, White and Williams (1998, p. 13) suggested that…