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.
You should not give a publication date for this type of entry. You should instead give a retrieval date for when you looked at it, as entries are updated frequently.
Without author(s)
Reference
Title of entry. (n.d.). In Title of website. Retrieved Month Date, Year, from URL
Serial killer. (n.d.). In Cambridge Dictionary. Retrieved May 11, 2021, from https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/serial-killer
In-text Citation
The title of the entry should be placed in double quotation marks within the citation.
If you want to cite a specific part of an entry, if you're using a direct quote for example, you can use paragraph numbers in your citation. You should use the abbreviation para.
They can commonly be defined as... ("Serial killer", n.d.).
The definition of "Serial killer" (n.d., para. 1) includes...
With author(s)
Reference
Author of entry, Initials. (n.d.). Title of entry. In Title of website. Retrieved Month Date, Year, from URL
Gordon Melton, J. (n.d.). Wicca. In Britannica. Retrieved May 11, 2021, from https://www.britannica.com/topic/Wicca
In-text Citation
If you want to cite a specific part of an entry, if you're using a direct quote for example, you can use paragraph numbers in your citation. You should use the abbreviation para.
Wicca can be defined as ... (Gordon Melton, n.d.).
Gordon Melton (n.d., para. 1) defines Wicca as...
With an organisation as the author
Reference
Author of entry. (n.d.). Title of entry. In Title of website. Retrieved Month Date, Year, from URL
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. (n.d.). Atropine sulfate. In British National Formulary. Retrieved December 31, 2022 from https://bnf.nice.org.uk/drugs/atropine-sulfate/
In-text Citation
If you want to cite a specific part of an entry, if you're using a direct quote for example, you can use paragraph numbers in your citation. You should use the abbreviation para.
If the organisation is known by an acronym, you can use this in your second or subsequent citation by following this guidance.
Atropine sulphate can be used for ... (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, n.d.).
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (n.d., para. 3) explains that...