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. 

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 appointment by emailing library@port.ac.uk

Online Maps

Reference

Author, Initials. or Name of Organisation. (Year of publication). Title [Map; scale]. URL

United States Geological Survey. (2021). Louisville West Quadrangle, Illinois - Clay County [Map; 1:24,000]. https://prd-tnm.s3.amazonaws.com/StagedProducts/Maps/USTopo/PDF/MS/MS_Starkville_20201231_TM_geo.pdf 

 

In-text citation

The course of the Little Wabash River... (United States Geological Survey, 2021)

 

If the map you are using does not have a given title, use a description within square brackets instead.

If you have several maps with the same author and year of publication, you should add a lower case letter to the date to distinguish between them.

 

Google Maps

Reference

Name of Organisation. (Year of publication). Title [Map; scale and/or description]. Retrieved Month Date, Year, from URL

Google. (2021a). [Map; Covent Garden Market]. Retrieved June 10, 2021, from https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.5119149,-0.122726,19z?hl=en

Google. (2021b). [Map; Directions from Hovertravel terminal to University of Portsmouth Library]. Retrieved June 17, 2021, from https://goo.gl/maps/chTetjqrQsRoX75a8

 

In-text Citation

The spread of units around the buildings can be seen... (Google, 2021a)

The quickest walking route heads north... (Google, 2021b)

 

Google Earth

Reference

Organisation. (Year of publication). [Map; description, longitude and latitude, Eye altitude]. Google Earth version number. Retrieved Month Date, Year, from URL

Google. (2021). [Map; University of Portsmouth Library, 50° 47'37'' N, 1° 05'051'' W, Eye alt 411m.]. Google Earth v9.138.0.1 Retrieved June 17, 2021, from https://bit.ly/3vBwAep

 

In-text Citation

The building can be seen as part of... (Google, 2021)

 

To find the information needed for referencing maps within Digimap, click on the 'Map Information' tab within the site. 

Examples are included here from three of the products within Digimap. You can use the same template to format map references from other products. If in doubt, please ask us.

 

OS Roam

To find the information needed for referencing maps within OS Roam, click on the 'Map Information' tab within the site.

 

Reference

Name of Organisation. (Year, Month source data was published). [Map; description; scale]. Source product name. URL

Ordnance Survey. (2021, August). [Map; Gunwharf Quays, 1:1,250]. OS MasterMap. https://digimap.edina.ac.uk/roam/map/os

 

In-text Citation

Mapping of Gunwharf Quays (Ordnance Survey, 2021) shows that...

 

 

Historic Roam

To find the date, source title and revision information, click on 'Feature Information' from the options at the top of the screen, then click on the map.

 

Reference

Name of Organisation. (Year source data was published). [Map; description, scale]. Series title, revision if applicable. Source product name. URL

Ordnance Survey. (1898). [Map; Town Hall, Portsmouth, 1:2,500]. County Series, 1st Revision. Historic Roam. https://digimap.edina.ac.uk/roam/map/historic

 

In-text Citation

The layout of the road at this time... (Ordnance Survey, 1898)

 


Geology Roam

From the 'Map Information' tab, click on the 'Map Product' link. The dates shown in the table should be the latest versions that are used in Geology Roam. Choose the current version date appropriate for the map product you used.

 

Reference

Name of Organisation. (Year, Month source data was published). [Map; description; scale]. Source product name. URL

British Geological Survey. (2016). [Map; Loch Assynt, 1:50,000]. DigMapGB-50. https://digimap.edina.ac.uk/roam/map/geology

 

In-text Citation

The unconformity visible at Loch Assynt (British Geological Survey, 2016) ...

 

If you are using a map from a published source such as an ebook or online journal article your reference should be to the source in which it appeared.

Provide the page number and any caption number in the in-text citation that will help to identify the map, using the terminology within the ebook or article. 

 

Reference

Name of Organisation. (Year of publication). Title [GIS Map]. Source product datafile. Using Software name. 

Ordnance Survey. (2021). Map of playing fields in Hampshire [GIS Map]. OS Open Greenspace datafile. Using ArcGIS Desktop.

 

In-text Citation

Mapping shows that... (Ordnance Survey, 2021)

 

Reference

Name of Organisation. (Year of publication). Title of data set (Version) [Data set]. Retrieved Month Date, Year, from URL

UK Research and Innovation. (2021). Tile SC101E (DiGMapGB-50, version 2016) [Data set]. Retrieved June 16, 2021, from https://edina.ac.uk/digimap

 

In-text Citation

If the organisation is known by an acronym, you can use this in your second or subsequent citation by following this guidance.

The data shows that... (UK Research and Innovation, 2021).

 

Reference

Author, Initials or Name of Organisation. (Year, Month of photograph). Title (Photograph]. Publisher. URL

Royal Air Force. (1946, April).  Midlothian 36/27 S.E. [Photograph]. Ordnance Survey. https://maps.nls.uk/view/75221823

 

In-text Citation

Aerial photographs show... (Royal Air Force, 1946)

 

Print Maps

These would include Ordnance Survey maps such as the Landranger and Explorer series, any maps published as individual items (not as part of a book), as well as map sheets held in the Map Library.

 

Reference

Author, Initials. or Name of Organisation. (Year of publication). Title [Map; scale]. Series title and number / Sheet number.

Ordnance Survey. (2015). Meon Valley: Portsmouth, Gosport & Fareham [Map; 1:25 000]. OS Explorer Map OL3. 

British Geological Survey. (2014). Loch Rannoch (bedrock) [Map; 1:50,000]. Sheet 54E.

 

In-text Citation

The comparative locations of... (Ordnance Survey, 2015)

...as shown by a map by the British Geological Survey (2014)

 

If you are using a map from a published source such as a book or article your reference should be to the source in which it appeared.

Provide the page number and any caption number in the in-text citation that will help to identify the map, using the terminology within the book or article. 

Reference

Author, Initials. (Year of reprint or republication). Title. Publisher. (Original work published Year of original publication)

Desmaretz, J. P. (1978). A plan of the town and fortifications of Portsmouth, with the Blockhouse Fort and the Gunwharfe. City of Portsmouth. (Original work published 1750)

 

In-text Citation

In-text citations for republished works require both the initial and translated publication dates, in numerical order.

It can be seen that... (Desmaretz, 1750/1978)

The map by Desmaretz (1750/1978) shows...