How to Guide to References

Use this page to guide you in setting up the reference section of a paper.

The reference section of a paper is organized alphabetically by last name of the first author. However, sometimes it's not quite that simple:

  • If the first author is identical for two references, alphabetize based on the second author's last name (if the second author is identical, go to the third author, etc.).
  • If two authors have the same last name, alphabetize based on first initials.
  • If the same author has several articles list them in order of publication date. Therefore a 1999 reference comes before a 2001 reference. Furthermore, sole authorship references precede group authorship references. Peterson, A. M. would be listed before Peterson, A. M., & Stark, J.
  • Alphabetize names with M', Mc, Mac, De, O' literally by disregarding the apostrophes. Therefore MacDougal comes before Matthews and Matthews comes before McCarthy.

 

How to correctly cite:

Journal article - 1 author

Journal article - 2-6 authors

Journal article - more than 6 authors

Journal article retrieved from online database

Book with one author

Book with editor (no author)

Chapter of a book

Magazine article

Published proceedings from a symposium

Internet source

1. Journal article with one author

Author:
F. Pulvermueller
Title of Article:
Words in the Brain’s Language
Journal:
Behavioral and Brain Sciences
Year of Publication:
1999
Volume Number:
22
Page Numbers:
253-336
Pulvermueller, F. (1999). Words in the brain’s language. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 22, 253-336.

 

The same capitalization rules for a book’s title hold for the title of a journal article. However, the name of the journal is always capitalized (aside from words such as and, the, of).The title of the journal and the volume number are italicized but page numbers remain in normal font.

 

2. Journal article with two to six authors

Authors:
P. Li, Z. Jin, and L. H. Tan
Title of Article:
Neural representations of nouns and verbs in Chinese: An fMRI study
Journal:
NeuroImage
Year of Publication:
2004
Volume Number:
21
Page Numbers:
1533-1541

Li, P., Jin, Z., & Tan, L. H. (2004). Neural representations of nouns and verbs in Chinese: An fMRI study. NeuroImage, 21, 1533-1541.

 

3. Journal article with more than 6 authors

Authors:*
S. Dehaene, E. Dupoux, J. Mehler, I. Cohen, E. Paulesu, D. Perani, P. F. van de Moortele, S. Lehericy, D. LeBihan
Title of Article:
Anatomical Variability in the Cortical Representation of First and Second Language
Journal:
Neuroreport
Year of Publication:
1997
Volume Number:
8
Page Numbers:
3809-3815

Dehaene, S., Dupoux, E., Mehler, J., Cohen, I., Paulesu, E., Perani, D., et al. (1997). Anatomical variability in the cortical representation of first and second language. Neuroreport, 8, 3809-3815.

* If an article has several authors, only list a maximum of 6 and represent the remaining authors with et al.

 

4. Journal article retrieved from internet database (ex. PsycINFO, Ovid, ERIC)

Authors:
Susan Turk Charles, Mara Mather, Laura L. Carstensen
Title of Article:
Aging and Emotional Memory: The Forgettable Nature of Negative Images for Older Adults
Journal:
Journal of Experimental Psychology: General
Year of Publication:
2003
Volume Number:
132
Page Numbers:
310-324
Database:
PsycINFO
Date Retrieved:
June 14, 2004

Charles, S. T., Mather, M., & Carstensen, L. L. (2003). Aging and emotional memory: The forgettable nature of negative images for older adults. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 132, 310-324. Retrieved June 14, 2004, from PsycINFO database.

 

5. Book with one author

Author:
Steven Pinker
Title of Book:
The Language Instinct: How the Mind Creates Language
Year of Publication:
1994
Place of Publication:

New York
Publisher:

Harper Collins Publishers Inc.
Pinker, S. (1994). The language instinct: How the mind creates language. NY: Harper Collins Publishers Inc.

Take note that only the first word of the title is capitalized, as is the first word following a colon. Unless a word is a proper noun it will NOT be capitalized in the title.

 

6. Book with editor and no author

Editor(s):
B. L. Whorf and J. B. Carroll
Title of Book:
Language, Thought, and Reality: Selected Writings of Benjamin Lee Whorf
Year of Publication:
1956
Place of Publication:
Cambridge, MA
Publisher:
MIT Press
Whorf, B. L., & Caroll, J. B. (Eds.). (1956). Language, thought, and reality: Selected writings of Benjamin Lee Whorf. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.

 

7. Chapter of a book

Author(s) of Chapter:
E. Bates and J. Goodman
Title of Chapter:

On the Inseparability of Grammar and the Lexicon: Evidence From Acquisition
Page Numbers of Chapter:
134-162
Editor(s) of Book:
M. Tomasello and E. Bates
Title of Book:
Language Development: The Essential Readings
Year of Publication:
2001
Place of Publication:
Malden, MA
Publisher:
Blackwell Publishers
Bates, E., & Goodman, J. (2001). On the inseparability of grammar and the lexicon: Evidence from acquisition. In M. Tomasello & E. Bates (Eds.), Language development: The essential readings (pp. 134-162). Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishers.

 

8. Magazine article

Author:
Matt Ridley
Title of Article:
What Makes You Who You Are: Which is Stronger--Nature or Nurture?
Magazine:
Time
Date:
June 2, 2003
Volume Number:
161
Page Numbers:
54-62

Ridley, M. (2003, June 2). What makes you who you are: Which is stronger - Nature or nurture? Time, 161, 54-62.

 

9. Published proceedings from a conference or symposium

Author(s) of Article:

E. L. Deci and R. M. Ryan
Title of Article:

A Motivational Approach to Self: Integration in Personality
Symposium Title:

Nebraska Symposium on Motivation
Volume Number:
38
Title of Volume:

Perspectives on Motivation
Volume Editor:

R. Dienstbier
Year of Publication:

1991
Place of Publication:

Lincoln
Publisher:

University of Nebraska Press
Page Numbers:

237-288

Deci, E. L, & Ryan, R. M. (1991). A motivational approach to self: Integration in personality. In R. Dienstbier (Ed.), Nebraska Symposium on Motivation: Vol. 38. Perspectives on motivation(pp. 237-288). Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press.

 Capitalize the title of the symposium just as you would capitalize the title of a journal.

 

10. Internet source

Authors:
Dr. James Dobson
Title of Article:
Challenges in the Teen Years: Understanding Early Adolescents
Date of Publication:*
2001
Website:
http://www.focusonyourchild.com/develop/art1/A0000549.html
Date Retrieved:
June 14, 2004

Dobson, J. (2001). Challenges in the teen years: Understanding early adolescents. Retrieved June 14, 2004, from http://www.focusonyourchild.com/develop/art1/A0000549.html.

 

* If there is no date on the website, simply signify this with (n.d.)

Also, if there is no specified author, begin the citation with the name of the group that hosts the webpage or the title of the article. The main goal of the reference section is to give your readers a way to retrieve the information you cite. Therefore, check your internet addresses to assure they are up to date.

 

If you have questions about how to correctly cite references, Chapter 4 ( pp. 215-281) of the Publication Manual of the APA (5th edition) is the best resource available.