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Information You Need

To write a citation for a book you will need the following pieces of information:

  • Author(s) or editor(s)
  • Year of publication
  • Book title, including edition information if applicable
  • Publisher
  • For direct quotations, you will need the page number
  • DOI if eBook from a database

Anatomy of a book citation

In callouts: Author, Date, Title, Pub Info. Citation example

In-Text Citation Information

In-text citations have two formats: parenthetical and narrative:

  • In parenthetical citations, the author name and publication date appear in parentheses.
  • In narrative citations, the author name is incorporated into the text as part of the sentence and the year follows in parentheses.

Refer to In-Text Citation found on the Rules, Formatting, Samples Tab for further guidelines

eBook & Print

eBook from a database or a Print version

Author Last Name, A. A. (Year of publication). Title of work: Capital letter also for subtitle. Publisher Name.
Stoneman, R. (2008). Alexander the painter: A life in legend. Yale University Press.

eBook with DOI

Author Last Name, A. A. (Year). Title of book. Publisher. DOI
Stoneman, R. (2008). Alexander the painter: A life in legend. Yale University Press. https://doi.org/10.10397/10235684523

Narrative In-text

Author (Date)
Stoneman (2008)

Parenthetical

(Author, Date)
(Stoneman, 2008)

Corporate Author (Group)

Name of Organization. (Year of publication). Title of book: Subtitle of book. Name of publisher. 
Merriam-Webster. (2008). Merriam-Webster’s advanced learner’s dictionary. Merriam-Webster.

Narrative In-text

Author (Date)
Merriam-Webster (2008)

Parenthetical

(Author, Date)
(Merriam-Webster, 2008)

Editor as Author

Editor, A. (Ed.). (Year of publication). Title of book: Subtitle of book (edition statement). Name of publisher. DOI
Brown, S. (Ed.). (2012). Nutrition: From the early years. Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.10397/10235684523

 

Multiple editors:

Wamogamauale, M., Cheeseman, S., Fenech, M., Hadley, F., & Shepherd, W. (Eds.). (2012). Leadership: Contexts and complexities in early childhood education. Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.10397/102352522543

Narrative In-text

Editor (Date)
Brown (2014)

Parenthetical

(Editor, Date)
(Brown, 2014)

Chapter in an Edited Book

eBook from a database or a Print version

Author, A., & Author, B. (Year of publication). Title of chapter or entry. In A. Editor, B. Editor, & C. Editor (Eds.), Title of book: Subtitle of book (edition., pp. xxx-xxx). Name of publisher.
Feldt, K. S., & Smith, B. (2008). Pain assessment in the older adult. In M. P. Jansen (Ed.), Managing pain in the older adult (3rd ed., pp. 35-54). Springer Publishing Company.

eBook with DOI

Author, A., & Author, B. (Year of publication). Title of chapter or entry. In A. Editor, B. Editor, & C. Editor (Eds.), Title of book: Subtitle of book (ed., pp. xxx-xxx). Name of Publisher. https://doi:xxxxxxxxxxx
Buback, M., & Smith, B. (2000). Initiation and termination rates associated with free-radical polymerization in extended ranges of temperature and pressure. In K.  Matyjaszewski (Ed), Controlled/living radical polymerization: Progress in ATRP, NMP, and RAFT (2nd ed., Vol. 768, pp. 212-255). CRC Press. https://doi: 10.1021/bk-2000-0768

eBook with URL from non-database

Author, A., & Author, B. (Year of publication). Title of chapter or entry. In A. Editor, B. Editor, & C. Editor (Eds.), Title of book: Subtitle of book (ed., pp. xxx-xxx). Name of publisher. URL
Burchsted, F., & Smith, B. (2014). Biography. In J.B. Whitlatch & S. E. Searning (Eds.), Guide to Reference: Essential general reference and library science sources (2nd ed., pp. 20-30). CRC Press. https://reference-guides.com
Example of single author:
(Author, Date)
(Feldt, 2008)
Example of multiple authors:
(Author et al., Date)
(Buback et al., 2000)

Book, Canadian adaptation

Canadian adaptation from an American Title

Jarvis, C. (2018). Physical examination and health assessment (A. J. Browne, J. MacDonald-Jenkins, & M. Luctkar-Flude, Eds.; 3rd Canadian ed.). Saunders Canada.

 

Potter, P. A., Perry, A. G., Stockert, P., & Hall, A. (2019). Canadian fundamentals of nursing (B. J. Astle & W. Duggleby, Eds.; 6th ed.). Elsevier Canada.

 

When an editor is credited on the cover of an authored book, provide the editor's name in parentheses after the book title with "Ed." or "Eds.".
Follow example 23 on page 322 of  the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, seventh edition.


Chapter in a Canadian adaptation from an American Title

Format:

Author of chapter. (Date). Chapter title. In Canadian editors (Eds.) & American editors (US Eds). Title of book (Edition, page numbers.) Publisher.

Example:

Barton, S. S. & Foster-Boucher, C. (2019). Indigenous health. In B. Astle & W. Duggleby (Eds.) & A. Potter, A. G. Perry, P. Stockert, & A Hall (US 9th ed. Eds.), Canadian fundamentals of nursing (6th ed., pp. 133-156). Elsevier Canada.
Example of single author:
(Author, Date)
(Jarvis, 2018)
Example of multiple authors:
(Author et al., Date)
(Potter et al., 2019)