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
- Book ReferencesFrom APA Style
APA Publication Manual, Seventh Edition - Book references are covered in Section 10.2
Anatomy of a book citation
- Reference Guide for Journal Articles, Books, and Edited Book Chapters (PDF 220KB)Anatomy of Books and Edited Book Chapters from APA Style.
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.
- Parenthetical Versus Narrative In-Text CitationsInformation on the two formats from APA Style.
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, First Initial. Second Initial if given. (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, First Initial. Second Initial if given. (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
- Multiple Authors: Reference ListSource: OWL Purdue
- Whole Authored BookFrom APA Style
- Multiple Authors: In-TextFrom OWL Purdue
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.
- Group AuthorFrom OWL Purdue
Narrative In-text
Author (Date)
Merriam-Webster (2008)
Parenthetical
(Author, Date)
(Merriam-Webster, 2008)
- Organization as an AuthorFrom OWL Purdue
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)
- Whole Edited BookFrom APA Style
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)
- Edited Book Chapter ReferencesFrom APA Style
APA Publication Manual, Seventh Edition - Edited book chapter references are covered in Section 10.3
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)