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APA Guide

This guide contains information to help you cite your sources in APA format.

Citing Part of a Book (Chapter, Essay, Entry, etc.) (APA)

When you use a book source, you do not always need to use the entire book. Sometimes, you will only use a certain chapter or section of a book for your research. Below are some other examples of parts of books that you might need to cite instead of the book as a whole:

  • Book chapters
  • Essays
  • Entries

Note: If you have a book with author(s) but no editor(s), you would cite the whole book even if you only use a part of the book.

Format: Author(s) of Part. (Year). Title of part. In Editor's Name (Ed.), Title of book in italics (Edition ed., Vol. volume number, pp. page numbers of part). Publisher. DOI/URL


Information for APA Citations

Author / Editor:

If no author given, skip the author and move the title in front of the date; alphabetize entry by title.

If group author (company, association, organization, etc.) and publisher are the same, list group author in the author position and skip the publisher (to avoid repetition).

If more than one editor, list all names (following the same rules as multiple authors) and put (Eds.) in parenthesis.

Date/Year:

If no date is given, use (n.d.).

Titles:

In the citation, capitalize proper nouns and the first words of title and subtitle - this is for both the title of the part and the title of the entire book (however the title of the entire book will also be italicized).

Note: If you mention a title in your paper, all major words should be capitalized. If it is part of a book, it should be in quotation marks and if the title of the book, it should be in italics.

Publisher:

List the publisher's name as shown in the source. Do not abbreviate (unless shown that way). Follow capitalization as shown in source.

Use imprints or divisions as the publisher if listed (instead of the larger company).

Do not include business structures like Inc., Ltd., LLC, etc. even if they appear as part of the publisher's name.

Page Numbers

Use pp. for a page range where listed, but use a single p. for sources on one page.

DOI versus URL:

Always list the DOI if given. DOI is preferred rather than a URL.

If a DOI is not given, but the source can be found in a library database, then there is no need to include a URL (simply cite the entry the same way you would a print entry). However, if a DOI is not given, and the source is not in a library database - rather found on the internet - then include a URL (to help people find it).

URLs should be as specific as possible (i.e. take the reader directly to the page you used). So use the full URL (https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/28/us/politics/william-barr-house-judiciary-hearing.html) rather than the home page (https://www.nytimes.com).

Present DOI’s and URL’s as hyperlinks beginning with http:// or https:// (Links can be ‘live’ if your writing is going to be viewed electronically or online).

Formatting:

Double space entries. If an entry runs more than one line, use a hanging indent which indents any additional lines beyond the first (there is a button in Microsoft Word and other programs to do this; do not use the tab button or the space bar).

Acceptable abbreviations can be found on pp. 306-7 of the APA manual.

If what you are citing is not listed in APA manual, choose the example in the manual most like your source.

Format: Author(s) of Part. (Year). Title of part. In Editor's Name (Ed.), Title of book in italics (Edition ed., Vol. volume number, pp. page numbers of part). Publisher. DOI/URL

Print Book

Example: Yaklin, S. S., & Halter, M. J. (2022). Impulse control disorders. In M. J. Halter (Ed.), Varcarolis foundations of psychiatric-mental health nursing: A clinical approach Gale encyclopedia of medicine (9th ed., pp. 391-405). Elsevier.

Format: Author(s) of Part. (Year). Title of part. In Editor's Name (Ed.), Title of book in italics (Edition ed., Vol. volume number, pp. page numbers of part). Publisher. DOI/URL

Print Book or Ebook with a DOI given

Example: Turner, J. B. (2006). Diaper rash. In J. L. Longe (Ed.), The Gale encyclopedia of medicine (3rd ed., Vol. 2, pp. 1169-1171). Thomson Gale. https://doi.org/10.1002/97804560 

Format: Author(s) of Part. (Year). Title of part. In Editor's Name (Ed.), Title of book in italics (Edition ed., Vol. volume number, pp. page numbers of part). Publisher. DOI/URL

Ebook from a Database with no DOI given

Example: Weinstock, R., Leong, G. B., & Silva, J. A. (2003). Defining forensic psychiatry. In R. B. Rosner & J. R. Gilbert (Eds.), Forensic psychiatry (2nd ed., pp. 7-13). Mosby.  

Format: Author(s) of Part. (Year). Title of part. In Editor's Name (Ed.), Title of book in italics (Edition ed., Vol. volume number, pp. page numbers of part). Publisher. DOI/URL

Ebook from the Internet (Not from a Database) with no DOI given

Example: Stockton, L., Smith, F. B., & Fields, J. A. (2020). Dementia. In Aging conditions (p. 13). Parsons. http://www.dementiabook.com