Referencing online material in APA , Hei whakamihi mea ā-ipurangi mā APA

Ensure that you know which level of the AI use framework applies to your assignment. If you are permitted to use AI, it must be acknowledged in your AI use statement.

AI use framework (Stream login required)

AI use statement (Stream login required)

Others cannot retrieve the outputs of ChatGPT and there is no person being communicated with. AI output is the output of an algorithm and the company that has created the AI platform should be credited as the 'author' in the in-text citation and reference list.

APA in-text citations: AI platforms

Fact-check AI-generated content against academic sources.

Check the accuracy of any AI-produced references. AI frequently produces false and inaccurate references. You need to know and check what the original sources say to determine if they have been used/cited accurately.

If you have permission to use AI in assessments, such as for your own critical examination, you must acknowledge it.

APA Style Guide: How to cite ChatGPT

Order: Authors of generative AI model. (Date). Title of model (version) [Type of model]. URL

In-text citations should follow the basic format for APA Style in-text citations but include the author of the generative AI model in the author position.

Be very cautious citing sources generated by AI. Sometimes, it can create sources that do not exist. Make sure you check all sources generated by AI tools.

AI Essentials (Stream login required)

Blog posts

The formatting for blog posts is similar to journal articles. In-text citations follow the basic format.

Order: Authors. (Date of post). Blog post title. Blog name in italics. URL

Comments on blog posts

Format the author’s name as it appears in the comment – this could be a username.

In-text citations follow the basic format.

In the title position, include the title of the comment (up to the first 20 words), then the words 'Comment on the blog post,' followed by the title of the blog post being commented on, in square brackets, inside double quote marks.

Where possible, use the comment's URL. If that’s not possible, use the URL of the blog post being commented on.

Order: Authors. (Date comment posted). Comment title [Comment on the blog post "Title of the blog post being commented on"]. Blog name in italics. URL

If you mention common software or apps in your text, you don't need to cite the software or app in your reference list. Give the proper name of the software or app and, if relevant, the version number in brackets. Don't italicise the name. Common software examples are word processing or statistical programmes and apps like Twitter or Signal.

However, if you paraphrase or quote from the software or app, you must provide an in-text citation and reference list entry. You also need to provide an in-text citation and reference list entry for software, apps and apparatuses or equipment of limited distribution.

Put the name of the individual or group that developed the software or app in the author position.

The date is the launch year of the version you used.

Put the titles of software and apps in italics in the reference list.

If relevant, put version details after the title in round brackets.

Put a description type in square brackets after any version detail. For example, [Computer software], [Mobile app], [Apparatus] or [Equipment].

The publisher might be a group or place where you downloaded the app or software, for example, the App Store or Google Play Store.

End with the URL.

Order: Authors. (Year of version). Software or app title (Version) in italics [Type]. Publisher name. URL

An entry in a mobile app references work is similar to a chapter in an edited book.

Put the name of the individual or group of the software or app developer in the author position.

Provide citations for data sets when you access data sets produced by someone else.

Cite the author of the publication, for example, a journal article or report or webpage where they were located rather than the data set itself.

Cite the year of publication for the version of the data used.

If applicable, provide any numerical identifier and version number for the data in parentheses, separated by a semicolon.

Use data set or unpublished raw data for the description in square brackets after the title.

Unpublished data may or may not have a title.

If different from the author, also provide the publisher of the data.

Include a retrieval date if the data set is expected to change over time.

If the dataset is proprietorial, such as paid subscription-only access, then provide a link to the publisher’s homepage.

Order: Authors. (Year of publication). Data title in italics (Unique identifier; Version number) [Description]. Publisher of data. DOI or URL

A personal email is not published or generally available to the public. Therefore, treat it as a personal communication and only include it as an in-text citation. 

APA in-text citations: personal communications

Users must log in to access an organisation's intranet. When citing a report or document on an organisation's intranet, provide the homepage URL rather than the full URL of the document.

Order: Authors. (Date of publication). Page title in italics. URL

Online lectures have the same format as video and audio material.

Order: Authors. (Date). Title of lecture [type of material]. In Course coordinators, Course title in italics. URL

List the lecturer or the tutor as the author.

Place the course coordinators in the editor position.

Referencing other material in APA: Lecture notes

Order: Author or username [user handle]. (Date of post). Title or subject line up to the first 20 words in italics [Description of links, pictures, emojis] [Description of social media]. Social media platform. Retrieval date (optional), URL

The description of links, pictures and emojis is optional, as is the retrieval date.

Use up to the first 20 words for the title or subject line.

Use X for posts that predate the name change from Twitter because this is how they are now formatted and located.

Many different types of source can be found online. Use 'webpage' if no other type is appropriate.

Order: Authors. (Date of publication). Page title. Website name. URL

If there is no date of publication, use n.d., meaning 'no date' in place of the year.

You don't need to include a page number as most websites don't have page numbers.

Provide the most specific date available. If possible, include the month and day in the reference list.

If a last updated date is available for the cited page, then use this in the reference list. In an in-text citation, however, only give the year.

A last reviewed date implies the web page content has not changed or updated, so use the original date.

Include the website name in the source element where there is an individual author for a webpage.

Give the full URL address as it appears in your browser's address bar.

Do not place a full stop at the end of the URL as this may affect the functionality of the link.

Web pages do not always have the same quality controls as printed material, so many websites aren't appropriate for an academic assignment.

Only give a retrieval date for content that is likely to change frequently, for example, a dictionary or encyclopaedia entry, a Facebook page or a Google map. Most web pages don't require a retrieval date.

A passing reference to a whole website doesn't require a full reference listing. If mentioning a whole website, such as Stream, it is sufficient to give the address of the site in brackets at the end of the sentence. For example, 'Online learning at Massey takes place in Stream (https://stream.massey.ac.nz/)'.

APA reference list

Researching for your assignment: Evaluating source material

APA Style: Whole website references

APA Style: Webpage on a news website

Web page with no individual author

Many online sources don't identify an individual author. In this case, use the organisation in place of the author.

APA reference list format: Author, no author or group author

Order: Organisation Name. (Date of publication). Page title in italics. URL

If there is no date of publication, use n.d., meaning 'no date' in place of the year.

Webpage author is a government agency

Order: Authors. (Date of publication). Page title in italics. Source. URL

Use the most specific government agency for the author.

Use parent agencies not included in the author element as the source element.

Webpage on a news website

APA distinguishes between print news with a website equivalent and news online only websites. For example, RNZ, Stuff, Huffpost, CNN and BBC are news online only websites.

Referencing other material in APA: Newspaper article

Order: Authors. (Year of publication, including month and day if possible). Story title in italics. Site name. URL

Use the writer in the author position.

Encyclopedia or dictionary entry

Magazine articles

Newspaper articles