On this page
- Key points
- Act of Parliament
- Conference papers
- Encyclopedia or dictionary entry
- Grey literature – brochures, reports and government material
- Interviews
- Lecture notes and study material
- Magazine articles
- Newspaper articles
- Thesis or dissertation
- Treaties and international conventions
- All other source types
- Referencing disclaimer
- Related content
Key points
When referencing other sources, take note of the following points for each of the 4 key elements:
- Name of the author – write organisational authors in full, not abbreviations. The author or authors can be a person, people, a group or a combination of people and groups.
- Year of publication – months and dates always follow the year of publication.
- Title – upper-case letters for the first word of the title, the first word of any subtitle and proper nouns.
- Source – depending on the type of source, this may be a URL or a publisher's name – omit the publisher detail when the author and publisher are the same.
Act of Parliament
Because APA is an American citation style, it does not have details on referencing New Zealand legislation. The format described here is sufficient in most papers.
Order: Short Title of Act Year Enacted. URL accessible to all readers or nothing
Examples
In-text citations
The Resource Management Act 1991 prohibits…
(Resource Management Act 1991)
Reference list
Resource Management Act 1991. http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1991/0069/latest/whole.html
If you are studying a law paper, more detailed formats are described in legal citations.
Conference papers
Formally published conference paper
If a conference or symposium paper has been formally published, reference it like a chapter in an edited book.
Order: Authors. (Date of publication). Paper title. Book editors. Collection title in italics (page number range of the chapter). Publisher name. URL if accessed online
Example
In-text citations
(Bowker & Tuffin, 2002)
Bowker and Tuffin (2002)
Reference list
Bowker, N., & Tuffin, K. (2002). Users with disabilities' social and economic development through online access. In M. Boumedine (Ed.), Proceedings of the IASTED International Conference on Information and Knowledge Sharing (pp. 122–127). ACTA Press.
Unpublished conference paper
If a conference or symposium paper has not been published in book form, give the name of the organisation convening the conference (if any) or the name of the conference itself, as well as the location of the conference.
Order: Authors. (Date of conference). Paper title in italics [type of material]. Name of conference, location of conference. URL if accessed online
Include the URL if accessed online.
Examples
In-text citations
(Stewart-Withers & Brook, 2002)
Stewart-Withers and Brook (2002)
Reference list
Stewart-Withers, R. R., & Brook, M. S. (2008, December 2-5). Sports as a vehicle for development: The influence of rugby league in/on the Pacific [Paper presentation]. Aotearoa New Zealand International Development Studies Network Conference, Wellington, New Zealand.
The date should match the date of the entire conference, even if the paper or poster was presented on a single day, this will help readers locate the source.
Identify the presentation type in square brackets [Paper presentation]. Replace 'Paper presentation' with 'Conference session', 'Symposium' or 'Poster presentation' according to the presentation type.
Conference papers retrieved online, whether they have been formally published or not, should end with the URL address.
Encyclopedia or dictionary entry
Encyclopedias or dictionaries without identified authors are referenced with the encyclopaedia or dictionary title in the author position.
Order: Encyclopedia or dictionary title. (Date). Title of entry. In Encyclopedia or dictionary title in italics. Retrieval date. Publisher. URL if accessed online
Include the publisher when different from the author.
Include the retrieval date if the publication is updates over time and is not archived.
Include the URL if accessed online.
Examples
In-text citations
(Encyclopaedia Britannica, n.d.)
Encyclopaedia Britannica (n.d.)
Reference list
Encyclopaedia Britannica. (n.d.). Avempace. In Encyclopaedia Britannica. Retrieved January 10, 2020, from https://www.britannica.com/biography/Avempace
Identified author and multi-volume encyclopedia
If there is an identified author, use their name. Include the volume number in brackets for multi-volume encyclopedias.
Order: Authors. (Date). Title of entry. In Encyclopedia title in italics. Retrieval date. Publisher if different from the name in the author element. URL if accessed online
Examples
In-text citations
(Dimad, 2005)
Dimad (2005)
Reference list
Dimad, R. W. (2005). Game theory. In New dictionary of the history of ideas (Vol. 3, pp. 853–857). Thomson Gale.
Identified encyclopedia editor
Order: Authors. (Date). Title of entry. In Book editors (Ed.), Encyclopedia title in italics. Publisher if different from the name in the author element. URL if accessed online
Examples
In-text citations
(Shields, 2016)
Shields (2016)
Reference list
Shields, C. (2016). Aristotle. In E. N. Zalta (Ed.), The Stanford encyclopaedia of philosophy (Winter 2016 ed.). Stanford University. https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/aristotle/
A retrieval date is generally given as often online reference materials are continually updated and no publication date is available.
Encyclopedias and dictionaries can be a useful starting point for research, but academic sources are preferable.
Online encyclopedia entry
Treat online encyclopedias like printed encyclopedias, with the addition of the date of retrieval and URL address at the end of the reference. Move the entry title to the author position if there is no author.
Order: Authors. (Year of publication). Entry title. Site name in italics. Date of retrieval, URL
Include the publisher when different from the author.
Include a retrieval date when no publication date is available for online reference materials.
Don't end the URL with a full stop, as this may affect the functionality of the link.
Examples
In-text citations
(Merriam-Webster, n.d.)
Merriam-Webster (n.d.)
Reference list
Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). Non sequitur. In Merriam-Webster.com dictionary. Retrieved January 7, 2020, from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/non%20sequitur
Web pages do not always have the same quality controls as printed material, so many websites aren't appropriate for an academic assignment.
Grey literature – brochures, reports and government material
Grey literature is material produced by government departments, corporations and other organisations that has not been published in book or journal form. It includes technical and research reports, annual reports, brochures and fact sheets, press releases and white papers.
Sometimes, particularly with government materials, such as government reports, it can be difficult to determine who the author is, as often the author is an organisation or government ministry rather then an individual. Cite grey literature like a book.
With government publications, the author is often cited in the first few pages of the document rather than on the website. If no specific author is given, cite the ministry or department responsible for posting the report or publication.
Use the publisher information for printed documents. Include a URL for online material.
Grey literature often has identical organisational author and publisher. Don't repeat the author in the publisher position if they are the same.
Order: Authors. (Year of publication). Book title: Optional subtitle in italics. Publisher. URL if accessed online
The subtitle is optional. Capitalise the first letter of the subtitle.
Include the URL if accessed online.
Examples
In-text citations
(Radio New Zealand, 2005)
Radio New Zealand (2005)
(Ministry of Health, 2015)
Ministry of Health (2015)
Reference list
Radio New Zealand. (2005). Annual report 2004/2005.
Ministry of Health. (2015). Living well with diabetes: A plan for people at high risk of or living with diabetes. https://www.health.govt.nz/publication/living-well-diabetes
Technical and research reports often come with a number, if this is the case, put it in brackets after the title.
Example
Cuisick, G. R., & Courtney, M. E. (2007). Offending during late adolescence: How do youth aging out of care compare with their peers? (Issue Brief No. 101). Center For Children.
If the grey literature is not a report, add the specific type of material in square brackets after the title. For example, [Brochure], [Fact sheet], [Press release], [White paper].
Example
In-text citations
(Cuisick & Courtney, 2007)
Cuisick and Courtney (2007)
(The Warehouse, 2008)
The Warehouse (2008)
Reference list
The Warehouse. (2008). Bargain bonanza week [Brochure].
Images
APA has strict rules about crediting images, figures or tables that have been reproduced or copied: include a footnote stating that permission has been sought to use the image, with a full reference.
Interviews
Reference published interviews according to their form, such as books and journal articles.
Interviews you have conducted yourself are personal communications and are not included in a reference list.
If you conduct research and include quotes from your participants, you don't need to include in-text citations or a reference listing.
Lecture notes and study material
Whether or not a source is recoverable by the reader affects how it is formatted in APA.
Course material may only be accessible to students logged into Stream. For assignments not intended for publication and where the reader is a marker or tutor who can access the source, cite the learning management system, for example, Stream or Moodle.
Where a login is required, use the URL for the login or home page, not the full URL of the source.
Single author
If a single author is listed, use their name. Otherwise, use the name of the school or institute in the author position.
Order: Authors. (Year). Title of course in italics. School or Institute, University name or Learning management system. URL if accessed online
Examples
In-text citations
(Smith, 2022)
Smith (2022)
Reference list
Smith, A. (2022). 179.704 Social policy studies: Course material. School of Social Work and Social Policy, Massey University.
Smith, A. (2022). 179.704 Social policy studies: Course material. Stream. https://stream.massey.ac.nz/
Smith, A. (2022, February 28). Introduction [PowerPoint slides]. Stream. https://stream.massey.ac.nz/
Smith, A. (2022, February 28). Introduction [Lecture recording]. Stream. https://stream.massey.ac.nz
Group author
Order: School or Institute, University name. (Year). Title of course in italics. School or Institute, University name or Learning management system. URL if accessed online
Examples
In-text citations
(School of Social Work and Social Policy, 2022)
School of Social Work and Social Policy (2022)
Reference list
School of Social Work and Social Policy, Massey University. (2022). 179.704 Social policy studies: Course material. Stream. https://stream.massey.ac.nz
For study guides written by many different authors with editors, use the same format as a chapter in an edited book.
Different author with editor examples
In-text citations
(Jackson, 2008)
Jackson (2008)
Reference list
Jackson, K. (2008). The anger and pain of tertiary studies. In A. Smith (Ed.), Social policy studies: Course material (pp. 49-65). School of Social Work and Social Policy, Massey University.
Jackson, K. (2008). The anger and pain of tertiary studies. In A. Smith (Ed.), Social policy studies: Course material (pp. 49-65). Stream. School of Social Work and Social Policy, Massey University. https://stream.massey.ac.nz
Some courses at Massey University use a book of readings – a collection of photocopied journal articles, book chapters and other relevant material. Because the sections are direct photocopies, reference the original source rather than the book of readings.
Look for outside academic sources rather than relying on lecture notes and study guide materials, unless your assignment instructions tell you to reference these only. Doing research demonstrates that you can explore the topic outside the boundaries of the course materials.
If unsure, check with your lecturer about how they would like course material referenced.
APA reference list: List format – author, no author or group author
Referencing books in APA: Chapter in an edited book
In the in-text citation, cite the original source's author and date of publication. If you are giving a page number, use the page number of the original source, not the page number of the book of readings.
Magazine articles
Order: Authors. (Date of publication). Article title. Magazine name, volume number in italics (issue number), page number range of the article. DOI
Include the DOI if available.
Example
Jianying, H. (2007, July). Qing tomb enigmas. China Today, 56(7), 72–76.
The volume number is usually on the paper magazine's title page, just inside the front cover.
Include the month and the year in the date if the magazine is monthly.
Include the day and the month in the date if the magazine is weekly.
The month and day are not included in the in-text citation.
If the author is missing, use the group or organisation in the author position.
Online magazine
An article from an online magazine with an associated print article is referenced like a print magazine article.
APA in-text citations: Author, no author or group author
Order: Authors. (Date of publication). Article title. Magazine name, volume number in italics (issue number) page number range. DOI if available or URL
Include the URL if there isn't a DOI.
If available, include the page number range of the article.
Examples
In-text citations
(Jianying, 2007)
Jianying (2007)
(“The domino,” 2008)
“The domino” (2008
Reference list
Jianying, H. (2007, July). Qing tomb enigmas. China Today, 56(7). https//:example.com
The domino effect. (2008, July 3). The Economist. http://www.economist.com/node/11667810?story_id=11667810
Newspaper articles
Order: Authors. (Date of publication). Article title. Newspaper name in italics, page number range of the article.
Example
In-text citations
(Howe, 2007)
Howe (2007)
Reference list
Howe, J. (2007, November 16). Manawatu worth $8.1b. Manawatu Standard, 1.
Use the full date in the year position. Only use the year in the in-text citation.
For print versions provide the page number after the newspaper title, but don’t include the abbreviations p. or pp. in front of the page number.
APA reference list: List format – year of publication
If there is no author, the title moves to the author position.
No author example
In-text citations
(“Beehive updating job,” 2007)
“Beehive updating job” (2007)
Reference list
Beehive updating job wins award. (2007, October 29). The Dominion Post, A5.
Online newspaper article
An online news story from a website that does not have an associated newspaper is referenced differently.
Referencing online material in APA: Webpages on a news website
Order: Authors. (Date of publication). Article title. Newspaper name in italics. URL
Include the URL for online newspaper articles.
Examples
In-text citations
(Knell, 2022)
(Knell, 2022)
(“Government urged,” 2008)
“Government urged” (2008)
Reference list
Knell, C. (2022, March 13). Street art making a splash in Feilding. Manawatu Standard. https://www.stuff.co.nz/manawatu-standard/news/300539965/manawat-street-art-festival-making-a-splash-in-feilding
Government urged to act on child poverty. (2008, August 7). New Zealand Herald. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10525782
Referencing online material in APA: Webpages on a news website
Thesis or dissertation
Published thesis or dissertation
A thesis or dissertation that is available in an online database, such as an institutional repository, follows a different format.
Order: Authors. (Date of publication). Thesis title in italics [description of document and university]. Database. URL if accessed online
Example
In-text citations
(Mason, 2011)
Mason (2011)
Reference list
Mason, R. L. (2011). Learning at work: A model of learning & development for younger workers [Doctoral dissertation, Massey University]. Massey Research Online. http://mro.massey.ac.nz/handle/10179/2862
Unpublished thesis or dissertation
A thesis or dissertation only available in print from the author's university is considered unpublished.
Order: Authors. (Date of publication). Thesis title in italics [description]. Name of awarding university.
Use [Unpublished doctoral dissertation] or [Unpublished master's thesis] for the description of an unpublished document.
Example
In-text citations
(Bowker, 2003)
Bowker (2003)
Reference list
Bowker, N. I. (2003). What it means to be online for people with disabilities [Unpublished doctoral dissertation]. Massey University.
Treaties and international conventions
References for treaties and international conventions are formatted differently from other references. Use commas, not full stops, between referencing elements.
Order: Name of the treaty, convention or other agreement, the signing or approval date, URL if accessed online
Examples
In-text citations
(United Nations Convention on the Rights of a Child, 1989)
United Nations Convention on the Rights of a Child (1989)
Reference list
United Nations Convention on the Rights of a Child, November 20, 1989, https://www.ohchr.org/en/instruments-mechanisms/instruments/convention-rights-child.
All other source types
If a source does not match any of the types listed, it may be necessary to choose a format that most closely matches one of the other types. The APA Blog calls this a Frankenreference
If you're unsure, use the following format:
Order: Authors. (Date of publication). Title in italics. Publishing information. URL if accessed online
APA Style Guides
Referencing disclaimer
This page is a guide to proper referencing. Your course, department, school or institute may prescribe specific conventions. Their recommendations supersede these instructions. If your questions are not covered here, ask your course coordinator or ask on our Academic Q&A forum.
Open the Academic Q&A forum in Stream (login required)
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