How to Cite a Book in APA Format

Q: I have three references I want to cite. How do I do that?

Parenthetical in-text citation List all sources alphabetically by the authors’ last names. Separate them with semicolons: Example: (Brown, 2019; Chen, 2021; Smith, 2020) Narrative in-text citation Mention each source in the sentence itself. They can appear in any order. Example: Chen (2021), Smith (2020), and Brown (2019) all support this finding. Note: This formatting applies to any number of sources.

This page shows you how to cite a book in APA format manually. You will also find an option to use a citation generator.

Citation generators are fast and convenient, but they can occasionally make mistakes. Always check the results to be sure they are accurate.

By learning to create a book citation yourself, you gain a skill that will help you spot and correct errors in any generated output.

The following will help you learn how to cite a book in APA format:

Manual Citation - Follow simple steps (with screenshots) to cite a book in APA format yourself.
Common Mistakes - Avoid the most frequent errors people make when citing books in APA format.
Quiz - Test your understanding with a few quick questions.
FAQs - Get quick answers to common questions.

Learn about a free citation generator that can automatically generate a book citation and build your reference list in APA format.

Finally, ask a question or share your tips in the Comments section.

Cite a Book in APA Format Manually

Choose an option below to cite a book in APA format correctly.

Author

To cite a book in APA format, you first need to identify how the book presents its author(s) and/or editor(s):

Select Author(s) if one or more named authors wrote the book and no editor is listed on the cover — for example, this book with an author only.
Select Author(s)+ Editor(s) if one or more named authors wrote the book and the editor(s) are also listed on the cover on the cover — for example, this book with both an author and an editor.
Select Editor(s) if the book credits one or more editors but no author is named — for example, this book with editors only.

Authors/editors:

One Author

Parenthetical In-text Citation
Format the citation as follows:

Place the author's last name and the publication year inside parentheses.
Separate them with a comma and a space.

See Figure A1-1.

Narrative In-text Citation
Format the citation as follows:

Use the author’s last name in the sentence.
Place the publication year in parentheses right after the name.

See Figure A1-2.

Example (Smith, 2020) showing a parenthetical APA in-text citation

Figure A1-1: In-text Parenthetical Citation in APA Format

Example "As Smith (2020) notes" showing a narrative APA in-text citation

Figure A1-2: In-text Narrative Citation in APA Format

Reference List Entry
Format the author section of the reference as follows:

Enter the last name, followed by a comma and a space.
Add the first initial, followed by a period and space.
If there are more initials, include each one, followed by a period and space.

See Figure A1-3: One author with one initial.
See Figure A1-4: One author with two initials.

APA reference example with author 'Smith, P.' and placeholders for date, title, and source

Figure A1-3: One Author With One Initial

APA reference example with author 'White, P. A.' and placeholders for date, title, and source

Figure A1-4: Author With Two Initials

Adding an Editor or Editors

Only the author is mentioned in the in-text citations (see Figures A1-5 and A1-6).
The presence of the editor(s) is shown in the reference list entry.

Example (Jones, 2025) showing a parenthetical APA in-text citation

Figure A1-5: In-text Parenthetical Citation in APA Format

Example "As Jones (2025) notes" showing a narrative APA in-text citation

Figure A1-6: In-text Narrative Citation in APA Format

Reference List Entry
Place the editor(s) in parentheses after the title as follows:

Enter the initial(s) and last name of the editor(s).
Each initial is followed by a period and a space.
Each last name is followed by a comma and a space.
For multiple editors, insert an ampersand (&) with a space before and after it before the final editor's name.
After the name(s), enter the following
- Ed. for one editor, or
- Eds. for multiple editors

See Figure A1-7: One editor.
See Figure A1-8: Two editors.

Example "<i>The Heist</i> (D. Black, Ed.)." of an APA-formatted reference with one editor placed after the title

Figure A1-7: Author and One Editor

Example "<i>Help!</i> (B. Lee, & K. M. Li, Eds.)." of an APA-formatted reference with two editors placed after the title

Figure A1-8: Author and Two Editors

Two Authors

Parenthetical In-text Citation
Format the citation within parentheses as follows:

Enter the last name of the first author, followed by a space.
Insert an ampersand (&) followed by a space.
Enter the last name of the second author.
Insert a comma and a space.
Enter the publication year.

See Figure A2-1.

Narrative In-text Citation
Format the citation as follows:

Enter the last names of both authors, separated by "and" as part of the sentence.
Enter the publication year in parentheses right after the names.

See Figure A2-2.

Example (Li & Ng, 2016) showing a parenthetical in-text citation for two authors

Figure A2-1: APA-formatted In-text Parenthetical Citation for Two Authors

Example "as Li and Ng (2016) note" showing a narrative APA in-text citation for two authors

Figure A2-2: APA-formatted In-text Narrative Citation for Two Authors

Reference List Entry
Format the author section of the reference as follows:

Enter the last name of the first author, followed by a comma and a space.
Add the initial(s) of the first author as follows:
- Each initial is followed by a period.
- If there are multiple initials, separate them with a space.
- After the last initial (and period), insert a comma.
Insert an ampersand (&) with a space before and after it.
Type the last name of the second author followed by a comma and a space.
Add the initials of the second author, following the same rules.
After the last initial (and period), add a space.

See Figure A2-3.

APA reference list entry example with two authors: Li, R., & Ng, T. D., followed by placeholders for date, title, and source.

Figure A2-3: Two Authors

Adding an Editor or Editors

Only the authors are mentioned in the in-text citations (see Figures A2-4 and A2-5).
The presence of the editor(s) is shown in the reference list entry.

Example (Pi & Po, 2021) showing a parenthetical APA in-text citation

Figure A2-4: In-text Parenthetical Citation in APA Format

Example "As Pi and Po (2021) note" showing a narrative APA in-text citation

Figure A2-5: In-text Narrative Citation in APA Format

Reference List Entry
Place the editor(s) in parentheses after the title as follows:

Enter the initial(s) and last name of the editor(s).
Each initial is followed by a period and a space.
Each last name is followed by a comma and a space.
For multiple editors, insert an ampersand (&) with a space before and after it before the final editor's name.
After the name(s), enter the following
- Ed. for one editor, or
- Eds. for multiple editors

See Figure A2-6: One editor.
See Figure A2-7: Two editors.

Example "<i>Our lives</i> (D. Xi, Ed.)." of an APA-formatted reference with two authors and one editor placed after the title

Figure A2-6: Two Authors and One Editor

Example "<i>Us!</i> (D. Xi, & O. Ng, Eds.)." of an APA formatted reference with two authors and two editors placed after the title

Figure A2-7: Two Authors and Two Editors

Three to Twenty Authors

Parenthetical In-text Citation
Format the citation within parentheses as follows:

Enter the last name of the first author, followed by a space.
Enter "et al." followed by a comma and a space.
Enter the publication year.

See Figure A3-1.

Narrative In-text Citation
Format the citation as follows:

Enter the last name of the first author, followed by "et al." and a space as part of the sentence.
Enter the publication year in parentheses after the name.

See Figure A3-2.

Example "(Fox et al., 2018)" showing a parenthetical APA in-text citation for three authors

Figure A3-1: APA-formatted In-text Parenthetical Citation for Three Authors

Example "As Fox et al. (2018) note" showing a narrative APA in-text citation for three authors

Figure A3-2: APA-formatted In-text Narrative Citation for Three Authors

Reference List Entry
Format the author section of the reference as follows:

For each author except the last:
- Enter the last name, followed by a comma and a space.
- Enter the initials of the author's given names as follows:
  - Each initial is followed by a period.
  - Separate multiple initials with a space.
  - After the last initial, add a comma and a space.
    Examples: "Li, R., " "Xi, A. B., " "Yi, D. O. K., "
Before the last author, insert an ampersand (&) followed by a space.
Enter the last name and initials of the last author except do not insert a comma for the last initial. Only add a period followed by a space.

See Figure A3-3: Three authors.

Reference entry example with three authors: Fox, J., Day, E., & Green, K. L. T. D., followed by placeholders for date, title, and source

Figure A3-3: Three Authors

Figures A3-4 and A3-5 show example in-text citations for twenty authors.

Example (Lee et al., 2012) showing a parenthetical APA in-text citation for twenty authors

Figure A3-4: APA-formatted In-text Parenthetical Citation for Twenty Authors

Example "As Lee et al. (2012) explain" showing a narrative APA in-text citation for twenty authors

Figure A3-5: APA-formatted In-text Narrative Citation for Twenty Authors

Figure A3-6 shows an example reference list entry for twenty authors.

APA reference list entry showing twenty authors followed by placeholders for date, title, and source

Figure A3-6: Twenty Authors

Use the same format for any number of authors from three to twenty. Just change how many names you include.

Adding an Editor or Editors

Only the authors are mentioned in the in-text citations (see Figures A3-7 and A3-8).
The presence of the editor(s) is shown in the reference list entry.

Example (Sol et al., 2009) showing a parenthetical APA in-text citation for three authors

Figure A3-7: APA-formatted In-text Parenthetical Citation for Three Authors

Example "As Sol et al. (2009) note" showing a narrative APA in-text citation for three authors

Figure A3-8: APA-formatted In-text Narrative Citation for Three Authors

Reference List Entry
Place the editor(s) in parentheses after the title as follows:

Enter the initial(s) and last name of the editor(s).
Each initial is followed by a period and a space.
Each last name is followed by a comma and a space.
For multiple editors, insert an ampersand (&) with a space before and after it before the final editor's name.
After the name(s), enter the following
- Ed. for one editor, or
- Eds. for multiple editors

See Figure A3-9: One editor.
See Figure A3-10: Two editors.

Example "<i>Chile</i> (D. Xi, Ed.)." of the title section of an APA-formatted reference with three authors and one editor placed after the title

Figure A3-9: Three Authors and One Editor

Example "<i>X!</i> (I. Xi, & I Ng, Eds.)." of the title section of an APA-formatted reference with three authors and two editors placed after the title

Figure A3-10: Three Authors and Two Editors

Twenty-One or More Authors

Parenthetical In-text Citation
Format the citation within parentheses as follows:

Enter the last name of the first author, followed by a space.
Insert "et al." followed by a comma and a space.
Enter the publication date.

See Figure A20-1.

Narrative In-text Citation
Format the citation as follows:

Enter the last name of the first author, followed by "et al." as part of the sentence.
Add the publication date in parentheses after the name.

See Figure A20-2.

Example (Ali et al., 2021) showing a parenthetical APA in-text citation for more than twenty authors

Figure A20-1: APA-formatted In-text Parenthetical Citation for Twenty Plus Authors

Example "as Ali et al. (2021) note…" showing a narrative APA in-text citation for more than twenty authors

Figure A20-2: APA-formatted In-text Narrative Citation for Twenty Plus Authors

Reference List Entry
Format the author section of the reference as follows:

For each of the first 19 authors:
- Enter the last name of the author, followed by a comma and a space.
- Add the initials of the author's given names as follows:
  - Add a period after each initial.
  - Separate multiple initials with a space.
  - After the last initial, add a comma and a space.
    Examples: "Li, R., " "Xi, A. B., " "Yi, D. O. K., "
Insert an ellipsis (…) followed by a space.
Enter the last name and initials of the final author (same format as above), except do not insert a comma after the last initial. Only add a period followed by a space.

See Figure A20-3.

An example of an APA reference list entry for more than 20 authors. It contains the last names and initials of the first 19 authors followed by an ellipsis and then the last name and initials of the last author, followed by placeholders "Date, Title, Source" for the rest of the citation.

Figure A20-3: Twenty Plus Authors

Adding an Editor or Editors

Only the authors are mentioned in the in-text citations (see Figures A20-4 and A20-5).

Example (Ho et al., 2011) showing a parenthetical APA in-text citation for twenty plus authors

Figure A20-4: APA-formatted In-text Parenthetical Citation for Twenty-one or More Authors

Example "Ho et al. (2011) note" showing a narrative APA in-text citation for 21 or more authors

Figure A20-5: APA-formatted In-text Narrative Citation for Twenty-one or More Authors

Reference List Entry

Place the editor(s) in parentheses after the title as follows:

Enter the editor’s initials, followed by the last name.
Insert a comma, then:
- enter Ed. for one editor, or
- enter Eds. for multiple editors

See Figure A20-6: One editor.
See Figure A20-7: Two editors.

Example "<i>Beyond paradise</i> (J. Owens, Ed.)." of the title section of an APA-formatted reference with twenty-one or more authors and one editor placed after the title

Figure A20-6: Twenty-one or More Authors and One Editor

Example "<i>The future</i> (K. Fay, & A Song, Eds.)." of the title section of an APA-formatted reference with twenty-one or more authors and two editors placed after the title

Figure A20-7: Twenty-one or More Authors and Two Editors

One Editor

Parenthetical In-text Citation
Format an in-text citation within parentheses as follows:

Enter the editor's last name and the publication date.
Separate them with a comma and a space.

See Figure E1-1.

Narrative In-text Citation
Format an in-text citation as follows:

Use the editor's last name in the sentence.
Place the publication date in parentheses right after the name (separated by a space).

See Figure E1-2.

Example (Smith, 2021) showing a parenthetical APA in-text citation for one editor

Figure E1-1: In-text Parenthetical Citation in APA Format for One Editor

Example "as Smith (2021) notes" showing a narrative APA in-text citation for one editor

Figure E1-2: In-text Narrative Citation in APA Format for One Editor

Note: The format for the in-text citation is the same as for a single authored book.

Reference List Entry
Format the editor section as follows:

Enter the editor's last name, followed by a comma and a space.
Enter the editor’s initial(s), each followed by a period and a space.
After the initials, enter (Ed.) — short for Editor — in parentheses, followed by a period.

See Figure E1-3: One author with one initial.
See Figure E1-4: One author with two initials.

APA reference example "Smith, J. (Ed.)." followed by placeholders for date, title, and source.

Figure E1-3: One Editor with One Initial

APA reference example "Brown, L. M. (Ed.)." followed by placeholders for date, title, and source.

Figure E1-4: One Editor with Two Initials

Two Editors

Parenthetical In-text Citation
Format the citation within parentheses as follows:

Enter the last name of the first editor.
Insert an ampersand (&) with a space before and after it.
Enter the last name of the second editor.
Insert a comma and a space.
Enter the date of publication.

See Figure E2-1.

Narrative In-text Citation
Format the citation as follows:

Enter the last names of both editors, separated by "and" as part of the sentence.
Enter the publication date in parentheses.

See Figure E2-2.

Example (Lee & Lam, 2022) showing a parenthetical APA in-text citation for two editors

Figure E2-1: APA-formatted In-text Parenthetical Citation for Two Editors

Example "As Lee and Lam (2022) note..." showing a narrative APA in-text citation for two editors.

Figure E2-2: APA-formatted In-text Narrative Citation for Two Editors

Reference List Entry
Format the editor section as follows:

Enter the last name of the first editor, followed by a comma and a space.
Add the initial(s) of the first editor as follows:
- Each initial is followed by a period.
- If there are multiple initials, separate them with a space.
- After the last initial (and period), insert a comma.
  Examples: "Li, R.," "Xi, A. B.," "Yi, D. O. K.,"
Insert an ampersand (&) with a space on either side.
Enter the last name of the second editor as described for the first except do not insert a comma for the last initial. Only add a period and a space.
Enter (Eds.) followed by a period and a space.

See Figure E2-3.

APA reference example with two editors "Lee, M., & Lam, T. D. (Eds.)." followed by placeholders for date, title, and source

Figure E2-3: Reference List Entry for Two Editors

Three to Twenty Editors

Parenthetical In-text Citation
Format the citation within parentheses by entering the following:

last name of the first editor, followed by a space
et al. followed by a comma and a space
publication date

See Figure E3-1.

Narrative In-text Citation
Format the citation as part of the sentence by entering the following:

last name of the first editor, followed by a space
et al. then a comma and a space
publication date

See Figure E3-2.

Example (Fox et al., 2024) showing a parenthetical APA in-text citation for three editors

Figure E3-1: APA-formatted In-text Parenthetical Citation for Three to Twenty Editors

Example (Fox et al., 2024) of an APA formatted in-text narrative citation for three editors

Figure E3-2: APA-formatted In-text Narrative Citation for Three to Twenty Editors

Reference List Entry
Format the author section as follows:

For each editor except the last editor:
- Type the last name of the editor, followed by a comma and a space.
- Enter the initials of the editor's given names as follows:
  - Add a period after each initial.
  - If more than one initial, separate the initials with a space.
  - After the last initial, add a comma then a space.
    Examples: Li, R., Xi, A. B., Yi, D. O. K.,
Insert an ampersand (&) followed by a space.
Type the last name of the last editor as described for the previous editors except do not insert a comma for the last initial. Only add a space.
Add the abbreviation for editors in parentheses: (Eds.) followed by a period and a space.

See Figure E3-3.

APA reference example with three editors "Fox. J., Day, E., & Leo, K, L. (Eds.)" followed by placeholders for date, title, and source

Figure E3-3: Three Editors

Figures E3-4 and E3-5 show example in-text citations for twenty editors.

Example (Lee et al., 2012) of an APA formatted in-text parenthetical citation for twenty editors

Figure E3-4: APA-formatted In-text Parenthetical Citation for Twenty Editors

Example "as Lee et al. (2012) note" of an APA formatted in-text narrative citation for twenty editors

Figure E3-5: APA-formatted In-text Narrative Citation for Twenty Editors

Figure E3-6 shows an example of the reference list entry for twenty editors.

An example of an APA reference list entry showing the last names and initials of twenty editors followed by placeholders "Date, Title, Source" for the rest of the citation.

Figure E3-6: Twenty Editors

Twent-One or More Editors

Parenthetical In-text Citation
Format the citation within parentheses as follows:

Enter the last name of the first editor, followed by a space.
Insert et al. followed by a comma and a space.
Enter the publication date.

See Figure E21-1.

Narrative In-text Citation
Format the citation as follows:

Enter the last name of the first editor, followed by et al. as part of the sentence.
Enter the publication date within parentheses.

See Figure E21-2.

Example (Ali et al., 2021) of an APA formatted in-text parenthetical citation for more than twenty editors

Figure E21-1: APA-formatted In-text Parenthetical Citation for Twenty Plus Editors

Example "as Ali et al. (2021) note" of an APA formatted in-text narrative citation for twenty plus editors

Figure E21-2: APA-formatted In-text Narrative Citation for Twenty Plus Editors

Reference List Entry
Format the author section as follows:

For each of the first 19 editors:
- Enter the last name of the editor, followed by a comma and a space.
- Enter the initials of the editor's given names as follows:
  - Add a period after each initial.
  - Separate multiple initials with a space.
  - After the last initial, add a comma and a space.
    Examples: "Li, R., " "Xi, A. B., " "Yi, D. O. K., "
Insert an ellipsis (…) followed by a space.
Enter the last name and initials of the last editor (same format as the others) except do not insert a comma after the last initial. Only add a period followed by a space.
Insert "(Eds.)" followed by a period and space.

See Figure E21-3.

An example of an APA reference list entry for more than 20 editors. It contains the last names and initials of the first 19 editors followed by an ellipsis and then the last name and initials of the last editor, followed by placeholders "Date, Title, Source" for the rest of the citation.

Figure E21-3: Twenty Plus Editors

Date

You need to insert the date of publication to cite a book in APA format.
The date is the copyright year shown in the book.
If no date is available, use n.d. instead.

Date:

Year Only

Include a parenthetical or narrative in-text citation.

Parenthetical In-text Citation
This citation shows the author(s) or editor(s), and the publication date (See the Author section above for how to format names).
Examples:
(Lee, 2020) (Lee & Chan, 2020) (Lee et al., 2020)
See Figure Y-1.

Narrative In-text Citation
Include the author(s) or editor(s) as part of the sentence.
Place the publication date in parentheses immediately after the name(s) (See the Author section above for how to format names).
Examples:
Lee (2020)… Lee and Chan (2020)… Lee et al. (2020)…
See Figure Y-2.

Example showing a parenthetical APA formatted in-text citation with year only

Figure Y-1: APA-formatted In-text Parenthetical Citation (Year Only)

Example showing a narrative APA-formatted in-text citation with year only

Figure Y-2: APA-formatted In-text Narrative Citation (Year Only)

Reference List Entry
Format the date section of the citation as follows:

Enter the year in parentheses.
Add a period and space after the closing parenthesis.

See Figure Y-3.

Example of a reference list entry with year only after the author section

Figure Y-3: Reference List Entry with Date (Year Only)

Year and Month

Include a parenthetical or narrative in-text citation.

Parenthetical In-text Citation
This citation shows the author(s) or editor(s), and the year of the publication date (see the Author section above for how to format names).
Note: The month is not shown in the in-text citation.
Examples:
(Brown, 2024) (Brown & Greene, 2024) (Black et al., 2024)
See Figure YM-1.

Narrative In-text Citation
Include the author(s) or editor(s) as part of the sentence.
Place the publication date in parentheses immediately after the name(s) (see the Author section above for how to format names).
Note: The month is not shown in the in-text citation.
Examples:
Lee (2024)… Lee and Chan (2024)… Lee et al. (2024)…
See Figure YM-2.

Example showing a parenthetical APA formatted in-text citation with a year and month date

Figure YM-1: APA-formatted In-text Parenthetical Citation (Year and Month)

Example showing a narrative APA formatted in-text citation with a year and month date

Figure YM-2: APA-formatted In-text Narrative Citation (Year and Month)

Reference List Entry
Format the date section of the citation as follows:

Enter the year and month, separated by a comma and space, within parentheses.
Enter the month in full (do not abbreviate).
Add a period and space after the closing parenthesis.

See Figure YM-3.

Example of a reference list entry with a year and month date after the author section

Figure YM-3: Figure YMD-3: Reference List Entry with Date (Year and Month).

Year, Month, and Day

Include a parenthetical or narrative in-text citation.

Parenthetical In-text Citation
This citation shows the author(s) or editor(s), and the year of the publication date (see the Author section above for how to format names).
Note: The month and day are not shown in the in-text citation.
Examples:
(Bruce, 2022) (Bruce & Gibbs, 2022) (Bruce et al., 2022)
See Figure YMD-1.

Narrative In-text Citation
Include the author(s) or editor(s) as part of the sentence.
Place the publication year in parentheses immediately after the name(s) (see the Author section above for how to format names).
Note: The month and day are not shown in the in-text citation.
Examples:
Bruce (2022)… Bruce and Gibbs (2022)… Bruce et al. (2024)…
See Figure YMD-2.

Example showing the year only in parenthetical APA-formatted in-text citation

Figure YMD-1: APA-formatted In-text Parenthetical Citation (Year, Month, and Day)

Example of a narrative in-text citation where the author's (or editor's) last name appears in the text, followed by the publication date in parentheses.

Figure YMD-2: APA-formatted In-text Narrative Citation (Year, Month, and Day)

Reference List Entry
Format the date section of the citation within parentheses as follows:

Enter the year.
Insert a comma followed by a space.
Enter the month in full (do not abbreviate) followed by a space.
Enter the day.

See Figure YMD-3.

Example of a reference list entry with a year, month, and day date after the author section

Figure YMD-3: Reference List Entry with Date (Year, Month, and Day).

Year and Season

Include a parenthetical or narrative in-text citation.

Parenthetical In-text Citation
This citation shows the author(s) or editor(s), and the year of the publication date (see the Author section above for how to format names).
Note: The season is not shown in the in-text citation.
Examples:
(Sykes, 2022) (Sykes & Gleason, 2022) (Cummins et al., 2022)
See Figure YS-1.

Narrative In-text Citation
Include the author(s) or editor(s) as part of the sentence.
Place the publication date in parentheses immediately after the name(s) (see the Author section above for how to format names).
Note: The season is not shown in the in-text citation.
Examples:
Sykes (2022)… Sykes and Gleason (2022)… Cummins et al. (2024)…See Figure YS-2.

Example of a parenthetical in-text citation where the publication date (year only) follows the author's (or editor's) last name, separated by a comma and space, within parentheses.

Figure YS-1: In-text Parenthetical Citation with Publication Date (Year Only)

Example of a narrative in-text citation where the author's (or editor's) last name appears in the text, followed by the publication year in parentheses.

Figure YS-2: In-text Narrative Citation with Publication Date (Year Only)

Reference List Entry
Format the date section of the citation within parentheses as follows:

Enter the year.
Insert a comma followed by a space.
Enter the season.

See Figure YS3.

Example of a reference list entry where the publication date (year and season) follows the author's section, separated by a comma and space.

Figure YS3: Reference List Entry with Date (Year and Season)

No Date Available

Include a parenthetical or narrative in-text citation.

Parenthetical In-text Citation
Include the authors or editors last names, and n.d. for the date within parentheses (see the Author section above for how to format names).
Examples:
(Bell, n.d.) (Bell & Sykes, n.d.) (Bell et al., n.d.)
See Figure YND-1.

Narrative In-text Citation
Include the author(s) or editor(s) last names as part of the sentence.
Enter n.d. as the publication date in parentheses immediately after the name or (see the Author section above for how to format names).
Example:
Bell (n.d.)… Bell and Sykes (n.d.)… Bett et al. (n.d.)…
See Figure YND-2.

Example of a parenthetical in-text citation with an unknown date that follows the author's (or editor's) last name, separated by a comma and space, within parentheses.

Figure YND-1: In-text Parenthetical Citation with Unknown Date.

Example of a narrative in-text citation where the author's (or editor's) last name appears in the text, followed by n.d. (no date) in parentheses.

Figure YND-2: In-text Narrative Citation with Unknown Date

Reference List Entry
Format the date section of the citation as follows:

Enter n.d. within parentheses.
Enter a full stop and space after the parentheses.

See Figure YND-3.

Example of a reference list entry where n.d. is entered for the publication date after the author's section, separated by a comma and space.

Figure YND-3: Reference List Entry with No Date

Title

When you cite a book in APA format, make sure the title follows APA’s sentence case rules and is italicized.

Title:

Title Only

Reference List Entry
Format the title section of the reference entry as follows:

Enter the title in sentence case (capitalize only the first word and proper nouns).
Format in italics.
Do not italicize the period after the title.

See Figure T-1.

Example of a reference list entry with a simple title (i.e., no subtitle) entered in italics and sentence case.

Figure T-1: APA-formatted Title in a Reference List

Title and Subtitle

Reference List Entry
Format the title section of the reference entry as follows:

Enter the title in sentence case (capitalize only the first word and proper nouns).
Format in italics.
Enter a colon (in italics) followed by a space.
Enter the subtitle in sentence case and italicized.
Enter a period after the subtitle but do not italicize, followed by a space.

See Figure TS-1.

Example of a reference list entry with a title and a subtitle entered in italics and sentence case.

Figure TS-1. APA-formatted Title and Subtitle in a Reference List

Title and Edition

Reference List Entry
Format the title section of the reference entry as follows:

Enter the title in sentence case (capitalize only the first word and proper nouns), italicized and followed by a space.
Enter the edition number in ordinal form (e.g., 2nd, 3rd etc) followed by a space, the abbreviation ed and a period, all within parentheses, and not italicized.
Enter a period after the parentheses, followed by a space.

See Figure TE-1.

Example of a reference list entry with a title entered in italics and sentence case, followed by the edition number in parentheses.

Figure TE-1: APA-formatted Title and Edition Number in a Reference List

Title and Volume

Reference List Entry
Format the title section of the reference entry as follows:

Enter the title in sentence case (capitalize only the first word and proper nouns), italicized and followed by a space.
Enter the volume abbreviation Vol. followed by a space and the volume number, all within parentheses, and not italicized.
Enter a period after the parentheses, followed by a space.

See Figure TV-1.

Example of a reference list entry with a title entered in italics and sentence case, followed by the volume number in parentheses.

Figure TV-1. APA-formatted Title and Volume Number in a Reference List

Source

To cite a book in APA format, the source section requires the publisher's name in title case, followed by a period. If available, include the DOI or URL.

Source:

Printed Book

Reference List Entry
Format the source section of the reference entry as follows:

Enter the publisher's name as shown in the book. This is usually title case.
Enter a period after the publisher's name.

See Figure SP-1.

Example of a reference list entry with a publisher name at the end.

Figure SP-1: Publisher Name in an APA-formatted Reference List

Online Book with DOI

Reference List Entry
Format the source section of the reference entry as follows:

Enter the name of the publisher followed by a period, then a space.
Enter the DOI in the format https://doi.org/xxxxx
Do not add a period after the DOI.

See Figure SD-1.

Example of a reference list entry with a doi at the end.

Figure SD-1: DOI in an APA-formatted Reference List

Figure SD-2 shows a completed reference list entry containing a DOI.

Example of the following citation with a DOI in an APA-formatted reference list:
Shapiro, S. L, Carlson, L. E., & Sawyer, B. A. (2024). The art & science of mindfulness: Integrating mindfulness into the helping professions (3rd ed.). American Psychological Association, https://doi.org/10.1037/0000418-000

Figure SD-2: Reference List Entry in APA format with a DOI

Online Book without DOI

Reference List Entry
Format the source section of the reference entry as follows:

Enter the name of the publisher followed by a period, then a space.
Copy and paste the URL from the source webpage.
Do not add a period after the URL.

See Figure SU-1.

Example of a reference list entry with a publisher and URL at the end.

Figure SU-1: URL in an APA-formatted Reference List

Common Mistakes When Citing a Book in APA Format

Here are common errors to watch for when you cite a book in APA format — and how to fix them.

Capitalizing every word in the book title in the reference list.
Incorrect: How to Cite a Book in APA Format
Correct: How to cite a book in APA format
Not italicizing the book title in the reference list.
Incorrect: How to cite a book in APA format
Correct: How to cite a book in APA format
Adding a period after a DOI or URL in the reference list.
Incorrect: https://doi.org/10.1037/0000418-000.
Correct: https://doi.org/10.1037/0000418-000
Using "and" instead of "&" in a parenthetical in-text citation.
Incorrect: (Li and Ng, 2016)
Correct: (Li & Ng, 2016)
Using "&" instead of "and" in a narrative in-text citation.
Incorrect: As Li & Ng (2016) note
Correct: As Li and Ng (2016) note
Including the location of the publisher in the reference list.
Incorrect: Lee, C. (2010). Change. Boston, MA: Insight Press.
Correct: Lee, C. (2010). Change. Insight Press.
Note: This was required in APA 6th edition, but not in APA 7th.
Not capitalizing the first word of a subtitle.
Incorrect: Memory: a very short introduction
Correct: Memory: A very short introduction
Including three or more author names in in-text citations instead of using et al.
Incorrect: (Smith, Jones, & Lee, 2020)
Correct: (Smith et al., 2020)
Incorrect: As Smith, Jones, and Lee (2020) noted
Correct: As Smith et al. (2020) noted
Note: APA 6th edition used full author lists for up to five authors.
Not spacing the initials in author names in the reference list.
Incorrect: Nguyen, T.M.
Correct: Nguyen, T. M.
Missing citations: Either having an in-text citation with no matching reference list entry, or a reference entry with no in-text citation.

Quiz

Zotero - a Free Citation Generator

Zotero is a free, open-source application that helps you organize and cite a book in APA format. With Zotero, you can:

Add a book's citation details to your Zotero library using the ISBN.
Insert in-text citations directly into your Word document.
Generate a reference list automatically in Word.

See how to use Zotero to cite a book in APA format quickly.

Summary

This guide covers how to cite a book in APA format manually.

It also highlights common mistakes, provides a quiz to test understanding, links to FAQs, and references Zotero, a free tool for organizing sources and generating citations.

Frequently Asked Questions

When, why, and how do I include a page number (or page numbers) when I cite a book in APA format?

Include page numbers when:

You quote directly from a source.
You paraphrase a specific part of a long source (like a book or report).
You want to point the reader to the exact location of the information.

Adding a page number helps your reader find the original text quickly.

APA style uses the abbreviations p. (for a single page) and pp. (for multiple pages), which are added to in-text citations.

Parenthetical in-text citation
Learning is a social process (Vygotsky, 1978, p. 56).
Group performance improved with feedback (Lopez & Smith, 2020, pp. 132–133).

Narrative in-text citation
Vygotsky (1978) explained that learning is a social process (p. 56).
According to Lopez and Smith (2020), performance improved when feedback was given (pp. 132–133).

What symbol is used to define the page range?

An en dash (–), ) not a hyphen(-) for page ranges.
Example: 132–133.

See how to insert an en dash.

I have three references I want to cite. How do I do that?

Parenthetical in-text citation
List all sources alphabetically by the authors’ last names. Separate them with semicolons:
Example: (Brown, 2019; Chen, 2021; Smith, 2020)

Narrative in-text citation
Mention each source in the sentence itself. They can appear in any order. Example: Chen (2021), Smith (2020), and Brown (2019) all support this finding.

Note: This formatting applies to any number of sources.

How do I cite a book in APA format that is self-published?

Omit the publisher to avoid repetition.

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Note: The version of Microsoft Word used is the latest Word for Microsoft 365. The functions should also work in the 2021, 2019, 2016 and 2013 versions.