How to Cite in APA Format

There are two ways you can cite in APA format. You can:

manually enter and format the citation, and the reference entry list, which is type it yourself, or
use a citation generator, for example, Zotero which is a free citation generator that cites in APA format.

Which method should you use?

If you only have a few citations, then cite in APA format by entering the data yourself.

However, a citation generator will save you a lot of time if you have several works to cite.

Remember, if you are doing a course with several assignments, then the number of citations will grow quickly.

Zotero is a popular free citation generator that will create in-text citations and reference list entries in APA format.

A Zotero add-in to Microsoft Word allows you to cite in APA format directly in your Word document.

I will show you how to:

install Zotero
use Zotero to cite in APA format
use Zotero to create a reference list in APA format

In many cases, all you have to do is input a DOI number or ISBN. Otherwise, you enter the citation information in a drop-down dialog box.

You may have access to other citation generators such as Endnote.

But if you don't, Zotero is a good one to use.

And it is free!

How to Install Zotero

Skip this step if you already have installed Zotero.

Install Zotero as follows:

Go to the Zotero website.
Select the "Download" button.
The Zotero software download and Zotero Connector installation screen appears (see Figure 1).

Zotero download screen and Zotero connect web extension

Figure 1: Zotero Download Screen

Choose the version compatible with your operating system (Windows, macOS, or Linux).
Download the installer file for the Zotero software.
Run the setup program to install Zotero.
Install the Zotero connector.
The Zotero Connector is a browser extension that allows you to save citations and web pages directly to your Zotero library from a Web page.

See the Zotero support page if you have problems or need more information.

You will get the Zotero software, a Zotero tab in your Microsoft Word ribbon, and a Zotero extension in your web browser.

Cite in APA Format Using Zotero

When you start Zotero for the first time, you will see a screen shown in Figure 2.
No citations have been added yet. You may see some documentation.

Initial screen when Zotero is run for the first time

Figure 2: First-time Zotero Screen

The Zotero menu bar has two buttons that allow you to enter the citation information (see Figure 3). They are the new item button and items by identifier.

To add a reference using the New item button, enter all the relevant information, such as the author(s), date, title, publisher, and so on.

To add a reference using an identifier, enter something that is commonly used to identify that item such as a DOI or an ISBN.

This is the best method if an identifier is available - an item can be quickly accessed, and you can very quickly cite and add to your reference list in APA format.

Figure 3: The Zotero Menu Bar

Add a New Item Button

Add a new reference (see Figures 4 and 5) as follows:

Select the drop-down arrow on the New Item button.
Select the type of reference (e.g., Book, Journal).
Select More to view additional types of references.

Figure 4: Add a New Item in Zotero

Enter the citation information for the item (e.g., title, author).
The fields will change depending on the type of reference.
Not all fields need to be completed - only complete the relevant ones.

Zotero screen to add data for a reference

Figure 5: Zotero Screen to Add Reference Data

Add an Item by an Identifier

Add a new reference (see Figure 6) as follows:

Select the Add Item(s) by Identifier button.
Input the identifier, for example, the ISBN for a book, DOI for a journal.
Select Enter.

All the reference data is returned (as long as you are connected to the Internet).

Zotero screen to add an item by an identifier such as DOI or ISBN

Figure 6: Access Citation Information By an Item Identifier

Figure 7 shows the result of entering the ISBN 9781447227816.

Figure 7: Result from an ISBN Search

Add an Item by the Zotero Connector

If you are viewing an item, for example, a journal article, you can save the citation information directly into Zotero by using the Zero connector extension in your browser.

For example, Figure 8 shows part of a journal article viewed as a Web page.

The Zotero connector extension saves citation information to Zotero.

Example of a journal article being viewed in a web browser

Figure 8: Journal Article in a Web Browser Page

Figure 9 shows the citation information that is saved to Zotero.

Zotero citation information saved by the Zotero connector from a web page

Figure 9: Citation Information from the Zotero Connector

Add Citations and Reference List Items in APA Format to Your Word Document

You have added your citation(s) to the Zotero library (see Figures 4 to 9).

You can add a citation any time - typically as you find it and use it.

Cite your source in your Word document (see Figure 10) as follows:

Select the place in your document where the in-text citation is to appear.
Select the Zotero tab in the Word ribbon.
Select Add/Edit Citation.

Figure 10: Select Add/Edit Citation in Zotero

Select the citation style from the list (see Figure 11).
This choice will be given the first time only.
Select American Psychological Association (APA 7th edition) to cite in APA format.
This screen may not appear if your preference is already set to cite in APA format or if the citation style is set to something else, for example, the Chicago Manual of Style.
In this case, in the Zotero menu, select Edit→Preferences→Cite and then choose APA 7 American Psychological Association (APA 7th edition) to cite in APA format.

Select citation style to cite in APA format

Figure 11: Select APA Citation Style

There are two methods to find the work you want to cite in APA format from the Zotero library. They are:

Searching the Zotero library with an identifier such as key words in the title or author
Selecting the work from a full list of works in the Zotero library

Searching by an identifier

Enter the identifying characteristic (e.g. author) in the red bar that appears (see Figure 12).
Select the work from the Zotero library list.
The citation will appear in APA format in the red bar (see Figure 13).

Figure 12: Select Work to Cite

Citation in APA format displayed in the Zotero red bar

Figure 13: Citation Displayed in Zotero

Press Enter (or equivalent) to insert citation into your Word document.
See Figure 17 for the in-text citation

Selecting from a full list

Select the down-arrow in the red bar that appears (see Figure 14).
Select Classic View from the drop-down list (see Figure 15).

Select drop-down arrow in the Zotero red bar

Figure 14: Zotero Red Bar

Select Classic View of sources in Zotero

Figure 15: Select Classic View

Select the work from the Zotero library list (see Figure 16).
Select OK.
See Figure 17 for the in-text citation.

Figure 16: Classic View of Sources

Example of an In-text Citation Added

Example of citation inserted into a Word document by Zotero

Figure 17: Citation Inserted by Zotero

How to Add a Narrative Citation in APA Format

A narrative citation in APA format has the date only in brackets.

You need to enter the author(s) yourself immediately before the date.

Zotero allows you to omit the author(s) so that only the date is inserted.

Create a narrative in-text citation (e.g., "Baldwin and Lammers (2016) found that this directly contradicts other research results..." as follows:

Omit the author from the citation in the Zotero red bar (see Figure 18).

Select the citation (left-mouse click or equivalent) in the red bar.
Select Omit Author in the dialog box.
Press Enter (or equivalent) to insert the date in the text.

Omit the author from the classic view dialog box.

Select the drop-down arrow in the red bar.
Select Classic View (see Figure 19).
Select Omit Author (see Figure 20).
Select OK.

Select Omit Author flag from the Zotero red bar dialog box

Figure 18: Omit Author from the Citation

Select the down-arrow in the red bar that appears (see Figure 14).
Select Classic View from the drop=down list (see Figure 15).

Select Omit Author flag from the Zotero classic view

Figure 19: Omit Author from the Citation

Omit author in Zotero Classic View screen

Figure 20: Omit Author from Classic View Dialog

Reference List in APA Format

Zotero can create a reference list in APA format.

You should create a page with the heading References. This is at the end of the document, often the last page.

Create a reference list in APA format as follows:

Insert your first in-text citation (see Figure 21).

First citation in APA format in the text using the Add/Edit function of Zotero

Figure 21: Insert In-text Citation

Place your cursor in the first line of the reference page (see Figure 22).

Figure 22: Blank Reference Page

Select Add/Edit Bibliography from the Zotero tab in the Word ribbon (see Figure 23).

Add first citation in APA format to the reference list

Figure 23: First Citation in the Reference List

When the next citation is added (see Figure 24), the reference list is automatically updated (see Figure 25).

Second citation in APA format in the text using the Add/Edit function of Zotero

Figure 24: Second Citation Added In-text

Reference list automatically updated with the citation in APA format

Figure 25: Updated Reference List

Every time you add an intext-citation, the reference list will be updated in APA format.

Summary

It is easy to cite in APA format once you have set up Zotero which is a free citation generator.

Using Zotero involves the following steps:

Download the Zotero software and browser connector (first time only).
Add your citation to Zotero.
Add your citation to your academic document (e.g., thesis, essay, literature review).
Specify APA 7 as your style (first time only).
Set up your reference page.
Add further citations and references.

You will save yourself a lot of time!

Like This Page? Please Share It.

Facebook Twitter Reddit WhatsApp Tumblr

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.