Citation Styles

Who Uses APA Style?

The American Psychological Association Style, or APA Style, is generally used by disciplines within the social sciences.

Disciplines that use APA Style include, but are not limited to:

• Business
• Communication
• Criminology and Criminal Justice
• Education
• Engineering
• Nursing
• Political Science
• Psychology
• Social Work

How to Navigate This Section

This main page provides an overview of APA style 7th edition, defines who should use it, and identifies print and online sources. The additional subpages outline the guidelines for using in-text citations, describe the format for the reference list, and provide examples of various source types..

Print copies of the most current edition — the 7th edition — are available in the following ASU Library locations: Hayden Reserve, Polytechnic Reference, Downtown Reference, West Valley (Fletcher) Reference, Music Reference, Noble Reference, Hayden Stacks, and Polytechnic Stacks.

Citation styles change over time. The advent of the Internet and the increasing number of material types (web pages, e-journals, etc.) have contributed to some of these changes. When using a specific citation style, be sure to use a resource that reflects the current edition, such as the official style manual or an additional resource listed below.

Many of the APA style guidelines and most commonly needed citation examples can be found at the official APA Style website: 

• Style and Grammar Guidelines 
• Reference Examples
• Handouts and Guides
• Inclusive Language Guidelines
• Plagiarism

Additionally, these online sources are helpful in resolving citation style questions. However, they are not the official APA Style guide, but rather interpretations of the citation style and may be prone to inaccuracies. Always consult the official style manual first for the most accurate information.

• APA Citation Style 
  Tutorial developed by the ASU Library for learning about APA Style
• Purdue OWL APA Formatting and Style Guide
  ​​Online resource from Purdue University that provides information on online reference materials and services, including creating citations, formatting papers to specific styles like APA, and more
• APA Style Blog
  Offers opportunities to ask citation style questions and get help from the APA community, especially when the answer cannot be found easily in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association
• ZoteroBib - A free service to help you create a bibliography in any style