How do I cite a book chapter in APA?

To cite a book chapter in APA (7th edition), include the author, title, date, and source location. Use our free citation generator for automatic formatting.

What is the APA format for a book chapter citation?

The APA format for a book chapter is: Author, A. A. (Year). Title of chapter. In E. E. Editor (Ed.), Title of book (pp. xx–xx). Publisher.

What does the in-text citation look like for a book chapter in APA?

In APA, the in-text citation for the example above is (Chapter Author, Year)

How to Cite a Book Chapter in APA (7th edition)

Learn how to cite chapters and essays in edited books in APA format (7th edition). This guide includes the reference list format, in-text citation examples, and key formatting rules.

APA Reference List Format

Here is the standard APA format for citing a book chapter in your reference list:

Author, A. A. (Year). Title of chapter. In E. E. Editor (Ed.), Title of book (pp. xx–xx). Publisher.

APA Example for a Book Chapter

A complete APA reference for a book chapter, formatted by the official APA CSL style definition — the same engine that powers the generator on this site:

Kowalski, A. (2021). Teaching citation as a habit of mind. In S. Reyes & J. Kim (Eds.), Handbook of Writing Instruction (2nd ed., pp. 203–221). Academic Press.

Matching in-text citation: (Kowalski, 2021)

APA In-Text Citation

Use one of these formats when referencing this source within your paper:

Parenthetical

(Chapter Author, Year)

Narrative

Chapter Author (Year) argues that...

Key APA Formatting Rules

List the chapter author first, then the chapter title (sentence case, not italicized).
Introduce the editor(s) with "In" and the role "(Ed.)" or "(Eds.)" — editor initials come before the surname.
Italicize the book title and give the chapter page range in parentheses as (pp. xx–xx).
End with the publisher; add the DOI as an https://doi.org/ link if the chapter has one.

Step-by-Step Guide

Gather source information: Collect the author name, title, publication date, and URL or DOI for your book chapter.
Format the reference: Arrange the elements following the APA (7th edition) template shown above.
Create the in-text citation: Add a parenthetical or narrative citation in your paper where you reference this source.
Add to your reference list: Include the full formatted citation at the end of your paper.
Double-check formatting: Verify italics, punctuation, capitalization, and hanging indents match APA requirements.

Evidence and review notes

Worked examples are generated by citeproc from the published CSL definition, not written by a language model. Editorial guidance and sources in this section were reviewed on 2026-08-14.

CSL style record: apa.csl

Metadata to collect

chapter author
chapter title
book editor
book title
edition
publisher and year
chapter page range
DOI

Common metadata traps

Cite the chapter author, not the book editor, as the author of the entry.
Give the full page range of the chapter, not only the pages you quoted.

Editorial sources

APA Style — references →

Read the detailed source guide →

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I cite a book chapter in APA?: To cite a book chapter in APA (7th edition), include the author, title, date, and source location. Use our free citation generator for automatic formatting.
What is the APA format for a book chapter citation?: The APA format for a book chapter is: Author, A. A. (Year). Title of chapter. In E. E. Editor (Ed.), Title of book (pp. xx–xx). Publisher.
What does the in-text citation look like for a book chapter in APA?: In APA, the in-text citation for the example above is (Chapter Author, Year)