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.
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