How to Cite a Book in APA (7th edition)
Learn how to cite printed and electronic 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 in your reference list:
Author, A. A. (Year). Title of work: Capital letter also for subtitle. Publisher.
APA Example for a Book
A complete APA reference for a book, formatted by the official APA CSL style definition — the same engine that powers the generator on this site:
Okafor, A. (2019). The craft of research writing (2nd ed.). University Press.
Matching in-text citation: (Okafor, 2019)
APA In-Text Citation
Use one of these formats when referencing this source within your paper:
Parenthetical
(Smith, 2024, p. 45)
Narrative
Smith (2024) explains that...
Key APA Formatting Rules
- Italicize the book title.
- Capitalize only the first word and proper nouns in the title.
- Include the publisher — omit the location.
- Include DOI or URL if it's an e-book.
- For edited books, put (Ed.) or (Eds.) after the name.
Step-by-Step Guide
- Gather source information: Collect the author name, title, publication date, and URL or DOI for your book.
- 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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