How to Cite a Journal Article in APSA (current)
Learn how to cite peer-reviewed and academic journal articles in APSA format (current). This guide includes the reference list format, in-text citation examples, and key formatting rules.
APSA Reference List Format
Here is the standard APSA format for citing a journal article in your reference list:
APSA Example for a Journal Article
A complete APSA reference for a journal article, formatted by the official APSA CSL style definition — the same engine that powers the generator on this site:
Rivera, Maria, and David Chen. 2021. “The Mapping of Meaning: A Study of Citation Practice.” Journal of Scholarly Communication 12(3): 145–62. doi:10.1000/jsc.2021.145.
Matching in-text citation: (Rivera and Chen 2021)
Step-by-Step Guide
- Gather source information: Collect the author name, title, publication date, and URL or DOI for your journal article.
- Format the reference: Arrange the elements following the APSA (current) 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 APSA 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: apsa.csl
Metadata to collect
- authors
- article title
- journal title
- year
- volume and issue
- page range or article number
- DOI
Common metadata traps
- Confirm that the DOI resolves to the same title, authors, and version.
- Distinguish a preprint from the final version of record.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How do I cite a journal article in APSA?
- To cite a journal article in APSA (current), include the author, title, date, and source location. Use our free citation generator for automatic formatting.
- What is the APSA format for a journal article citation?
- The APSA format for a journal article is: Rivera, Maria, and David Chen. 2021. “The Mapping of Meaning: A Study of Citation Practice.” Journal of Scholarly Communication 12(3): 145–62. doi:10.1000/jsc.2021.145.
- What does the in-text citation look like for a journal article in APSA?
- In APSA, the in-text citation for the example above is (Rivera and Chen 2021)
Generate This Citation Automatically
Skip the manual formatting. Paste a DOI, URL, or ISBN into CitationEasy and get a perfectly formatted APSA citation in seconds.
Cite in APSA Now →Generate this citation
Paste a URL, DOI, ISBN, or the source details and get a finished APSA citation for a Journal Article.
Open the Journal Article Citation Generator →Bibliography Studio
Saved citations build a full bibliography in the Studio