How to Cite Books in APA Format
Books remain fundamental sources in academic research across all disciplines. Whether you're citing a traditional print book, an ebook, an edited collection, or a specific chapter, mastering APA 7th edition book citation format is essential for scholarly writing. This comprehensive guide covers all book citation scenarios with detailed examples and practical tips.
Why Book Citations Matter in Academic Writing
Books provide in-depth analysis and comprehensive coverage of topics that journal articles cannot match. They represent sustained scholarly effort, often years of research compiled into a single authoritative source. Proper book citation demonstrates your engagement with foundational literature in your field, helps readers locate your sources, and maintains the ethical standards of academic discourse.
The APA 7th edition introduced several changes to book citations, particularly for ebooks and edited volumes. Understanding these updates ensures your citations meet current academic standards and avoid common pitfalls that can undermine the credibility of your research.
Basic Format for Book Citations
Print book:
Author, A. A. (Year). Title of book. Publisher.
Ebook with DOI:
Author, A. A. (Year). Title of book. Publisher. https://doi.org/xx.xxxx
Edited book:
Editor, A. A. (Ed.). (Year). Title of book. Publisher.
In-text Citation:
- Parenthetical: (Author, Year)
- Narrative: Author (Year)
- With page number: (Author, Year, p. 123)
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Identify the Author(s)
Determine whether the book has individual authors, editors, or a corporate/organizational author. Individual authors are listed by last name followed by initials. For edited books, include "(Ed.)" or "(Eds.)" after the editor names. If the author is an organization, use the full organization name. List up to 20 authors; if there are 21 or more, list the first 19, insert an ellipsis (...), and add the final author.
Step 2: Find the Publication Year
The publication year appears on the copyright page of the book. Use the most recent copyright year shown. If the book lists both an original publication date and a reprint date, use the reprint date in your citation but note the original date in your text if relevant to your discussion.
Step 3: Format the Book Title
Book titles should be italicized and use sentence case (only the first word, the first word after a colon or dash, and proper nouns are capitalized). Include the subtitle after a colon. If the book is part of a series or has an edition number, include this information in brackets after the title.
Step 4: Identify the Publisher
Include the publisher's name exactly as it appears on the title page, but omit business designations like "Inc." or "Co." If multiple publishers are listed, include all of them separated by semicolons. For ebooks, include the publisher of the print version or the platform where you accessed it (like Kindle edition).
Step 5: Add DOI or URL for Ebooks
If the ebook has a DOI, include it as a URL at the end of the citation. If there's no DOI but the book is available online, include the URL. For ebooks accessed through common platforms (Kindle, Apple Books, Google Books), you may omit the URL as these are widely accessible retail platforms.
Step 6: Note Edition Information
If you're citing a specific edition of a book (2nd ed., revised ed., etc.), include this in parentheses after the title. Always cite the edition you actually used in your research.
Detailed Examples
Example 1: Print Book with Single Author
Reference list:
Kahneman, D. (2011). Thinking, fast and slow. Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
In-text citation:
(Kahneman, 2011)
Standard format for a single-author print book. Note the sentence case title and publisher without business designation.
Example 2: Ebook with DOI (Two Authors)
Reference list:
Thaler, R. H., & Sunstein, C. R. (2021). Nudge: The final edition. Yale University Press. https://doi.org/10.12987/9780300268584
In-text citation:
(Thaler & Sunstein, 2021)
Ebook with a DOI. Always use the ampersand (&) between author names in the reference list, but write "and" in narrative in-text citations.
Example 3: Edited Book
Reference list:
Kuhl, P. K., & Stevens, E. (Eds.). (2023). The Cambridge handbook of infant development. Cambridge University Press.
In-text citation:
(Kuhl & Stevens, 2023)
For edited books, include "(Eds.)" after the editor names. Use "(Ed.)" for a single editor.
Example 4: Chapter in an Edited Book
Reference list:
Morrison, T. M. (2024). Cultural perspectives on emotional development. In P. K. Kuhl & E. Stevens (Eds.), The Cambridge handbook of infant development (pp. 215–238). Cambridge University Press.
In-text citation:
(Morrison, 2024)
For book chapters, list the chapter author first, then the chapter title (not italicized), then the book editors, book title (italicized), page range, and publisher.
Example 5: Book with Edition Number
Reference list:
American Psychiatric Association. (2022). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed., text rev.). American Psychiatric Publishing.
In-text citation (first use):
(American Psychiatric Association, 2022)
In-text citation (subsequent uses):
(APA, 2022)
Include edition information in parentheses after the title. For well-known organizational authors, you can use abbreviations in subsequent citations.
Example 6: Ebook from Online Library or Database
Reference list:
Dewey, J. (1916). Democracy and education. Macmillan. https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/852
In-text citation:
(Dewey, 1916)
For ebooks from online archives or databases, include the URL. The original publisher and date are retained.
Example 7: Republished Book
Reference list:
Darwin, C. (2003). On the origin of species. Signet Classic. (Original work published 1859)
In-text citation:
(Darwin, 1859/2003)
For republished books, cite the edition you used but note the original publication date. In-text citations use both dates.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
1. Including Location of Publisher
APA 7th edition eliminated the requirement to include the publisher's location. Simply list the publisher's name without the city or state. This is one of the most significant changes from APA 6th edition.
2. Incorrect Title Capitalization
Book titles use sentence case, not title case. Only capitalize the first word, the first word after a colon or dash, and proper nouns. This differs from how titles appear on the book cover, which often uses title case for marketing purposes.
3. Forgetting to Italicize Book Titles
Always italicize the complete book title, including any subtitle. Chapter titles within edited books are not italicized, but the book title itself must be.
4. Omitting Edition Information
If you're using the second edition or later of a book, you must include the edition number. Failing to do so may lead readers to the wrong version of the source.
5. Citing Kindle Edition Incorrectly
For Kindle or other commercial ebook platform editions, cite the book normally with the publisher of the original work. You don't need to include "Kindle edition" or the Amazon URL, as these are considered retail platforms, not publishers.
6. Confusing Editors with Authors
For edited books, make sure to include "(Ed.)" or "(Eds.)" after the editor names. When citing a chapter from an edited book, the chapter author is listed first, not the book editor.
7. Including Page Numbers for Whole Books
Page numbers are only included when citing a specific chapter or section of a book. When citing an entire book, omit page numbers from the reference list (though you should include them in in-text citations when referring to specific passages).
Quick Reference Guide
Essential Elements for Complete Book:
- Author(s) - Last name, First initial. Middle initial.
- Publication year in parentheses
- Book title in italics and sentence case
- Edition information in parentheses (if applicable)
- Publisher name
- DOI or URL (for ebooks when available)
Essential Elements for Book Chapter:
- Chapter author(s)
- Publication year in parentheses
- Chapter title in sentence case (not italicized)
- "In" followed by book editor(s) with (Ed.) or (Eds.)
- Book title in italics and sentence case
- Page range in parentheses (pp. xx–xx)
- Publisher name
- DOI or URL (if applicable)
Special Cases Quick Tips
- No author: Begin with the book title
- Author is also publisher: Use "Author" as the publisher name
- Volume in multivolume work: Add (Vol. X) after the title
- Translated book: Add translator info in parentheses after title
- Audiobook: Add "[Audiobook]" after the title
- Book with subtitle: Separate with a colon, capitalize first word of subtitle
Finding Book Citation Information
All the information you need for a book citation can typically be found in the book itself:
- Title page: Book title, subtitle, author names, edition information
- Copyright page: Publication year, publisher, ISBN
- Cover or spine: Verify title and author
- Table of contents: Page numbers for chapters
For ebooks, look for an information page or "About This Book" section. DOIs for books are increasingly common but not yet universal. Check the publisher's website or use CrossRef to search for book DOIs.
Different Book Types
Multivolume Works
When citing a specific volume of a multivolume work, include the volume number in parentheses after the title:
Marx, K., & Engels, F. (1975). Collected works (Vol. 4). International Publishers.
Translated Books
Include translator information after the title in parentheses:
Freud, S. (1965). New introductory lectures on psychoanalysis (J. Strachey, Trans.). Norton. (Original work published 1933)
Reference Books and Encyclopedias
For entries in reference books, cite similarly to book chapters, listing the entry author (or using the entry title if no author) followed by the reference book information.
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Try Free APA Citation Generator →Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to include the ISBN?
No. APA format does not require ISBN numbers in citations. The author, year, title, and publisher provide sufficient information for readers to locate the book.
How do I cite a book with no publication date?
If no publication date is available, use "(n.d.)" in place of the year: Author, A. A. (n.d.). Title of book. Publisher.
Should I cite the ebook or print version?
Cite the version you actually used. If you read the Kindle edition, cite that. If content differs significantly between editions (like added prefaces or different pagination), it's important to specify which version you used.
How do I cite multiple books by the same author?
List them chronologically by publication year. If the same author has multiple books from the same year, add lowercase letters after the year (2023a, 2023b) in both the reference list and in-text citations.