How to Format a ASA References
The references is one of the most important parts of any academic paper formatted in ASA (7th edition). It provides readers with the full details of every source you cited, allowing them to locate and verify your references. Getting the formatting right is essential for academic credibility. This guide covers the exact rules, shows real examples, and highlights the most common mistakes students make.
Formatting Rules
Follow these rules when creating your ASA references:
1.Title the page "References" (centered) at the top
2.Start on a new page after the body of the paper
3.Use a hanging indent for each entry
4.Double-space all entries
5.Alphabetize by the first author's last name
6.The year of publication follows the author's name immediately, before the title
7.Use a colon before page numbers in in-text citations (Smith 2024:15), not 'p.'
Example References
Here is how a ASA references looks with entries for different source types:
Book
Smith, Jane D. 2024. The Art of Research. London: Academic Press.
Journal Article
Lee, Alex B. and Chris Park. 2024. "Modern Citation Practices." Journal of Academic Writing 15(2):45–67.
Website
World Health Organization. 2024. "Global Health Statistics." Retrieved March 20, 2024 (https://www.who.int/statistics).
Book Chapter
Jones, Maria. 2024. "Research Methods in Sociology." Pp. 55–80 in Handbook of Sociological Research, edited by S. Brown. New York: University Press.
Newspaper Article
Garcia, Carlos. 2024. "New Trends in Academic Citation." New York Times, March 15, p. A1.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
These are the five most frequent formatting errors students make when creating a ASA references:
- Missing or incorrect hanging indent: Every entry should have the first line flush left and all subsequent lines indented by 0.5 inches. Use your word processor's paragraph settings rather than pressing the Tab key.
- Incorrect alphabetization or ordering: Entries must be arranged according to ASA rules. Ignore articles like "A," "An," and "The" when alphabetizing. For numbered styles, list entries in the order they first appear in the text.
- Inconsistent spacing: Double-check your line spacing throughout the entire references. Mixing single and double spacing is a common error that is easy to miss.
- Wrong use of italics: Italicize titles of standalone works such as books and journals, but do not italicize article or chapter titles. Check ASA guidelines for exactly which elements should be italicized.
- Missing or broken DOIs and URLs: Always include a DOI when one is available, formatted as a clickable link. Test every URL before submitting your paper to make sure it leads to the correct source.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- What is a ASA References?
- A ASA References is the section at the end of your paper that lists all the sources you cited in your text, formatted according to ASA 7th Edition (7th edition) guidelines. It allows readers to locate and verify each source you referenced.
- How do I format a ASA references?
- Start on a new page, title it "References," and list all sources you cited in your paper. Follow the specific ASA rules for hanging indents, spacing, alphabetization or numbering order, and italics.
- What is the difference between a references and a bibliography?
- A references includes only the sources you directly cited in your paper, while a bibliography may also include sources you consulted but did not cite. In ASA (7th edition), the end-of-paper list is called the "References."