Reference list
This page covers the general rules for creating a reference list. Refer to the tabs on the left for the format for each source type in your reference list.
Your reference list in APA 7th style needs to include all the works you have cited in your assignment (except for any personal communications). It is placed at the end of your essay on a new page and has a specific format you need to follow.
Setting up your list
Refer also to the Sample reference list (below) and an annotated section of a reference list.
| Format | Rule |
|---|---|
| Title of page | References at top of page, centred and bold, beginning with a capital letter. |
| Indent | Use hanging indents set at 1.27cm for each entry |
| Line spacing | Double line spacing, no space between entries |
| Order of list | Alphabetical by first author surname |
| Author names | Preserve order of names in the publication. See the Formatting rules and examples below. |
| Punctuation |
|
Formatting rules and examples
Reference list
Format
Author, A. A.
Example
Beckett, S. T. (2008). The science of chocolate (2nd ed.). Royal Society of Chemistry. https://doi.org/10.1039/9781847558053
Reference list
Format
Author, A. A., & Author, B. B.
Example
Hadgkiss, E. J., & Renzaho, A. M. (2014). The physical health status, service utilisation and barriers to accessing care for asylum seekers residing in the community: A systematic review of the literature. Australian Health Review, 38(2), 142–159. https://doi.org/10.1071/AH13113
Reference list
Format
List all author names.
Author, A. A., Author, B. B., Author, C. C., Author, D. D., Author, E. E., Author, F. F., Author, G. G., Author, H. H., Author, I. I., & Author, J. J.
Example
Wolchik, S. A., West, S. G., Sandler, I. N., Tein, J., Coatsworth, D., Lengua, L., Weiss, L., Anderson, E. R., Green, S. M., & Griffin, W. A. (2000). An experimental evaluation of theory-based mother and mother-child programs for children of divorce. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 68(5), 843–856. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-006X.68.5.843
Reference list
Format
List the first 19 authors, then add a three-dot ellipsis, then the last author.
Author, A. A., Author, B. B., Author, C. C., Author, D. D., Author, E. E., Author, F. F., Author, G. G., Author, H. H., Author, I. I., Author, J. J., Author, K. K., Author, L. L., Author, M. M., Author, N. N., Author, O. O., Author, P. P., Author, Q. Q., Author, R. R., Author, S. S., ...Author, Z. Z.
Example
Griswold, M. G., Fullman, N., Hawley, C., Arian, N., Zimsen, S. R., Tymeson, H. D., Venkateswaran, V., Tapp, A. D., Forouzanfar, M. H., Salama, J. S., Abate, K. H., Abate, D., Abay, S. M., Abbafati, C., Abdulkader, R. S., Abebe, Z., Aboyans, V., Abrar, M. M., Acharya, P., ... Gakidou, E. (2018). Alcohol use and burden for 195 countries and territories, 1990–2016: A systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2016. The Lancet, 392(10152), 1015–1035. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(18)31310-2
Reference list
Format
Use the title in place of the author.
Example
500,000 Oregon residents evacuate statewide due to wildfires. (2020, September 10). HuffPost. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/oregon-residents-evacuations-wildfire
Tips
- If the title begins with “A”, “An", or “The”, file the entry in the reference list by the first significant word in the title (i.e. ignore “A”, “An” or “The”). See: How to alphabetize…
- Where the title begins with a number or a year, file according to the pronunciation of the number- in the above example, “Five hundred thousand”.
Reference list
Format
APA 7th guidelines specify that secondary citations should ONLY be used where the original is unavailable (e.g. out-of-print). Wherever possible, read and cite the original source.
If the original source is not available, ONLY include in your reference list the details of the source that you actually read (in the following example the work by Ward and Decan).
Example
In-text: . . . (Farrow, 1968, as cited in Ward & Decan, 1988).
Reference list: Ward, D., & Decan S. K. (1988). The future of the urban city. Routledge.
Reference list
Format
Use author name for all entries, listing entries by year with the earliest first. Any references with no date (n.d.) are listed first.
Example
Jones, M. (n.d.). More than you bargained for. https//www.randomthoughts.org
Jones, M. (2015). Popular culture: The rise of the super hero. Palgrave Macmillan.
Jones, M. (2019). A guide to Australian graphic novels. Bloomsbury.
Reference list
Format
List alphabetically by title, assigning a suffix of a, b, c, d, etc. after the year.
Example
Smith, A. (2007a). Emerging in between: The multi-level governance of renewable energy in the English regions. Energy Policy, 35(12), 6266–6280. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2007.07.023
Smith, A. (2007b). Translating sustainabilities between green niches and socio-technical regimes. Technology Analysis & Strategic Management, 19(4), 427–450. https://doi.org/10.1080/09537320701403334
Reference list
Format
Do not use acronyms for the author, spell out the full name.
Example
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2017, June). Childhood education and care, Australia. https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/education/childhood-education-and-care-australia/latest-release
Tips
- If the author name begins with “The”, file the entry in the reference list by the first significant word in the title. For example, file The Beatles in the “B”s. See: How to alphabetize…
Sometimes, some of the information needed to create a reference list entry (author, year/date, title, or source) may be missing- if so, see Missing Reference Information for how to proceed.
Unsure how to format a Western or Non-Western author name? Consult Author Name Format (Singapore Institute of Technology).