Help!  How do I cite ____?

Follow these steps:

1. What are the important elements of the source? -- author, title (journal and article if needed), publication date, publication info, electronic retrieval info (such as DOI or homepage of the journal or website, if applicable)
    
2. What format of source is it? -- electronic vs. print.  (Did you get it from a computer originally?  Even if you printed it off, it's still electronic!)
    
3. What type of source is it? -- magazine, journal, newspaper, regular book, reference book, video, audio, picture...
    
4. Using #2 and #3, find the closest-matching source citation example that you know is correct.  Use your elements from #1, and make your citation match the example.  Use examples from here:
   • Chambers Library's quick APA handout.
   • Chambers Library's APA Guide.
   • The Purdue Online Writing Lab -- navigate on the left

Still stuck?

Ask us for help, on the left!

In addition, know that the APA Style Manual does not cover every single type of citation.  From the APA Manual of Style, chapter 7:

Occasionally … you may need to use a reference for a source for which this chapter does not provide specific guidance. In such a case, choose the example that is most like your source and follow that format.

CIA World Factbook:

Central Intelligence Agency. (2014). Brazil. In The world factbook. Retrieved from https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/br.html. 

Global Edge

MSU-CIBER globalEDGE. (2007) Country insights: Ireland. Retrieved July 24, 2015, from http://globaledge.msu.edu/