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APSA Citation Guide: A Clear Path to Proper Academic References

APSA citation style

You’ve just spent hours working on your essay. The arguments are solid, the research is thorough, and everything is falling into place — until it’s time to add citations. What goes where? Is it the author’s name first, or the year? And what exactly is a parenthetical citation?

It’s not as complicated as it seems. Every time you quote or paraphrase someone else’s work, you need to include a few key details: who wrote it, what it’s called, and where your reader can find it. This happens in two places:

  1. In the text, right where you reference the work. This is called a parenthetical citation because the information goes in parentheses.
  2. At the end of your essay, in a References or Works Cited section, where you list full details about each source.

If you’re writing a paper in political science, you’ll likely use the APSA citation style. Let’s break it down and make it simple.

What is APSA Citation Style?

The APSA citation guide stands for American Political Science Association style, and it’s specifically designed for political science research. Whether you’re writing a paper for class or publishing in an APSA journal, this style keeps your citations clean and easy to follow.

Here’s the gist of it:

  • Parenthetical citations are key: These are short references in the text that point to full details in your reference list. For example, (Smith 2020, 45) includes the author’s last name, the year of publication, and the page number.
  • Always include page numbers: For direct quotes, page numbers are mandatory. Even for paraphrasing, they’re highly recommended to keep your references specific and helpful.
  • Straightforward and professional: The goal of APSA citations is consistency and clarity. No confusing formats or unnecessary details — just the essentials to help your reader find your sources.

APSA style came about to standardize political science writing. It’s all about making your sources clear and giving credit where it’s due.

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Source: https://essaypro.com/blog/apsa-citation

APSA Citation General Rules

Citing sources might not be the most thrilling part of writing, but it’s something every student has to tackle. The APSA citation format is just a set of rules to follow so your paper looks good. Once you get the basics, it’s not as bad as it seems. 

In-Text Citations

In APSA, in-text citations follow the parenthetical citations format. These are quick notes in parentheses that appear right in your text, usually at the end of a sentence. They give just enough detail to point readers to the full source listed in your References section.

Here’s how APSA in-text citation works:

Include the author’s last name and the year of publication in parentheses, like this: (Smith 2020).
If you’re quoting directly, add the page number after a comma: (Smith 2020, 45).
If there’s no publication date, use n.d. for “no date”: (Johnson n.d.).

Citing multiple authors or sources follows slightly different rules:

  • Two authors: (Clark and Rivera 2021)
  • Three or more authors: List the first author, then et al.: (Patel et al. 2018, 34)
  • Multiple works by the same author in one year: Add letters to the year: (Lee 2020a) and (Lee 2020b).
  • No author: Use the title instead, italicized if it’s a book or in quotation marks for an article: ("Global Climate Policy" 2019).
  • Citing multiple sources in one parenthesis: Separate them with semicolons: (Smith 2020; Taylor and Brown 2018; Patel 2015, 89).

Once you understand these basic rules, using APSA in-text citations becomes a natural part of your writing routine!

Writing in multiple formats? Check out how to use Chicago style section headings to structure your paper beautifully.

Reference List

The APSA reference page is the section where you provide full details about every source you cited in your text. Here’s the basic structure you’ll follow for it:

Alphabetize by the author’s last name. If a source doesn’t have an author, use the title for alphabetization.
Use a hanging indent: the first line of each entry stays flush left, while the following lines are indented.
Be consistent with your formatting. Titles, punctuation, and spacing should all follow APSA guidelines.

Here’s how different types of sources look as APSA citations:

  • For books, the title is italicized: Downs, Anthony. 1957. An Economic Theory of Democracy. New York: Harper and Row.
  • For journal articles, italicize the journal name but put the article title in quotation marks: Aldrich, John H. 1980. “A Dynamic Model of Presidential Nomination Campaigns.” The American Political Science Review 74 (3): 651–669.
  • For chapters in edited books, italicize the book title but keep the chapter title in quotation marks: Riker, William H. 1962. “The Theory of Political Coalitions.” In Readings in Game Theory, edited by Martin Shubik, 1–20. New York: Wiley.
  • For online materials, include the URL and the date accessed if required: “Global Policy Trends.” 2020. Accessed January 15, 2025. https://www.globalpolicytrends.org.

If a source has multiple authors, list them all in the reference list. For works with four or more authors, use “et al.” in the in-text citation but spell out all names in the reference list.

Notes and Footnotes

In APSA citation style, notes and footnotes are there for the little extras that don't quite fit into the main text but are still important. They’re not meant for regular citations (you have in-text citations and a reference list for that), but they’re perfect for adding context, explaining a point, or sharing a bit of background information.

Here’s how to handle them:

Footnotes go at the bottom of the page, right where the superscript number appears in your text. They’re great for quick explanations or references.
Endnotes gather all the notes in one place at the end of your document. Use these for longer, more detailed comments.

To format notes in APSA style, follow these simple steps:

  • Add a superscript number in your text to mark where the note goes:
    The study’s findings align with previous research on political behavior.¹
  • Write the corresponding note at the bottom of the page (or in your endnotes section) using proper APSA formatting:
    ¹ Smith, John. Political Patterns and Trends. New York: Academic Press, 2020.

Use notes only when they genuinely add value and keep the formatting consistent with your reference list.

Citing Different Types of Sources

Sometimes, you’ll run into sources that don’t fit the usual books or journal articles. Don’t worry, though — APSA citations have you covered with clear rules for all kinds of materials. 

Government Documents

If you’re citing a government document, the agency or department is treated as the author. For example, say you’re referencing a report from the Department of Education:

In your text, it would look like this: (U.S. Department of Education 2004, 2).
In the reference list: U.S. Department of Education. 2004. Report on Urban Growth Potential Projections. Washington, DC: Government Printing Office.

Legal Cases

For legal cases, just use the case name and year in your in-text citation:

Like this: (Rasul v. Bush 2004)
Then, in your reference list, it would look like this: Rasul v. Bush, 542 U.S. 466 (2004).

Interviews

When it comes to interviews, include the person’s name, who conducted the interview (if applicable), and the date. For example:

In-text: (Smith 2023).
Reference list: Smith, John. 2023. Interview by Jane Doe. March 15. New York City.

Websites

For websites, always include the URL and the access date if you can’t find a clear publication date. If you’re citing something from APSA’s site, it might look like this:

In-text: (APSA 2023).
Reference list: American Political Science Association. 2023. "APSA Citation Style." Accessed January 19, 2025. https://connect.apsanet.org/stylemanual/.

Reports

If you’re working with reports, they’re pretty straightforward. Treat them like books, but name the organization as the author. For example:

In-text: (Department of Labor 2004).
Reference list: Department of Labor. 2004. Annual Workforce Trends Report. Washington, DC: Government Printing Office.

Finally, legal citations like court cases include the case name, year, and specific legal details. Here’s how it looks:

In-text: (Mapp v. Ohio 1961).
Reference list: Mapp v. Ohio, 367 U.S. 643 (1961).

With these examples, you can confidently handle even the most unusual sources. Whether it’s a government report or a website, your APSA book citations and APSA website citations will always be on point!

Need to switch styles? Here’s a guide on using APA citation in essay for your next project, while our APA essay writer is ready to help with any formatting style.

Common APSA Citation Mistakes

When working with APSA citation style, it’s easy to make a few missteps. These small errors can affect the clarity and professionalism of your work, so let’s go over some of the most common issues and how to avoid them:

Mistake Explanation Example
🔥 Missing Author Names Always include the author's last name in in-text citations and their full name in the reference list. Incorrect: (2020)
Correct: (Smith 2020)
📅 Incorrect Publication Year Double-check the publication year to ensure accuracy. Incorrect years can confuse readers about the source. Incorrect: (Smith 2019)
Correct: (Smith 2020)
📄 Omitting Page Numbers for Quotes Always include the page number for direct quotes. This helps readers find the exact part of the source. Incorrect: (Smith 2020)
Correct: (Smith 2020, 45)
🎨 Inconsistent Formatting Use italics for book titles and quotation marks for article titles. Inconsistencies can make your work look sloppy. Incorrect: Smith, John. 2020. "Title of Book." New York: Publisher.
Correct: Smith, John. 2020. Title of Book. New York: Publisher.
👥 Improper Use of ‘et al.’ Use ‘et al.’ for in-text citations with four or more authors, but list all authors in the reference list. Incorrect: (Smith, Johnson, and Lee 2020)
Correct: (Smith et al. 2020)
🔤 Misordering Multiple Citations Arrange multiple sources in one parenthesis alphabetically by the first author’s last name. Incorrect: (Taylor 2020; Smith 2018)
Correct: (Smith 2018; Taylor 2020)

By keeping these common errors in mind, you’ll create an accurate, polished APSA citation example every time, helping your paper stand out for all the right reasons!

Once your citations are done, let a professional essay editor give your paper the final polish it deserves.

APSA Made Easy

Citations don’t have to be stressful, and with APSA style, it’s all about keeping things simple and consistent. Avoid common mistakes, stick to the rules, and your citations will not only look great but also add credibility to your work.

Now go finish that essay — you’ve got this! And if citations still feel like a hassle, you can always order essay writing service to get expert help and free up your time.

Source: https://essaypro.com/blog/apsa-citation

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Source: https://essaypro.com/blog/apsa-citation
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Adam Jason

Adam Jason

is an expert in nursing and healthcare, with a strong background in history, law, and literature. Holding advanced degrees in nursing and public health, his analytical approach and comprehensive knowledge help students navigate complex topics. On EssayPro blog, Adam provides insightful articles on everything from historical analysis to the intricacies of healthcare policies. In his downtime, he enjoys historical documentaries and volunteering at local clinics.

What was changed:
Sources:

Seattle Pacific University. (n.d.). APSA Citation Guide. Seattle Pacific University. https://spu.libguides.com/citations/cite_apsa

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