Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some of the frequently asked questions about APA style that people have sent in to our online tutors or asked on our grammar hotline.

You need to somehow distinguish between the web pages in the parenthetical citations even if they have the same title. Usually, the author's last name can be used in addition to the shortened form of the title. If none of the web pages have authors, are the sponsors of the page different? If so, use that to distinguish between the pages. If not, are the update dates different? Try to find some way to distinguish the two.

Magazine titles are italicized. Articles from magazines are placed in quotation marks when they are referenced in the body of your work and left as-is when referenced in a reference list entry.

Give the secondary source in the references list; in the text, name the original work, and give a citation for the secondary source. For example, if Seidenberg and McClelland's work is cited in Coltheart et al. and you did not read the original work, list the Coltheart et al. reference in the References. In the text, use the following citation:

In Seidenberg and McClelland's study (as cited in Coltheart, 


Curtis, Atkins, & Haller, 1993), ...

In the references list, cite the secondary source. For example, the secondary source for the source in the example above would be as follows:

Coltheart, M., Curtis, B., Atkins, P., & Haller, M. (1993). 

     Models of reading aloud: Dual-route and parallel-

     distributed-processing approaches. Psychological Review, 

     100, 589-608.

Format references to brochures in the same way that you would format references to entire books, but identify the publication as a brochure in brackets before the publication information. Here's an example of a brochure citation.

Research and Training Center on Independent Living. (1993). 

     Guidelines for reporting and writing about people with 

     disabilities (4th ed.) [Brochure].  Lawrence, KS: Author.

How do I cite a document I retrieved from ERIC?

You can find the APA ERIC citation format on page 257 of the APA Publication Manual, 5th Edition. Generally, the citation form is the same as for a printed source, but with the ERIC document number in parentheses at the end. No URL is necessesary.

For example: [regular citation information here]. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED486790).

Here's what the APA Manual (5th ed.) says about personal communication (section 3.102): "Personal communications may be letters, memos, some electronic communications, telephone conversations, and the like. Because they do not provide recoverable data, personal communications are not included on the reference list. Cite personal communications in text only. Give the initials as well as the surname of the communicator, and provide as exact a date as possible." For example: N.E. Migan (personal communication, January 11, 2001)

Alter the television listing citation format to fit the radio program. Include the same information but substitute the radio station and name of the program for the TV info.

What is the standard APA style for a handout given by a speaker at a conference?

If you have gone to a conference and picked up a handout (or obtained a copy) of a paper or poster presentation and would like to use information from that handout, in section 4.16 (p. 260) the APA Publication Manual does describe how to reference this type of source. They refer to it as an "unpublished paper or presentation." The format is the same for posters and papers. Just make sure that you indicate whether your source is a poster or a paper.

Mooney, K. S., & Berndt, T. J. (2003, April). Conceptions of positive 

     and negative features in romantic relationships and cross-sex 

     friendships. Poster presented at the biennial meeting of 

     the Society for Research in Child Development, Tampa, FL.

How do I cite PowerPoint presentation slides?

Whether the slides are from a conference presentation or a class lecture, they would probably fit best as an "unpublished paper or presentation." You can use the format given for conference handouts. If the slides are from a class, be sure to indicate the date, class, and university. When making reference to a particular slide in the text of your work, refer to the slide's number in place of the page number so that readers can quickly find the relevant information.

Smith, A. B. (2003, March 4). Abnormal Behaviors. 

     Presented at a PSY 235 lecture at Purdue University.

How do I cite my lecture notes?

The best approach to citing information from your own personal notes from a class lecture seems to be to consider it as a “personal communication” because it includes “unrecoverable data.” For this reason, personal communications are only cited within the text and are not included in the reference list.

For example, you might say:

• In a lecture on November 16, 2002, to a PSY 235 class, Professor Smith said …
• … (A. B. Smith, PSY 235 lecture, November 16, 2002).

How do I cite a class handout?

Since a handout could be requested by a reader from the professor of the class, “unpublished paper or presentation” seems like the most similar type of reference. Your professor should be considered the author. Be sure to provide information about the class and university.

Smith, A. B. (2003, Spring). Abnomal Behavior in Children. 

     PSY 235: Purdue University.

How do I cite an article from a course packet?

Referencing information from a course packet really depends on the type of source within the course packet. The reference should be based on the specific source. If you are using information from a handout in the course packet, use the format suggested for “Class Handout.” If it is a journal article, it should be cited as a journal article. Don’t focus on the packet as a whole; focus on the individual source. Include as much information in the citation as you can, and leave out what you don't know.

How do I cite laws or court decisions in APA style?

The best source we've found to explain these citations is Westfield State College's "Citing Legal Materials in APA style, which can be found at http://www.lib.wsc.ma.edu/legalapa.htm.