APA Referencing Guide — Books
Books referencing guide (PDF download).
Notes
- This section refers to books in all formats, print and electronic.
- When quoting from an ebook without page numbers, you can use any of the following to help the reader find your quoted text: the chapter heading, section name, paragraph number.
- Print and ebooks are formatted the same in the reference list, except that an ebook would have a DOI or URL at the end.
- (Ed.) abbreviation for editor (in round brackets, followed by a full stop).
- (Eds.) abbreviation for more than one editor (in round brackets, followed by a full stop).
- List author/editors names in the order they appear on the title page of the book.
- (ed.) abbreviation for edition (in round brackets, followed by a full stop).
- Only include edition if it the second or subsequent edition, i.e. do not mention if it is the first edition of a book.
- Publication details are generally found towards the start of the book. In art books, these are often at the end of the book.
- Ignore the reprint dates.
- Do not use the word "Ltd." after the name of the publisher.
- When the author and publisher are the same name, do not include the publisher in the reference list.
- If there is more than one publisher, separate each one with a semi colon, e.g. BMJ Group; Pharmaceutical Press.
- Add DOI link for ebooks, if available.
- If no DOI, add a short URL if not found through Summon/ library ebook platform.
- If no DOI and found through Summon/ library ebook provider, then treat as a print book, i.e. include publisher only.
Choose the most relevant link below: