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Reference List: Common Reference List Examples

Article (with doi).

Alvarez, E., & Tippins, S. (2019). Socialization agents that Puerto Rican college students use to make financial decisions. Journal of Social Change , 11 (1), 75–85. https://doi.org/10.5590/JOSC.2019.11.1.07

Laplante, J. P., & Nolin, C. (2014). Consultas and socially responsible investing in Guatemala: A case study examining Maya perspectives on the Indigenous right to free, prior, and informed consent. Society & Natural Resources , 27 , 231–248. https://doi.org/10.1080/08941920.2013.861554

Use the DOI number for the source whenever one is available. DOI stands for "digital object identifier," a number specific to the article that can help others locate the source. In APA 7, format the DOI as a web address. Active hyperlinks for DOIs and URLs should be used for documents meant for screen reading. Present these hyperlinks in blue and underlined text (the default formatting in Microsoft Word), although plain black text is also acceptable. Be consistent in your formatting choice for DOIs and URLs throughout your reference list. Also see our Quick Answer FAQ, "Can I use the DOI format provided by library databases?"

Jerrentrup, A., Mueller, T., Glowalla, U., Herder, M., Henrichs, N., Neubauer, A., & Schaefer, J. R. (2018). Teaching medicine with the help of “Dr. House.” PLoS ONE , 13 (3), Article e0193972. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0193972

For journal articles that are assigned article numbers rather than page ranges, include the article number in place of the page range.

For more on citing electronic resources, see  Electronic Sources References .

Article (Without DOI)

Found in a common academic research database or in print.

Casler , T. (2020). Improving the graduate nursing experience through support on a social media platform. MEDSURG Nursing , 29 (2), 83–87.

If an article does not have a DOI and you retrieved it from a common academic research database through the university library, there is no need to include any additional electronic retrieval information. The reference list entry looks like the entry for a print copy of the article. (This format differs from APA 6 guidelines that recommended including the URL of a journal's homepage when the DOI was not available.) Note that APA 7 has additional guidance on reference list entries for articles found only in specific databases or archives such as Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, UpToDate, ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global, and university archives. See APA 7, Section 9.30 for more information.

Found on an Open Access Website

Eaton, T. V., & Akers, M. D. (2007). Whistleblowing and good governance. CPA Journal , 77 (6), 66–71. http://archives.cpajournal.com/2007/607/essentials/p58.htm

Provide the direct web address/URL to a journal article found on the open web, often on an open access journal's website. In APA 7, active hyperlinks for DOIs and URLs should be used for documents meant for screen reading. Present these hyperlinks in blue and underlined text (the default formatting in Microsoft Word), although plain black text is also acceptable. Be consistent in your formatting choice for DOIs and URLs throughout your reference list.

Weinstein, J. A. (2010). Social change (3rd ed.). Rowman & Littlefield.

If the book has an edition number, include it in parentheses after the title of the book. If the book does not list any edition information, do not include an edition number. The edition number is not italicized.

American Nurses Association. (2015). Nursing: Scope and standards of practice (3rd ed.).

If the author and publisher are the same, only include the author in its regular place and omit the publisher.

Lencioni, P. (2012). The advantage: Why organizational health trumps everything else in business . Jossey-Bass. https://amzn.to/343XPSJ

As a change from APA 6 to APA 7, it is no longer necessary to include the ebook format in the title. However, if you listened to an audiobook and the content differs from the text version (e.g., abridged content) or your discussion highlights elements of the audiobook (e.g., narrator's performance), then note that it is an audiobook in the title element in brackets. For ebooks and online audiobooks, also include the DOI number (if available) or nondatabase URL but leave out the electronic retrieval element if the ebook was found in a common academic research database, as with journal articles. APA 7 allows for the shortening of long DOIs and URLs, as shown in this example. See APA 7, Section 9.36 for more information.

Chapter in an Edited Book

Poe, M. (2017). Reframing race in teaching writing across the curriculum. In F. Condon & V. A. Young (Eds.), Performing antiracist pedagogy in rhetoric, writing, and communication (pp. 87–105). University Press of Colorado.

Include the page numbers of the chapter in parentheses after the book title.

Christensen, L. (2001). For my people: Celebrating community through poetry. In B. Bigelow, B. Harvey, S. Karp, & L. Miller (Eds.), Rethinking our classrooms: Teaching for equity and justice (Vol. 2, pp. 16–17). Rethinking Schools.

Also include the volume number or edition number in the parenthetical information after the book title when relevant.

Freud, S. (1961). The ego and the id. In J. Strachey (Ed.), The standard edition of the complete psychological works of Sigmund Freud (Vol. 19, pp. 3-66). Hogarth Press. (Original work published 1923)

When a text has been republished as part of an anthology collection, after the author’s name include the date of the version that was read. At the end of the entry, place the date of the original publication inside parenthesis along with the note “original work published.” For in-text citations of republished work, use both dates in the parenthetical citation, original date first with a slash separating the years, as in this example: Freud (1923/1961). For more information on reprinted or republished works, see APA 7, Sections 9.40-9.41.

Classroom Resources

Citing classroom resources.

If you need to cite content found in your online classroom, use the author (if there is one listed), the year of publication (if available), the title of the document, and the main URL of Walden classrooms. For example, you are citing study notes titled "Health Effects of Exposure to Forest Fires," but you do not know the author's name, your reference entry will look like this:

Health effects of exposure to forest fires [Lecture notes]. (2005). Walden University Canvas. https://waldenu.instructure.com

If you do know the author of the document, your reference will look like this:

Smith, A. (2005). Health effects of exposure to forest fires [PowerPoint slides]. Walden University Canvas. https://waldenu.instructure.com

A few notes on citing course materials:

[Lecture notes]
[Course handout]
[Study notes]
It can be difficult to determine authorship of classroom documents. If an author is listed on the document, use that. If the resource is clearly a product of Walden (such as the course-based videos), use Walden University as the author. If you are unsure or if no author is indicated, place the title in the author spot, as above.
If you cannot determine a date of publication, you can use n.d. (for "no date") in place of the year.

Note: The web location for Walden course materials is not directly retrievable without a password, and therefore, following APA guidelines, use the main URL for the class sites: https://class.waldenu.edu.

Citing Tempo Classroom Resources

Clear author:

Smith, A. (2005). Health effects of exposure to forest fires [PowerPoint slides]. Walden University Brightspace. https://mytempo.waldenu.edu

Unclear author:

Health effects of exposure to forest fires [Lecture notes]. (2005). Walden University Brightspace. https://mytempo.waldenu.edu

Conference Sessions and Presentations

Feinman, Y. (2018, July 27). Alternative to proctoring in introductory statistics community college courses [Poster presentation]. Walden University Research Symposium, Minneapolis, MN, United States. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/symposium2018/23/

Torgerson, K., Parrill, J., & Haas, A. (2019, April 5-9). Tutoring strategies for online students [Conference session]. The Higher Learning Commission Annual Conference, Chicago, IL, United States. http://onlinewritingcenters.org/scholarship/torgerson-parrill-haas-2019/

Dictionary Entry

Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). Leadership. In Merriam-Webster.com dictionary . Retrieved May 28, 2020, from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/leadership

When constructing a reference for an entry in a dictionary or other reference work that has no byline (i.e., no named individual authors), use the name of the group—the institution, company, or organization—as author (e.g., Merriam Webster, American Psychological Association, etc.). The name of the entry goes in the title position, followed by "In" and the italicized name of the reference work (e.g., Merriam-Webster.com dictionary , APA dictionary of psychology ). In this instance, APA 7 recommends including a retrieval date as well for this online source since the contents of the page change over time. End the reference entry with the specific URL for the defined word.

Discussion Board Post

Osborne, C. S. (2010, June 29). Re: Environmental responsibility [Discussion post]. Walden University Canvas. https://waldenu.instructure.com

Dissertations or Theses

Retrieved From a Database

Nalumango, K. (2019). Perceptions about the asylum-seeking process in the United States after 9/11 (Publication No. 13879844) [Doctoral dissertation, Walden University]. ProQuest Dissertations and Theses.

Retrieved From an Institutional or Personal Website

Evener. J. (2018). Organizational learning in libraries at for-profit colleges and universities [Doctoral dissertation, Walden University]. ScholarWorks. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=6606&context=dissertations

Unpublished Dissertation or Thesis

Kirwan, J. G. (2005). An experimental study of the effects of small-group, face-to-face facilitated dialogues on the development of self-actualization levels: A movement towards fully functional persons [Unpublished doctoral dissertation]. Saybrook Graduate School and Research Center.

For further examples and information, see APA 7, Section 10.6.

Legal Material

For legal references, APA follows the recommendations of The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation , so if you have any questions beyond the examples provided in APA, seek out that resource as well.

Court Decisions

Reference format:

Name v. Name, Volume Reporter Page (Court Date). URL

Sample reference entry:

Brown v. Board of Education, 347 U.S. 483 (1954). https://www.oyez.org/cases/1940-1955/347us483

Sample citation:

In Brown v. Board of Education (1954), the Supreme Court ruled racial segregation in schools unconstitutional.

Note: Italicize the case name when it appears in the text of your paper.

Name of Act, Title Source § Section Number (Year). URL

Sample reference entry for a federal statute:

Individuals With Disabilities Education Act, 20 U.S.C. § 1400 et seq. (2004). https://www.congress.gov/108/plaws/publ446/PLAW-108publ446.pdf

Sample reference entry for a state statute:

Minnesota Nurse Practice Act, Minn. Stat. §§ 148.171 et seq. (2019). https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/148.171

Sample citation: Minnesota nurses must maintain current registration in order to practice (Minnesota Nurse Practice Act, 2010).

Note: The § symbol stands for "section." Use §§ for sections (plural). To find this symbol in Microsoft Word, go to "Insert" and click on Symbol." Look in the Latin 1-Supplement subset. Note: U.S.C. stands for "United States Code." Note: The Latin abbreviation " et seq. " means "and what follows" and is used when the act includes the cited section and ones that follow. Note: List the chapter first followed by the section or range of sections.

Unenacted Bills and Resolutions

(Those that did not pass and become law)

Title [if there is one], bill or resolution number, xxx Cong. (year). URL

Sample reference entry for Senate bill:

Anti-Phishing Act, S. 472, 109th Cong. (2005). https://www.congress.gov/bill/109th-congress/senate-bill/472

Sample reference entry for House of Representatives resolution:

Anti-Phishing Act, H.R. 1099, 109th Cong. (2005). https://www.congress.gov/bill/109th-congress/house-bill/1099

The Anti-Phishing Act (2005) proposed up to 5 years prison time for people running Internet scams.

These are the three legal areas you may be most apt to cite in your scholarly work. For more examples and explanation, see APA 7, Chapter 11.

Magazine Article

Clay, R. (2008, June). Science vs. ideology: Psychologists fight back about the misuse of research. Monitor on Psychology , 39 (6). https://www.apa.org/monitor/2008/06/ideology

Note that for citations, include only the year: Clay (2008). For magazine articles retrieved from a common academic research database, leave out the URL. For magazine articles from an online news website that is not an online version of a print magazine, follow the format for a webpage reference list entry.

Newspaper Article (Retrieved Online)

Baker, A. (2014, May 7). Connecticut students show gains in national tests. New York Times . http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/08/nyregion/national-assessment-of-educational-progress-results-in-Connecticut-and-New-Jersey.html

Include the full date in the format Year, Month Day. Do not include a retrieval date for periodical sources found on websites. Note that for citations, include only the year: Baker (2014). For newspaper articles retrieved from a common academic research database, leave out the URL. For newspaper articles from an online news website that is not an online version of a print newspaper, follow the format for a webpage reference list entry.

Online Video/Webcast

Walden University. (2013). An overview of learning [Video]. Walden University Canvas. https://waldenu.instructure.com

Use this format for online videos such as Walden videos in classrooms. Most of our classroom videos are produced by Walden University, which will be listed as the author in your reference and citation. Note: Some examples of audiovisual materials in the APA manual show the word “Producer” in parentheses after the producer/author area. In consultation with the editors of the APA manual, we have determined that parenthetical is not necessary for the videos in our courses. The manual itself is unclear on the matter, however, so either approach should be accepted. Note that the speaker in the video does not appear in the reference list entry, but you may want to mention that person in your text. For instance, if you are viewing a video where Tobias Ball is the speaker, you might write the following: Tobias Ball stated that APA guidelines ensure a consistent presentation of information in student papers (Walden University, 2013). For more information on citing the speaker in a video, see our page on Common Citation Errors .

Taylor, R. [taylorphd07]. (2014, February 27). Scales of measurement [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDsMUlexaMY

Walden University Academic Skills Center. (2020, April 15). One-way ANCOVA: Introduction [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/_XnNDQ5CNW8

For videos from streaming sites, use the person or organization who uploaded the video in the author space to ensure retrievability, whether or not that person is the speaker in the video. A username can be provided in square brackets. As a change from APA 6 to APA 7, include the publisher after the title, and do not use "Retrieved from" before the URL. See APA 7, Section 10.12 for more information and examples.

See also reference list entry formats for TED Talks .

Technical and Research Reports

Edwards, C. (2015). Lighting levels for isolated intersections: Leading to safety improvements (Report No. MnDOT 2015-05). Center for Transportation Studies. http://www.cts.umn.edu/Publications/ResearchReports/reportdetail.html?id=2402

Technical and research reports by governmental agencies and other research institutions usually follow a different publication process than scholarly, peer-reviewed journals. However, they present original research and are often useful for research papers. Sometimes, researchers refer to these types of reports as gray literature , and white papers are a type of this literature. See APA 7, Section 10.4 for more information.

Reference list entires for TED Talks follow the usual guidelines for multimedia content found online. There are two common places to find TED talks online, with slightly different reference list entry formats for each.

TED Talk on the TED website

If you find the TED Talk on the TED website, follow the format for an online video on an organizational website:

Owusu-Kesse, K. (2020, June). 5 needs that any COVID-19 response should meet [Video]. TED Conferences. https://www.ted.com/talks/kwame_owusu_kesse_5_needs_that_any_covid_19_response_should_meet

The speaker is the author in the reference list entry if the video is posted on the TED website. For citations, use the speaker's surname.

TED Talk on YouTube

If you find the TED Talk on YouTube or another streaming video website, follow the usual format for streaming video sites:

TED. (2021, February 5). The shadow pandemic of domestic violence during COVID-19 | Kemi DaSilvalbru [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGdID_ICFII

TED is the author in the reference list entry if the video is posted on YouTube since it is the channel on which the video is posted. For citations, use TED as the author.

Walden University Course Catalog

To include the Walden course catalog in your reference list, use this format:

Walden University. (2020). 2019-2020 Walden University catalog . https://catalog.waldenu.edu/index.php

If you cite from a specific portion of the catalog in your paper, indicate the appropriate section and paragraph number in your text:

...which reflects the commitment to social change expressed in Walden University's mission statement (Walden University, 2020, Vision, Mission, and Goals section, para. 2).

And in the reference list:

Walden University. (2020). Vision, mission, and goals. In 2019-2020 Walden University catalog. https://catalog.waldenu.edu/content.php?catoid=172&navoid=59420&hl=vision&returnto=search

Vartan, S. (2018, January 30). Why vacations matter for your health . CNN. https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/why-vacations-matter/index.html

For webpages on the open web, include the author, date, webpage title, organization/site name, and URL. (There is a slight variation for online versions of print newspapers or magazines. For those sources, follow the models in the previous sections of this page.)

American Federation of Teachers. (n.d.). Community schools . http://www.aft.org/issues/schoolreform/commschools/index.cfm

If there is no specified author, then use the organization’s name as the author. In such a case, there is no need to repeat the organization's name after the title.

In APA 7, active hyperlinks for DOIs and URLs should be used for documents meant for screen reading. Present these hyperlinks in blue and underlined text (the default formatting in Microsoft Word), although plain black text is also acceptable. Be consistent in your formatting choice for DOIs and URLs throughout your reference list.

Related Resources

Knowledge Check: Common Reference List Examples

Didn't find what you need? Email us at [email protected] .

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APA Citation and University Writing: Examples

GGU University Writing
APA 7 Style Overview
Citations, References
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APA Style examples

These examples are references. The examples demonstrate the style and format required for a reference list.

Need help with in-text citation style? Click the tab Citations & Reference List .

APA 7 Style Guide Examples

APA Style Notes

Date of retrieval
Missing Info

The examples on this page should only be used as a guide. The following links are official APA Style resources:

APA Style FAQ [APA Style]

Quick Answers - Reference

APA Tutorial: The Basics of APA Style

https://URL

URL where information was r etrieved not required for library database citations.

Database where information was retrieved not required in most instances except for special cases.

A citation for an article from a library database does not require the URL or name of the database.

ONLINE! URL

Do not include the words "Retrieved from" any longer before the URL

URL is important for items found freely available online. APA rules recommend using the homepage URL when an item can be easily located - such as URLs for news websites or online databases such as Hathi Trust and Internet Archive. Here is an example - only the homepage URL is used, not the full webpage URL.

Gallagher, D. (2018, Feb. 3 ) Is Google Losing to Amazon? Wall Street Journal. https://www.wsj.com

Retrieved date is only included in a reference if the information cited is likely to change.

In general, do not include retrieved date within a citation, unless it is required by your instructor, or you are citing a blog, wiki, and a post from a personal website.

Example of information likely to change:

Neurology. (n.d.). In Wikipedia . Retrieved August 8, 2007 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neurology

This is only in cases where this is no published date and the information is likely to change.

[Square Brackets]

[Square Brackets] have several functions in APA Style. Regardless of the function, words within square brackets are your words .

1) [Square brackets] identify source types. APA Style recommends (not requires) providing identifying information when the title and other information in the citation does not identify the source. Add [square brackets] when needed to clarify what the item is. For example, [Case study], [Blog post], [Wiki], [Twitter post], [Facebook post] [Personal website], [PDF document], [Excel document], [Video], [Interview], [Data], [Data set].

Sasal, D. (2017, June 13) Project Management simplified: Learn the fundamentals of PMI's framework [Video]. Youtube. https://youtu.be/ZKOL-rZ79gs

2) Use square brackets If you’re referencing an unusual item.

APA Style Blog: Using Square Brackets

3) Use square brackets when there is missing information - for example, missing date and title.

APA Style Blog: Missing Pieces: How to Write an APA Style Reference Even Without All the Information

Do you have questions about authors?

Click here. APA FAQ tab. Need help formatting AUTHOR names? No author, multiple authors, etc... In the AUTHOR box, click the tabs IN-TEXT or REFERENCE to learn how to handle 1-5 authors, and 6+ authors.

Authors for websites are often corporations, organizations or governments. If there is no person as the author consider using a corporate/group name.

Use a corporate/group name when an o rganization, rather than an individual, takes responsibility for the creation of a work. Ask yourself, whose website is it - what company, organization or government agency?

No author? Are you sure? Is it a Group/corporate Author?

APA Style Blog on group authors

If there is no author and no group/corporate author, begin the reference with the TITLE in the author-place. Use a shortened version of the title in when using in-text citations.

How to write an APA Style reference when information is missing

No date? Missing title? Missing source?

APA Style Blog on missing information

Guidelines for missing information This PDF was created and made available by the APA Style Blog.
Articles - Print
Articles - Online
Articles - Library database
Articles - Library database with DOI

Working Papers

Article - print.

I ansiti , M., Lakhani, K. R., McBrien, K., & Moon, M. (2017). Managing our hub economy: Strategy, ethics, and network competition in the age of digital superpower. Harvard Business Review , 95 (5), 84-92.

Online Journal Article

Klein, G., & Aubry, M. (2017). Introducing the issue on megaprojects. Project Management Journal , 48 (6), 3-4. https://www.pmi.org/PMJ

Wang, J., Meric, G., Liu, Z., & Meric, I. (2010). A comparison of the determinants of stock returns in the 1987 and 2008 stock market meltdowns. Banking and Finance Review, 2 (1), 15-26. http://www.bankingandfinancereview.com/

Online Newspaper Article

Gallagher , D. (2018, February 3 ). Is Google losing to Amazon? The Wall Street Journal. https://www.wsj.com

Krauss, C. (2008, August 30). Surge in natural gas has Utah driving cheaply. The New York Times . https://www.nytimes.com

APA Style Blog on citing newspapers

Is this website a newspaper, magazine or journal?

"There’s no governing authority who decides what’s a newspaper versus a website versus an online magazine versus something else entirely. Best to look at how the site refers to itself and follow the convention associated with that. So if they call themselves a newspaper, italicize the name; otherwise, don’t." APA Style Blog

If the site does not refer to itself as a newspaper, magazine or journal cite the source as a webpage - scroll down to Online - Webpage.

Articles from library databases without doi .

Journal Article:

Arruda-Filho, E., Cabusas, J., & Dholakia, N. (2010). Social behavior and brand devotion among iPhone innovators. International Journal of Information Management, 30 (6), 475-480.

Magazine Article:

Barkin, E. (2010, April). Jetting to greener pastures. Customer Relationship Management, 14 (4), 30-33,36.

Newspaper Article:

Krauss, C. (2008, August 30). Surge in natural gas has Utah driving cheaply. The New York Times , 157 (54418), A1. https://www.nytimes.com/

Articles from library databases with doi.

Gonzalez, J., Ragins, B., Ehrhardt, K., & Singh, R. (2018). Friends and family: The role of relationships in community and workplace attachment. Journal of Business & Psychology , 33 (1), 89-104. https://doi.org/ 10.1007/s10869-016-9476-3

Holland, C. P. (1995). Cooperative supply chain management: The impact of interorganizational information systems. The Journal of Strategic Information Systems, 4 (2), 117-133. https://doi.org/10.1016/0963-8687(95)80020-Q

Deming, D., & Dynarski, S. (2008). The lengthening of childhood (National Bureau of Economic Research Working Paper No. 14124). http://www.nber.org/papers/w14124

White papers.

Department for Business Innovation & Skills. (2016). Success as a knowledge economy: Teaching excellent, social mobility and student choice [White paper]. Crown. https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/523396/bis-16-265-success-as-a-knowledge-economy.pdf

APA Style on White Papers

Author, A. A. (year). Title of work (Report No. 123). Publisher.

Author, A. A. (year). Title of work (Report No. 123). http:// www.URL.com

Source: American Psychological Association, 2010, p.206.

Books in print

Book in print

Brader, t. (2006). campaigning for hearts and minds: how emotional appeals in political ads work . university of chicago press., laudon, k.c. & traver, c.g. (2016). e-commerce: business, technology, society (12 th ed.). pearson., lewis, r., & dart, m. (2010). the new rules of retail: competing in the world's toughest marketplace . palgrave macmillan., miller, t. e., bender, b. e., & schuh, j. h. (2005). promoting reasonable expectations: aligning student and institutional views of the college experience . jossey-bass..

Book with no author, but has an editor or editors: add (Ed.) or (Eds.)

Duncan , G. J., & Brooks-Gunn, J. (Eds.). (1997). Consequences of growing up poor . Russell Sage Foundation.

Ebooks (APA 7)

Ebook from a library database (ie. Ebook Central ProQuest)

Kerzner, H. (2017). Project management metrics, KPIS, and dashboards: A guide to measuring and monitoring project performance . https://ebookcentral.proquest.com

Ebook found online:

Barton, Clara. (1904). A story of the Red Cross: Glimpses of field work . D. Appleton and Company. http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/30230

Ebook accessed using a specific reader

Gladwell, M. (2011). Outliers: The story of success . Back Bay Books. https://www.amazon.com

Case Studies

Case study published by harvard business school publishing.

Thomas, D.A. (1999). Leaving. HBS No. 400033-PDF-ENG. Harvard Business School Publishing.

Eisenmann, T., & Herman, K. (2010). Google, Inc. HBS No. 910036-PDF-ENG. Harvard Business School Publishing.

Case Study published by Ivey Publishing

Bernhut, S. (2013). The Ivey Business Journal Interview: State Capitalism, with Aldo Musacchio . Ivey ID: 9B13TB08. Ivey Publishing.

General Guidelines
Library Database
Website (including photo)
Reference examples

Figures: graphs, flow charts, maps, drawings, photos, etc.

Looking for tables > use formatting information in the box Tables.

Click through the tabs and find in-text citation and reference examples.

Using Statista? Scroll down to the Statista box.

Video tutorial: APA Style for Figures and Tables

Looking for tables > using formatting information in the box Tables.

A figure may be a chart, a graph, a photograph, a drawing, or any other illustration or nontextual depiction. Any type of illustration other than a table is referred to as a figure.

When you use a figure that has been adapted or copied directly from another source, you need to reference that original source. This reference appears as a caption underneath the figure (image):

don't include a title on top - the caption is your title
concise explanation of the figure; i.e. a brief but descriptive phrase
include copyright information
format your caption - use italics and a capital F for Figure and sequential numbering (if you have more than one Figure)

Legend (if needed) :

A legend explains the symbols used in the figure. It should have the same kind and proportion of lettering that appear in the rest of the figure.

capitalize major words in the legend
place the legend within the figure (it may already be there if you have copied the graph from elsewhere)

General rules:

Number all figures with Arabic numerals in the order in which they are first mentioned in text, regardless of whether a more detailed discussion of the figure occurs later in the paper. For example, Figure 1...Figure 2...etc.
Refer to the figure in your writing - no italics, but with capital F, for example "In Figure 1..."
Copyright permission for using figures and images in theses/dissertations/exegeses - obtain written copyright permission from the copyright holder if you reproduced or adapted a figure from a copyrighted source. If you are adapting material from multiple sources, and integrating them into a single figure, you might need to include multiple permission statements, one for each source.
Figures must have a reference in your Reference List.

Multiple Sources:

See Simon Fraser University's instructions for citing multi-sources.

Created by Auckland University of Technology Library, and adapted with permission.

APA Style on citing Tables & Figures

Figure reproduced in your paper

Use this format for figures you COPY - reproduced exactly as they appear in another source. Use this format when you do not make any modifications or add data to the table.

Caption Format - caption under a figure

In-text citation:

Reference list entry:

Figure referred to and not reproduced in your paper

If you simply refer to a figure, format the in text-citation and the reference list entry in the usual way.

Figure 1. Factors influencing the formation of tourists' needs. Reprinted from "Factors that Obstruct Tourism Development in Bangladesh", by N. Jahan and S. Rahman, 2016, CLEAR International Journal of Research in Commerce & Management, 7 (9) , p.53. Copyright 2016 by Chinniah Lakshmiammal Educational Academy & Research (CLEAR) Foundation.

If you simply refer to a figure and do not include it in your text, format the in text citation and the reference list entry in the usual way.

Caption Format - caption under a figure

Example from ACNielsen Market Information Digest database

Figure 1 . The market location and dollar sales of meat pies in New Zealand. SMAP is the segment of market for the Auckland Province, SMLNI for the Lower North Island, SMSI for the South Island; MAP is the moving annual total. Nielsen Market Information Digest New Zealand database. Copyright 2011 by The Nielsen Company.

Example: from Passport (Euromonitor) database

If you refer to a figure, format the in-text citation and the reference list entry in the usual way:

Caption Format - caption under a figure

Figure 1 . Vermeer, J. (c. 1665). Girl with a pearl earring . From Mauritshuis Royal Picture Gallery, The Hague. http://www.mauritshuis.nl/index.aspx?Chapterid=2295. Reprinted with permission.

If you refer to a figure, format the in-text citation and the reference list entry in the usual way.

Not every reference to an artwork needs a reference list entry, for example, if you refer to a famous painting, as above, it would not need a reference.
clicking on or hovering your mouse over the image
looking at the bottom of the image
looking at the URL
if there is no title, create a short descriptive one yourself and put it in square brackets e.g. [...]

Reference List

Examples of references for figures.

Retrieved from a library database

Euromonitor International. (2013). Youth unemployment rate vs. total unemployment rate: 2006-2011 [Graph]. Euromonitor Passport database .

Format: Figure

Author. (year created). Title of work [Type of work], Database name or URL.

No author? Use a corporate/agency/company (as known as group author name), or a screen name. If this is not an option, use the title in place of the author.

Library Databases
Multiple sources

Tables: numerical values or text displayed in clearly designated columns and rows

Looking for: graphs, flow charts, maps, drawings, photos, etc. > see box Figures.

Created by Auckland University of Technology Library , and adapted with permission.

Tables usually show numerical value or textual information and are almost always characterized by a row-column structure. Any type of illustration other than a table is a figure .

General notes on tables:

Tables are located at the end of your paper, after the reference list and before any appendixes. Each table is on a separate page.
Tables may use single-spacing or one-and-a-half spacing (p. 229).
Information necessary for understanding the table and definitions of abbreviations used within the table appear in a table note. ( APA Style Blog )
All tables must be cited in-text and discussed within the body of your paper, and be included in your reference list.

Basic instructions for formatting tables

Number t ables sequentially (i.e.if you have more than one table in your writing) e.g. Table 1, Table 2 .....

Each table must be referred to in the text, using a capital T, for example: ...as shown in Table 1

Title is placed directly a bove the table itself and below the table number.

Brief but clear and explanatory, in italics and with major words capitalized with no full stop.

Note is placed directly below the table, the word "Note" in italics with a full stop, for example: Note.

Explain abbreviations, symbols etc
Acknowledge the source of the table
Include a copyright statement at the end of the note.

For specific and probability note (section 5.16, p 138).

Ruling (Lines)

Limit the use of lines to those that are necessary
Appropriately positioned white space can be an effective substitute.
Tables may be submitted either single or double spaced. Consider readability (section 5.17, p 141).

Sales of Take Home Ice Cream in New Zealand

Table reproduced in your paper

Use this format for tables you COPY - reproduced exactly as they appear in another source. Use this format when you do not make any modifications or add data to the table.

Note format - note under a table

Note. Reprinted from Employment relations in New Zealand (p 98), by E. Rasmussen, 2009. Pearson. Copyright (2009) by Erling Rasmussen.

Use the reference style for books - see go to box Books

Table referred to and not reproduced in your paper

If you simply refer to a table, format the in-text citation and the reference list entry in the usual way.

Note format - note under a table

In-text citation:

Use the reference style for articles - see box Articles .

Table referred to but not reproduced in your paper

Note Format : note below a table

Percentage of Men and Women Who Have Bought Fruit and Vegetable Products in the Last Four Weeks

Note. wc = weighted count, shown in thousands; v% =vertical percentage, showing which % of the column group also belongs to the row group; h% = horizontal percentage showing which percentage of the row group also belongs to the column group. Roy Morgan Single Source New Zealand database. Copyright 2015 by Roy Morgan New Zealand Ltd.

Reference List entry:

Note format - note below a table

Percentage of New Zealand Population Who Have Never Worked by Age Group. By age group June 2016 quarter

Note . Adapted from http://www.stats.govt.nz/browse_for_stats/income-and-work/employment_and_unemployment/people-never-worked.aspx . Copyright (2016) by Statistics New Zealand.

Use the reference style for websites - see box Online , tab Websites.

If you refer to a table but don’t provide a copy of it in your assessment, simply give an in-text citation in the usual way

Reference list entry:

Table - compiled from a variety of sources

Multi source data

If you create your own table by compiling data from multiple sources, you will still need to cite where you got your information from. You do not need to give the full bibliographic citation in the note, an author and date is sufficient.

Note format - note under table:

In-text citation:

Multiple kinds of data

If you have multiple kinds of data (population figures, employment information... etc.) in one table you would describe each set of data)

Note format - note under Table:

For more information see:

APA Style for figures & tables

Examples of references for tables.

Retrieved from a book

New Strategist. (2008). Women's time use by age, 2007 [Table]. In New Strategist Editors, American women: Who they are and how they live (4th ed.) . New Strategist Publications, Inc.

Retrieved from a online source

US Census Bureau. (2002). Industries in Which California Ranks First in Terms of Sales or Receipts Per Capita [Table]. 2002 Economic Census . http://www.census.gov/econ/census02/data/tops/TOPSTCA.HTM

National Center for Education Statistics. (2007). [Chart showing racial makeup of San Francisco Unified School District students under age 18]. Common Core of Data . http://nces.ed.gov/ccd/districtsearch/

If the table you find does not have a title, then describe the content in [square brackets].

Format: Table

Author. (Publication Date). Title of table [Table]. In author or editor of work Title of work . Publisher.

Author. (Publication Date). Title of table [Table]. Title of website. URL

Author. (Publication Date). [Title of table] [Table]. Title of website. URL

Interviews, Emails, Personal Communications

Interview, Email & Personal Communications

Personal interviews that you conduct do not have references. Personal interviews are considered personal communication. Include any relevant and important information about the interview in the body of your paper. APA Style states, "An interview is not considered recoverable data, so no reference to this is provided in the reference list. You may, however, cite the interview within the text as a personal communication." APA Style

Interviews - research participants . APA Style

An interview you read has a citation and reference. Where did you find the interview? Is it from a magazine article, website, blog, etc.? Use the appropriate APA Style format to create the reference.

Email & Personal Communications

Email & personal communications do not have references at the end of your paper, but you will create a citation within the body of your paper.

Why do personal communications not have references? References are created to direct your reader to the sources of information you used in your paper. With personal communications you cannot direct the reader to the source - to the phone conversation you had, to your email inbox, to the day of the interview - the reader of your paper cannot access these sources.

Include any relevant and important information about the email and personal communication in the body of your paper.

Here is an example for the APA Style :

Blogs & Wikipedia
YouTube & Video

Social Media

Help! More info for web sources...

Website (entire website, not a webpage)

No citation is needed for an entire website. Include the website within the body of a paper.

"In my paper, I mention a website. I refer to the website as a whole, and I am not discussing a specific webpage or an article within a website. Do I need to create an in-text citation and a reference list citation?"

NO . All you need to do is include the URL within the body of your paper, and you do not need to include the website and URL in your reference list at the end of the paper. In APA Style there is no specific formatting recommendations.

Two examples - full websites mentioned within a paper.

1) The Department of Health has just released a new website to help people identify and compare health care programs available in their area. The website is called HealthCare.gov at http://www.healthcare.gov/ This resource is easy to use and the interface is intuitive, but the website will not support members of the population not using the internet.

2) Kidspsych ( http://www.kidspsych.org ) is a wonderful interactive website for children. This resource is appropriate for children ages 3 to 10.

APA Style Blog: Websites & Webpages

Webpage (not an online journal, magazine or newspaper > use article format) (APA 7)

Webpage with author:

Doyle, A. (2017, July 1). Best questions to ask at a job interview: What to ask the employer during a job interview. The balance careers. The Balance. https://www.thebalance.com/questions-to-ask-in-a-job-interview-2061205

Webpage without a person as the author - there are options! (APA 7)

Authors for websites are often corporations, organizations or governments. If there is no person listed as the author consider using a corporate/group name . Use a corporate/group name when an o rganization, rather than an individual, takes responsibility for the creation of a work. Ask yourself, whose website is it - what company, organization or government agency?

Webpage with no person as author. Use a corporate/group author. (APA 7)

United States government agency

U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (2018, February 14). Traumatic brain injury: FDA actions and research. http://usgov.info/2018/02/14/traumatic-brain-injury-fda-actions-and-research/

U.S. Small Business Association. (n.d.). Build your business plan. https://www.sba.gov/tools/business-plan/1?interiorpage2015

Ben & Jerry's. (n.d.). Our history. https://www.benjerry.com/about-us

Samsung. (2018). Vision 2020. https://www.samsung.com/us/aboutsamsung/vision/vision2020/

Kaiser Permanente. (2013, November). Measuring quality and patient safety. https://healthy.kaiserpermanente.org

Webpage with no author

Effective business plans: Strategies for managers. (2018, March 4). Business Pros. http:// www.businesspros.com

Format: Title of webpage. (Year, Month Day web page was last updated). Webpage. URL

In-text citation for no author: ("First Few Words of Title," YEAR). ("Effective Business Plans," 2018).

If the site refers to itself as a newspaper, magazine or journal cite the source using an article format. Scroll up to Articles - Online.

Blogs, wikis, and posts on personal websites

Stephanie (2018, february 5). what to do if your obamacare 1095-a column b is zero. poorer than you . http://poorerthanyou.com/category/taxes/.

APA Style on citing Blogs

When citing Wikipedia, cite an archived version of a Wikipedia page so that readers can retrieve the version you used.

*Access the archived version on Wikipedia by selecting “View history” and then the time and date of the version you used.

*If a wiki does not provide permanent links to archived versions of the page, include the URL for the entry and a retrieval date.

Business performance management. ( 2018, January 25 ). In Wikipedia . https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Business_performance_ management

Neurology. (n.d.). In Wikipedia . Retrieved December 15, 2017 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neurology

APA Style Blog on citing Wikipedia

Entire blog, wiki, or personal website

"In my paper, I mention a blog. I refer to the blog as a whole, and I am not discussing a specific blog post. Do I need to create an in-text citation and a reference list citation?"

No. All you need to do is include the URL within the body of your paper, and you do not need to include the website and URL in your reference list at the end of the paper. In APA Style there is no specific formatting recommendations.

Two examples for mentioning the entire blog, wiki or personal website. In the body of the paper:

1) At age 22, blogger Stephanee (Stephanie), started her the blog Poorer Than You (http://poorerthanyou.com). The posts are aimed at millennials and provide financial advice on a variety of topics.

2) I have learned a lot by reading the Psych Learning Curve blog (http://psychlearningcurve.org). This blog is an excellent resource for teachers.

Glass, I. (Producer). (2013, September 6). How I got into college [Audio podcast]. In This American Life . http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/504/how-i-got-into-college

Purdue OWL APA Style: How to Cite a Podcast

LastName, A. A. (Producer). (Year, Month Day {of podcast}). Title of podcast [Audio podcast]. In Title of Podcast Series . Publisher. URL

Podcast without a series - stand alone

LastName, A. A. (Host). (Year, Month Day {of podcast}). Title of podcast [Audio podcast episode]. Publisher. URL

Gallagher , D. (2018, February 3 ). Is Google losing to Amazon? The Wall Street Journal. https://www.wsj.com

Krauss, C. (2008, August 30). Surge in natural gas has Utah driving cheaply. The New York Times . https://www.nytimes.com

CNN. (2015, February 15). Boston sets new snow record [Video]. https://www.cnn.com/videos/weather/2015/02/15/newday-alesci-ripley-boston-sets-new-snow-record.cnn/video/playlists/top-news-videos/

Online Newspaper format:

Author, A. A. (Year, Month Day). Title of article: Capital letter to start subtitle. Title of Newspaper . https://www.someaddress.com

Online Magazine format:

Author, A. A. (Year, Month Day). Title of article: Capital letter to start subtitle. Title of Magazine, volume number (issue number if available). https://www.someaddress.com

Online News broadcast video:

Producer Name. (Year, Month Day). Video title [Video]. Website host. https://www.someaddress.com

Youtube video

Forbes. (2018, January 19). Facebook announces algorithm changes; Apple brings money back to U.S. [Video]. Youtube. https://youtube/39gFZawmKfM

Sasal, D. (2017, June 13) Project Management simplified: Learn the fundamentals of PMI's framework [Video]. Youtube. https://youtu.be/ZKOL-rZ79gs

APA Style: How to Create a Reference for a YouTube Video

TikTok video

Cook, P. [@chemteacherphil]. (2019, November 19). Alkali salts get lit. #chemistry #chemteacherphil #scienceexperiments #foryou #jobforme #trend #featurethis #science #vibecheck [Video]. TikTok. https://vm.tiktok.com/xP1r1m

Washington Post [@washingtonpost]. (2019, December 3). News is all around us #frozen #newsroom #newspaper [Video]. TikTok. https://vm.tiktok.com/x2sKUu

TikTok Profile

Witherspoon, R. [@officialreesetiktok]. (n.d.). vsco mom [TikTok profile]. TikTok. Retrieved January 12, 2020, from https://vm.tiktok.com/xS3B86

APA 7 TikTok Citation Guide

TED Talk video

If you viewed the video on the TED website:

Palmer, A. (2013, February). Amanda Palmer: The art of asking [Video]. TED. https://www.ted.com/talks/amanda_palmer_the_art_of_asking

If you viewed the video on YouTube, the same TED Talk would be referenced as follows:

TED. (2013, March 1). Amanda Palmer: The art of asking [Video]. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xMj_P_6H69g

APA Style Blog: How to Cite a TED Talk in APA Style

Film, Video, or DVD

Selick, H. (Director). (1993). The nightmare before Christmas [Film]. Touchstone.

Smithee, A. F. (Director). (2001). Really big disaster movie [ Film ]. Paramount Pictures.

APA Style Film and TV

NY Review of Books. (2013, September 6). The total weight of jellyfish in the Black Sea is 10x greater than that of all fish caught around the world in a year. [Tweet; thumbnail link to article]. Twitter. https://twitter.com/nybooks/status/376055502880665600

Obama, M. (2013, February 28). “ We can give all our children the bright, healthy futures they so richly deserve .” —the First Lady on why healthier food options are good for American businesses [Image attached] [Status update] . Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php? fbid =10152608245040578& set=a.10150238318835578.467644.22092775577&type=1

Gaiman, N. (2012, February 29). Please celebrate Leap Year Day in the traditional manner by taking a writer out for dinner. [Status update]. Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/neilgaiman/posts/10150574185041016

Reuters Top News [Reuters]. (2016, November 1). Inside David Bowie's art collection [Twitter moment]. Twitter. https://twitter.com/i/moments/793575609028915200

APA Style: How to Cite a Twitter Moment

APA Style: How to Cite Facebook

APA Style: How to Cite Instagram

In APA Style there are no specific formatting rules for citing PDFs.

Why? PDF is just a file format. To cite this type of document, ask yourself: What is this?

You must determine what the nature of the PDF, and then use the corresponding format.

There are two common types of documents that appear as PDFs:

- Articles (magazines, newspapers, journals, newsletters, etc.)

- Reports (government report, company profile, company annual report, etc.)

Need help? Ask us by emailing [email protected]

For Webinar citations in APA 7, Please check out Purdue University APA 7 citation guide on Other Non-Print Sources available here:

https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_formatting_and_style_guide/reference_list_other_non_print_sources.html

Rules for citing information found on the web:

No author? Start with the title and then the date. A screen-name can be used as the author. An organization/company can be the author.

Date? If a date is not specifically included with the item you are citing, look for the last updated date. No date type (n.d.)

Titles? Keep it simple - do not italicize website titles. This can get confusing: If a webpage is part of a larger website, do not italicize the title of the page. If the webpage is an independent document on the website, do italicize the title of the page. This is also a judgment call that you will have to make. If you are not sure, do not italicize.

URL? Yes, include it. www.theURL.com

Retrieved on date? In general, do not include the retrieved date for most web sources. If a webpage is likely to change over time, such as a wiki or personal website, include the date that you looked at the page.

Author and website name? If the name of the website is the same as the name of the author, you do not need to include it a second time.

[Square Brackets]? APA Style recommends providing identifying information - when needed for clarification. If the information in the citation and URL do not clearly identify what it is you are citing, add [square brackets]. For example, [Blog post], [Wiki], [Twitter post], [Facebook post] [Personal website], [PDF document], [Video], [Interview], [Data].

Presentations

Instructors frequently require students to use APA Style within presentations. APA Style does not provide specific guidelines for PowerPoint presentations and visuals. You will be adapting APA Style guidelines. Check with your instructor about the format. You will likely need to have in-text citations on the slides throughout your presentation for images, data, quotes and paraphrased statements, AND a slide at the end for a reference list.

Statistics & Data Sets
Dictionary / Definitions

Barr, J. G. (2018). Artificial intelligence . Faulkner Advisory for IT Studies database. MarketLine . (2013, April 29). NIKE, Inc.: Company profile .

Annual Report

American Psychological Association. (2013). 2012 annual report of the American Psychological Association . http://www.apa.org/pubs/info/reports/2012-report.pdf

Unilever. (2015). Annual report and accounts 2015 strategic report. https://www.unilever.com/Images/annual_report_and_accounts_ar15_tcm244-478426_en.pdf

APA Style on citing annual reports

Microsoft. (2005, September 25). Form 10-Q. Arrow International, Inc. (2009). 10-K Annual Report 2009 .

Government Report

San Francisco Department of Public Health. (2016). San Francisco community health needs assessment 2016 . https://www.sfdph.org/dph/hc/HCAgen/HCAgen2016/May%2017/2016CHNA-2.pdf

U.S. Department of Education. (2014). Profile of undergraduate students: 2011-12. Web tables (NCES 2015-167). https://nces.ed.gov/ pubs2015/2015167.pdf

National Cancer Institute. (2016). Taking part in cancer treatment research studies (Publication No. 16-6249). https://www.cancer.gov/publications/patient-education/CRS.pdf

Office of the Inspector General U.S. Department of Justice. (2017, May). Review of the handling of sexual harassment and misconduct allegations by the department’s Civil Division . https://oig.justice.gov/reports/2017/e1703.pdf

APA Style: How to Cite Government Report

U.S. Constitution

APA Style Blog states, "All citations of the U.S. Constitution begin with U.S. Const. , followed by the article, amendment, section, and/or clause numbers as relevant." APA Style Blog: How to Cite the U.S. Constitution in APA Style

In-text (U.S. Const. amend. II)

Reference U.S. Const. amend. II

Congressional Bill

Equitable Health Care for Severe Mental Illnesses Act of 1993, S. 671, 103d Cong., 1st Sess. (1993).

Federal Statutes

Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993, 29 U.S.C. §§ 2601–2654 (2006).

FORMAT: Name of the Statute, Tile number Source § Section number(s) (Year).

APA Style: Writing References for Federal Statutes

Statistics & Data Sets

Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2016). Consumer price index - all urban consumers, 1956-2016 [Time series]. http://data.bls.gov

Pew Research Center. (2016). June 10-July 12, 2015 – Gaming, jobs and broadband [Data file and codebook]. http://www.pewresearch.org

World Bank, World Development Indicators. (2016). Firms using banks to finance working capital (% of firms) [Data file]. http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/IC.FRM.BKWC.ZS?view= chart

United States Department of Housing and Urban Development. (2008). Indiana income limits [Data set]. http://www.huduser.org/Datasets/IL/IL08/in_fy2008.pdf

APA Style on citing data sets

U.S. Census

U.S. Census Bureau (2011). Selected housing characteristics, 2007-2011 American community survey 5-year estimates [Data file]. http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=ACS_11_5YR_DP04

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. (2009). Cahaba River Natural Refuge. https://www.fws.gov/cahabariver/maps.html

International Monetary Fund. (2017, May 8). IMF lending at a glance. http://www.imf.org/external/np/exr/map/lending/

WOU APA Style on citing maps

Google Maps

Google. (n.d.). [Google Maps directions for driving from Ingolstadt, Germany, to Geneva, Switzerland]. Retrieved August 4, 2015 from https://goo.gl/maps/ILt8O

APA Style on citing online map s

IAC. (n.d.). Impact investing. In Investopedia . Retrieved May 15, 2016 from https://www.investopedia.com/terms/i/impact-investing.asp

Merriam Webster (n.d.). R eliability. In Merriam-Webster.com dictionary (11th ed.). Retrieved January 11, 2020 from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reliability

Dictionary references in APA 7

BizJournals (via American City Business Journals)

Dittmer, M. (2018, March 16). Busiest Bay Area airlines. San Francisco Business Times .

Britannica Academic & Encyclopaedia Britannica

Library database fisher, w. w. (2018). patent. encyclopaedia britannica ., online britannica, t. editors of encyclopaedia (2019, november 20). prohibition. encyclopedia britannica. https://www.britannica.com/event/prohibition-united-states-history-1920-1933 note: encyclopedia britannica online has a citation tool., business source complete.

Is it an article? Use the format: Articles - library database

Is it a report? >> Use the format: Reports

The database Business Source Complete has a citation tool. Click CITE and select APA citation format. Review the citation and edit it.

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed): DSM–5

American psychiatric association. (2013). diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.books.9780890425596, (american psychiatric association, 2013), faulkner reports.

Reports from these databases: Faulkner Advisory for IT Studies (FAITS), and Faulkner Security Management Practices.

Barr, J. G. (2019). Artificial intelligence . Faulkner Advisory for IT Studies.

Keston, G. (2019). Network access control . Faulkner Security Management Practices.

Gale Ebooks

Agile software. In Encyclopedia of Emerging Industries (7th ed., pp. 5-10). Gale. https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/CX3664200008/GVRL?u=ggusf_main&sid=GVRL&xid=4c07cc09

Harvard Business Review

Is it an article? >> Use the article format .

Is it a case study? >> Use the case study format .

Mergent Online

Mergent Inc. (n.d.). Apple, Inc.: Business segments .

Mergent Inc. (2014, February 28). McDonald's Corp.: Ford Equity research report .

Apple Inc. (2013, October 30). Form 10-K .

Microsoft. (2005, September 25). Form 10-Q.

Morningstar Investment Research Center

Google , Inc. (2011, December 31). Form 10-K .

Morningstar . (n.d.). Google: Key ratios . Retrieved March 13, 2014, from Morningstar Investment Research.

Morningstar . (2014, February 28) Fidelity Blue Chip Growth: Rating and risk . Morningstar Investment Research.

Reichart, K. R. (2014, March 6). Fidelity Blue Chip Growth: Fund analyst repor t. Morningstar Investment Research database.

Summer, R. (2014, February 25). Google, Inc.: Stock analyst report . Morningstar Investment Research database.

Pew Research Center

Lopez, G., Ruis, N.G. & Patten, E. (2017, September 8) Key facts about Asian Americans, a diverse and growing population. http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/09/08/key-facts-about-asian-americans/

Shearer, E. & Gottfried, J. (2017, September 6). In 2017, two-thirds of U.S. adults get news from social media [Table]. In News Use Across Social Media Platforms 2017. http://www.journalism.org/2017/09/07/news-use-across-social-media-platforms-2017/pi_17-08-23_socialmediaupdate_0-01/

Pew Research Center. (2016). June 10-July 12, 2015 – Gaming, Jobs and Broadband [Data file and code book]. http://www.pewresearch.org

Pew Research Center. (2018, January 2018). They’re waiting longer, but U.S. women today more likely to have children than a decade ago: More than half of never-married women in their early 40s have given birth [Report]. http://www.pewsocialtrends.org/2018/01/18/theyre-waiting-longer-but-u-s-women-today-more-likely-to-have-children-than-a-decade-ago/

S&P Global NetAdvantage

Industry survey.

Snyder, K. (2017, October). Health care equipment and supplies. CFRA Industry Surveys [PDF].

Library database - Statista - citing data and charts

When you are viewing data, look for the citation button. SELECT CITATION. From the drop-down menu, click APA. We recommend you edit the citation. Note, Statista uses many difference SOURCES - the source is in the place of the author.

Atlas Van Lines. (May 27, 2020). Internal factors that influenced employee relocations in the United States in 2020 [Chart]. In Statista - The Statistics Portal . Retrieved April 08, 2021 from https://www.statista.com/statistics/763368/internal-factors-on-employee-relocation-us/

Airnow. (February 17, 2021). Leading iPhone apps in the Apple App Store worldwide in January 2021, by revenue (in million U.S. dollars) [Graph]. In Statista . Retrieved April 08, 2021, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/271103/top-iphone-apps-worldwide-by-revenue/

Library database - Statista - citing a full report

Collignon , H. & Sultan, N. (2014, November). Winning the business of sports 2014 . Retrieved from Statista database.

Janßen , B., Krützfeldt, W., Ramcke, K., & Staffa, V. (2014, August). Industry report - Computer and electronic product manufacturing NAICS Code 334 . Retrieved from Statista database.

Statista. (2018). Coffee market in the U.S. [Report]. Retrieved from Statista database.

Online - using Statista's website - citing data and charts

When there is no author name, use the SOURCE name in place of the author. Statista uses many difference SOURCES. Look under the table or figure for the word SOURCE.

ITU. (2011, October). Number of active mobile broadband subscriptions worldwide from 2005 to 2011 (in millions) [Chart]. In Statista . Retrieved from http://www.statista.com/statistics/186337/number-of-mobile-broadband-subscriptions-worldwide-since-2005/

Value Line Publishing. (2010, November 26). Ford Motor. Value Line Investment Survey .

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Research Methodology and Identifying Key References Used

First Online: 03 January 2018

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Olli-Pekka Hilmola 2

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Case study completion should be seen merely as an interaction process, where many actions take place before the actual empirical data is gathered and analysed, and where previous research plays a key role. Systematic and well-planned data-gathering is at the heart of the process. It is illustrated here that case methodology references only change very slowly, if at all: two studies from the 1980s are still considered to be key methodological sources today. However, some new additions have appeared in the last two decades.

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Hilmola, OP. (2018). Research Methodology and Identifying Key References Used. In: Supply Chain Cases. Palgrave Pivot, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-71658-9_8

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Evaluating Information in the Research Process

Evaluating Information in the Research Process: References

Created by health science librarians.

Evaluation Criteria
Step 1: Do Initial Planning
Step 2: Choose a Topic
Step 3: Do Initial Search
Step 4: Refine Topic / Refine Search
Step 5: Identify Key Sources
Step 6: Study Key Sources
Step 7: Integrate Notes and Ideas
Step 8: Present Findings
Issues and Tips

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Kirk, E. Evaluating Information Found on the Internet. (original no longer available; updated version, 2010. https://www.uv.es/~fores/programa/kirk_evalinternet.html )

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Nielsen, Jakob. "In Defense of Print." Jakob Nielsen's Alertbox, February 1, 1996. http://www.nngroup.com/articles/in-defense-of-print/

Nielsen, Jakob. "iPad and Kindle Reading Speeds ." Jakob Nielsen's Alertbox, July 2010. http://www.nngroup.com/articles/ipad-and-kindle-reading-speeds/

O'Mahoney, B. The Copyright Website. 2011. http://www.benedict.com

Ormondroyd, J., Engle, M. & Cosgrave, T. How to Critically Analyze Information Sources. Cornell University Library, 1995. (No longer available online.)

Robin, Bernard. Educational Uses of Digital Storytelling website. http://digitalstorytelling.coe.uh.edu . University of Houston, 2014. Shapiro, J. J. & Hughes, S. K. "Information Literacy as a Liberal Art." Educom Review , Volume 31, Number 2, 1996.

Smith, A. Evaluation of Information Sources. World-Wide Web Virtual Library, 2012 . http://www.vuw.ac.nz./~agsmith/evaln/evaln.htm

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Introduction to Visual Literacy https://guides.lib.unc.edu/visual-literacy

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Baer, Marjorie. “Copyright and the Visual Arts.” Macworld, October 1996. San Francisco: Mac Publishing, L.L.C.

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Booth, W., Cololmb, G., & Williams, J. The Craft of Research . University of Chicago Press, 1995.

Brookfield, Stephen. Developing Critical Thinkers . San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1987.

Covey, Stephen R. The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People . New York: Simon and Schuster, 1989.

Frankl, Victor. Man's Search for Meaning. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1984.

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APA Citation Style

Citation examples.

Paper Format
Style and Grammar Guidelines
Citation Management Tools
What's New in the 7th Edition?
APA Style References Guidelines from the American Psychological Association
APA Style (OWL - Online Writing Lab, Purdue University)
Common Reference Examples Handout
Journal Article
Magazine Article
Newspaper Article
Edited Book Chapter
Dictionary Entry
Government Report
YouTube Video
Facebook Post
Webpage on a Website
Supplemental Reference Examples
Archival Documents and Collections

Parenthetical citations: (Grady et al., 2019; Jerrentrup et al., 2018)

Narrative citations: Grady et al. (2019) and Jerrentrup et al. (2018)

If a journal article has a DOI, include the DOI in the reference.
If the journal article does not have a DOI and is from an academic research database, end the reference after the page range (for an explanation of why, see the database information page). The reference in this case is the same as for a print journal article.
Do not include database information in the reference unless the journal article comes from a database that publishes original, proprietary content, such as UpToDate (see an example on the database information page).
If the journal article does not have a DOI but does have a URL that will resolve for readers (e.g., it is from an online journal that is not part of a database), include the URL of the article at the end of the reference.
If the journal article has an article number instead of a page range, include the article number instead of the page range (as shown in the Jerrentrup et al. example).

Parenthetical citations: (Rabinowitz, 2019; Sapolsky, 2017)

Narrative citations: Rabinowitz (2019) and Sapolsky (2017)

If the book includes a DOI, include the DOI in the reference after the publisher name.
Do not include the publisher location.
If the book does not have a DOI and comes from an academic research database, end the book reference after the publisher name. Do not include database information in the reference. The reference in this case is the same as for a print book.

Parenthetical citations: (Schaefer & Shapiro, 2019; Schulman, 2019)

Narrative citations: Schaefer and Shapiro (2019) and Schulman (2019)

If a magazine article has a DOI, include the DOI in the reference.
If the magazine article does not have a DOI and is from an academic research database, end the reference after the page range. Do not include database information in the reference. The reference in this case is the same as for a print magazine article.
If the magazine article does not have a DOI but does have a URL that will resolve for readers (e.g., it is from an online magazine that is not part of a database), include the URL of the article at the end of the reference.
If the magazine article does not have volume, issue, and/or page numbers (e.g., because it is from an online magazine), omit the missing elements from the reference (as in the Schulman example).

Parenthetical citation: (Carey, 2019)

Narrative citation: Carey (2019)

If the newspaper article is from an academic research database, end the reference after the page range. Do not include database information in the reference. The reference in this case is the same as for a print newspaper article.
If the newspaper article has a URL that will resolve for readers (e.g., it is from an online newspaper), include the URL of the article at the end of the reference.
If the newspaper article does not have volume, issue, and/or page numbers (e.g., because it is from an online newspaper), omit the missing elements from the reference, as shown in the example.
If the article is from a news website (e.g., CNN, HuffPost)—one that does not have an associated daily or weekly newspaper—use the format for a webpage on a website instead.

Parenthetical citation: (Aron et al., 2019)

Narrative citation: Aron et al. (2019)

If the edited book chapter includes a DOI, include the chapter DOI in the reference after the publisher name.
If the edited book chapter does not have a DOI and comes from an academic research database, end the edited book chapter reference after the publisher name. Do not include database information in the reference. The reference in this case is the same as for a print edited book chapter.
Do not create references for chapters of authored books. Instead, write a reference for the whole book and cite the chapter in the text if desired (e.g., Kumar, 2017, Chapter 2).

Parenthetical citation: (Merriam-Webster, n.d.)

Narrative citation: Merriam-Webster (n.d.)

Because entries in Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary are updated over time and are not archived, include a retrieval date in the reference.
Merriam-Webster is both the author and the publisher, so the name appears in the author element only to avoid repetition.
To quote a dictionary definition, view the pages on quotations and how to quote works without page numbers for guidance. Additionally, here is an example: Culture refers to the “customary beliefs, social forms, and material traits of a racial, religious, or social group” (Merriam-Webster, n.d., Definition 1a).

Parenthetical citation: (National Cancer Institute, 2019)

Narrative citation: National Cancer Institute (2019)

The specific agency responsible for the report appears as the author. The names of parent agencies not present in the group author name appear in the source element as the publisher. This creates concise in-text citations and complete reference list entries.

Parenthetical citation: (Harvard University, 2019)

Narrative citation: Harvard University (2019)

Use the name of the account that uploaded the video as the author.
If the account did not actually create the work, explain this in the text if it is important for readers to know. However, if that would mean citing a source that appears unauthoritative, you might also look for the author’s YouTube channel, official website, or other social media to see whether the same video is available elsewhere.

Parenthetical citations: (APA Databases, 2019; Gates, 2019)

Narrative citations: APA Databases (2019) and Gates (2019)

Present the name of the individual or group author the same as you would for any other reference. Then provide the Twitter handle (beginning with the @ sign) in square brackets, followed by a period.
Provide the first 20 words of the tweet as the title. Count a URL, a hashtag, or an emoji as one word each, and include them in the reference if they fall within the first 20 words.
If the tweet includes an image, a video, a poll, or a thumbnail image with a link, indicate that in brackets after the title: [Image attached], [Video attached], [Thumbnail with link attached].
The same format used for Twitter is also used for Instagram.

Parenthetical citation: (News From Science, 2019)

Narrative citation: News From Science (2019)

Provide the first 20 words of the Facebook post as the title. Count a URL or other link, a hashtag, or an emoji as one word each, and include them in the reference if they fall within the first 20 words.
If a status update includes images, videos, thumbnail links to outside sources, or content from another Facebook post (such as when sharing a link), indicate that in square brackets.

Parenthetical citations: (Fagan, 2019; National Institute of Mental Health, 2018; Woodyatt, 2019; World Health Organization, 2018)

Narrative citations: Fagan (2019), National Institute of Mental Health (2018), Woodyatt (2019), and World Health Organization (2018)

Provide as specific a date as is available on the webpage. This might be a year only; a year and month; or a year, month, and day.
Italicize the title of a webpage.
When the author of the webpage and the publisher of the website are the same, omit the publisher name to avoid repetition (as in the World Health Organization example).
When contents of a page are meant to be updated over time but are not archived, include a retrieval date in the reference (as in the Fagan example).
Use the webpage on a website format for articles from news websites such as CNN and HuffPost (these sites do not have associated daily or weekly newspapers). Use the newspaper article category for articles from newspaper websites such as The New York Times or The Washington Post .
Create a reference to an open educational resources (OER) page only when the materials are available for download directly (i.e., the materials are on the page and/or can be downloaded as PDFs or other files). If you are directed to another website, create a reference to the specific webpage on that website where the materials can be retrieved. Use this format for material in any OER repository, such as OER Commons, OASIS, or MERLOT.
Do not create a reference or in-text citation for a whole website. To mention a website in general, and not any particular information on that site, provide the name of the website in the text and include the URL in parentheses. For example, you might mention that you used a website to create a survey.

The following supplemental example references are mention in the Publication Manual:

retracted journal or magazine article
edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)
edition of the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD)
religious work
annotated religious work

Archival document and collections are not presented in the APA Publication Manual, Seventh Edition . This content is available only on the APA Style website . This guidance has been expanded from the 6th edition.

Archival sources include letters, unpublished manuscripts, limited-circulation brochures and pamphlets, in-house institutional and corporate documents, clippings, and other documents, as well as such nontextual materials as photographs and apparatus, that are in the personal possession of an author, form part of an institutional collection, or are stored in an archive such as the Archives of the History of American Psychology at the University of Akron or the APA Archives. For any documents like these that are available on the open web or via a database (subscription or nonsubscription), follow the reference templates shown in Chapter 10 of the Publication Manual.

The general format for the reference for an archival work includes the author, date, title, and source. The reference examples shown on this page may be modified for collections requiring more or less specific information to locate materials, for different types of collections, or for additional descriptive information (e.g., a translation of a letter). Authors may choose to list correspondence from their own personal collections, but correspondence from other private collections should be listed only with the permission of the collector.

Keep in mind the following principles when creating references to archival documents and collections:

As with any reference, the purpose is to direct readers to the source, despite the fact that only a single copy of the document may be available and readers may have some difficulty actually seeing a copy.
Include as much information as is needed to help locate the item with reasonable ease within the repository. For items from collections with detailed finding aids, the name of the collection may be sufficient; for items from collections without finding aids, more information (e.g., call number, box number, file name or number) may be necessary to help locate the item.
If several letters are cited from the same collection, list the collection as a reference and provide specific identifying information (author, recipient, and date) for each letter in the in-text citations (see Example 3).
Use square brackets to indicate information that does not appear on the document.
Use “ca.” (circa) to indicate an estimated date (see Example 5).
Use italics for titles of archival documents and collections; if the work does not have a title, provide a description in square brackets without italics.
Separate elements of the source (e.g., the name of a repository, library, university or archive, and the location of the university or archive) with commas. End the source with a period.
If a publication of limited circulation is available in libraries, the reference may be formatted as usual for published material, without the archival source.
Note that private letters (vs. those in an archive or repository) are considered personal communications and cited in the text only.

1. Letter from a repository

Frank, L. K. (1935, February 4). [Letter to Robert M. Ogden]. Rockefeller Archive Center (GEB Series 1.3, Box 371, Folder 3877), Tarrytown, NY, United States.

Parenthetical citation: (Frank, 1935)
Narrative citation: Frank (1935)
Because the letter does not have a title, provide a description in square brackets.

2. Letter from a private collection

Zacharius, G. P. (1953, August 15). [Letter to William Rickel (W. Rickel, Trans.)]. Copy in possession of Hendrika Vande Kemp.

Parenthetical citation: (Zacharius, 1953)
Narrative citation: Zacharius (1953)
In this example, Hendrika Vande Kemp is either the author of the paper or the author of the paper has received permission from Hendrika Vande Kemp to cite a letter in Vande Kemp’s private collection in this way. Otherwise, cite a private letter as a personal communication .

3. Collection of letters from an archive

Allport, G. W. (1930–1967). Correspondence. Gordon W. Allport Papers (HUG 4118.10), Harvard University Archives, Cambridge, MA, United States.

Parenthetical citation: (Allport, 1930–1967)
Narrative citation: Allport (1930–1967)

To cite specific letters in the text, provide the author and range of years as shown in the reference list entry, plus details about who wrote the specific letter to whom and when the specific letter was written.

Parenthetical citation: (Allport, 1930–1967, G. Boring to Allport, December 26, 1937)
Narrative citation: Allport (1930–1967, Allport to G. Boring, March 1, 1939)
Use the parenthetical citation format to cite a letter that E. G. Boring wrote to Allport because Allport is the author in the reference. Use either the parenthetical or narrative citation format to cite letters that Allport wrote.

4. Unpublished papers, lectures from an archive or personal collection

Berliner, A. (1959). Notes for a lecture on reminiscences of Wundt and Leipzig. Anna Berliner Memoirs (Box M50), Archives of the History of American Psychology, University of Akron, Akron, OH, United States.

Parenthetical citation: (Berliner, 1959)
Narrative citation: Berliner (1959)

5. Archival/historical source for which the author and/or date is known or is reasonably certain but not stated on the document

Allport, A. (presumed). (ca. 1937). Marion Taylor today—by the biographer [Unpublished manuscript]. Marion Taylor Papers, Schlesinger Library, Radcliffe College, Cambridge, MA, United States.

Parenthetical citation: (Allport, ca. 1937)
Narrative citation: Allport (ca. 1937)
Because the author is reasonably certain but not stated on the document, place the word “presumed” in parentheses after the name, followed by a period.
Because the date is reasonably certain but not stated on the document, the abbreviation “ca.” (which stands for “circa”) appears before the year in parentheses.

6. Archival source with group author

Subcommittee on Mental Hygiene Personnel in School Programs. (1949, November 5–6). Meeting of Subcommittee on Mental Hygiene Personnel in School Programs. David Shakow Papers (M1360), Archives of the History of American Psychology, University of Akron, Akron, OH, United States.

Parenthetical citation: (Subcommittee on Mental Hygiene Personnel in School Programs, 1949)
Narrative citation: Subcommittee on Mental Hygiene Personnel in School Programs (1949)

7. Interview recorded and available in an archive

Smith, M. B. (1989, August 12). Interview by C. A. Kiesler [Tape recording]. President’s Oral History Project, American Psychological Association, APA Archives, Washington, DC, United States.

Parenthetical citation: (Smith, 1989)
Narrative citation: Smith (1989)
For interviews and oral histories recorded in an archive, list the interviewee as the author. Include the interviewer’s name in the description.

8. Transcription of a recorded interview, no recording available

Sparkman, C. F. (1973). An oral history with Dr. Colley F. Sparkman/Interviewer: Orley B. Caudill. Mississippi Oral History Program (Vol. 289), University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS, United States.

Parenthetical citation: (Sparkman, 1973)
Narrative citation: Sparkman (1973)

9. Newspaper article clipping, historical, in personal collection

Psychoanalysis institute to open. (1948, September 18). [Clipping from an unidentified Dayton, OH, United States, newspaper]. Copy in possession of author.

Parenthetical citation: (“Psychoanalysis Institute to Open,” 1948)
Narrative citation: “Psychoanalysis Institute to Open” (1948)
Use this format only if you are the person who is in possession of the newspaper clipping.

10. Historical publication of limited circulation

Sci-Art Publishers. (1935). Sci-Art publications [Brochure]. Roback Papers (HUGFP 104.50, Box 2, Folder “Miscellaneous Psychological Materials”), Harvard University Archives, Cambridge, MA, United States.

Parenthetical citation: (Sci-Art Publishers, 1935)
Narrative citation: Sci-Art Publishers (1935)

11. Archived photographs, no author and no title

[Photographs of Robert M. Yerkes]. (ca. 1917–1954). Robert Mearns Yerkes Papers (Box 137, Folder 2292), Manuscripts and Archives, Yale University Library, New Haven, CT, United States.

Parenthetical citation: ([Photographs of Robert M. Yerkes], ca. 1917–1954)
Narrative citation: [Photographs of Robert M. Yerkes] (ca. 1917–1954)
Because the archived photographs do not have a title, provide a bracketed description instead.
Because the archived photographs do not have an author, move the bracketed description to the author position of the reference.

12. Microfilm

U.S. Census Bureau. (1880). 1880 U.S. census: Defective, dependent, and delinquent classes schedule: Virginia [Microfilm]. NARA Microfilm Publication T1132 (Rolls 33–34), National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, DC, United States.

Parenthetical citation: (U.S. Census Bureau, 1880)
Narrative citation: U.S. Census Bureau (1880)

Read the full APA guidelines on citing ChatGPT

OpenAI. (2023). ChatGPT (Mar 14 version) [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com/chat

Parenthetical citation: (OpenAI, 2023)
Narrative citation: OpenAI (2023)

Author: The author of the model is OpenAI.

Date: The date is the year of the version you used. Following the template in Section 10.10, you need to include only the year, not the exact date. The version number provides the specific date information a reader might need.

Title: The name of the model is “ChatGPT,” so that serves as the title and is italicized in your reference, as shown in the template. Although OpenAI labels unique iterations (i.e., ChatGPT-3, ChatGPT-4), they are using “ChatGPT” as the general name of the model, with updates identified with version numbers.

The version number is included after the title in parentheses. The format for the version number in ChatGPT references includes the date because that is how OpenAI is labeling the versions. Different large language models or software might use different version numbering; use the version number in the format the author or publisher provides, which may be a numbering system (e.g., Version 2.0) or other methods.

Bracketed text is used in references for additional descriptions when they are needed to help a reader understand what’s being cited. References for a number of common sources, such as journal articles and books, do not include bracketed descriptions, but things outside of the typical peer-reviewed system often do. In the case of a reference for ChatGPT, provide the descriptor “Large language model” in square brackets. OpenAI describes ChatGPT-4 as a “large multimodal model,” so that description may be provided instead if you are using ChatGPT-4. Later versions and software or models from other companies may need different descriptions, based on how the publishers describe the model. The goal of the bracketed text is to briefly describe the kind of model to your reader.

Source: When the publisher name and the author name are the same, do not repeat the publisher name in the source element of the reference, and move directly to the URL. This is the case for ChatGPT. The URL for ChatGPT is https://chat.openai.com/chat . For other models or products for which you may create a reference, use the URL that links as directly as possible to the source (i.e., the page where you can access the model, not the publisher’s homepage).

What to include and what to exclude

Works included in a reference list.

The reference list provides a reliable way for readers to identify and locate the works cited in a paper. APA Style papers generally include reference lists, not bibliographies.

In general, each work cited in the text must appear in the reference list, and each work in the reference list must be cited in the text. Check your work carefully before submitting your manuscript or course assignment to ensure no works cited in the text are missing from the reference list and vice versa, with only the following exceptions.

Works Excluded From a Reference List

There are a few kinds of works that are not included in a reference list. Usually a work is not included because readers cannot recover it or because the mention is so broad that readers do not need a reference list entry to understand the use.

Information on works included in a reference list is covered in Sections 2.12 and 8.4 of the APA Publication Manual, Seventh Edition

*This guidance has been expanded from the 6th edition.*

Personal communications such as emails, phone calls, or text messages are cited in the text only, not in the reference list, because readers cannot retrieve personal communications.
General mentions of whole websites, whole periodicals, and common software and apps in the text do not require in-text citations or reference list entries because the use is broad and the source is familiar.
The source of an epigraph does not usually appear in the reference list unless the work is a scholarly book or journal. For example, if you open the paper with an inspirational quotation by a famous person, the source of the quotation does not appear in the reference list because the quotation is meant to set the stage for the work, not substantiate a key point.
Quotations from research participants in a study you conducted can be presented and discussed in the text but do not need citations or reference list entries. Citations and reference list entries are not necessary because the quotations are part of your original research. They could also compromise participants’ confidentiality, which is an ethical violation.
References included in a meta-analysis, which are marked with an asterisk in the reference list, may be cited in the text (or not) at the author’s discretion. This exception is relevant only to authors who are conducting a meta-analysis.

DOIs and URLs

The DOI or URL is the final component of a reference list entry. Because so much scholarship is available and/or retrieved online, most reference list entries end with either a DOI or a URL.

A DOI is a unique alphanumeric string that identifies content and provides a persistent link to its location on the internet. DOIs can be found in database records and the reference lists of published works.
A URL specifies the location of digital information on the internet and can be found in the address bar of your internet browser. URLs in references should link directly to the cited work when possible.

Follow these guidelines for including DOIs and URLs in references:

Include a DOI for all works that have a DOI, regardless of whether you used the online version or the print version.
If a print work does not have a DOI, do not include any DOI or URL in the reference.
If an online work has both a DOI and a URL, include only the DOI.
For works without DOIs from websites (not including academic research databases), provide a URL in the reference (as long as the URL will work for readers).
For works without DOIs from most academic research databases , do not include a URL or database information in the reference because these works are widely available. The reference should be the same as the reference for a print version of the work.
For works from databases that publish original, proprietary material available only in that database (such as the UpToDate database) or for works of limited circulation in databases (such as monographs in the ERIC database), include the name of the database or archive and the URL of the work. If the URL requires a login or is session-specific (meaning it will not resolve for readers), provide the URL of the database or archive home page or login page instead of the URL for the work. See the page on including database information in references for more information.
If the URL is no longer working or no longer provides readers access to the content you intend to cite, follow the guidance for works with no source .
Other alphanumeric identifiers such as the International Standard Book Number (ISBN) and the International Standard Serial Number (ISSN) are not included in APA Style references.

Follow these guidelines to format DOIs and URLs:

Present both DOIs and URLs as hyperlinks (i.e., beginning with “http:” or “https:”).
Because a hyperlink leads readers directly to the content, it is not necessary to include the words “Retrieved from” or “Accessed from” before a DOI or URL.
It is acceptable to use either the default display settings for hyperlinks in your word-processing program (e.g., usually blue font, underlined) or plain text that is not underlined.
Leave links live if the work is to be published or read online.
Follow the current recommendations of the International DOI Foundation to format DOIs in the reference list, which as of this publication is as follows:

https://doi.org/ xxxxx

The string “https://doi.org/” is a way of presenting a DOI as a link, and “xxxxx” refers to the DOI number.
The preferred format of the DOI has changed over time. Although older works use previous formats (e.g., “http:/dx.doi.org/” or “doi:” or “DOI:” before the DOI number), in your reference list, standardize DOIs into the current preferred format for all entries. For example, use https://doi.org/10.1037/a0040251 in your reference even though that article, published in 2016, presented the number in an older format.
Copy and paste the DOI or URL from your web browser directly into your reference list to avoid transcription errors. Do not change the capitalization or punctuation of the DOI or URL. Do not add line breaks manually to the hyperlink; it is acceptable if your word-processing program automatically adds a break or moves the hyperlink to its own line.
Do not add a period after the DOI or URL because this may interfere with link functionality.

When a DOI or URL is long or complex, you may use shortDOIs or shortened URLs if desired.

Use the shortDOI service provided by the International DOI Foundation to create shortDOIs. A work can have only one DOI and only one shortDOI; the shortDOI service will either produce a new shortDOI for a work that has never had one or retrieve an existing shortDOI.
Some websites provide their own branded shortened URLs, and independent URL shortening services are available as well. Any shortened URL is acceptable in a reference as long as you check the link to ensure that it takes you to the correct location.
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Citing references

Introduction
Using quotes & paraphrases
Writing citations

The top five: 1. Book

The top 5: 2. journal article, the top five: 3. chapter in an edited collection, the top five: 4. website, the top five: 5. secondary referencing, archival material, company databases, conference papers, figures (such as charts, diagrams and graphs), government or corporate body publication/report, legal and parliamentary documents, literary texts, market research report, newspaper articles, personal communications.

Radio programme

Sacred texts

Social media, teaching materials (posted on blackboard), technical standards e.g. british standards, youtube videos.

Compiling a reference list or bibliography
Different styles & systems of referencing
Which style does your School/Department use?
Avoiding unintentional plagiarism
Using Turnitin to develop your referencing
Managing your references
Getting help

Example not here? Try this guide

Citation examples

This page lists the details you will need to include when writing citations for various types of source material. The examples given are in the 'Cite Them Right' version of the Harvard style.

For each example:

Reference list refers to the way it would be cited in your reference list or bibliography when using the 'Cite Them Right' Harvard style.
In-text citation refers to the way that a work would be cited either in the body of the text or in footnotes when using 'Cite Them Right' Harvard style.
Referencing styles in use in the University Find out which style your Department uses. Please consult your course handbook for definitive guidance on which style to use.
Styles of referencing Overview of different referencing styles in use at the University.

Note that, whatever the type of source, the title of the containing volume (i.e. the book, journal, collection etc) should always be marked out, usually by being put in italics but sometimes underlined. Whichever you use, be consistent and use the same formatting throughout your citations.

If the source you want to cite is not listed here consult the following book:

Alternatively ask your Academic Liaison Librarian or a Study Adviser for guidance:

Contact your Academic Liaison Librarian
Make an appointment with a Study Adviser

Elements to include:

Authors or Editors
Year of publication (in round brackets)
Title (in italics)
Edition (if applicable)
Place published
Series and volume number (if applicable)

Authored book:

Reference list: Ashbourn, J. (2014) Biometrics in the new world: the cloud, mobile technology and pervasive identity . 2nd edn. London: Springer .

In-text citation: (Ashbourn, 2014)

Edited book:

Reference list: Nasta, S. and Stein, M.U. (eds) (2020) The Cambridge history of Black and Asian British writing . Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

In-text citation: (Nasta and Stein, 2020)

Where an e-book looks like a printed book (usually PDFs) with publication information and page numbers - cite it in the same way as a printed book (above). Where specific pagination details are not available use the information you have e.g. %, loc, chapter/page/paragraph. Also add the DOI or web address to the full reference.

Reference list: Prior, H. (2020) Away with the penguins . Available at: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Away-Penguins-Hazel-Prior-ebook (Accessed: 20 September 2021).

In-text citation: (Prior, 2020, 74%)

Reference list: Faulkner, W. (2000) Light in August. Available at: https://www.vlebooks.com/vleweb/product/openreader?id=UniReading&isbn=9781446485521 (Accessed: 10 September 2021).

In-text citation: (Faulkner, 2000, ch. 7, p. 105)

Elements to include
Print journals or print journals now online
Online only journals
Versions in repositories

The information you include in the reference will depend on whether the journal is published in print (but uploaded for electronic access), only published online, or is a version found in an institutional repository. You can usually tell the difference by looking for page numbers. If each article in the journal begins at page 1, or has no page number at all, it is likely to be an online-only journal.

Article title (in single quotation marks)
Journal title (in italics, capitalise the first letter of each word except linking words)
Volume number
Issue number (if present, in round brackets)
Page numbers or article reference number (Include the page numbers of the whole article when writing your full citation, not just the pages you have referred to)
DOI or web link for online-only articles

See the examples in the other tabs in this box.

Examples for articles in print copies of journal articles or a print journal accessed online (e.g. on JSTOR)

Traditionally all articles were published in print format in issues which then formed part of a volume and this way of citing them (giving volume, issue and page numbers) has been retained even though most are now available online. There is no need to include the DOI or web address for articles with volume numbers and page numbers or an article reference number even if you accessed them online.

A single author:

Reference list: Gulddal, J. (2020) 'That deep underground savage instinct: narratives of sacrifice and retribution in Agatha Christie's Appointment with Death', Textual Practice, 34(11), pp. 1803-1821.

In-text citation: (Gulddal, 2020)

Two authors - include them both separated by 'and' or &:

Reference list: Thomas, D. and Tian, L. (2021) 'Hits from the Bong: the impact of recreational marijuana dispensaries on property values', Regional Science and Urban Economics, 87, article number 103655.

In-text citation: (Thomas and Tian, 2021)

Three authors - include them all, separate the first two with a comma and use 'and' or & before the third author:

Reference list: Adeyeye, S.A.O., Ashaolu, T.J. and Idowu-Adebayo, F. (2022) 'Mycotoxins: food safety, consumer health and Africa's food security', Polycyclic Aromatic Compounds , 42(8), pp. 5779–5795.

In-text citation: (Adeyeye, Ashaolu and Idowu-Adebayo, 2022)

Four or more authors - include them all in the full reference , but for the in-text citation just state the first author, followed by et al .

Reference list: Moise, L., Gutiérrez, A.H., Khan, S., Tan, S., Ardito, M., Martin, W.D. & De Groot, A.S. (2020) 'New immunoinformatics tools for swine: designing epitope-driven vaccines, predicting vaccine efficacy, and making vaccines on demand', Frontiers in Immunology, 11, article number 563362.

In-text citation: (Moise et al. , 2020)

Examples for online-only journals

If the journal is ONLY available online, you should include the DOI or the URL in the full reference. Online-only journal articles may not have page numbers or reference numbers, or pagination for each article will begin with '1'. The rules for in-text citations are the same as for print articles.

Article with a DOI:

Reference list: Mair, A., Poirier, M. and Conway M.A. (2021) 'Age effects in autobiographical memory depend on the measure', PLoS one, 16(10), article number e0259279. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0259279

Article without a DOI:

Reference list: Farrell, L.G. (2013) 'Challenging assumptions about IT skills in higher education'. Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education , 6. Available at: http://www.aldinhe.ac.uk/ojs/index.php?journal=jldhe&page=article&op=view&path[]=173&path[]=138 (Accessed: 23 June 2021).

Examples for versions of articles found in repositories

Authors will often put versions of their articles into institutional repositories to comply with funding requirements to make the research Open Access. These may be pre-print versions (before peer review has taken place) or post-print versions, also known as author accepted manuscripts (the final version of the text, following peer review, to be published in the journal).

Pre-print example

Allen, R. J., Horowitz, L. W., Naik, V., Oshima, N., O'Connor, F., Turnock, S., Shim, S., Le Sager, P., Van Noije, T., Tsigaridis, K., Bauer, S. E., Sentman, L. T., John, J. G., Broderick, C., Deushi, M., Folberth, G., Fujimori, S. and Collins, B. (2021) 'Significant climate benefits from near-term climate forcer mitigation in spite of aerosol reductions'. To be published in Environmental Research Letters [Preprint]. Available at: http://centaur.reading.ac.uk/view/creators/90004988.html (Accessed: 24 June 2021).

For post-prints which are identical in content to the published version, you should cite the published version instead of citing the repository version.

Chapter author(s)
Chapter title in single quotation marks
'in' followed by book author(s)/editor(s)
Book title (in italics)
Publisher's name
Chapter pagination

Include the page extent of the whole chapter when writing your full citation. Put just the pages you have referred to in the in-text citation.

Reference list: Singh, H., Khurana, L.K. and Singh, R. (2018) 'Pharmaceutical development', in Vohora, D. and Singh, G. (eds) Pharmaceutical medicine and translational clinical research , London: Academic Press, pp.33-46.

In-text citation: (Singh, Khurana and Singh, 2018, p.35)

You can find many different types of information on the Internet. Check that the item you are referencing isn't a journal article, book chapter, or another type of publication which you should be citing in a different way.

Author (person or company that created the webpage)
Year of publication or last update (in round brackets). Scroll to the bottom of the page but if there is no date put (no date)
Page title (in italics)
Available at: URL (Accessed: date)

Webpage created by a person

Reference list: Bologna, C. (2018) What happens to your mind and body when you feel homesick? Available at: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/what-happens-mindbody-homesick_us_5b201ebde4b09d7a3d77eee1 (Accessed: 24 June 2021).

In-text citation: (Bologna, 2018)

Webpage created by an organisation

Reference list: World Health Organization (2020) Salt reduction . Available at: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/salt-reduction (Accessed: 24 June 2021).

In-text citation: (World Health Organization, 2020)

Further guidance on referencing websites

Have a look at this Study Advice video tutorial (note that the format of the examples may not match the guidance given above):

Referencing websites (video) Watch this brief video tutorial for more on the topic.
Referencing websites (transcript) Read along while watching the video tutorial.

A secondary reference is used when you are referring to a source which you have not read yourself, but have seen quoted or read about in another source. Where possible, you should always try to read the original of anything you wish to refer to ; otherwise you are relying on the author who cited the reference to have interpreted it correctly and not taken it out of context. Use the reference list at the end of the source you are reading to find details of the reference and search for it using the search boxes below.

Find books using the Enterprise catalogue

Just type in the first author's surname and a few words from the title.

Find journal articles using Summon

Just type in the first author's surname and first part of the article title.

If you can't get hold of the original source you'll need to do a secondary reference and you should make clear that you are not using the original source. Only include the source you have used in your list of references following the guidance for citing that type of publication.

Different Schools/Departments might have different preferred ways of doing this, so do check any advice you are given or ask your course tutor if you are not sure. Otherwise, this is general guidance.

If the author quotes another source:

F rance (2003, quoted in Weingart et al ., 2018, p. 24) provides evidence that hospitals use internal reporting procedures to identify...

If the author summarises another source

In-text citation: According to France (2003, cited in Weingart et al. , 2018, p. 24) , hospitals use internal reporting procedures to identify...

In both examples only the full reference for the article by Weingart et al . would be included in the reference list.

Author, initials.
Year (in round brackets)
Title of document.
Date (if avaialble)
Collection name
Document number.
Name of archive
Location of archive

In-text citation: ( Author , Year)

Reference list: Becket, S. (1974) Letter from Samuel Beckett to Vera Beckett. 1 January 1974. Letters from Samuel Beckett to Vera Beckett series BC MS 5411 B, University of Reading Special Collections, Reading .

In-text citation: (Beckett, 1974)

Cite the item you have seen - if you have seen an artwork in a book or catalogue, reference that book or catalogue (use our Images examples .) If you have seen the painting or exhibition, cite that as follows;

Exhibitions

Title of exhibition (in italics)
[Exhibition]
Location. Date(s) of exhibition

If it's an online exhibition, use [Online exhibition] and add;

In-text citation: ( Title of exhibition , Year)

Example:

Reference list: Yayoi Kusama: Infinity mirror rooms (2021) [Exhibition]. Tate Modern, London. 18 May 2021-12 June 2022.

Reference list: Vida Americana: Mexican muralists remake American art, 1925 - 1945 (2020) [Online exhibition] Whitney Museum of American Art. 17 February 2020 - 31 January 2021. Available at: https://whitney.org/exhibitions/vida-americana (Accessed: 23 January 2021).

In-text citation: ( Yayoi Kusama: Infinity mirror rooms , 2021)

In-text citation: ( Vida Americana: Mexican muralists remake American art, 1925 - 1945 , 2020)

Works of art (paintings, drawings, sculptures, installations.)

Title of artwork (in italics)
Medium (e.g. Sculpture, Mixed-media, Video installation, Oil on canvas, etc) in square brackets
(Viewed: date)

OR if you accessed it online, use the URL as the location

Available at: URL
(Accessed: date)

In-text citation: ( Artist , Year)

Reference list: Bacon, F. (1943-4) Three studies for figures at the base of a crucifixion [Oil and pastel on board]. Tate Britain, London (Viewed: 30 August 2022).

In-text citation: (Bacon , 1943-4)

OR if accessed online;

Reference list: Bacon, F. (1943-4) Three studies for figures at the base of a crucifixion [Oil and pastel on board]. Available at: https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/bacon-three-studies-for-figures-at-the-base-of-a-crucifixion-n06171 (Accessed: 1 July 2021).

Publishing organisation
Year of publication/last updated (in round brackets)
Title of report (in italics)
Available at: URL or DOI (Accessed: date)

Reference list: Bureau van Dijk (2020) Tesco plc company report . Available at: http://fame.bvdep.com (Accessed: 27 May 2021).

In-text citation: (Bureau van Dijk, 2020)

Author of paper
Year of publication (in round brackets)
Title of paper (in single quotation marks)
Title of conference proceedings: subtitle (in italics)
Location and date of conference
Place of publication: Publisher
Page references for the paper

Reference list: Jones, L. (2018) 'Polymer blends based on compact disc scrap', Proceedings of the Annual Technical Conference - Society of Plastics Engineers. San Francisco, May 6-9. Brookfield, CT: Society of Plastics Engineers. pp.236-254.

In-text citation: (Jones, 2018)

Film from streaming service

You should include the following elements:

Title of film (in italics)
Year of distribution (in round brackets)
Directed by
[Feature film]
Place of distribution: Distributor

In-text citation: ( Title of film , Year)

Reference list: Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004) Directed by M. Moore. [Feature film]. Santa Monica, CA: Lions Gate Films.

In-text citation: ( Fahrenheit 9/11 , 2004)

For examples of how to cite Films in different formats, please see the examples in the Cite them right e-book in the Harvard Referencing chapter, under "Audiovisual recordings...";

Available at: DOI or Name of service or URL

Reference list: Fatherhood (2021) Directed by P. Weitz. Available at: Netflix (Accessed: 28 June 2021).

In-text citation: ( Fatherhood , 2021)

For examples of how to cite Films in different formats like Blu-ray, DVD, Video Cassette, broadcast and TV series, please see the examples in the Cite them right e-book in the Harvard Referencing chapter, under "Audiovisual recordings...";

See our section on YouTube videos:

Citing YouTube videos

Figures such as graphs, charts and diagrams that you have used from other sources should be referenced in the same way that you would any other material.

Each one should have a caption below it labelled as 'Figure', sequentially numbered, and given a title. When you refer to it in your writing, use the figure number. Give a full citation in the reference list for the source of the image. See the following example:

Example of citing a diagram with the Figure number and legend below.

Example of referring to a figure in a sentence:

The prebiotics can induce direct or indirect effect on the gut-associated epithelial and immune cells (Figure 3).

Full details for reference list:

Pujari, R. and Banerjee, G. (2021) 'Impact of prebiotics on immune response: from the bench to the clinic'. Immunology and Cell Biology , 99(3), pp. 255-273.

Name of issuing body
Place of publication (if in print)
Publisher (if in print)
Series (in round brackets) - if applicable

If accessed online:

DOI or Available at: URL (Accessed: date)

Print publication:

Reference list: Environment Agency (2020) The flood and coastal erosion risk management strategy action plan 2021. Bristol: Environment Agency.

In-text citation: (Environment Agency, 2020)

Publication accessed online:

Reference list: Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (2016) Vitamin D and health. Available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/537616/SACN_Vitamin_D_and_Health_report.pdf (Accessed: 25 August 2021).

In-text citation: (Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition, 2016)

Image from a book
Image from an internet collection / social media
Image you created yourself
Image used purely for decoration

Images and photographs that you have seen in books, articles and other published material should be cited in the same way you would cite the source of the image. Add the page number and figure / illustration number if there is one from the source item to your in-text citation (use the same terminology they do to number their illustrations, eg. illus., fig., diagram, table, plate etc.)

Year of publication
Page number and illustration / figure / plate number from the source book or article if they use one.)

You may wish to use the title / subject matter of the image in your sentence or caption for the image;

Reference list: Glaser, M. and Ilić, M. (2017) The design of dissent . Beverly, MA: Rockport Publishers.

In-text citation: The We Are Bullet Proof poster by Jon Key created a narrative of strength during Black Lives Matter (Glaser and Ilić, 2017, p. 261)

Any image or photograph from a social media site, online image collection or website can be referenced in this way.

Photographer (if available)
(Year of publication) in round brackets
Title of photograph or collection in italics
Available at: DOI or URL

Reference list: stanitsa_dance (2021) Cossack dance ensemble . Available at: https://www.instagram.com/p/COI_slphWJ_/ (Accessed: 13 June 2021).

In-text citation: (stanitsa_dance, 2021)

If the image is one you have created yourself, give it a figure number and title in the caption and add (Source: the author) to show that it is your own work. The image below shows how you would do this;

You do not need to include it in the reference list.

If you have reproduced an image in your work and it is purely decorative you should still acknowledge the creator and source but there is no need to include a full reference.

Underneath the image add the caption:

'Image: [creator] via [website image captured from]'.

For example: Image: Steve Buissine via Piaxabay

If it is a picture you have taken use this format:

'Image by author'.

General guidance
Command papers
Law reports
Official records published in Hansard
Papers (House of Commons/House of Lords)
Statutes (Acts of Parliament)
Statutory Instruments

Students studying Law

If you are studying Law, you will be expected to use the OSCOLA system of referencing . You will have advice on this from your School, and can find support on the Law guide:

Referencing guidance for Law students

Students studying other subjects

If you are not studying Law, but need to refer to legal or Parliamentary documents, the examples in this box give acceptable citation formats for commonly used materials in the Harvard style. We have concentrated on key UK legislative sources here. For guidance on citing other materials, and those from other jurisdictions, see the Cite Them Right guide:

For Bills from the House of Commons and House of Lords you should include the following elements:

Publication year (in round brackets)
Parliament: House of Commons or Lords
Place of publication
If viewed online replace 5 & 6 with Available at: URL (Accessed: date).

Reference list:

Agriculture Bill (2019) Parliament: House of Commons, Bill no. 2292. London: The Stationery Office.

Agriculture Bill (2019) Parliament: House of Commons, Bill no. 2292. Available at: https://bills.parliament.uk/bills/2292 (Accessed: 12 July 2022).

In-text citation:

Mr Gove introduced the Agriculture Bill (2019)...

For Command Papers (including Green and White papers) you should include the following elements:

Title of report of consultation paper (in italics)
Command Paper number (in round brackets) preceeded by Cmnd:
If accessed online replace 5 & 6 with DOI or Available at: URL (Accessed: date)

Papers accessed online

Department for Work and Pensions (2021) Shaping Future Support: the Health and Disability Green Paper (Cmnd. 470). Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/shaping-future-support-the-health-and-disability-green-paper (Accessed: 30 July 2021).

(Department for Work and Pensions, 2021)

Papers accessed in print

Department of Social Security (2000) The Pension Credit: Consultation Paper (Cmnd. 4900). London: HMSO.

(Department of Social Security, 2000)

Law reports (cases) before 2002

Include the following elements:

Name of case (in single quotation marks)
Title of law report (in italics)
Page numbers

'Bibby Cheshire v. Golden Wonder Ltd' (1972) Weekly Law Reports , 1, pp. 1487-1492.

('Bibby Cheshire v. Golden Wonder Ltd', 1972)

Law reports (cases) from 2002

From 2002 cases have been given a neutral citation. This means that it isn't necessary to include details of the printed law report series in which it was published. When using this type of citation you must give details of the publication in which the case was reported or the database/website you used.

Name of the parties involved in the case (in single quotation marks)
Court and case number
Name of database or website (in italics)
DOI or Available at: URL (Accessed: date)

'Rees v. Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis' (2021) Court of Appeal (Civil Division), case 49. BAILII . Available at: https://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWCA/Civ/2021/49.html (Accessed: 30 July 2021).

('Rees v. Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis', 2021)

Hansard is the official record of the business of the Houses of the UK Parliament. This includes databases, speeches, answers and statements. References to Hansard follow a similar pattern to journal articles. Include the following:

Name of speaker/author
Subject of debate or speech (in single quotation marks)
Hansard: Name of House of Parliament (in italics)
Debates/written statement/Westminster Hall or petitions (in italics)
Day and month
Volume number, column number or page number

Bonnar, S. (2021) ' Ethics and human rights: climate change ', Hansard: House of Commons debates , 14 July, 699, c. 355. Available at: https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2021-07-14/debates/FED21B9A-F4C2-4437-8CFD-3A08E5929C48/EthicsAndHumanRightsClimateChange (Accessed: 30 July 2021).

Steve Bonnar MP (2021) asked if the UK Government would create a climate justice fund.

To cite papers from the House of Parliament or House of Lords include the following elements:

Parliament, House of...
Title (in italics) including the Session dates if appropriate.
Session dates and Paper number (in round brackets) preceeded by HC or HL as appropriate. Note that to distinguish House of Lords papers from the House of Commons paper with the same number the Paper number is enclosed in an extra set of round brackets e.g. (HL 2002-2003, (254))
Place of publication:

Parliament, House of Commons (2004) The English national stadium project at Wembley, Session 2003-2004. (HC 2003-2004, 254). London: The Stationery Office.

(Parliament, House of Commons, 2004)

When referencing Acts of Parliament you should use the short title of the Act and year it was enacted. It is not necessary to include the year in brackets as it would duplicate the year in the title. Include the following elements:

Title of Act - including year and chapter (in italics)
Country/Jurisdiction (only required if referencing legislation from more than one country)

Food Safety Act 1990, c. 16 . Available at: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1990/16/contents (Accessed: 20 July 2021).

As stipulated in the Food Safety Act 1990...

When citing Statutory Instruments (SIs) include the following information:

Name/Title and year (in italics)
SI year and number (in round brackets)

Children (Performances and Activities) (Wales) Regulations 2015 (SI 2015/1757). Available at: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/wsi/2015/1757/contents/made (Accessed: 23 July 2021).

Referring to the Children (Performances and Activities) (Wales) Regulations 2015...

Lines within plays
Line of a poem within an anthology

These examples use Harvard style. If you are studying in English Literature , you will have separate guidance from your department on using MHRA style for referencing. See the link below for more information:

English Literature citing references guidance Guidance on using the MHRA style for students studying English literature.

To cite a novel use the same format as for an authored book

Citing an authored book
Title (in italics)
Edition information

Reference list: Shakespeare, W. (2008) Twelth night or what you will. Edited by K. Elam. London: Cengage.

In-text citation: (Shakespeare, 2008, 1.3: 13).

Author of the poem
Title of poem in single quotation marks
'in' followed by book author(s)/editor(s)/compiler(s)
Book title (in italics)
Poem pagination

Include the page extent of the whole poem when writing your full citation. Put just the pages you have referred to in the in-text citation.

Reference list: Orr, J. (2002) 'The dying African', in Basker, J. (ed.) Amazing grace: an anthology of poems about slavery, 1660-1810 . New Haven: Yale University Press, pp. 533-535.

In-text citation: (Orr, 2002, p. 533)

Name of author or issuing body
Title of map (in italics)
Sheet number or tile (if applicable)
Scale (if available)
Series or section in Digimap if appropriate (in round brackets)

Available at DOI or URL (Accessed: date)

Reference list: Ordnance Survey (2012) Reading & Windsor: Henley-on-Thames & Bracknell , sheet 175, 1:50 000. Southampton: Ordnance Survey (Landranger series).

In-text citation: (Ordnance Survey, 2012)

Reference list: Dower, J. (1832) A map shewing the parliamentary representation of England & Wales, according as the same are settled by the Reform Act passed 7th June 1832, 1 inch to 35 miles. London: J. Gardner.

In-text citation: (Dower, 1832)

Reference list: Ordnance Survey (2020) Whiteknights , Reading, 1:10 000. (Digimap Ordnance Survey) Available at http://edina.ac.uk/digimap/ (Accessed: 20 June 2021).

In-text citation: (Ordnance Survey, 2020)

If you have any queries about citing maps, contact your Academic Liaison Librarian

Organisation / author.
Title of report (in italics)
Available at: URL (if you have to login with a username and password to access the report, then use the homepage of the database or a permalink) (Accessed: date)

Reference list: Mintel (2019) Sports and energy drinks - UK. Available at: http://www.academic.mintel.com (Accessed: 5th July 2021).

In-text citation: (Mintel, 2019)

Articles with an author (byline)
Articles without an author
Author’(s) surname and initials
Title of article (in single quotation marks)
Title of newspaper (in italics - capitalize first word of each word in title except for linking words such as and, of, the, for)
Edition if required (in round brackets)
Section and Page reference if available

If accessed online: DOI or Available at: URL (Accessed: date)

Printed article:

Reference list: Graham, K. (2020) 'The biggest tree and the smallest axe', The Guardian , 31 August, pp.21-22.

In-text citation: (Graham, 2020)

Online article:

Reference list: Pinkstone, J. (2021) 'Mountains set the pace of evolution, not climate change, say scientists', The Daily Telegraph , 2 September. Available at: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/09/02/mountains-set-pace-evolution-not-climate-change-say-scientists/ (Accessed: 3 September 2021).

In-text citation: (Pinkstone, 2021)

Title of newspaper (in italics - capitalize first word of each word in title except for linking words such as and, of, the, for)
Page reference if available

Note: if you are using the online version of a newspaper, which often varies from the print edition, you would omit page reference and instead include Available at: URL (Accessed: date)

Reference list: The Daily Telegraph (2021) 'Walking on wooden floors could help to generate power', 2 September, p. 12.

In-text citation: ( The Daily Telegraph , 2021, p. 12)

Reference list: The Guardian (2021) 'We cannot allow inequality to increase within the education system', 2 September. Available at: https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/editorials/inequality-education-exams-schools-private-b1900252.html (Accessed: 4 September 2021).

In-text citation: ( The Guardian , 2021)

Inventor(s)
Authorising organisation e.g. UK Intellectual Property Office, U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
Patent number
If online - Available at: URL (Accessed: date)

Online patent

Reference list: Cox, A. and Lee, J. (2021) Water remediation system. UK Intellectual Property Office Patent no. GB2591282A. Available at: https://worldwide.espacenet.com/ (Accessed: 2 September 2021).

In-text citation: (Cox and Lee, 2021)

Printed patent

Reference list: Kruger, L.H. (1989) Degradation of granular starch. US Patent no.: US4838944.

In-text citation: (Kruger, 1989)

If you have obtained information which is not publically accessible you should cite it as a personal communication. This can include conversations taking place in person, by phone or by online means (such as Zoom, Teams, Skype). It can also be written communications such as letters, email, text messages, WhatsApp messages, SnapChat messages etc.

Include the following information:

Sender / speaker / author
Year of communication (in round brackets)
Medium of communication.
Receiver of communication.
Day / month of communication.

Reference list: Chen , B. (2022) Conversation with Lucy Atkins, 30 July

In-text citation: (Chen, 2022)

Reference list: Garcia, C. (2022) WhatsApp message to Anna Jaworska, 12 July

In-text citation: (Garcia, 2022)

Radio programme online
Title of programme (in italics)
Year of broadcast (in round brackets)
Radio station
Date of transmission (DD Month) and time

In-text citation: ( Programme title , Year)

Reference list: Kermode and Mayo's Film Review (2021) BBC Radio 5 Live, 25 June, 14:30.

In-text citation: Presenters and Wittertainees say hello to Jason Isaacs ( Kermode and Mayo's Film Review , 2021)

Year of original broadcast (in round brackets)
Day and month of original transmission (if available)
Available at: DOI or URL (Accessed: date)

Bibliography: Elvenquest (2011) BBC Radio 4, 7 November. Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b016vn8f (Accessed: 2 July 2021).

In-text citation: ( Elvenquest, 2011)

Title (not in italics)
Translator and edition, if required (in round brackets)
publisher (if in print)

Reference list: The Holy Bible: new international version (1981) London: Hodder and Stoughton,

In-text citation: (The Holy Bible, 1981, John 14: 27)

Reference list: The Qur'an: a new translation (2015) (Translated by M. A. S. Abdel Haleem.) Oxford: Oxford University Press

In-text citation: (The Qur'an, 2015, 20: 26)

Reference list: The Torah: the five books of Moses (1962) Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society of America.

In-text citation: (The Torah,1962, Devarim 4: 2)

General guidance: posts
General guidance: pages

There are many different forms of social media. Here is some general guidance for citing specific social media posts.

Author of post

Year posted (in round brackets)

Title or description of post (in single quotation marks)

[Name of platform]

Day/month posted

Available at: URL (Accessed: date)

Reference list: Financial Times (2021) ‘The London luxury property market was slowed down by the pandemic, but it is likely to bounce back soon’. [Facebook] 2 July. Available at: https://www.facebook.com/financialtimes/posts/10159435194305750 (Accessed: 6 July 2021).

In-text citation: (Financial Times, 2021)

There are many different forms of social media. Here is some general guidance for citing a social media page, rather than an individual post.

Author (if available; if not use title)

Year site was last updated (in round brackets)

Title of site (in italics)

Reference list: University of Reading Library (2022) [Facebook]. Available at: https://www.facebook.com/universityofreadinglibrary (Accessed: 20 July 2022).

In text: (University of Reading Library, 2022)

Year tweet posted (in round brackets)
Title or description of Tweet
Day/month tweet posted

Reference list: Harvard Business Review (2021) ‘In this large-scale study of military performance measures, negative words — like selfish, passive, and scattered — were much more frequently applied to women’. [Twitter] 4 July. Available at: https://twitter.com/HarvardBiz/status/1411692276888317952 (Accessed: 6 July 2021).

In-text citation: (Harvard Business Review, 2021)

When citing an Instagram Post, please use the guidance below. When citing a photograph or image specifically, please see our citing an image from social media guidance .

Author (Instagram account/poster)
Year posted (in round brackets)
Title of post in single quotation marks
[Instagram]
Day/month of posted message

Reference list: University of Reading (2022) 'Say hello to Reading's Climate Stripes bus!' [Instagram] 27 July. Available at: https://www.instagram.com/p/CghAmV4Mre-/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link (Accessed: 2 August 2022).

In-text citation: (University of Reading, 2022)

Table taken directly from another source

Tables should be sequentially numbered in your work with the title above the table - as in the following example in the Harvard referencing style. When referring to the table in your writing use the table number.

A citation should be included at the end of the table title and a full citation added to your reference list for the source.

Example of citing a table showing the table legend containing a citation

Example of referring to a table in a sentence:

The macronutrient content of the diets used in the study is shown in Table 2.

Mitchell, N.S. and Ard, J.D. (2021) 'Weight loss, lifestyle, and dietary factors in cardiovascular diseases in African Americans and Hispanics', in Ferdinand, K.C., Taylor, H.A. and Rodriguez, C.J. (eds) Cardiovascular disease in racial and ethnic minority populations . Cham: Humana Press, pp. 167-182.

Table you have compiled yourself from multiple sources

If you are taking information from multiple sources and compiling your own table you still need to acknowledge those sources.

Once again your table will need to be numbered in sequence with other tables in your work and have a title. For example:

Table 1: Turnover of Tesco PLC 2017-2021

You can then add a, b, c etc next to the statistics in the table (or the columns depending on how your data is arranged, see the example linked below) and then add a matching lettered list of citations for the sources at the bottom of the table:

Sources: a Tesco PLC (2017); b Tesco PLC (2018) etc

Then in your reference list the end of your work, you would add the full reference for each source. For example:

Tesco PLC (2017) Annual report and financial statement . Available at: https://www.tescoplc.com/investors/reports-results-and-presentations/reports-archive/ (Accessed: 10 November 2022).

Tesco PLC (2018) Annual report and financial statement . Available at: https://www.tescoplc.com/investors/reports-results-and-presentations/reports-archive/ (Accessed: 10 November 2022).

See the following example where a & b has been added to the columns, as everything in that column has come from the same source:

Example of citing multiple sources used in a table

The other option is to arrange it with the brief citations in the table. See Table 1 in the following example. The full references would go into your reference list at the end of the work in the same way as Method 1.

How to cite sources in a table (Method 2) This example is in the APA referencing style but the same approach would work with Harvard.

It is strongly recommended that you use published sources such as books and journal articles in your assignments instead of materials posted by academics on Blackboard. Always check with the academic who has set the assignment whether you are allowed to include citations for their materials in your work.

PowerPoint presentations

Author or lecturer
Title of presentation (in single quotation marks)
[Presentation slides]
Module code: module title (in italics)
Institution name
Available at: https://bb.reading.ac.uk (Accessed: date)

Reference list: Hartl, F. (2022) 'Advanced electrochemical and electroanalytical methods' [Presentation slides]. CH4AN1: Advanced analytical techniques for the molecular sciences . University of Reading. Available at: https://bb.reading.ac.uk (Accessed: 6 July 2022).

In-text citation: (Hartl, 2022)

Recorded lecture

Year (in round brackets)
Title of lecture (in single quotation marks)
Medium [in square brackets]
Institution

Reference list: Bull, S. (2021) 'Anatomy of taste' [Recorded lecture]. FB3QSF: Advanced food quality and sensory . University of Reading. 21 February. Available at: https://bb.reading.ac.uk (Accessed: 1 July 2021).

In-text citation: (Bull, 2021)

Name of authorising organisation
Number and title of standard (in italics)
Available at: URL (if online)
Accessed: date (if online)

Print standard:

Reference list: British Standards Institution (2020) BS ISO 21543:2020: Milk and milk products - guidelines for the application of near infrared spectroscopy. London: British Standards Institution.

In-text citation: (British Standards Institution, 2020)

Online standard

Reference list: British Standards Institution (2020) BS ISO 21543:2020: Milk and milk products - guidelines for the application of near infrared spectroscopy. Available at: https://bsol.bsigroup.com (Accessed: 6 July 2021).

In-text citation: (British Standards Institution, 2020)

Name of author
Year of submission (in round brackets)
Title of thesis (in Italics)
Degree statement (eg PhD thesis, MSc thesis, MA thesis)
Name of the University or degree awarding body
If accessed online: DOI or Available at: URL (Accessed: date)

Print thesis

Reference list: Lalani, B. (201 7) Economics and adoption of conservation agriculture in Cabo Delgado, Mozambique. PhD thesis. Reading University.

In-text citation: (Lalani, 2017)

Online thesis

Reference list: Alarifi, S.N.M. (2017) In vitro studies on gum acacia and its potential as a prebiotic in an elderly population. PhD thesis. University of Reading. Available at: https://centaur.reading.ac.uk/76135/ (Accessed: 11 July 2022).

In-text citation: (Alarifi, 2017)

Author (name or person/organisation posting the video)
Year video posted (in round brackets)
Title of film or programme (in italics)
Date uploaded (if available)

If you need to refer to a specific point in a video, use the format minutes:seconds in your in-text citation to note the time code e.g. (TEDx Talks, 2018, 2:34).

Reference list: TEDx Talks (2018) The Power of an entrepreneurial mindset: Bill Roche. 20 March. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ihs4VFZWwn4 (Accessed: 5 July 2021).

In-text citation: (TEDx Talks, 2018)

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Chapter 1: Introduction to Research Methods

1.4 Understanding Key Research Concepts and Terms

In this textbook you will be exposed to many terms and concepts associated with research methods, particularly as they relate to the research planning decisions you must make along the way. Figure 1.1 will help you contextualize many of these terms and understand the research process. This general chart begins with two key concepts: ontology and epistemology, advances through other concepts, and concludes with three research methodological approaches: qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods.

Research does not end with making decisions about the type of methods you will use; we could argue that the work is just beginning at this point. Figure 1.3 does not represent an all-encompassing list of concepts and terms related to research methods. Keep in mind that each strategy has its own data collection and analysis approaches associated with the various methodological approaches you choose. Figure 1.1 is intentioned to provide a general overview of the research concept. You may want to keep this figure handy as you read through the various chapters.

Ontology & Epistemology

Thinking about what you know and how you know what you know involves questions of ontology and epistemology. Perhaps you have heard these concepts before in a philosophy class? These concepts are relevant to the work of sociologists as well. As sociologists (those who undertake socially-focused research), we want to understand some aspect of our social world. Usually, we are not starting with zero knowledge. In fact, we usually start with some understanding of three concepts: 1) what is; 2) what can be known about what is; and, 3) what the best mechanism happens to be for learning about what is (Saylor Academy, 2012). In the following sections, we will define these concepts and provide an example of the terms, ontology and epistemology.

Ontology is a Greek word that means the study, theory, or science of being. Ontology is concerned with the what is or the nature of reality (Saunders, Lewis, & Thornhill, 2009). It can involve some very large and difficult to answer questions, such as:

What is the purpose of life?
What, if anything, exists beyond our universe?
What categories does it belong to?
Is there such a thing as objective reality?
What does the verb “to be” mean?

Ontology is comprised of two aspects: objectivism and subjectivism. Objectivism means that social entities exist externally to the social actors who are concerned with their existence. Subjectivism means that social phenomena are created from the perceptions and actions of the social actors who are concerned with their existence (Saunders, et al., 2009). Figure 1.2 provides an example of a similar research project to be undertaken by two different students. While the projects being proposed by the students are similar, they each have different research questions. Read the scenario and then answer the questions that follow.

Subjectivist and objectivist approaches (adapted from Saunders et al., 2009)

Ana is an Emergency & Security Management Studies (ESMS) student at a local college. She is just beginning her capstone research project and she plans to do research at the City of Vancouver. Her research question is: What is the role of City of Vancouver managers in the Emergency Management Department (EMD) in enabling positive community relationships? She will be collecting data related to the roles and duties of managers in enabling positive community relationships.

Robert is also an ESMS student at the same college. He, too, will be undertaking his research at the City of Vancouver. His research question is: What is the effect of the City of Vancouver’s corporate culture in enabling EMD managers to develop a positive relationship with the local community? He will be collecting data related to perceptions of corporate culture and its effect on enabling positive community-emergency management department relationships.

Before the students begin collecting data, they learn that six months ago, the long-time emergency department manager and assistance manager both retired. They have been replaced by two senior staff managers who have Bachelor’s degrees in Emergency Services Management. These new managers are considered more up-to-date and knowledgeable on emergency services management, given their specialized academic training and practical on-the-job work experience in this department. The new managers have essentially the same job duties and operate under the same procedures as the managers they replaced. When Ana and Robert approach the managers to ask them to participate in their separate studies, the new managers state that they are just new on the job and probably cannot answer the research questions; they decline to participate. Ana and Robert are worried that they will need to start all over again with a new research project. They return to their supervisors to get their opinions on what they should do.

Before reading about their supervisors’ responses, answer the following questions:

Is Ana’s research question indicative of an objectivist or a subjectivist approach?
Is Robert’s research question indicative of an objectivist or a subjectivist approach?
Given your answer in question 1, which managers could Ana interview (new, old, or both) for her research study? Why?
Given your answer in question 2, which managers could Robert interview (new, old, or both) for his research study? Why?

Ana’s supervisor tells her that her research question is set up for an objectivist approach. Her supervisor tells her that in her study the social entity (the City) exists in reality external to the social actors (the managers), i.e., there is a formal management structure at the City that has largely remained unchanged since the old managers left and the new ones started. The procedures remain the same regardless of whoever occupies those positions. As such, Ana, using an objectivist approach, could state that the new managers have job descriptions which describe their duties and that they are a part of a formal structure with a hierarchy of people reporting to them and to whom they report. She could further state that this hierarchy, which is unique to this organization, also resembles hierarchies found in other similar organizations. As such, she can argue that the new managers will be able to speak about the role they play in enabling positive community relationships. Their answers would likely be no different than those of the old managers, because the management structure and the procedures remain the same. Therefore, she could go back to the new managers and ask them to participate in her research study.

Robert’s supervisor tells him that his research is set up for a subjectivist approach. In his study, the social phenomena (the effect of corporate culture on the relationship with the community) is created from the perceptions and consequent actions of the social actors (the managers); i.e., the corporate culture at the City continually influences the process of social interaction, and these interactions influence perceptions of the relationship with the community. The relationship is in a constant state of revision. As such, Robert, using a subjectivist approach, could state that the new managers may have had few interactions with the community members to date and therefore may not be fully cognizant of how the corporate culture affects the department’s relationship with the community. While it would be important to get the new managers’ perceptions, he would also need to speak with the previous managers to get their perceptions from the time they were employed in their positions. This is because the community-department relationship is in a state of constant revision, which is influenced by the various managers’ perceptions of the corporate culture and its effect on their ability to form positive community relationships. Therefore, he could go back to the current managers and ask them to participate in his study, and also ask that the department please contact the previous managers to see if they would be willing to participate in his study.

As you can see the research question of each study guides the decision as to whether the researcher should take a subjective or an objective ontological approach. This decision, in turn, guides their approach to the research study, including whom they should interview.

Epistemology

Epistemology has to do with knowledge. Rather than dealing with questions about what is, epistemology deals with questions of how we know what is. In sociology, there are many ways to uncover knowledge. We might interview people to understand public opinion about a topic, or perhaps observe them in their natural environment. We could avoid face-to-face interaction altogether by mailing people surveys to complete on their own or by reading people’s opinions in newspaper editorials. Each method of data collection comes with its own set of epistemological assumptions about how to find things out (Saylor Academy, 2012). There are two main subsections of epistemology: positivist and interpretivist philosophies. We will examine these philosophies or paradigms in the following sections.

Research Methods for the Social Sciences: An Introduction Copyright © 2020 by Valerie Sheppard is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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How to Write Recommendations in Research | Examples & Tips

How to Write Recommendations in Research | Examples & Tips

Published on 15 September 2022 by Tegan George .

Recommendations in research are a crucial component of your discussion section and the conclusion of your thesis , dissertation , or research paper .

As you conduct your research and analyse the data you collected , perhaps there are ideas or results that don’t quite fit the scope of your research topic . Or, maybe your results suggest that there are further implications of your results or the causal relationships between previously-studied variables than covered in extant research.

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What should recommendations look like, building your research recommendation, how should your recommendations be written, recommendation in research example, frequently asked questions about recommendations.

Recommendations for future research should be:

Concrete and specific
Supported with a clear rationale
Directly connected to your research

Overall, strive to highlight ways other researchers can reproduce or replicate your results to draw further conclusions, and suggest different directions that future research can take, if applicable.

Relatedly, when making these recommendations, avoid:

Undermining your own work, but rather offer suggestions on how future studies can build upon it
Suggesting recommendations actually needed to complete your argument, but rather ensure that your research stands alone on its own merits
Using recommendations as a place for self-criticism, but rather as a natural extension point for your work

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There are many different ways to frame recommendations, but the easiest is perhaps to follow the formula of research question conclusion recommendation. Here’s an example.

Conclusion An important condition for controlling many social skills is mastering language. If children have a better command of language, they can express themselves better and are better able to understand their peers. Opportunities to practice social skills are thus dependent on the development of language skills.

As a rule of thumb, try to limit yourself to only the most relevant future recommendations: ones that stem directly from your work. While you can have multiple recommendations for each research conclusion, it is also acceptable to have one recommendation that is connected to more than one conclusion.

These recommendations should be targeted at your audience, specifically toward peers or colleagues in your field that work on similar topics to yours. They can flow directly from any limitations you found while conducting your work, offering concrete and actionable possibilities for how future research can build on anything that your own work was unable to address at the time of your writing.

See below for a full research recommendation example that you can use as a template to write your own.

The current study can be interpreted as a first step in the research on COPD speech characteristics. However, the results of this study should be treated with caution due to the small sample size and the lack of details regarding the participants’ characteristics.

Future research could further examine the differences in speech characteristics between exacerbated COPD patients, stable COPD patients, and healthy controls. It could also contribute to a deeper understanding of the acoustic measurements suitable for e-health measurements.

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While it may be tempting to present new arguments or evidence in your thesis or disseration conclusion , especially if you have a particularly striking argument you’d like to finish your analysis with, you shouldn’t. Theses and dissertations follow a more formal structure than this.

All your findings and arguments should be presented in the body of the text (more specifically in the discussion section and results section .) The conclusion is meant to summarize and reflect on the evidence and arguments you have already presented, not introduce new ones.

The conclusion of your thesis or dissertation should include the following:

A restatement of your research question
A summary of your key arguments and/or results
A short discussion of the implications of your research

For a stronger dissertation conclusion , avoid including:

Generic concluding phrases (e.g. “In conclusion…”)
Weak statements that undermine your argument (e.g. “There are good points on both sides of this issue.”)

Your conclusion should leave the reader with a strong, decisive impression of your work.

In a thesis or dissertation, the discussion is an in-depth exploration of the results, going into detail about the meaning of your findings and citing relevant sources to put them in context.

The conclusion is more shorter and more general: it concisely answers your main research question and makes recommendations based on your overall findings.

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Research Recommendations – Guiding policy-makers for evidence-based decision making

Research recommendations play a crucial role in guiding scholars and researchers toward fruitful avenues of exploration. In an era marked by rapid technological advancements and an ever-expanding knowledge base, refining the process of generating research recommendations becomes imperative.

But, what is a research recommendation?

Research recommendations are suggestions or advice provided to researchers to guide their study on a specific topic . They are typically given by experts in the field. Research recommendations are more action-oriented and provide specific guidance for decision-makers, unlike implications that are broader and focus on the broader significance and consequences of the research findings. However, both are crucial components of a research study.

Difference Between Research Recommendations and Implication

Although research recommendations and implications are distinct components of a research study, they are closely related. The differences between them are as follows:

Difference between research recommendation and implication

Types of Research Recommendations

Recommendations in research can take various forms, which are as follows:

These recommendations aim to assist researchers in navigating the vast landscape of academic knowledge.

Let us dive deeper to know about its key components and the steps to write an impactful research recommendation.

Key Components of Research Recommendations

The key components of research recommendations include defining the research question or objective, specifying research methods, outlining data collection and analysis processes, presenting results and conclusions, addressing limitations, and suggesting areas for future research. Here are some characteristics of research recommendations:

Characteristics of research recommendation

Research recommendations offer various advantages and play a crucial role in ensuring that research findings contribute to positive outcomes in various fields. However, they also have few limitations which highlights the significance of a well-crafted research recommendation in offering the promised advantages.

Advantages and limitations of a research recommendation

The importance of research recommendations ranges in various fields, influencing policy-making, program development, product development, marketing strategies, medical practice, and scientific research. Their purpose is to transfer knowledge from researchers to practitioners, policymakers, or stakeholders, facilitating informed decision-making and improving outcomes in different domains.

How to Write Research Recommendations?

Research recommendations can be generated through various means, including algorithmic approaches, expert opinions, or collaborative filtering techniques. Here is a step-wise guide to build your understanding on the development of research recommendations.

1. Understand the Research Question:

Understand the research question and objectives before writing recommendations. Also, ensure that your recommendations are relevant and directly address the goals of the study.

2. Review Existing Literature:

Familiarize yourself with relevant existing literature to help you identify gaps , and offer informed recommendations that contribute to the existing body of research.

3. Consider Research Methods:

Evaluate the appropriateness of different research methods in addressing the research question. Also, consider the nature of the data, the study design, and the specific objectives.

4. Identify Data Collection Techniques:

Gather dataset from diverse authentic sources. Include information such as keywords, abstracts, authors, publication dates, and citation metrics to provide a rich foundation for analysis.

5. Propose Data Analysis Methods:

Suggest appropriate data analysis methods based on the type of data collected. Consider whether statistical analysis, qualitative analysis, or a mixed-methods approach is most suitable.

6. Consider Limitations and Ethical Considerations:

Acknowledge any limitations and potential ethical considerations of the study. Furthermore, address these limitations or mitigate ethical concerns to ensure responsible research.

7. Justify Recommendations:

Explain how your recommendation contributes to addressing the research question or objective. Provide a strong rationale to help researchers understand the importance of following your suggestions.

8. Summarize Recommendations:

Provide a concise summary at the end of the report to emphasize how following these recommendations will contribute to the overall success of the research project.

By following these steps, you can create research recommendations that are actionable and contribute meaningfully to the success of the research project.

Download now to unlock some tips to improve your journey of writing research recommendations.

Example of a Research Recommendation

Here is an example of a research recommendation based on a hypothetical research to improve your understanding.

Research Recommendation: Enhancing Student Learning through Integrated Learning Platforms

Background:

The research study investigated the impact of an integrated learning platform on student learning outcomes in high school mathematics classes. The findings revealed a statistically significant improvement in student performance and engagement when compared to traditional teaching methods.

Recommendation:

In light of the research findings, it is recommended that educational institutions consider adopting and integrating the identified learning platform into their mathematics curriculum. The following specific recommendations are provided:

Implementation of the Integrated Learning Platform:

Schools are encouraged to adopt the integrated learning platform in mathematics classrooms, ensuring proper training for teachers on its effective utilization.

Professional Development for Educators:

Develop and implement professional programs to train educators in the effective use of the integrated learning platform to address any challenges teachers may face during the transition.

Monitoring and Evaluation:

Establish a monitoring and evaluation system to track the impact of the integrated learning platform on student performance over time.

Resource Allocation:

Allocate sufficient resources, both financial and technical, to support the widespread implementation of the integrated learning platform.

By implementing these recommendations, educational institutions can harness the potential of the integrated learning platform and enhance student learning experiences and academic achievements in mathematics.

This example covers the components of a research recommendation, providing specific actions based on the research findings, identifying the target audience, and outlining practical steps for implementation.

Using AI in Research Recommendation Writing

Enhancing research recommendations is an ongoing endeavor that requires the integration of cutting-edge technologies, collaborative efforts, and ethical considerations. By embracing data-driven approaches and leveraging advanced technologies, the research community can create more effective and personalized recommendation systems. However, it is accompanied by several limitations. Therefore, it is essential to approach the use of AI in research with a critical mindset, and complement its capabilities with human expertise and judgment.

Here are some limitations of integrating AI in writing research recommendation and some ways on how to counter them.

1. Data Bias

AI systems rely heavily on data for training. If the training data is biased or incomplete, the AI model may produce biased results or recommendations.

How to tackle: Audit regularly the model’s performance to identify any discrepancies and adjust the training data and algorithms accordingly.

2. Lack of Understanding of Context:

AI models may struggle to understand the nuanced context of a particular research problem. They may misinterpret information, leading to inaccurate recommendations.

How to tackle: Use AI to characterize research articles and topics. Employ them to extract features like keywords, authorship patterns and content-based details.

3. Ethical Considerations:

AI models might stereotype certain concepts or generate recommendations that could have negative consequences for certain individuals or groups.

How to tackle: Incorporate user feedback mechanisms to reduce redundancies. Establish an ethics review process for AI models in research recommendation writing.

4. Lack of Creativity and Intuition:

AI may struggle with tasks that require a deep understanding of the underlying principles or the ability to think outside the box.

How to tackle: Hybrid approaches can be employed by integrating AI in data analysis and identifying patterns for accelerating the data interpretation process.

5. Interpretability:

Many AI models, especially complex deep learning models, lack transparency on how the model arrived at a particular recommendation.

How to tackle: Implement models like decision trees or linear models. Provide clear explanation of the model architecture, training process, and decision-making criteria.

6. Dynamic Nature of Research:

Research fields are dynamic, and new information is constantly emerging. AI models may struggle to keep up with the rapidly changing landscape and may not be able to adapt to new developments.

How to tackle: Establish a feedback loop for continuous improvement. Regularly update the recommendation system based on user feedback and emerging research trends.

The integration of AI in research recommendation writing holds great promise for advancing knowledge and streamlining the research process. However, navigating these concerns is pivotal in ensuring the responsible deployment of these technologies. Researchers need to understand the use of responsible use of AI in research and must be aware of the ethical considerations.

Exploring research recommendations plays a critical role in shaping the trajectory of scientific inquiry. It serves as a compass, guiding researchers toward more robust methodologies, collaborative endeavors, and innovative approaches. Embracing these suggestions not only enhances the quality of individual studies but also contributes to the collective advancement of human understanding.

Frequently Asked Questions

The purpose of recommendations in research is to provide practical and actionable suggestions based on the study's findings, guiding future actions, policies, or interventions in a specific field or context. Recommendations bridges the gap between research outcomes and their real-world application.

To make a research recommendation, analyze your findings, identify key insights, and propose specific, evidence-based actions. Include the relevance of the recommendations to the study's objectives and provide practical steps for implementation.

Begin a recommendation by succinctly summarizing the key findings of the research. Clearly state the purpose of the recommendation and its intended impact. Use a direct and actionable language to convey the suggested course of action.

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Home » Research Recommendations – Examples and Writing Guide

Research Recommendations – Examples and Writing Guide

Table of Contents

Research Recommendations

Definition:

Research recommendations refer to suggestions or advice given to someone who is looking to conduct research on a specific topic or area. These recommendations may include suggestions for research methods, data collection techniques, sources of information, and other factors that can help to ensure that the research is conducted in a rigorous and effective manner. Research recommendations may be provided by experts in the field, such as professors, researchers, or consultants, and are intended to help guide the researcher towards the most appropriate and effective approach to their research project.

Parts of Research Recommendations

Research recommendations can vary depending on the specific project or area of research, but typically they will include some or all of the following parts:

Research question or objective : This is the overarching goal or purpose of the research project.
Research methods : This includes the specific techniques and strategies that will be used to collect and analyze data. The methods will depend on the research question and the type of data being collected.
Data collection: This refers to the process of gathering information or data that will be used to answer the research question. This can involve a range of different methods, including surveys, interviews, observations, or experiments.
Data analysis : This involves the process of examining and interpreting the data that has been collected. This can involve statistical analysis, qualitative analysis, or a combination of both.
Results and conclusions: This section summarizes the findings of the research and presents any conclusions or recommendations based on those findings.
Limitations and future research: This section discusses any limitations of the study and suggests areas for future research that could build on the findings of the current project.

How to Write Research Recommendations

Writing research recommendations involves providing specific suggestions or advice to a researcher on how to conduct their study. Here are some steps to consider when writing research recommendations:

Understand the research question: Before writing research recommendations, it is important to have a clear understanding of the research question and the objectives of the study. This will help to ensure that the recommendations are relevant and appropriate.
Consider the research methods: Consider the most appropriate research methods that could be used to collect and analyze data that will address the research question. Identify the strengths and weaknesses of the different methods and how they might apply to the specific research question.
Provide specific recommendations: Provide specific and actionable recommendations that the researcher can implement in their study. This can include recommendations related to sample size, data collection techniques, research instruments, data analysis methods, or other relevant factors.
Justify recommendations : Justify why each recommendation is being made and how it will help to address the research question or objective. It is important to provide a clear rationale for each recommendation to help the researcher understand why it is important.
Consider limitations and ethical considerations : Consider any limitations or potential ethical considerations that may arise in conducting the research. Provide recommendations for addressing these issues or mitigating their impact.
Summarize recommendations: Provide a summary of the recommendations at the end of the report or document, highlighting the most important points and emphasizing how the recommendations will contribute to the overall success of the research project.

Example of Research Recommendations

Example of Research Recommendations sample for students:

Further investigate the effects of X on Y by conducting a larger-scale randomized controlled trial with a diverse population.
Explore the relationship between A and B by conducting qualitative interviews with individuals who have experience with both.
Investigate the long-term effects of intervention C by conducting a follow-up study with participants one year after completion.
Examine the effectiveness of intervention D in a real-world setting by conducting a field study in a naturalistic environment.
Compare and contrast the results of this study with those of previous research on the same topic to identify any discrepancies or inconsistencies in the findings.
Expand upon the limitations of this study by addressing potential confounding variables and conducting further analyses to control for them.
Investigate the relationship between E and F by conducting a meta-analysis of existing literature on the topic.
Explore the potential moderating effects of variable G on the relationship between H and I by conducting subgroup analyses.
Identify potential areas for future research based on the gaps in current literature and the findings of this study.
Conduct a replication study to validate the results of this study and further establish the generalizability of the findings.

Applications of Research Recommendations

Research recommendations are important as they provide guidance on how to improve or solve a problem. The applications of research recommendations are numerous and can be used in various fields. Some of the applications of research recommendations include:

Policy-making: Research recommendations can be used to develop policies that address specific issues. For example, recommendations from research on climate change can be used to develop policies that reduce carbon emissions and promote sustainability.
Program development: Research recommendations can guide the development of programs that address specific issues. For example, recommendations from research on education can be used to develop programs that improve student achievement.
Product development : Research recommendations can guide the development of products that meet specific needs. For example, recommendations from research on consumer behavior can be used to develop products that appeal to consumers.
Marketing strategies: Research recommendations can be used to develop effective marketing strategies. For example, recommendations from research on target audiences can be used to develop marketing strategies that effectively reach specific demographic groups.
Medical practice : Research recommendations can guide medical practitioners in providing the best possible care to patients. For example, recommendations from research on treatments for specific conditions can be used to improve patient outcomes.
Scientific research: Research recommendations can guide future research in a specific field. For example, recommendations from research on a specific disease can be used to guide future research on treatments and cures for that disease.

Purpose of Research Recommendations

The purpose of research recommendations is to provide guidance on how to improve or solve a problem based on the findings of research. Research recommendations are typically made at the end of a research study and are based on the conclusions drawn from the research data. The purpose of research recommendations is to provide actionable advice to individuals or organizations that can help them make informed decisions, develop effective strategies, or implement changes that address the issues identified in the research.

The main purpose of research recommendations is to facilitate the transfer of knowledge from researchers to practitioners, policymakers, or other stakeholders who can benefit from the research findings. Recommendations can help bridge the gap between research and practice by providing specific actions that can be taken based on the research results. By providing clear and actionable recommendations, researchers can help ensure that their findings are put into practice, leading to improvements in various fields, such as healthcare, education, business, and public policy.

Characteristics of Research Recommendations

Research recommendations are a key component of research studies and are intended to provide practical guidance on how to apply research findings to real-world problems. The following are some of the key characteristics of research recommendations:

Actionable : Research recommendations should be specific and actionable, providing clear guidance on what actions should be taken to address the problem identified in the research.
Evidence-based: Research recommendations should be based on the findings of the research study, supported by the data collected and analyzed.
Contextual: Research recommendations should be tailored to the specific context in which they will be implemented, taking into account the unique circumstances and constraints of the situation.
Feasible : Research recommendations should be realistic and feasible, taking into account the available resources, time constraints, and other factors that may impact their implementation.
Prioritized: Research recommendations should be prioritized based on their potential impact and feasibility, with the most important recommendations given the highest priority.
Communicated effectively: Research recommendations should be communicated clearly and effectively, using language that is understandable to the target audience.
Evaluated : Research recommendations should be evaluated to determine their effectiveness in addressing the problem identified in the research, and to identify opportunities for improvement.

Advantages of Research Recommendations

Research recommendations have several advantages, including:

Providing practical guidance: Research recommendations provide practical guidance on how to apply research findings to real-world problems, helping to bridge the gap between research and practice.
Improving decision-making: Research recommendations help decision-makers make informed decisions based on the findings of research, leading to better outcomes and improved performance.
Enhancing accountability : Research recommendations can help enhance accountability by providing clear guidance on what actions should be taken, and by providing a basis for evaluating progress and outcomes.
Informing policy development : Research recommendations can inform the development of policies that are evidence-based and tailored to the specific needs of a given situation.
Enhancing knowledge transfer: Research recommendations help facilitate the transfer of knowledge from researchers to practitioners, policymakers, or other stakeholders who can benefit from the research findings.
Encouraging further research : Research recommendations can help identify gaps in knowledge and areas for further research, encouraging continued exploration and discovery.
Promoting innovation: Research recommendations can help identify innovative solutions to complex problems, leading to new ideas and approaches.

Limitations of Research Recommendations

While research recommendations have several advantages, there are also some limitations to consider. These limitations include:

Context-specific: Research recommendations may be context-specific and may not be applicable in all situations. Recommendations developed in one context may not be suitable for another context, requiring adaptation or modification.
I mplementation challenges: Implementation of research recommendations may face challenges, such as lack of resources, resistance to change, or lack of buy-in from stakeholders.
Limited scope: Research recommendations may be limited in scope, focusing only on a specific issue or aspect of a problem, while other important factors may be overlooked.
Uncertainty : Research recommendations may be uncertain, particularly when the research findings are inconclusive or when the recommendations are based on limited data.
Bias : Research recommendations may be influenced by researcher bias or conflicts of interest, leading to recommendations that are not in the best interests of stakeholders.
Timing : Research recommendations may be time-sensitive, requiring timely action to be effective. Delayed action may result in missed opportunities or reduced effectiveness.
Lack of evaluation: Research recommendations may not be evaluated to determine their effectiveness or impact, making it difficult to assess whether they are successful or not.

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Moderna and OpenAI partner to accelerate the development of life-saving treatments.

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Moderna partners with OpenAI to deploy ChatGPT Enterprise to thousands of employees across the company. Now every function is empowered with AI, creating novel use cases and GPTs that accelerate and expand the impact of every team.

Moderna has been at the intersection of science, technology, and health for more than 10 years. Moderna’s mission is to deliver the greatest possible impact to people through mRNA medicines—with the COVID-19 vaccine being their most well-known breakthrough.

The company has partnered with OpenAI since early 2023. Now, ChatGPT Enterprise is evolving how Moderna operates across each function.

Moderna is using its platform for developing mRNA medicines to bring up to 15 new products to market in the next 5 years—from a vaccine against RSV to individualized cancer treatments. In order to achieve its ambitions, Moderna has adopted a people-centric, technology-forward approach, constantly testing new technology and innovation that can increase human capacity and clinical performance.

We believe very profoundly at Moderna that ChatGPT and what OpenAI is doing is going to change the world. We’re looking at every business process—from legal, to research, to manufacturing, to commercial—and thinking about how to redesign them with AI.

Moderna brings AI to everyone

Moderna adopted generative AI the same way Moderna adopts other technology: with the mindset of using the power of digital to maximize its positive impact on patients. To allow AI to flourish, they knew they needed to start with the user and invest in laying a strong foundation for change.

Moderna’s objective was to achieve 100% adoption and proficiency of generative AI by all its people with access to digital solutions in six months. “We believe in collective intelligence when it comes to paradigm changes,” said Miller, “it’s everyone together, everyone with a voice and nobody left behind.” For this, Moderna assigned a team of dedicated experts to drive a bespoke transformation program. Their approach combined individual, collective and structural change management initiatives.  

Individual change management initiatives included in-depth research and listening programs, as well as trainings hosted in person, online and with dedicated AI learning companions. “Using AI to teach AI was key to our success”, Miller points out. Collective change management initiatives included an AI prompt contest to identify the top 100 AI power users who were then structured as a cohort of internal Generative AI Champions. Moderna’s culture of learning led to local office hours in every business line and geography, and scaled through an internal forum on AI, which now has 2,000 active weekly participants. Lastly, structural change management initiatives included engaging Moderna’s CEO and executive committee members to foster AI culture through leadership meetings and town halls as well as incentive programs and sponsored events with internal and external experts. 

This work led to an early win with the launch of an internal AI chatbot tool, mChat, at the beginning of 2023. Built on OpenAI’s API, mChat was a success, adopted by more than 80% of employees across the company, building a solid foundation for the adoption of ChatGPT Enterprise. 

90% of companies want to do GenAI, but only 10% of them are successful, and the reason they fail is because they haven’t built the mechanisms of actually transforming the workforce to adopt new technology and new capabilities.

Building momentum with ChatGPT Enterprise

With the launch of ChatGPT Enterprise, Moderna had a decision to make: continue developing mChat as an all-purpose AI tool, or give employees access to ChatGPT Enterprise?

“As a science-based company, we research everything,” said Brice Challamel, Head of AI Products and Platforms at Moderna. Challamel’s team did extensive user testing comparing mChat, Copilot, and ChatGPT Enterprise. “We found out that the net promoter score of ChatGPT Enterprise was through the roof. This was by far the company-favorite solution, and the one we decided to double down on,” Challamel said.

Once employees had a way to create their own GPTs easily, the only limit was their imaginations. “We were never here to fill a bucket, but to light a fire,” Challamel said. “We saw the fire spread, with hundreds of use cases creating positive value across teams. We knew we were on to something revolutionary for the company.”

The company’s results are beyond expectations. Within two months of the ChatGPT Enterprise adoption:

Moderna had 750 GPTs across the company
40% of weekly active users created GPTs
Each user has 120 ChatGPT Enterprise conversations per week on average

Augmenting clinical trial development with GPTs

One of the many solutions Moderna has built and is continuing to develop and validate with ChatGPT Enterprise is a GPT pilot called Dose ID. Dose ID has the potential to review and analyze clinical data and is able to integrate and visualize large datasets. Dose ID is intended for use as a data-analysis assistant to the clinical study team, helping to augment the team’s clinical judgment and decision-making.

“Dose ID has provided supportive rationale for why we have picked a specific dose over other doses. It has allowed us to create customized data visualizations and it has also helped the study team members converse with the GPT to further analyze the data from multiple different angles,” said Meklit Workneh, Director of Clinical Development at Moderna.

Dose ID uses ChatGPT Enterprise’s advanced data analysis feature to automate the analysis and verify the optimal vaccine dose selected by the clinical study team, by applying standard dose selection criteria and principles. Dose ID provides a rationale, references its sources, and generates informative charts illustrating the key findings. This allows for a detailed review, led by humans and with AI input, prioritizing safety and optimizing the vaccine profile prior to further development in late-stage clinical trials.

“The Dose ID GPT has the potential to boost the amount of work we’re able to do as a team. We can comprehensively evaluate these extremely large amounts of data, and do it in a very efficient, safe, and accurate way, while helping to ensure security and privacy,” added Workneh.

Improving compliance and telling the company’s story

Moderna’s legal team boasts 100% adoption of ChatGPT Enterprise. “It lets us focus our time and attention on those matters that are truly driving an impact for patients,” said Shannon Klinger, Moderna’s Chief Legal Officer.

Now, with the Contract Companion GPT, any function can get a clear, readable summary of a contract. The Policy Bot GPT helps employees get quick answers about internal policies without needing to search through hundreds of documents.

Moderna’s corporate brand team has also found many ways to take advantage of ChatGPT Enterprise. They have a GPT that helps prepare slides for quarterly earnings calls, and another GPT that helps convert biotech terminology into approachable language for investor communications.

“Sometimes we’re so in our own world, and AI helps the brand think beyond that,” explained Kate Cronin, Chief Brand Officer of Moderna. “What would my mother want to know about Moderna, versus a regulator, versus a doctor? How do we tell our story in an effective way across different audiences? That’s where I think there’s a huge opportunity.”

A team of a few thousand can perform like a team of 100,000

With an ambitious plan to launch multiple products in the next few years, Moderna sees AI as a key component to their success—and their ability to stay lean as a business while setting new benchmarks in innovation.

“If we had to do it the old biopharmaceutical ways, we might need a hundred thousand people today,” said Bancel. “We really believe we can maximize our impact on patients with a few thousand people, using technology and AI to scale the company.”

Moderna has been well positioned to leverage generative AI having spent the last decade building a robust tech stack and data platform. The company fosters a culture of learning and curiosity, attracting employees that excel in adopting new technologies and building AI-first solutions.

By making business processes at Moderna more efficient and accurate, the use of AI ultimately translates to better outcomes for patients. “I’m really thankful for the entire OpenAI team, and the time and engagement they have with our team, so that together we can save more lives,” Bancel said.

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What the data says about crime in the U.S.

A growing share of Americans say reducing crime should be a top priority for the president and Congress to address this year. Around six-in-ten U.S. adults (58%) hold that view today, up from 47% at the beginning of Joe Biden’s presidency in 2021.

We conducted this analysis to learn more about U.S. crime patterns and how those patterns have changed over time.

The analysis relies on statistics published by the FBI, which we accessed through the Crime Data Explorer , and the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), which we accessed through the National Crime Victimization Survey data analysis tool .

To measure public attitudes about crime in the U.S., we relied on survey data from Pew Research Center and Gallup.

Additional details about each data source, including survey methodologies, are available by following the links in the text of this analysis.

A line chart showing that, since 2021, concerns about crime have grown among both Republicans and Democrats.

With the issue likely to come up in this year’s presidential election, here’s what we know about crime in the United States, based on the latest available data from the federal government and other sources.

How much crime is there in the U.S.?

It’s difficult to say for certain. The two primary sources of government crime statistics – the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) – paint an incomplete picture.

The FBI publishes annual data on crimes that have been reported to law enforcement, but not crimes that haven’t been reported. Historically, the FBI has also only published statistics about a handful of specific violent and property crimes, but not many other types of crime, such as drug crime. And while the FBI’s data is based on information from thousands of federal, state, county, city and other police departments, not all law enforcement agencies participate every year. In 2022, the most recent full year with available statistics, the FBI received data from 83% of participating agencies .

BJS, for its part, tracks crime by fielding a large annual survey of Americans ages 12 and older and asking them whether they were the victim of certain types of crime in the past six months. One advantage of this approach is that it captures both reported and unreported crimes. But the BJS survey has limitations of its own. Like the FBI, it focuses mainly on a handful of violent and property crimes. And since the BJS data is based on after-the-fact interviews with crime victims, it cannot provide information about one especially high-profile type of offense: murder.

All those caveats aside, looking at the FBI and BJS statistics side-by-side does give researchers a good picture of U.S. violent and property crime rates and how they have changed over time. In addition, the FBI is transitioning to a new data collection system – known as the National Incident-Based Reporting System – that eventually will provide national information on a much larger set of crimes , as well as details such as the time and place they occur and the types of weapons involved, if applicable.

Which kinds of crime are most and least common?

A bar chart showing that theft is most common property crime, and assault is most common violent crime.

Property crime in the U.S. is much more common than violent crime. In 2022, the FBI reported a total of 1,954.4 property crimes per 100,000 people, compared with 380.7 violent crimes per 100,000 people.

By far the most common form of property crime in 2022 was larceny/theft, followed by motor vehicle theft and burglary. Among violent crimes, aggravated assault was the most common offense, followed by robbery, rape, and murder/nonnegligent manslaughter.

BJS tracks a slightly different set of offenses from the FBI, but it finds the same overall patterns, with theft the most common form of property crime in 2022 and assault the most common form of violent crime.

How have crime rates in the U.S. changed over time?

Both the FBI and BJS data show dramatic declines in U.S. violent and property crime rates since the early 1990s, when crime spiked across much of the nation.

Using the FBI data, the violent crime rate fell 49% between 1993 and 2022, with large decreases in the rates of robbery (-74%), aggravated assault (-39%) and murder/nonnegligent manslaughter (-34%). It’s not possible to calculate the change in the rape rate during this period because the FBI revised its definition of the offense in 2013 .

Line charts showing that U.S. violent and property crime rates have plunged since 1990s, regardless of data source.

The FBI data also shows a 59% reduction in the U.S. property crime rate between 1993 and 2022, with big declines in the rates of burglary (-75%), larceny/theft (-54%) and motor vehicle theft (-53%).

Using the BJS statistics, the declines in the violent and property crime rates are even steeper than those captured in the FBI data. Per BJS, the U.S. violent and property crime rates each fell 71% between 1993 and 2022.

While crime rates have fallen sharply over the long term, the decline hasn’t always been steady. There have been notable increases in certain kinds of crime in some years, including recently.

In 2020, for example, the U.S. murder rate saw its largest single-year increase on record – and by 2022, it remained considerably higher than before the coronavirus pandemic. Preliminary data for 2023, however, suggests that the murder rate fell substantially last year .

How do Americans perceive crime in their country?

Americans tend to believe crime is up, even when official data shows it is down.

In 23 of 27 Gallup surveys conducted since 1993 , at least 60% of U.S. adults have said there is more crime nationally than there was the year before, despite the downward trend in crime rates during most of that period.

A line chart showing that Americans tend to believe crime is up nationally, less so locally.

While perceptions of rising crime at the national level are common, fewer Americans believe crime is up in their own communities. In every Gallup crime survey since the 1990s, Americans have been much less likely to say crime is up in their area than to say the same about crime nationally.

Public attitudes about crime differ widely by Americans’ party affiliation, race and ethnicity, and other factors . For example, Republicans and Republican-leaning independents are much more likely than Democrats and Democratic leaners to say reducing crime should be a top priority for the president and Congress this year (68% vs. 47%), according to a recent Pew Research Center survey.

How does crime in the U.S. differ by demographic characteristics?

Some groups of Americans are more likely than others to be victims of crime. In the 2022 BJS survey , for example, younger people and those with lower incomes were far more likely to report being the victim of a violent crime than older and higher-income people.

There were no major differences in violent crime victimization rates between male and female respondents or between those who identified as White, Black or Hispanic. But the victimization rate among Asian Americans (a category that includes Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders) was substantially lower than among other racial and ethnic groups.

The same BJS survey asks victims about the demographic characteristics of the offenders in the incidents they experienced.

In 2022, those who are male, younger people and those who are Black accounted for considerably larger shares of perceived offenders in violent incidents than their respective shares of the U.S. population. Men, for instance, accounted for 79% of perceived offenders in violent incidents, compared with 49% of the nation’s 12-and-older population that year. Black Americans accounted for 25% of perceived offenders in violent incidents, about twice their share of the 12-and-older population (12%).

As with all surveys, however, there are several potential sources of error, including the possibility that crime victims’ perceptions about offenders are incorrect.

How does crime in the U.S. differ geographically?

There are big geographic differences in violent and property crime rates.

For example, in 2022, there were more than 700 violent crimes per 100,000 residents in New Mexico and Alaska. That compares with fewer than 200 per 100,000 people in Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Hampshire and Maine, according to the FBI.

The FBI notes that various factors might influence an area’s crime rate, including its population density and economic conditions.

What percentage of crimes are reported to police? What percentage are solved?

Line charts showing that fewer than half of crimes in the U.S. are reported, and fewer than half of reported crimes are solved.

Most violent and property crimes in the U.S. are not reported to police, and most of the crimes that are reported are not solved.

In its annual survey, BJS asks crime victims whether they reported their crime to police. It found that in 2022, only 41.5% of violent crimes and 31.8% of household property crimes were reported to authorities. BJS notes that there are many reasons why crime might not be reported, including fear of reprisal or of “getting the offender in trouble,” a feeling that police “would not or could not do anything to help,” or a belief that the crime is “a personal issue or too trivial to report.”

Most of the crimes that are reported to police, meanwhile, are not solved , at least based on an FBI measure known as the clearance rate . That’s the share of cases each year that are closed, or “cleared,” through the arrest, charging and referral of a suspect for prosecution, or due to “exceptional” circumstances such as the death of a suspect or a victim’s refusal to cooperate with a prosecution. In 2022, police nationwide cleared 36.7% of violent crimes that were reported to them and 12.1% of the property crimes that came to their attention.

Which crimes are most likely to be reported to police? Which are most likely to be solved?

Bar charts showing that most vehicle thefts are reported to police, but relatively few result in arrest.

Around eight-in-ten motor vehicle thefts (80.9%) were reported to police in 2022, making them by far the most commonly reported property crime tracked by BJS. Household burglaries and trespassing offenses were reported to police at much lower rates (44.9% and 41.2%, respectively), while personal theft/larceny and other types of theft were only reported around a quarter of the time.

Among violent crimes – excluding homicide, which BJS doesn’t track – robbery was the most likely to be reported to law enforcement in 2022 (64.0%). It was followed by aggravated assault (49.9%), simple assault (36.8%) and rape/sexual assault (21.4%).

The list of crimes cleared by police in 2022 looks different from the list of crimes reported. Law enforcement officers were generally much more likely to solve violent crimes than property crimes, according to the FBI.

The most frequently solved violent crime tends to be homicide. Police cleared around half of murders and nonnegligent manslaughters (52.3%) in 2022. The clearance rates were lower for aggravated assault (41.4%), rape (26.1%) and robbery (23.2%).

When it comes to property crime, law enforcement agencies cleared 13.0% of burglaries, 12.4% of larcenies/thefts and 9.3% of motor vehicle thefts in 2022.

Are police solving more or fewer crimes than they used to?

Nationwide clearance rates for both violent and property crime are at their lowest levels since at least 1993, the FBI data shows.

Police cleared a little over a third (36.7%) of the violent crimes that came to their attention in 2022, down from nearly half (48.1%) as recently as 2013. During the same period, there were decreases for each of the four types of violent crime the FBI tracks:

Line charts showing that police clearance rates for violent crimes have declined in recent years.

Police cleared 52.3% of reported murders and nonnegligent homicides in 2022, down from 64.1% in 2013.
They cleared 41.4% of aggravated assaults, down from 57.7%.
They cleared 26.1% of rapes, down from 40.6%.
They cleared 23.2% of robberies, down from 29.4%.

The pattern is less pronounced for property crime. Overall, law enforcement agencies cleared 12.1% of reported property crimes in 2022, down from 19.7% in 2013. The clearance rate for burglary didn’t change much, but it fell for larceny/theft (to 12.4% in 2022 from 22.4% in 2013) and motor vehicle theft (to 9.3% from 14.2%).

Note: This is an update of a post originally published on Nov. 20, 2020.

Criminal Justice

John Gramlich is an associate director at Pew Research Center

8 facts about Black Lives Matter

#blacklivesmatter turns 10, support for the black lives matter movement has dropped considerably from its peak in 2020, fewer than 1% of federal criminal defendants were acquitted in 2022, before release of video showing tyre nichols’ beating, public views of police conduct had improved modestly, most popular.

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Fact Sheet on FTC’s Proposed Final Noncompete Rule

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The following outline provides a high-level overview of the FTC’s proposed final rule :

Specifically, the final rule provides that it is an unfair method of competition—and therefore a violation of Section 5 of the FTC Act—for employers to enter into noncompetes with workers after the effective date.
Fewer than 1% of workers are estimated to be senior executives under the final rule.
Specifically, the final rule defines the term “senior executive” to refer to workers earning more than $151,164 annually who are in a “policy-making position.”
Reduced health care costs: $74-$194 billion in reduced spending on physician services over the next decade.
New business formation: 2.7% increase in the rate of new firm formation, resulting in over 8,500 additional new businesses created each year.
This reflects an estimated increase of about 3,000 to 5,000 new patents in the first year noncompetes are banned, rising to about 30,000-53,000 in the tenth year.
This represents an estimated increase of 11-19% annually over a ten-year period.
The average worker’s earnings will rise an estimated extra $524 per year.

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IMAGES

Research Paper Reference Guide
APA Referencing (7th Ed.) Quick Guide
40 Professional Reference Page / Sheet Templates
Bibliography or Reference list?
Bibliography or List of References
Fantastic How To Write References In Report Ieee Format A Humanities

VIDEO

Referencing Basics (Part 1b)
Citation and Reference Definition,example, formats, explained in Urdu and Hindi|Research Methodology
Key References of Waagner-Biro Stage Systems
How to Find Articles from a Reference List
String Key References Of DTO Using DFS
Finding Reference for the Pictures to be used in research papers

COMMENTS

References in Research
Journal Articles. References to journal articles usually include the author's name, title of the article, name of the journal, volume and issue number, page numbers, and publication date. Example: Johnson, T. (2021). The Impact of Social Media on Mental Health. Journal of Psychology, 32 (4), 87-94.
PDF List of Key References in Qualitative Research
List of Key References in Qualitative Research Provided by: LeConté J. Dill, Dr.P.H., M.P.H. Engaging in Qualitative Research Methods: Opportunities for Prevention and Health Promotion Medicine: Mind the Gap Seminar January 19, 2017 Becker, H. S. (2008). Tricks of the rade: How to Think About Your Research While You're Doing It.
Identifying the Key Reference of a Scientific Publication
a simple method using a local diﬀusion process on citation networks for identifying the ke y references for. each scientiﬁc publication. The eﬀectiveness and of the method are validated in a ...
Academic Guides: Reference List: Common Reference List Examples
For example, you are citing study notes titled "Health Effects of Exposure to Forest Fires," but you do not know the author's name, your reference entry will look like this: Health effects of exposure to forest fires [Lecture notes]. (2005). Walden University Canvas. https://waldenu.instructure.com.
Examples
Include any relevant and important information about the interview in the body of your paper. APA Style states, "An interview is not considered recoverable data, so no reference to this is provided in the reference list. You may, however, cite the interview within the text as a personal communication." APA Style. 1.
How to Write a Research Proposal
Research design; Reference list; While the sections may vary, the overall objective is always the same. A research proposal serves as a blueprint and guide for your research plan, helping you get organized and feel confident in the path forward you choose to take. ... Example research proposal #1: "A Conceptual Framework for Scheduling ...
Research Paper
The conclusion section summarizes the main findings of the study, restates the research question and hypothesis, and provides a final reflection on the significance of the research. References. The references section provides a list of all the sources cited in the paper, following a specific citation style such as APA, MLA or Chicago.
How to Write References in Research Papers
Here's one example of writing references in research papers - 'Nature 171: 737' is a code that, if you know how to decipher it, tells you that it means an article published in Nature (a weekly journal published from the UK) that begins on page 737 of volume 171 of that journal. However, it does not tell you what the article was about ...
Identifying the Key Reference of a Scientific Publication
The most fundamental way to measure the impact of a scientific publication is using the number of citations it received. Though citation count and its variants are widely adopted, they have been pointed out to be poor proxies for a paper's quality because a citation might result from different reasons. It is thus crucial to quantify the true relevance of the cited papers to the citing paper ...
Research Methodology and Identifying Key References Used
Systematic and well-planned data-gathering is at the heart of the process. It is illustrated here that case methodology references only change very slowly, if at all: two studies from the 1980s are still considered to be key methodological sources today. However, some new additions have appeared in the last two decades.
Citation Examples
Citation Examples | Books, Articles, Websites & More. Published on April 9, 2021 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on January 17, 2024. The most common citation styles are APA and MLA. To cite a source in these styles, you need a brief in-text citation and a full reference. Use the interactive tool to understand how a citation is structured and see ...
Evaluating Information in the Research Process: References
Research Steps Toggle Dropdown. Step 1: Do Initial Planning ; Step 2: Choose a Topic ; Step 3: Do Initial Search ; Step 4: Refine Topic / Refine Search ; Step 5: Identify Key Sources ; Step 6: Study Key Sources ; Step 7: Integrate Notes and Ideas ; Step 8: Present Findings ; Issues and Tips; References. References; Home
A Quick Guide to Harvard Referencing
When you cite a source with up to three authors, cite all authors' names. For four or more authors, list only the first name, followed by ' et al. ': Number of authors. In-text citation example. 1 author. (Davis, 2019) 2 authors. (Davis and Barrett, 2019) 3 authors.
Research Guides: APA Citation Style: Citation Examples
Works Included in a Reference List. The reference list provides a reliable way for readers to identify and locate the works cited in a paper. APA Style papers generally include reference lists, not bibliographies. In general, each work cited in the text must appear in the reference list, and each work in the reference list must be cited in the ...
LibGuides: Citing references: Citation examples (Harvard style)
ISBN: 9781350933446. Publication Date: 2022. This generic guide to citing references includes details of using the Chicago, Harvard, MHRA, OSCOLA and Vancouver styles. Available in print and as an interactive website. Alternatively ask your Academic Liaison Librarian or a Study Adviser for guidance: Contact your Academic Liaison Librarian.
Citation Styles Guide
There are three main approaches: Parenthetical citations: You include identifying details of the source in parentheses in the text—usually the author's last name and the publication date, plus a page number if relevant ( author-date ). Sometimes the publication date is omitted ( author-page ). Numerical citations: You include a number in ...
PDF Abstract and Keywords Guide, APA Style 7th Edition
key aspects of the literature review • problem under investigation or research question(s) • clearly stated hypothesis or hypotheses • methods used (including brief descriptions of the study design, sample, and sample size) • study results • • implications (i.e., why this study is important, applications of the results or findings ...
1.4 Understanding Key Research Concepts and Terms
Figure 1.1 is intentioned to provide a general overview of the research concept. You may want to keep this figure handy as you read through the various chapters. Figure 1.3: Shows the research paradigms and research process. Figure 1.3 by JIBC is licensed under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 License. Ontology & Epistemology
How to Write Recommendations in Research
Recommendations for future research should be: Concrete and specific. Supported with a clear rationale. Directly connected to your research. Overall, strive to highlight ways other researchers can reproduce or replicate your results to draw further conclusions, and suggest different directions that future research can take, if applicable.
PDF A Bibliography of Research Methods Texts
Review of Foundations for research: Methods of inquiry in education and the social sciences, by Kathleen B. deMarrais and Stephen D. Lapan. 2004. Reference & Research Book News 19:1. Denscombe, Martyn. 2007. The good research guide for small-scale social research projects. 3rd ed. Maidenhead, UK: Open University Press. 360 pages.
How to Write Recommendations in Research
Here is a step-wise guide to build your understanding on the development of research recommendations. 1. Understand the Research Question: Understand the research question and objectives before writing recommendations. Also, ensure that your recommendations are relevant and directly address the goals of the study. 2.
Research Recommendations
For example, recommendations from research on climate change can be used to develop policies that reduce carbon emissions and promote sustainability. Program development: Research recommendations can guide the development of programs that address specific issues. For example, recommendations from research on education can be used to develop ...
Methodology: 2022-23 survey of Asian Americans
The overall response rate for the Asian American sample in the Pew Research Center survey was 13.3% (17.0% x 77.9%). Analysis of Asians living in poverty Survey analysis of Asian adults living in poverty is based on 561 respondents of the 2022-23 survey of Asian Americans whose approximate family income falls at or below the 2022 federal ...
OpenAI customer story: Moderna
Dose ID uses ChatGPT Enterprise's advanced data analysis feature to automate the analysis and verify the optimal vaccine dose selected by the clinical study team, by applying standard dose selection criteria and principles. Dose ID provides a rationale, references its sources, and generates informative charts illustrating the key findings.
Ethical Considerations in Research
Revised on June 22, 2023. Ethical considerations in research are a set of principles that guide your research designs and practices. Scientists and researchers must always adhere to a certain code of conduct when collecting data from people. The goals of human research often include understanding real-life phenomena, studying effective ...
Crime in the U.S.: Key questions answered
To measure public attitudes about crime in the U.S., we relied on survey data from Pew Research Center and Gallup. Additional details about each data source, including survey methodologies, are available by following the links in the text of this analysis. ... For example, in 2022, there were more than 700 violent crimes per 100,000 residents ...
Fact Sheet on FTC's Proposed Final Noncompete Rule
The following outline provides a high-level overview of the FTC's proposed final rule:. The final rule bans new noncompetes with all workers, including senior executives after the effective date.