In English-speaking countries like Australia, the given names will most commonly be written first, followed by the family name (or surname). Example: Mary Smith or Mary Elizabeth Smith.
However, particularly in some journal articles, the family name may be written first. If this is the case, the family name is followed by a comma. Example: Smith, Mary.
This comma is very important in helping you identify which are given names and which are family names. Some names can function as either a given or a family name. Example: Christopher, John, David, Kerry, Lee, Henry.
Question 2
If there is more than one author of a work, do I change the order of their names so that are in alphabetical order?
No. The names must be kept in the order in which they are published. The first name listed on a work is the primary (leading) author. Example: Williams, J. G., Kent, S. W., & Bingham, L.
The entry in your list of References would be under “W”.
Question 3
If an author has more than one family name, do I need to write both of them?
Yes, if there is a hyphen between the names. These names must be written as they are published. Example: Stein-Parbury, J.
The entry in your list of References would be under “S”.
Question 4
Do I give the full names of the authors of a work in the text of my assignment?
No. You write just the family name (surname) followed by the date of the publication. If you quote directly from a work, you also need to give the page number of the source. Examples: (Singh, 2003); (Lee, 1999, p. 63).
Question 5
Do I write the author’s full name in the list of References?
No. You write the author’s family name first, followed by the initials of his/her given names. Example: Smith, M. or Smith, M. E.
Remember to write the authors’ names in alphabetical order in your list of References.
Question 6
Do I need to include the author’s title or qualifications?
No. You do not include titles like “Dr” or “Professor”, or qualifications like “RN”.
Question 7
If there is no author given as the writer of a work, do I write Anonymous?
Anonymous is only used if it appears on the publication. Where there is no author, cite the title in italics and the publication date. Example: (Science Year, 2003)
Question 8
What date do I give when I use an electronic source?
Because changes and amendments can be made very quickly and easily to material in electronic format, you need to put the date you accessed the resource. If the original publication date is given, you need to cite this as well. Example: Richardson, J. (2002). Attracting key overseas employees. Keeping Good Companies, 54(2), 106-109. Retrieved June 1, 2006, from MAIS database.
Question 9
Where can I find the information about the publisher and place and date of publication?
How much information about the publisher of a book do I need to give in my list of References?
You need to give the place of publication and the name of the publisher, in that order, and use a colon (:) to separate each part of the information. Only the name is necessary for capital cities like Canberra, Washington, London, or major cities like San Francisco, Sydney, Brisbane. However, for smaller cities and places you need to give the state or the country.Do not give details such as Pty. Ltd., Inc., Co., or Company.
Example:
Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
Ringwood, VIC: Penguin Books.
Harmondsworth, UK: Puffin Books.
Question 11
If several places of publication are listed, which one should I choose to put in my list of References?
In these days of multinational companies with branches in many different countries, it is sometimes difficult to be sure where a particular book was published. In this case, you can put the first city given in your own reference list as this is where the head office is likely to be.
Question 12
If I put an author’s ideas into my own words, do I still need to reference his/her work?
Yes. You must always acknowledge the person or people whose work you are using as evidence to support your understanding and/or arguments. This applies to oral presentations as much as to your written work.
Frequently Asked Questions about APA Referencing (PDF, 33kb)
