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Practical Nursing

Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.)

Consult the print version of the APA style manual in your campus library's Reference Collection for more in-depth information:
BF 76.7 .P83 2020

OC Library's APA Citation Style Resources

APA Style Examples from APA

Comprehensive list of online examples from APA

APA Style Guide from Purdue University Online Writing Lab (OWL)

The APA manual is the official style guides published by the American Psychological Association. Copies of the manual are available in the Library and the Bookstore. APA is the reference system for psychology, business, and health disciplines.

In-text Citation (Generic Example)

(Author(s), date)

Reference List Citation (Generic Example)

Surname, first initial. (date). Title. Source Title. Publication specific details.

OC Library APA Style Guide

  • Short guide to APA citation
  • Common examples & basic citation rules
  • Follows 2020 APA Publication Manual, 7th ed.
  • PDF version
  • APA uses an author-date citation format (ie. Smith, 2010)
  • Regardless of the resource you are citing, you will likely need an author, date, title, source, and specific format information (such as a volume number, page numbers, a URL, publisher, etc.).
  • The information required for your citation will depend on what you are citing (book, journal article, report, etc.) and the format (print, online).
  • What is a DOI and when do I need one? CrossRef offers a DOI look-up tool. Copy and paste portions of your citation and it will find the DOI if available. 

Specific APA Citation Examples for Nursing

Please note that 2nd line of APA reference needs to be hanging. Due to formatting issues, we aren't able to display it. But you can see what hanging references look like in our APA guide. 

For more tips on APA, please check out OC Library's APA Citation (7th edition) guide and/or contact your liasion librarian 

Note: Include DOI information for eBooks. If there is no DOI and the book is from a library database, do not include a URL (APA, 2020, section 9.30). If the book is from the web, include a URL.

Clinical Practice References

Online Book (E-Book)

If the ebook is from an academic research database and has no DOI or stable URL, end the book reference after the publisher name. Do not include the name of the database in the reference. The reference in this case is the same as for a print book.

Pinkzuk, J. Z., & Dunham-Taylor, J. (2015). Financial management for nurse managers: Merging the heart with the dollar (3rd ed.). Taylor and Francis. https://doi.org/10.1037/0000168-000

In-text: (Pinkzuk & Dunham-Taylor, 2015)

Chapter from an Edited Book (such as a textbook)

Print: Author, A. A. (year). Title of chapter or essay in book. In D. Editor, E. Editor, & F. Editor (Eds.), Title of book (pp. essay page range in book). Publisher Name.

Online: Author(s) of article. (Year of publication). Title of article. In Name of editor(s) (Ed.), Title of encyclopedia (Edition, Page numbers). DOI (or cite as print article if no DOI)

Rasmusson, A. M., & Friedman, M. J. (2002). Gender issues in the neurobiology of PTSD. In R. Kimerling, P. Ouimette, & J. Wolfe (Eds.), Gender and PTSD (pp. 43-75). The Guilford Press. 

In-Text: (Rasmusson & Friedman, 2002)

Sweller, J. (2005). Implications of cognitive load theory for multimedia learning. In R. E. Mayer (Ed.), The Cambridge handbook of multimedia learning (pp. 19-30). https://doi....

OR No DOI

Sweller, J. (2005). Implications of cognitive load theory for multimedia learning. In R. E. Mayer (Ed.), The Cambridge handbook of multimedia learning (pp. 19-30). 

In-text: (Sweller, 2005)

Online Encyclopedia Article

Author, A. A., Author, B. B., & Author, C. C. (year). Title of chapter or entry. In A. A. Editor & B. B. Editor (Eds.), Title of book (pp. xxx–xxx). URL or DOI

Dictionary/Definition

Known author: Graham, G. (2005). Behaviorism. In E. N. Zalta (Ed.), The Stanford encyclopedia of philosophy (Fall 2007 ed.). http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/behaviorism/

In-text: (Graham, 2005)

Etzkowitz, H., & Dzisah, J. (2009). University–industry relationships. In J.B. Callicott & R. Froderman (Eds.), Encyclopedia of environmental ethics and philosophy (Vol.2, pp. 344-346). 

In-text: (Etzkowitz & Dzisah, 2009)

Unknown author and no DOI: Landscape gardening. (2004). In K. Barber (Ed.), The Canadian Oxford dictionary (2nd ed.). 

If this was retrieved from the Library's Oxford Reference Online database, you should conduct a Google search to find the generic database home page, rather than including, Oxford Reference Online database.  

In-text: ("Landscape Gardening," 2004)

CINAHL Nursing Guide/Patient Information Sheet from Nursing Reference Center Database

These information sheets often do not have page numbers, in which case include the paragraph number or section heading (if there are no page numbers) placed in brackets at the end of the sentence. 

Author, a. & Author, B. (Date). Title of article in sentence case. Title of Source/Publication in Italics. https://doi... OR Retrieved from http://Web address (use the database permalink)

DeVesty, G. B. M. (2018). Midline catheter: Removing. CINAHL Nursing Guide. https://doi....OR Retrieved from http://Web address (use the database permalink)

In-text: (DeVesty, 2018) or (DeVesty, 2018, "Facts and Figures").

Mobile apps 

For more information about Mobile Apps, see page 340 of the APA Manual, 7th edition. 

Mobile App reference work 

Author, A.A., & Author, B. B. (year of the version). Title in italics. (edition number if needed) (Version number) [Mobile app]. Publisher of the app or name of the app store. URL if possible

Example 

Vallerand, A. H., Sanoski, C.A., & Deglin, J.H. (2020). Davis's Canadian Drug Guide (17th ed.) (Version 4.41)[Mobile app]. App Store. https://apps.apple.com/ca/app/daviss-canadian-drug-guide/id1145788777 

Entry in a mobile app reference work 

Author, A.A., & Author, B. B. OR the company that created the app. (year of the version). Title of the entry. In Name of the app in italics. (edition number if needed) (Version number) [Mobile app]. Publisher of the app or name of the App Store. URL if possible 

Vallerand, A. H., Sanoski,  C. A., & Deglin, J. H. (2019). Omeprazole.  In C. Quiring (Contributing Ed.), Davis’s Canadian Drug Guide (16th ed.). In Nursing Central (Version 4.5.2) [Mobile app]. Unbound Medicine. https://nursing.unboundmedicine.com/nursingcentral

Vallerand, A. H., Sanoski, C.A., & Deglin, J.H. (2020). Naproxen. In Davis's Canadian Drug Guide (17th ed.) (Version 4.41) [Mobile app]. App Store. https://apps.apple.com/ca/app/daviss-canadian-drug-guide/id1145788777 

In-text:

(Vallerand et al., 2020)

Drug monograph from CPS Full Access (RxTx) mobile app

Reference List

Canadian Pharmacists Association. (2016, February 19). Atacand. In CPS Full Access (Version 6.1.2.0) [Mobile app]. Google Play Store. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=vspringboard.cpha.activity&hl=en_CA

In Text, first citation

(Canadian Pharmacists Association [CPhA], 2016)

In Text, subsequent citations

(CPhA, 2016)

Elsevier Clinical Skills (Previously Mosby's Nursing Skills)

Bathing: Bed bath (pediatric). (2016, January). Elsevier clinical skills. URL

Urinary catheter: Indwelling (Foley) catheter care. (2015, January). Elsevier clinical skills. URL

In-text:

(Bathing, 2016)

(Urinary catheter, 2015)

Drug Monograph from CPS Full Access

Canadian Pharmacists Association. (2016, February 19). Atacand. CPS Full Access. https://www.myrxtx.ca

In-text:

  • First citation
    (Canadian Pharmacists Association [CPhA], 2016)
  • Subsequent citations
    (CPhA, 2016)

Blog post:

Laden, G. (2011, May 8). A history of childbirth and misconceptions about life expectancy.  http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2011/05/a_history_of_childbirth_and_mi.php

In-text: (Laden, 2011)

Videos

Producer, P. P. (Producer), & Director, D. D. (Director). (Year of release). Title of film in sentence case and italics [Format]. http://website.com

In-text: Cite last name of producer(s) and/or director(s) and year in brackets:

Retrieved from Netflix

Finerman, W. (Producer), & Frankel, D. (Director). (2006). The devil wears Prada [Video]. Netflix. http://www.netflix.com/

Retrieved from Library Database

Lester, R. (Director). (1964). A hard day’s night [Video]. Kanopy. http://www.kanopystreaming.com

In-text: (Lester, 1964)

DVD

DiCaprio, L. (Producer), & Petersen, L. C. (Writer/Director). (2008). The 11th hour [Film]. Burbank, CA: Warner Bros. Entertainment.

In-text: (DiCaprio, 2008) 

Web Page on a Website:

Author. (date). Title. Retrieved from URL

National Geographic Society. (n.d.). Flying fish. http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/fish/flying-fish/#

In-text: (Author, year)

(National Geographic Society, n.d.)

Image taken from a website:

Artist Surname, First Initial. Second Initial. (Year). Title of the artwork [Format]. URL (address of web site)

Baumel, A.  (2010). Cholera treatment center in Haiti [Photograph]. https://www.doctorswithoutborders.org

No author: 

Reference List

Caduceus simple [Digital image]. (2014, February 22). Wikimedia Commons. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Caduceus_simple.svg

In Text

(Caduceus simple, 2014)

No author, no title, and no date:

 [Subject and type of work]. URL (address of web site)

Many images found on the Web fall under this category. Try to locate the missing information by clicking on the image, and/or looking at the bottom of the image.

Appendices

See section 2.14 of the APA Manual (7th ed.) for more information

  • Appendices include supplementary content that does not belong in the main text. Examples include lists of words, a questionnaire or survey used in the research, a detailed description of an apparatus used, a floor plan, learning outcomes, etc. 
  • Appendix labels and titles should be centred and bolded. 
  • Each appendix is referenced parenthetically in-text.
  • An appendix or appendices are always the last section of a paper. 
  • Appendices should appear in the order information is mentioned in a paper. Refer to an appendix by its label. 
  • Each appendix appears on a new page. 
  • If more than one Appendix, label as Appendix A, Appendix B, etc. A single Appendix would simply be, Appendix. 

Writing Scholarly PN Papers

Annotated Bibliographies

See the APA Manual (7h ed.) Section 9.51, page 307, for more information

An annotated bibliography is a student paper where reference list entries are followed by short descriptions of the work, called annotations. 

  • Annotations should both summarize and assess/critique the source;
  • If annotations are presented as two paragraphs, often the first paragraph will summarize the source and the main points, and the second paragraph will identify the strengths, weaknesses, or evaluate the methods presented;
  • In general, when writing your annotations, you do not need to cite the work being annotated in-text because the origin of the information is clear through the context of the reference located above the annotation. However, you should include in-text citations if you refer to multiple different works within an annotation in order to clarify the source(s); 
  • Your instructor will set out specific requirements, such as number of references to annotate, length and focus of each annotation;
  • Formatting guidelines such as margins, font, and line spacing follow APA Style guidelines, as set out in Chapter 2 of the Manual;
  • Format and order references in an annotated bibliography in alphabetical order, the same as you would order entries in a reference list (sections 9.43-9.44 of the Guide);
  • Each annotation should be a new paragraph below its reference entry;
  • Indent the entire annotation from the left margin, the same as you would a block quotation. Do not indent the first line of the annotation;
  • If the annotation spans multiple paragraphs, indent the first line of the second and any subsequent paragraphs an additional 0.5 in., the same as a block quotation with multiple paragraphs.
Example (as provided in the APA Manual, figure 9.3, page 308)

Workplace Stress: Annotated Bibliography

Barber, L. K., Grawitch, M. J., & Maloney, P. W. (2016). Work-life balance: Contemporary perspectives. In M. J. Grawitch & D. W. Ballard (Eds.), The psychological healthy workplace: Building a win-win environment for organizations and employees (pp. 111-133). American Psychological Association. https://doi.org/10.1037/14731-006

This book chapter provides an overview of the psychosociological concept of work-life balance. The authors discuss findings from studies showing harmful effects of work-life conflict on psychological and behavioral health as well as beneficial effects of work-life facilitation, wherein one role makes a positive contribution to the other. The chapter concludes with a description of work-life balance initiatives that organizations have adopted to help employees manage their dual work and nonwork obligations and some of the key factors influencing their effectiveness. 

Carlson, D. S., Thompson, M. J., & Kacmar, K. M. (2019). Double crossed: The spillover and crossover effects of work demands on work outcomes through the family. Journal of Applied Psychology, 104(2), 214-228. https://doi.org/10.1037.apl0000348

Carlson et al. (2019) conducted an empirical study to examine the multiple paths through which work and family variables can affect work outcomes. Whereas Barber et al. (2016) explored how work obligations can increase stress or enhance fulfillment at home, Carlson et al. viewed work demands as raising family stress, with potential negative consequences on work performance. Results supported a model in which direct effects of work demands and spillover effects of work demands to work-to-family conflict led to lower job satisfaction and affective commitment, as well as crossover effects of work-to-family conflict, spousal stress transmission, and later family-to-work conflict on organizational citizen ship and absenteeism. Overall, the study demonstrated a link from work demands to work outcomes when considering the family, but those paths differed depending on whether attitudinal or behavioral work outcomes were examined. 

Additional resources:

Plagiarism & Academic Integrity

See the OC Calendar 'General academic regulations and policies' on plagiarism.   "Plagiarism is the presentation of another person's work or ideas without proper or complete acknowledgement"    (Okanagan College [OC], 2013, Calendar).

Examples of plagiarism:

  • Copying phrases, sentences, pictures, statistics, graphs, videos or other information without citing the source
  • Failing to use quotation marks to indicate copied information
  • Summarizing or paraphrasing ideas or information without citing the original source
  • Listing a source on the References page but failing to refer to the publication within the body of the assignment.

"Students are responsible for learning and applying the proper scholarly practices for acknowledging the work and ideas of others". (OC, 2013, Calendar): This student responsibility applies in all formats (print, online and others).

Use the Avoid Plagiarism Tutorial to test yourself and find out more about plagiarism.

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