To cite in the American Political Science Association (APSA) citation style, it is helpful to know basic information about your source, including the author’s name(s), title of the source and/or article, date published, and page numbers (if applicable).

This guide will show you in-text citations and full reference examples in APSA style for the following source types:

• Website

• Book

• Journal article

• Bill or resolution

If you wish to easily cite in APSA style, check out the Chegg Writing citation generator.

Formatting citations in APSA style

The APSA citation style has its own style manual but generally follows the author-date Chicago citation style. Each source’s citation has two parts:

• In-text citation

• Reference list

In-text citations

When you cite information from a source in your work, you need to include an in-text citation. The in-text citation should correspond to a source in the reference list.

APSA uses parenthetical citations. They are placed either near wherever the author’s name is mentioned OR at the end of the cited information. When possible, include a page number.

Templates:

• (Author last name Publication year)

• Author last name (Publication year)

• (Author last name Publication year, Page #)

• Author last name (Publication year) “Quote goes here” (Page #)

Examples:

• (Sharma 2012)

• Sharma (2012)

• (Tabor 1998, 33)

• Tabor (1998) “Quote goes here” (33)

Reference list

Your reference list should go immediately at the end of your paper. You should title it “References” and align it left.

References are usually listed alphabetically by the author’s last name (the first name shown in the reference list entry). The page should be double-spaced. For each reference list entry, any lines after the first should be indented (hanging indent).

Example references:

Barnes, Ekow. 2022. “Africa’s Biggest Photography Library Opens in Ghana.” The Guardian. December 20, 02:30 EST. https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2022/dec/20/africas-biggest-photography-library-opens-in-ghana-accra-dikan-center.

Brusatte, Stephen. 2015. “What Killed the Dinosaurs.” Scientific American 313 (6): 54–59. https://www.jstor.org/stable/26046583.

Davis, Robert H. 1997. Aloe Vera—A Scientific Approach. New York: Vantage Press.

Pereltsvaig, Asya. 2016. “Global Patterns in Health Infrastructure and Personnel Distribution.” Languages of the World [blog]. November 26. https://www.languagesoftheworld.info/geography/global-patterns-health-infrastructure-personnel-distribution.html.

Citing a website page in APSA style

Include as much information as you can and omit information that doesn’t exist.

In-text citation basic format and examples:

(Author last name Publication year)

(Barnes 2022)

Pereltsvaig (2016)

Reference list basic format and examples:

Citing a book in APSA style

In-text citation basic format and example:

(Author last name Publication year, Page #)

(Davis 1997, 24)

Reference list basic format and example:

Citing a journal article in APSA style

In-text citation basic format and example:

(Author last name Publication year, Page #)

(Brusatte 2015, 55)

Reference list basic format and example:

Citing a bill or resolution in APSA style

For the reference examples, be sure to use abbreviations depending on which branch of congress the bill/resolution came from.

House of Representatives:

• H.R.

• H.R. Res.

Senate:

• S.

• S. Res.

In-text citation basic format and example:

(Bill or Resolution Name Year)

(For the Relief of Jan van Hoek 2022)

Reference list basic format and example:

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