• When citing a work with a single author provide the author's family name and year of publication.

• When a work has two authors, always cite both family names every time the reference occurs in the text.

• When a work has three or more authors, cite only the family name of the first author followed by et al. and the year of publication.

• When using exact words that an author has used, you must enclose these in double quotation marks “ ” and supply an in-text citation, including page number(s).

• In your writing, you must acknowledge each author or source of information (whether print or online) either by paraphrasing or using a direct quote.

Paraphrasing

Paraphrasing is when you are expressing the ideas of the author(s) in your own words. When paraphrasing, use round brackets (parentheses) to add the author(s) family name and the year of publication, or use the author(s) family name as part of your sentence, followed by the year of publication in parentheses.

Note: When paraphrasing, the citation details can be used at the beginning, middle or end of the sentence.

Citation at the beginning

Brophy (2010) states that student motivation . . .

Citation in the middle

. . . motivation is evident (Brophy, 2010), and as a result, can contribute significantly to achieving learning goals.

Citation at the end

. . . where a number of subjective experiences can inform motivational outcomes (Brophy, 2010).

Note: Citations can also be structured according to whether they give prominence to the author (narrative), or to the information being conveyed (parenthetical).

Narrative citations

In his research, Brophy (2010) argues that . . .

Parenthetical citations

. . . findings are based on the qualitative study of behavioural learning (Brophy, 2010).

Including page numbers in a paraphrase citation

When paraphrasing, page numbers may also be included as part of the citation, especially if it helps the reader to locate the source of the information in a lengthy document.

Note: Including page numbers when paraphrasing is optional and is NOT a requirement of the APA referencing style.

In order to establish a learning community in the classroom, it is important to motivate students by addressing both individual and collaborative learning goals (Brophy, 2010, pp. 23-24).

Direct quotes

Direct quotes are used when you are using the exact words of the author(s). Put direct quotes between double quotation marks and add a page number. Do NOT overuse direct quotes.

“Student motivation to learn can be viewed as either a general disposition or a situation-specific state” (Brophy, 2010, p. 12).

Citing a source with no page number(s)

If the work you are referencing does NOT contain page numbers, then use paragraph numbers, chapter numbers or section headings as part of the in-text reference.

"As the national peak body for early childhood, ECA is a regular, and trusted, contributor to the public policy debate on all matters affecting young children (birth to eight years) and their families" (Early Childhood Australia, 2016, Advocacy section, para. 1).

Omitting words from a direct quote

If you omit words from a direct quote, you will need to add a space followed by three ellipsis dots (. . .) and another space.

Cannon (2012) argues that "changes in corporate approaches to such sensitive areas . . . will require coherent change strategies" (p. 165).

Note: Quotes more than 40 words in length need to be in block form – without using quotation marks, begin the quote on a new, indented line, and double-space the entire quote. At the end of the quote, include citation details such as author(s), year and page number(s) in parentheses.

The difference between intrinsic motivation and motivation to learn is closely related to the difference between affective and cognitive engagement experiences. Intrinsic motivation refers primarily to affective experience—enjoyment of the processes involved in engaging in an activity. In contrast, motivation to learn is primarily a cognitive experience involving attempts to make sense of the information that an activity conveys, to relate this information to prior knowledge, and to master the skills that the activity develops. (Brophy, 2010, p. 12)

List all citations alphabetically, with a semi-colon to separate them.

There are indications that passive smoking is potentially threatening to health (Applebee, 2006; Cookson, 2007; Sheldon & James, 2004).

When an author has published more than one cited work in the same year, distinguish each work by using a lower case letter after the year within the parentheses (this is also written in the reference list).

Paraphrasing in-text

According to Dean (2017a), it was found that . . .

It is suggested that . . . (Dean, 2017b).

Reference list

Identify works by the same author(s) in the same year by the suffixes a, b, c, etc. after the year.

References by the same author(s) with the same publication year are arranged alphabetically by the title (excluding A or The) that follows the date.

Dean, E. (2017a). Practice nursing: An action plan for a disparate workforce. Nursing Standard, 32(3), 25. https://doi.org/10.7748/ns.32.3.25.s24

Dean, E. (2017b). Top nursing universities fall short in new ratings. Nursing Standard, 31(44), 9. https://doi.org/10.7748/ns.31.44.9.s8

Lead authors are the same in the same year

If there are more than 3 authors and the lead author(s) are the same, but there are also different contributing authors then cite all authors until a distinction can be made followed by et al.

Paraphrasing in-text

Arnaiz, Cochrane, Hastie, et al. (2018) state . . .

Arnaiz, Cochrane, Calizaya, et al. (2018) argue . . .

Reference list

The reference list would include all authors.

Arnaiz, M., Cochrane, T., Calizaya, A., & Shrestha, M. (2018). A framework for evaluating the current level of success of micro-hydropower schemes in remote communities of developing countries. Energy for Sustainable Development, 44, 55-63. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.esd.2018.03.002

Arnaiz, M., Cochrane, T., Hastie, R., & Bellen, C. (2018). Micro-hydropower impact on communities' livelihood analysed with the capability approach. Energy for Sustainable Development, 45, 206-210. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.esd.2018.07.003

If citing a source with no author then use the title of the work both in-text and in the reference list.

If the title of the work is italicised in the reference list then italicise the title in-text (except for news articles found on the web with no author, use double quotation marks in-text and don't italicise the title in the reference list).

If the title is not italicised in the reference list then use double quotation marks in-text.

News or magazine article with no author

Paraphrasing in-text

If no author has been identified, provide the first few words of the title in double quotation marks " " followed by the year.

An increase in education spending . . . ("Budget to Link," 2016).

Direct quote in-text

Place direct quotes between double quotation marks " " and provide the page number(s). If no page numbers are provided, then include the paragraph number.

"An additional $118 million to support disabled children in schools over two years will be a modest boost in an important area of student assistance where many schools are struggling" ("Budget to Link," 2016, p. 13).

Reference List

Place the title of the article in the author position.

Do NOT italicise the title of the article, only the title of the newspaper or magazine.

Include the day, month and year of the article, as well as the URL.

Budget to link school spending to outcomes. (2016, May 2). The Australian.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/opinion/editorials/budget-to-link-school-spending-to-outcomes/news-story/b1b98475b68869356cc6540766d6358a

Encyclopedia, Wikipedia or dictionary entry with no author

Paraphrasing in-text

If no author has been identified, provide the first few words of the title in double quotation marks " " followed by the year.

Individuals with achromatopsia will experience a variation in symptoms ("Achromatopsia," 2005).

Direct quote in-text

Place direct quotes between double quotation marks " " and provide the page number(s). If no page numbers are provided, then include the paragraph number.

"The main symptom of achromatopsia is photophobia, which is extreme sensitivity to light" ("Achromatopsia," 2005, para. 6).

Reference list

Place the title of the entry in the author position.

Include the word In before the title of the work in italics. Include an edition number (if applicable).

If the reference work is continously updated use n.d. as the year of publication and include a retrieval date e.g. Retrieved September 24, 2020, from URL

If the reference work is taken from an archived page then no retrieval date is needed.

Achromatopsia. (2005). In Van Nostrand's scientific encyclopedia (10th ed.).
https://www.wiley.com/en-au/Van+Nostrand%27s+Scientific+Encyclopedia%2C+3+Volume+Set%2C+10th+Edition-p-9780471743385

Book or report with no author

Paraphrasing in-text

If no author has been identified, include the first few words of the title in italics followed by the year.

Australia has a growing role in the education of international students (Higher education in Australia: the facts, 2004).

Direct quote in-text

Place direct quotes between double quotation marks " " and provide the page number(s). If no page numbers are provided, then include the paragraph number.

Higher education in Australia: the facts (2004, p. 23) claims that Australia is "a major provider of international education and training services."

Reference list

Italicise the title and place it in the author position.

Include a report number, not in italics and in parentheses, directly after the title (if applicable).

Include the year of publication (if available).

Include the publisher name and URL (if applicable).

Higher education in Australia: the facts. (2004). Business/Higher Education Round Table.

A secondary citation is used when you acknowledge the work of an author that you have read about in another author’s work.

For example, if you read an article written by Hosany and Martin and they cite information from another study written by Heath and Scott, you would need to acknowledge Heath and Scott in the text:

Heath and Scott (as cited in Hosany & Martin, 2012) claim that . . .

Early research indicated . . . (Heath & Scott, as cited in Hosany & Martin, 2012).

In the reference list, you need to include the citation information for the Hosany and Martin article as that is where the Heath and Scott information was sourced:

Hosany, S., & Martin, D. (2012). Self-image congruence in consumer behavior. Journal of Business Research, 65(5), 685-691. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2011.03.015

Information obtained from personal communication does NOT need to be included in the reference list and should only be referenced in-text. Use parenthetical citations in the text only.

Examples of personal communication include:

• interviews

• conversations

• telephone calls

• letters

• emails

When citing in-text, include the author first name initial(s) followed by their family name, and a precise date of when the communication took place.

My field placement supervisor commented '. . .' (C. M. Burns, personal communication, July 3, 2015).

The details of . . . were confirmed by email (J. Merrick, personal communication, April 25, 2014).

• A reference list is to be included at the end of your work acknowledging all sources used.

• The word 'References' should be on a new page, centred and in bold.

• The reference list is arranged alphabetically by author family name.

• If there are multiple entries by the same author, then arrange chronologically starting with the earliest year of publication.

• If there are several authors with the same family name, then arrange alphabetically by initials.

• Where an item has no author, it is cited by its title.

• The reference list must be double-spaced and each entry should have a hanging indent on the second and subsequent lines (if applicable).

• Italicise all book titles, journal titles, volume numbers, titles of newspapers and titles of webpages and websites.

• Present both DOIs and URLs as hyperlinks. The default display settings for hyperlinks in your word-processing program (e.g., usually blue font, underlined) or plain text that is not underlined is acceptable.

Digital object identifier (DOI)

When citing electronic journal articles, you MUST include a digital object identifier (DOI) if stated. A DOI is a unique identifier that is assigned to individual journal articles, and provides a persistent link to online content.

The recommended DOI format should appear in your reference list as:

https://doi.org/xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

If no DOI is assigned, include the journal’s homepage URL instead.

Note: There is no full stop after the URL

References

Paraphrasing in-text

When paraphrasing, include the author(s) family name and year of publication in parentheses. Or, if referring to the author(s) family name in the body of the text, then just include the year of publication in parentheses immediately after the family name(s).

Studies indicate that . . . (Sullivan, 2013).

Sullivan (2013) states that . . .

If multiple narrative citations are repeated within the same paragraph, the year of publication can be omitted.

Sullivan also found that . . .

Direct quote in-text

Place direct quotes between double quotation marks " " and provide the page number(s) from the book.

"Challenging the power structure of institutions, organizations, or bureaucracies requires commitment and fortitude" (Sullivan, 2013, p. 103).

Sullivan (2013) notes that "challenging the power structure of institutions, organizations, or bureaucracies requires commitment and fortitude" (p. 103).

Reference list

Rule

Author, A. A. (Year). Title of book: Subtitle of book. Publisher Name.

Example

Sullivan, E. J. (2013). Becoming influential: A guide for nurses (2nd ed.). Pearson.

Paraphrasing in-text

When paraphrasing, use the ampersand symbol & between author family names only when they appear in parentheses. Otherwise, just use and to separate author names in the body of the text.

. . . and is vital in order to encode memories (Pastorino & Doyle-Portillo, 2016).

Pastorino and Doyle-Portillo (2016) identify . . .

Direct quote in-text

Place direct quotes between double quotation marks " " and provide the page number(s) from the book.

"The central executive functions as an attention-controlling mechanism within working memory" (Pastorino & Doyle-Portillo, 2016, p. 281).

Reference list

List both authors, and separate the names with an ampersand symbol &.

Rule

Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Year). Title of book: Subtitle of book. Publisher Name.

Example

Pastorino, E., & Doyle-Portillo, S. (2016). What is psychology?: Foundations, applications and integration. Cengage Learning.

Paraphrasing in-text

Use only the first listed author family name followed by et al. and year of publication.

. . . independent variables are controlled by the selector (Kraemer et al., 2016).

Kraemer et al. (2016) posit that . . .

Direct quote in-text

Place direct quotes between double quotation marks " " and provide the page number(s) from the book.

"Circadian response patterns can be sensitive to light and dark cycles, sleep patterns, and seasonal changes" (Kraemer et al., 2016, p. 214).

Reference list

List all authors, placing an ampersand symbol & before the last name.

Rule

Author, A. A., Author, B. B., & Author, C. C. (Year). Title of book: Subtitle of book. Publisher Name.

Example

Kraemer, W. J., Fleck, S. J., & Deschenes, M. R. (2016). Exercise physiology: Integrating theory and application (2nd ed.). Wolters Kluwer.

Reference list

Include the edition number followed by the abbreviation ed. in parentheses after the book title. If the book is a first edition, or no edition is stated, do NOT include the edition number.

Rule

Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Year). Title of book: Subtitle of book (Edition number ed.). Publisher Name.

Example

Mash, E. J., & Wolfe, D. A. (2013). Abnormal child psychology (5th ed.). Wadsworth.

Chapter in an edited book

An edited book will generally be comprised of chapters written by several different authors. When citing in-text, you will need to attribute the authors of the particular chapter you are referencing, NOT the editors of the entire work.

Paraphrasing in-text

When paraphrasing, include the author(s) family name and year of publication in parentheses. Or, if referring to the author(s) family name in the body of the text, then just include the year of publication in parentheses immediately after the family name(s).

Quality of life is defined as . . . (Schirm, 2013).

Schirm (2013) defines quality of life as . . .

Direct quote in-text

Place direct quotes between double quotation marks " " and provide the page number(s) from the book.

"Quality of life assessments provide a way to evaluate the impact of chronic illness on clients and their families" (Schirm, 2013, p. 183).

Schirm (2013) comments that "quality of life assessments provide a way to evaluate the impact of chronic illness on clients and their families" (p. 183).

Reference list

Author(s) of the chapter, year of publication, and title of the chapter precede the details about the book editors and title of book.

Following the word In is the editor(s) initials then family names.

Enclose in parentheses the edition number (if applicable).

Enclose in parentheses the page numbers of the chapter directly after the title.

Rule

Author, A. A. (Year). Title of chapter. In E. E. Editor & F. F. Editor (Eds.), Title of book: Subtitle of book (pp. page range). Publisher Name.

Example

Schirm, V. (2013). Quality of life. In I. M. Lubkin & P. D. Larsen (Eds.), Chronic illness: Impact and interventions (8th ed., pp. 183-206). Jones & Bartlett Learning.

Chapter in an authored book

If the book is an authored (NOT edited) work, then reference it as a whole work, NOT by the book chapter.

Paraphrasing in-text

When citing an e-book in-text, follow the same rules for citing a book in-text.

According to Watkins (2017), angular motion occurs when . . .

. . . which impacts the axis of rotation (Watkins, 2017).

Direct quote in-text

Place direct quotes between double quotation marks " " and provide the page number(s) from the e-book.

"Most whole body human movements are combinations of linear and angular motion" (Watkins, 2017, p. 6).

Reference list

Follow the same rules for citing a book, but provide a DOI or URL if stated.

Rule

Author, A. A. (Year). Title of book: Subtitle of book. Publisher Name. https://doi.org/xxxxx

Example

Watkins, J. (2017). Laboratory and field exercises in sport and exercise biomechanics. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315306315

Paraphrasing in-text

When paraphrasing, include the author(s) family name, year(s) of publication in parentheses (include both the original year of publication, if applicable, as well as the year of publication from the source). Or, if referring to the author(s) family name in the body of the text, then just include the year(s) of publication in parentheses immediately after the family name(s).

The study of the first stage reveals . . . (Piaget, 1929/2007).

Piaget (1929/2007) states that . . .

Direct quote in-text

Place direct quotes between double quotation marks " " and provide the page number(s) from the book.

"The third stage on the contrary is characterised by this discovery that names are in ourselves and come from within us" (Piaget, 1929/2007, p. 77).

Reference list

Include the translator(s) after the title and add the date of original publication in parentheses (if applicable) after the publication details.

Rule

Author, A. A. (Year). Title of book: Subtitle of book (T. Translator, Trans.). Publisher Name. (Original work published Year)

Example

Piaget, J. (2007). The child's conception of the world (J. Tomlinson & A. Tomlinson, Trans.). Rowman & Littlefield. (Original work published 1929)

Paraphrasing in-text

When paraphrasing, include the author(s) family name and year of publication in parentheses. Or, if referring to the author(s) family name in the body of the text, then just include the year of publication in parentheses immediately after the family name(s).

Recent studies indicate that . . . (Musiek, 2017).

Musiek (2017) concludes that . . .

Direct quote in-text

Place direct quotes between double quotation marks " " and provide the page number(s) from the journal.

Musiek (2017) notes that "if sleep nuclei are damaged, a robust circadian clock may still not trigger sleep" (p. 89).

Reference list

When including journal articles in the reference list, you must italicise the title of the Journal and volume number, and include the digital object identifier (DOI) at the end of the reference (if stated).

Rule

Author, A. A. (Year). Title of article: Subtitle of article. Title of Periodical, Volume number(Issue number), Page range. https://doi.org/xxxxx

Example

Musiek, E. S. (2017). Circadian rhythms in AD pathogenesis: A critical appraisal. Current Sleep Medicine Reports, 3(2), 85-92. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40675-017-0072-5

Paraphrasing in-text

The ampersand symbol & is used between the author family names only when they appear in parentheses.

. . . identifies skills intrinsic to current nursing practitioners (Felton & Royal, 2015).

Felton and Royal (2015) argue that . . .

Direct quote in-text

Place direct quotes between double quotation marks " " and provide the page number(s) from the journal.

According to Felton and Royal (2015) "supporting the development of practitioners' skills within preregistration nursing education is complex" (p. 38).

Reference list

List both authors, and separate the names with an ampersand symbol &.

When including journal articles in the reference list, you must italicise the title of the Journal and volume number, and include the digital object identifier (DOI) at the end of the reference (if stated).

Rule

Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Year). Title of article: Subtitle of article. Title of Periodical, Volume number(Issue number), Page range. https://doi.org/xxxxx

Example

Felton, A., & Royal, J. (2015). Skills for nursing practice: Development of clinical skills in pre-registration nurse education. Nurse Education in Practice, 15(1), 38-43. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nepr.2014.11.009

Paraphrasing in-text

Cite the first family name listed followed by et al.

. . . outlining the thought processes (Demacheva et al., 2012).

Demacheva et al. (2012) note that . . .

Direct quote in-text

Place direct quotes between double quotation marks " " and provide the page number(s) from the journal.

"Our findings suggest that decoupling the when and the where attention modules may play an important role in creating magic effects" (Demacheva et al., 2012, p. 547).

Reference list

List all authors (up to 20), placing an ampersand symbol (&) before the last author's name.

When including journal articles in the reference list, you must italicise the title of the Journal and volume number, and include the digital object identifier (DOI) at the end of the reference (if stated).

Rule

Author, A. A., Author, B. B., Author, C. C., Author, D. D., Author, E. E., & Author, F. F. (Year). Title of article: Subtitle of article. Title of Periodical, Volume number(Issue number), Page range. https://doi.org/xxxxx

Example

Demacheva, I., Ladouceur, M., Steinberg, E., Pogossova, G., & Raz, A. (2012). The applied cognitive psychology of attention: A step closer to understanding magic tricks. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 26, 541-549. https://doi.org/10.1002/acp.2825

Paraphrasing in-text

Use only the first listed family name followed by et al. and year of publication.

Kalnay et al. (1996) comment . . .

Direct quote in-text

Place direct quotes between double quotation marks " " and provide the page number(s) from the journal.

"As a result, the NCEP/NCAR reanalysis system has many novel features not yet present in operational or research numerical weather forecasting systems" (Kalnay et al., 1996, p. 439).

Reference list

List the first 19 authors followed by three ellipsis points (. . .) then the last author.

Rule

Author, A. A., Author, B. B., Author, C. C., Author, D. D., Author, E. E., Author, F. F., Author, G. G., Author, H. H., Author, I. I., Author, J. J., Author, K. K., Author, L. L., Author, M. M., Author, N. N., Author, O. O., Author, P. P., Author, Q. Q., Author, R. R., Author, S. S., . . . Author, T. T. (Year). Title of article: Subtitle of article. Title of Periodical, Volume number(Issue number), Page range. https://doi.org/xxxxx

Example

Kalnay, E., Kanamitsu, M., Kistler, R., Collins, W., Deaven, D., Gandin, L., Iredell, M., Saha, S., White, G., Woollen, J., Zhu, Y., Chelliah, M., Ebisuzaki, W., Higgins, W., Janowiak, J., Mo, K. C., Ropelewski, C., Wang, J., Leetmaa, A., . . . Joseph, D. (1996). The NCEP/NCAR 40-year reanalysis project. Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, 77(3), 437-472. https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0477(1996)077%3C0437:TNYRP%3E2.0.CO;2

Paraphrasing in-text

When paraphrasing, include the author family name(s) and year of publication in parentheses. Or, if referring to the author(s) family name in the body of the text, then just include the year of publication in parentheses immediately after the family name(s).

Recent studies indicate that . . . (Walker & Buchbinder, 1997).

Walker and Buchbinder (1997) contend that . . .

Direct quote in-text

Place direct quotes between double quotation marks " " and provide the page number(s) from the journal. If no pages are stated, then include the section heading and paragraph number.

Walker and Buchbinder (1997) noted that "analysis of the determinants of frequency of use of the various diagnostic methods revealed that motion palpation was more commonly employed by younger chiropractors" (Discussion section, para. 6).

Reference list

If citing a journal article without a DOI, include the volume, issue number (if available), and page number(s).

Rule

Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Year). Title of article: Subtitle of article. Title of Periodical, Volume number(Issue number), Page range.

Example

Walker, B., & Buchbinder, R. (1997). Most commonly used methods of detecting spinal subluxation and the preferred term for its description: A survey of chiropractors in Victoria, Australia. Journal of Manipulative & Physiological Therapeutics, 20(9), 583-589.

Paraphrasing in-text

When paraphrasing, include the author(s) family name and year of publication in parentheses. Or, if referring to the author(s) family name in the body of the text, then just include the year of publication in parentheses immediately after the family name(s).

The results of the study indicate . . . (Evans, 2015).

Evans (2015) states that . . .

Direct quote in-text

Place direct quotes between double quotation marks " " and provide the page number(s) from the newspaper. If no page numbers are provided, then include the paragraph number.

Evans (2015) notes that "aspirin's miracle properties revolve around its ability to stop blood platelets clumping together, reducing the risk of heart attacks and strokes" (p. 11).

Reference list

Do NOT italicise the title of the article, only the title of the newspaper.

Include the day, month and year, as well as the exact URL of the article.

Rule

Author, A. A. (Year, Month Day). Title of article. Title of Periodical. https://xxxxx

Example

Evans, K. (2015, January 5). Aspirin study raises hopes for dementia prevention. The Age. https://search.proquest.com/docview/1641732086?accountid=13552

Paraphrasing in-text

When paraphrasing, include the author(s) family name and year of publication in parentheses. Or, if referring to the author(s) family name in the body of the text, then just include the year of publication in parentheses immediately after the family name(s).

The debate around health reform involves . . . (Baird, 2016).

Baird (2016) states that . . .

Direct quote in-text

Place direct quotes between double quotation marks " " and provide the page number(s) from the newspaper. If no page numbers are provided, then include the paragraph number.

Baird (2016) points out that "recent studies have found much of our nursing population is approaching retirement – and quite alarmingly burnt out – at precisely the time the nursing needs of a broader ageing population is increasing" (para. 8).

Reference list

Do NOT italicise the title of the article, only the title of the newspaper.

Include the day, month and year of the article, as well as the URL.

Rule

Author, A. A. (Year, Month Day). Title of article. Title of Periodical. https://xxxxx

Example

Baird, J. (2016, November 4). There’s no such thing as ‘just a nurse’. The Sydney Morning Herald. https://www.smh.com.au/opinion/why-we-need-to-listen-to-nurses-when-talking-about-health-20161103-gshfq1.html

Paraphrasing in-text

When paraphrasing, include the author(s) family name and year of publication in parentheses. Or, if referring to the author(s) family name in the body of the text, then just include the year of publication in parentheses immediately after the family name(s).

Official survey results indicate . . . (Parnell, 2016).

Parnell (2016) states that . . .

Direct quote in-text

Place direct quotes between double quotation marks " " and provide the page number(s) from the newspaper. If no page numbers are provided, then include the paragraph number.

"The latest Medicare figures, also released yesterday, show the proportion of non-referred GP services, excluding practice nurses, bulk-billed in the last quarter was 85.4 per cent" (Parnell, 2016, p. 1).

Reference list

Do NOT italicise the title of the article, only the title of the newspaper.

Include the day, month and year of the article.

If the article is spread across discontinuous pages, provide all page numbers separated by a comma e.g. 2, 4, 8-9.

Rule

Author, A. A. (Year, Month Day). Title of article. Title of Periodical, Page number(s) or range.

Example

Parnell, S. (2016, November 16). Medicare freeze no check on GP visits. The Australian, 1, 5.

Note: The APA referencing style does NOT cover Australian legal material. The citation details below are based on the Australian Guide to Legal Citation (AGLC) referencing style examples.

Paraphrasing in-text

Include the title of the legislation and the year in italics if referring to an Act in the body of the text. Otherwise, place the year and section number s. (if applicable) in parentheses.

It is necessary to also state the jurisdiction of the legislation, either in the body of the text, or enclosed in parentheses e.g. (Cth) for Commonwealth, (Vic) for Victoria, (UK) for United Kingdom etc.

Note: Include the jurisdiction the first time the act is cited. The jurisdiction can be dropped with subsequent citations.

According to the Victorian Mental Health Act (2014, s. 29) . . .

Victoria’s Mental Health Act (2014, s. 29) states that . . .

By virtue of s. 130.1 of the Mental Health Act 2014 (Vic) . . .

Direct quote in-text

Place direct quotes between double quotation marks " " and provide the title of the Act, year, jurisdiction and section number(s) (if applicable).

"A person receiving mental health services in a designated mental health service may be kept in seclusion if seclusion is necessary to prevent imminent and serious harm to the person or to another person" (Mental Health Act 2014 (Vic), s. 110).

Reference list

The title of the legislation and year are to be italicised.

Include the jurisdiction of the legislation in parentheses e.g. (Cth) for Commonwealth, or the State abbreviation.

If a specific section of the legislation is used, this can be highlighted by using an s. for section.

If the legislation is obtained from an electronic source, add a retrieval statement to the reference.

Example

Mental Health Act 2014 (Vic) s. 115.1. https://www.legislation.vic.gov.au/

Note: The APA referencing style does NOT cover Australian legal material. The citation details below are based on the Australian Guide to Legal Citation (AGLC) referencing style examples.

Paraphrasing in-text

When citing a Case in-text, it is necessary to include the title of the case in italics followed by the year in parentheses. Alternatively, it is also acceptable to include all case details enclosed in parentheses; italicise only the case title, followed by the year.

Note: Include the year with the first citation. The year can be dropped in subsequent citations.

According to the case of Drew v Minister for Health and Ageing (2011) . . .

. . . (Drew v Minister for Health and Ageing, 2011).

Direct quote in-text

Place direct quotes between double quotation marks " " and provide the title of the case, year, page number, section heading (if applicable) and paragraph number.

"The Tribunal lacks the jurisdiction to consider the decisions made by the Secretary in relation to the drug Clozapine" (Drew v Minister for Health and Ageing, 2011, Held section, para. 5).

Reference list

For court decisions the elements to include are: title of the case in italics, year in parentheses, volume number, reporter abbreviation, and starting page number.

If a case is obtained from an electronic database, add a retrieval statement.

Example

Drew v Minister for Health and Ageing (2011) 56 AAR 227. https://www.westlaw.com.au/maf/wlau/app/document?docguid=I49472f517b6911e18eefa443f89988a0

The director should be considered the author of a film. If the director is not known, credit someone in a similar role (e.g. Executive Producer).

Paraphrasing in-text

When citing in-text, include the director’s family name and year of publication.

The character reveals . . . (Haynes, 1995).

Haynes (1995) demonstrates that . . .

Direct quote in-text

Place direct quotes between double quotation marks " " and provide the year and a timestamp to indicate the exact starting point of the quote.

"I guess I'm just a little stressed out lately" (Haynes, 1995, 22:59).

Reference list

• When a film title is in a different language to your paper, include a translation of the title in square brackets.
• Separate multiple production companies with a semicolon.

Rule

Director, D. D. (Director). (Year). Title of work [Film]. Production Company(-ies).

Examples

Haynes, T. (Director). (1995). Safe [Film]. American Playhouse; Killer Films; Film4 Productions; Good Machine.

Erice, V. (Director). (1973). El espíritu de la colmena [The spirit of the beehive] [Film]. Bocaccio Distribución.

Paraphrasing in-text

When paraphrasing, include the host’s family name and year of publication in parentheses. Or, if referring to the host's family name in the body of the text, then just include the year of publication in parentheses immediately after the family name. If there is no host listed, then use either the executive producer or producer as author instead.

Current research shows that . . . (Swannell, 2019).

Swannell (2019) comments that . . .

Note: If referring to the interviewee in-text, then incorporate them into the sentence e.g. On the topic of codeine rescheduling, Harris (Swannell, 2019) discusses . . .

Direct quote in-text

Place direct quotes between double quotation marks " " and provide the year and a timestamp to indicate the exact starting point of the quote.

"Since the first of February 2018, codeine containing products have been rescheduled as prescription only" (Swannell, 2019, 00:13).

Reference list

Include details of the host or executive producer in the author position and their title.

Italicise the podcast title and describe the form type inside square brackets e.g. [Audio podcast].

Provide the exact URL.

Rule

Host, H. H. (Host). (Year, Month Day). Title of work [Audio podcast]. Production Company. https://xxxxx

Example

Swannell, C. (Host). (2019, November 25). The effect of codeine rescheduling, with Dr Keith Harris [Audio podcast]. https://staging.mja.com.au/podcast/211/11/mja-podcasts-2019-episode-51-effect-codeine-rescheduling-dr-keith-harris

Paraphrasing in-text

Include the creator(s) name and year of publication in parentheses. If the creator's name is not available, use the company/organisation hosting the content as the author.

The Apology to the Stolen Generations by the Australian Parliament . . . (Spillane, 2019).

Direct quote in-text

Place direct quotes between double quotation marks " " and provide the year and a timestamp to indicate the exact starting point of the quote.

"It gives a chance to think about the possibilities of what we can achieve" (Spillane, 2019, 11:21).

Reference list

• Include the creator or company/organisation that has published the content as the author.

• Include the video title in italics and describe the form type inside square brackets e.g. [Video].

• Provide the publisher or platform name followed by the database homepage URL.

Rule

Producer, A. A. (Producer) or Company/Organisation Name. (Year). Title of work [Video]. Publisher. https://xxxxx

Example

Spillane, S. (Director) (2019, November 23). The apology [Video]. Informit EduTV. https://search.informit.org/ourcollections/media/edutv

• The executive producer(s) should be considered the author of a TV series.
• When citing in-text for a TV episode, you will need to attribute the authors of the TV episode you are referencing, NOT the Executive Producer(s) of the entire work.
• Provide the year(s) from when the series aired.
• If the series is still airing, replace the second year with “present”: (2020–present)

Paraphrasing in-text

When paraphrasing, include the author's name and the year(s) from when the series or episode aired.

According to the protagonist . . . (Fielder et al., 2022–present).

Fielder et al., (2022–present) demonstrates a . . .

Reference list

TV series

• When there is one executive producer, use the notation “(Executive Producer).” When there are multiple executive producers use (Executive Producers).”
• Separate multiple production companies with a semicolon.

Rule

Producer, P. P. (Executive Producer). (Year-Year). Title of series [TV series]. Production Company/-ies.

Example

Fielder, N., Smith, C., Reinking, C., McManus, D., & Paige, D. (Executive Producers). (2022–present). The Rehearsal [TV series]. Blow Out Productions; HBO.

TV episode

• Include the writers and directors for the episode. Include the contributor’s role in parentheses after each name.
• If one person performed multiple roles, combine the descriptions with an ampersand (&).
• Provide the season number and episode number after the title in parentheses.
• Separate multiple production companies with a semicolon.

Rule

Writer, W. W. (Writer), & Director, D. D. (Director). (Year, Month Day). Title of episode (Season x, Episode x) [TV series episode]. In P. P. Producer (Executive Producer), Title of series Production Company/-ies.

Example

Kemper, C. (Writer), Notarnicola, E. (Writer), & Fielder, N. (Writer & Director). (2022, July 15). Orange juice, no pulp (Season 1, Episode 1) [TV series episode]. In Fielder, N., Smith, C., Reinking, C., McManus, D., & Paige, D. (Executive Producers), The Rehearsal. Blow Out Productions; HBO.

Paraphrasing in-text

When paraphrasing, include either the author/company/organisation name and year of publication in parentheses.

. . . anatomical structures are highly detailed and annotated (Primal Pictures, 2014).

Direct quote in-text

Place direct quotes between double quotation marks " " and provide the year and a timestamp to indicate the exact starting point of the quote.

"Renowned for accuracy, Primal's hugely detailed anatomy models are built from real scanned data" (Primal Pictures, 2014, 00:27).

Reference list

Include either the author/company/organisation name in the author position.

Include the video title in italics and describe the form type inside square brackets e.g. [Video].

Provide the exact URL in the retrieval statement.

Rule

Author, A. A. or Username. (Year, Month Day). Title of video [Video]. YouTube. https://xxxxx

Example

Primal Pictures. (2014, September 19). Primal’s 3D atlas of human anatomy [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/g-BtsX3bGvs

Paraphrasing in-text

When paraphrasing, include either the author/company/organisation name and year of publication in parentheses.

Organisational values are defined by . . . (Early Childhood Australia, 2016).

Direct quote in-text

Many electronic sources do not provide page numbers, unless they are in PDF format.

Place direct quotes between double quotation marks " " and use the name of the section and the paragraph number as part of the in-text reference if quoting from a website that is NOT a PDF document.

"As the national peak body for early childhood, ECA is a regular, and trusted, contributor to the public policy debate on all matters affecting young children (birth to eight years) and their families" (Early Childhood Australia, 2016, Advocacy section, para. 1).

Reference list

If citing information taken directly from a webpage include author(s) if applicable, or if no author(s) are stated then use a company or organisation name, followed by the year in parentheses, webpage title in italics, website name and URL.

If no year is stated then use n.d. for no date. Omit the website name if it is the same as the author. Include the most specific date possible. The in-text citation only requires the year.

Rule

Author, A. A. or Organisation Name (Year). Title of work. Website Name. https://xxxxx

Examples

Early Childhood Australia. (2016). Early Childhood Australia’s advocacy: Advocacy goals. https://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/our-work/early-childhood-australias-advocacy/

Sandoval, E. (2024, March 20). A former FI engineer-turned-pastry chef's weekend guide to Melbourne. BBC. https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20240320-a-former-f1-engineer-turned-pastry-chefs-weekend-guide-to-melbourne

Paraphrasing in-text

When paraphrasing, include either the author/company/organisation name and year of publication in parentheses.

Preventative measures are determined by . . . (World Health Organization, 2016).

Direct quote in-text

Many electronic sources do not provide page numbers, unless they are in PDF format.

Place direct quotes between double quotation marks " " and provide the page number(s) of the direct quote if taken from a PDF document.

If the document does NOT contain page numbers, then use the name of the section and the paragraph number as part of the in-text reference.

"Re-using syringes to access multi-dose medication vials/containers that are used for multiple patients can also lead to the spread of viruses, bacteria and other pathogens" (World Health Organization, 2016, p. 16).

Reference list

If citing information taken directly from a webpage document include author(s) if applicable, or if no author(s) are stated then use a company or organisation name, followed by the year in parentheses, title of document in italics and retrieval statement in the form of a URL.

If no year is stated then use n.d. for no date. Omit the website name if it is the same as the author. Include the most specific date possible. The in-text citation only requires the year.

Rule

Author, A. A. or Group Author. (Year). Title of work. Website Name. https://xxxxx

Example

World Health Organization. (2016). WHO guideline on the use of safety-engineered syringes for intramuscular, intradermal and subcutaneous injections in health-care settings. https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/250144/1/9789241549820-eng.pdf

Paraphrasing in-text

When paraphrasing, include the author(s) family name and year of publication in parentheses. Or, if referring to the author(s) family name in the body of the text, then just include the year of publication in parentheses immediately after the family name(s).

Workplace stress is increasing . . . (Bratianu, 2015).

Bratianu (2015) states that . . .

Direct quote in-text

Place direct quotes between double quotation marks " " and provide the paragraph number.

"Budgetary constraints may require nurses to do their work with inadequate resources, while an increased emphasis on billing and adherence to regulations can also create stress" (Bratianu, 2015, para. 5).

Reference list

If referencing a blog post include the following: the author(s) name, year of publication, month, day, title of blog post, blog title (italicised) and a retrieval statement in the form of a URL.

Rule

Author, A. or Username. (Year, Month Day). Title of entry. Title of Blog. https://xxxxx

Example

Bratianu, P. (2015, June 10). Why workplace stress impacts nurses. Ausmed. https://www.ausmed.com/articles/stress-in-nursing/

Paraphrasing in-text

When paraphrasing, include either the author/company/organisation name and year of the Facebook post in parentheses.

Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (2020) states that workplace mental health hazards are responsible for . . .

Direct quote in-text

Many electronic sources do not provide page numbers, unless they are in PDF format.

Place direct quotes between double quotation marks " " and provide the author and year.

"A mental hazard at work can be poor support to workers" (Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation, 2019).

Reference list

If citing information taken directly from a Facebook post include author(s) if applicable, or if no author(s) are stated then use a company or organisation name, followed by the year, month and day in parentheses, include the first 20 words of the post as the title in italics, if the post contains an image or video include it in square brackets, describe the form type in square brackets e.g. [Status update], include Facebook as the source and provide a URL to the post.

Rule

Author, A. or Name of Group. (Year, Month Day). Enter Facebook post here (up to first 20 words) [Description of audiovisuals] [Format]. Facebook. https://facebook.com/xxxxx

Example

Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation. (2020, November 28). Workplace mental health hazards injure thousands of workers each year, just like physical hazards but they often fly under the [Image attached] [Status update]. Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/AustralianNursingandMidwiferyFederation/photos/a.136188899856341/1935273223281224/

Cite a temporary post (e.g., Instagram Story or Live) that is not archived and cannot be retrieved as a personal communication. See section Using APA 7^th ed. > Personal communication.

Paraphrasing in-text

Include the name of the individual's family name or group author and year of the post in parentheses.

National Gallery of Australia (2023) promoted the artwork of . . .

After eight years working as an artist . . . (National Gallery of Australia, 2023).

Direct quote in-text

Place direct quotes between double quotation marks " " and provide the author and year in parentheses.

"It is estimated that Emily Kam Kngwarray produced over 3000 paintings in her short eight-year career" National Gallery of Australia (2023).

Reference list

• Present the name of the individual or group author as well as the Instagram handle (beginning with the @ sign) in square brackets, followed by a period.
• Provide the year, month, and day of post in parentheses.
• Provide the first 20 words of the caption as the title in italics.
• Include a description of the post (e.g., “[Photo],” “[Video]”) in square brackets after the title.
• List Instagram as the site name in the source element and then provide the URL of the post.
• The reference list format used for Instagram is also used for X (Twitter) and TikTok.

Rule

Author, A. [@username]. (Year, Month Day). Content of the post up to the first 20 words [Description of audiovisuals]. [Post type]. Site Name. https://xxxxx

Example

National Gallery of Australia. [@nationalgalleryaus]. (2023, November 6). It is estimated that Emily Kam Kngwarray produced over 3000 paintings in her short eight-year career, an average of one [Photograph]. Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/p/CzRtYfBSGNO/

This page contains examples for a TikTok video, for a livestream (e.g., TikTok Live) that is not archived and cannot be retrieved elsewhere online, cite as a personal communication. See section Using APA 7^th ed. > Personal communication.

Paraphrasing in-text

Include the name of the individual's family name or group author and year of the post in parentheses.

Amnesty Australia (2022) details the proposal of new protest laws . . .

Direct quote in-text

Place direct quotes between double quotation marks " " and provide the author and year in parentheses.

"Many of the rights we now take for granted were born in protest" (Amnesty Australia, 2022).

Reference list

• Present the name of the individual or group author as well as the TikTok handle (beginning with the @ sign) in square brackets, followed by a period.
• Provide the year, month and day of post.
• Provide the first 20 words of the caption as the title in italics.
• List TikTok as the site name in the source element and then provide the URL of the video.
• The reference list format used for TikTok is also used for Instagram and X (Twitter).
• Note: Date and month of posting to the app can only be seen on a desktop device.

Rule

Author, A. [@username]. (Year, Month Day). Content of the post up to the first 20 words [Description of audiovisuals]. [Post type]. Site Name. https://xxxxx

Example

Amnesty Australia. [@amnestyoz]. (2022, June 30). Freedom of assembly and of expression is a fundamental human right #humanrights #activism #auspol #victoria #nsw #tasmania #climateaction #protest #amnesty [Video]. TikTok. https://www.tiktok.com/@amnestyoz/video/7114966919257525506

Note: Twitter has changed its name to X, APA is updating their advice for how to cite a Tweet to match the wording on the platform. We have updated our examples accordingly. We have left the previous Twitter examples to assist markers who may be looking at assignments which have used the guide prior to this update.

Paraphrasing in-text

When paraphrasing, include either the author/company/organisation name and year of the post in parentheses.

Barack Obama (2016) expressed his concerns over the Supreme Court vacancy.

Direct quote in-text

Many electronic sources do not provide page numbers, unless they are in PDF format.

Place direct quotes between double quotation marks " " and provide the author and year.

In relation to the Supreme Court vacancy in the United States, Barack Obama (2016) posted that "it's time for Senate leaders to put politics aside and fill the Supreme Court vacancy."

Reference list

If citing information taken directly from a post, include author(s) if applicable, or if no author(s) are stated then use a company or organisation name, followed by the username in square brackets, include the year, month and day in parentheses, followed by the first 20 words of the post as the title and hashtag(s) in italics, if the post contains an image or video include it in square brackets, describe the form type in square brackets e.g. [Post], include X as the source and provide a URL to the post.

Rule

Author, A. [@username]. (Year, Month Day). Content of the post up to the first 20 words [Description of audiovisuals]. [Post type]. Site Name. https://xxxxx

Examples

Current X version

Obama, B. [@BarackObama]. (2016, May 18). It's time for Senate leaders to put politics aside and fill the Supreme Court vacancy #DoYourJob [Image attached] [Post]. X. https://twitter.com/BarackObama/status/732589315478290432

Previous Twitter version

Obama, B. [@BarackObama]. (2016, May 18). It's time for Senate leaders to put politics aside and fill the Supreme Court vacancy #DoYourJob [Image attached] [Tweet]. Twitter. https://twitter.com/BarackObama/status/732589315478290432

APA includes the following within the definition of images and figures:

• graphs

• charts

• maps

• posters

• drawings

• photographs

• tables

General rules

• Number figures consecutively in italics throughout your work using Arabic numerals, 1, 2, 3 and so on, taking care to order them as they appear within the text.

• The first figure is labelled Figure 1, the second, Figure 2, the third, Figure 3 and so on.

• Do NOT label figures with suffix letters such as Figure 5a, instead use, Figure 5.1.

• Above the figure include:

  1. the figure number (in bold)

  2. a brief title of the image (in italics)

• Below the figure place a caption that includes:

  1. a note providing a brief description

  2. if the image is not original work, then source details from where it was derived

• Images from books, journal articles and other sources which are not reproduced in the body of work should be cited in the standard format of the source as described in the other sections of this guide.

When referring to images not reproduced in the body of the work, acknowledge within the written body of the paper as for standard in-text reference.

Rule for in text

If the title of the work has been included in the body of the text follow with (Author/Artists surname, Year).

Example

A good example of shading of clouds in images of the sky is the photo, The sky is blue (Jones, 2018).

Reference list

Rule

Author/Artist(s), initial. (year, month date). Title (in italics) [Format]. Publisher. URL

Example

Jones, H. (2018, March 14). The sky is blue [Photogragh]. Flicker. https://www.flickr.com/photos/henryjones/340871075

In-text citation

When referring to images not reproduced in the body of the work, acknowledge within the written body of the paper as for standard in-text reference. See General rules for images.

When citing figures in the text of your work, you need to acknowledge them in two places:

1. within the written body of your paper, as you would for a normal in-text reference, and

2. in the figure layout include figure number, brief title and notes

Refer to the figure by its assigned number. Do NOT refer to the figure as “the Figure above/below”, or “the Figure on page 17”.

As shown in Figure 1 . . . (Fernandez-Lizarbe et al., 2013).

Figure 1 illustrates . . . (Fernandez-Lizarbe et al., 2013).

The data shows . . . (Fernandez-Lizarbe et al., 2013, Figure 1).

Figure layout

A figure from a book/journal article will include a double-spaced caption with the following elements above the figure: label of figure in bold (e.g. Figure 1) followed by the title of the figure (in italics).

Below the figure, include a note that has a brief but descriptive phrase, as well as:

• book title in italics with proper nouns capitalised, or article title in double quotation marks " " and preceded with the word From

• author(s) initials followed by family name, preceded with the word by

• year of publication

• journal title in italics (if applicable)

• volume number in italics (if applicable)

• issue number (if applicable)

• page number(s)

• DOI

• copyright year and owner

Figure 1
Dose Distributions for a Left-Breast Tumor

Note. Dose distributions for a left-breast tumor (a, b) at the level of surgical bed defined by titanium clips (arrows) and the corresponding DVH (c, d) for supine (left) and prone (right) positions. From “Pilot Study of Feasibility and Dosimetric Comparison of Prone Versus Supine Breast Radiotherapy,” by E. Fernandez-Lizarbe, A. Montero, A. Polo, R. Hernanz, R. Moris, S. Formenti, and A. Ramos, 2013, Clinical and Translational Oncology, 15, p. 453 (https://doi.org/10.1007/s12094-012-0950-8). Copyright 2013 by Springer International Publishing.

Reference list

The figure must appear in the reference list, and the citation is formatted in correct APA style of the original source.

Example

Fernandez-Lizarbe, E., Montero, A., Polo, A., Hernanz, R., Moris, R., Formenti, S., & Ramos, A. (2013). Pilot study of feasibility and dosimetric comparison of prone versus supine breast radiotherapy. Clinical and Translational Oncology, 15, 450-459. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12094-012-0950-8

In-text citation

When referring to images not reproduced in the body of the work, acknowledge within the written body of the paper as for standard in-text reference. See General rules for images.

When citing figures in the text of your work, you need to acknowledge them in two places:

1. within the written body of your paper, as you would for a normal in-text reference, and

2. in the figure layout include figure number, brief title and notes

Refer to the figure by its assigned number. Do NOT refer to the figure as “the Figure above/below”, or “the Figure on page 17”.

As shown in Figure 2 . . . (National Cancer Institute, 2016).

Figure 2 illustrates . . . (National Cancer Institute, 2016).

The diagram shows . . . (National Cancer Institute, 2016, Figure 2).

Figure layout

A figure from a webpage will include a double-spaced caption with the following elements above the figure: label of figure in bold (e.g. Figure 2) followed by the title of the figure (in italics).

Below the figure, include a note that has a brief but descriptive phrase, as well as:

• title of webpage preceded with the word From

• author(s) initials followed by family name, or institute/organisation, preceded with the word by

• year of webpage

• retrieval statement in the form of a URL

• copyright year and owner

Figure 2
Anatomy of the Thyroid and Parathyroid Glands

Note. Anatomy of the thyroid and parathyroid glands. From "Parathyroid cancer Treatment (PDQ®) – Patient Version," by National Cancer Institute, 2016, (https://www.cancer.gov/types/parathyroid/patient/parathyroid-treatment-pdq). Copyright 2012 by Terese Winslow LLC. Reprinted with permission.

Acknowledgement for the use of the image in this guide: For the National Cancer Institute © 2012 Terese Winslow LLC, U.S. Govt. has certain rights.

Reference list

The figure must appear in the reference list, and the citation is formatted in correct APA style of the original source.

Example

National Cancer Institute. (2016). Anatomy of the thyroid and parathyroid glands. https://www.cancer.gov/types/parathyroid/patient/parathyroid-treatment-pdq

Copyright information for the Anatomy of the Thyroid image

For the National Cancer Institute © 2012 Terese Winslow LLC, U.S. Govt. has certain rights

License Granted: Terese Winslow LLC hereby grants limited, non-exclusive worldwide print and electronic rights only for use in the work specified. Terese Winslow LLC grants such rights “AS IS” without representation or warranty of any kind and shall have no liability in connection with such license.

Restrictions: Reproduction for use in any other work or derivative works is prohibited. Ownership of original artwork, copyright, and all rights not specifically transferred herein remain the exclusive property of Terese Winslow LLC. Additional license(s) are required for ancillary usage(s).

In-text citation

When referring to images not reproduced in the body of the work, acknowledge within the written body of the paper as for standard in-text reference. See General rules for images.

When citing figures in the text of your work, you need to acknowledge them in two places:

1. within the written body of your paper, as you would for a normal in-text reference, and

2. in the figure layout include figure number, brief title and notes

Refer to the figure by its assigned number. Do NOT refer to the figure as “the Figure above/below”, or “the Figure on page 17”.

As shown in Figure 3 . . . (Ross, 2017).

Figure 3 illustrates . . . (Ross, 2017).

The diagram shows . . . (Ross, 2017, Figure 3).

Figure layout

A figure from a library database will include a double-spaced caption with the following elements above the figure: label of figure in bold (e.g. Figure 3) followed by the title of the figure (in italics).

Below the figure, include a note that has a brief but descriptive phrase, as well as:

• title of library database preceded with the word From

• author(s) initials followed by family name, or institute/organisation, preceded with the word by

• year of image

• retrieval statement in the form of the library database homepage URL

• copyright year and owner

Figure 3
Lumbar Intervertebral Disc Herniation

Note. Graphic of large recurrent disc herniation shows displacement of the nuclear material through a large defect in the posterior annular fibers with effacement of the ventral thecal sac and displacement of the intrathecal nerve roots. From "Lumbar Intervertebral Disc Herniation," by J. S. Ross, 2017, Imaging Reference Center (https://app.imagingreferencecenter.com). Copyright 2017 by J. S. Ross.

Reference list

The figure must appear in the reference list, and the citation is formatted in correct APA style of the original source.

Example

Ross, J. S. (2017). Lumbar intervertebral disc herniation. Imaging Reference Center. https://app.imagingreferencecenter.com

In-text citation

When referring to images not reproduced in the body of the work, acknowledge within the written body of the paper as for standard in-text reference. See General rules for images.

When citing figures in the text of your work, you need to acknowledge them in two places:

1. within the written body of your paper, as you would for a normal in-text reference, and

2. in the figure layout include figure number, brief title and notes

Refer to the figure by its assigned number. Do NOT refer to the figure as “the Figure above/below”, or “the Figure on page 17”.

As shown in Figure 4 . . . (West, 2012).

Figure 4 illustrates . . . (West, 2012).

The diagram shows . . . (West, 2012, Figure 4).

Figure layout

A figure from a creative commons source will include a double-spaced caption with the following elements above the figure: label of figure in bold (e.g. Figure 4) followed by the title of the figure (in italics).

Below the figure, include a note that has a brief but descriptive phrase, as well as:

• title of the creative commons source preceded with the word From

• author(s) initials followed by family name, or institute/organisation, preceded with the word by

• year of image

• retrieval statement in the form of a URL

• copyright year and owner and Creative Commons license

Figure 4
MRI

Note. A magnetic resonance imaging machine. From "MRI," by L. West, 2012, (https://www.flickr.com/photos/calliope/7694882446). Copyright 2012 by L. West. CC BY 2.0.

Reference list

The figure must appear in the reference list, and the citation is formatted in correct APA style of the original source.

Example

West, L. (2012). MRI. Flickr. https://www.flickr.com/photos/calliope/7694882446

Copyright information for the MRI image

"MRI" by Liz West can be reused under the CC BY 2.0 license.

Citing sources in a table

The information and examples below outline how to reference a table where the information in the table has been derived from another source or sources.

Note: If a table that you create in your written work is entirely your own and does not include information from other sources, you should include a table number (in bold) and a brief title (italicised).

Note: If you are copying an entire table from another source without altering the layout or combining its data from other sources, you should then reference it as per the other examples in the Images section e.g. book/journal article, webpage etc.

In-text citation

When referring to images not reproduced in the body of the work, acknowledge within the written body of the paper as for standard in-text reference. See General rules for images.

When citing tables in the text of your work, you need to acknowledge them in two places:

1. within the written body of your paper, as you would for a normal in-text reference, and

2. in the table layout include table number, brief title and notes

Refer to the table by its assigned number. Do NOT refer to the table as “the Table above/below”, or “the Table on page 17”.

As shown in Table 5 . . .

Table 5 illustrates . . .

The data shows . . . (Table 5).

Table layout

Table caption

A table that cites other sources will include a double-spaced caption with the following elements above the table: label of table in bold (e.g. Table 5) followed by the title of the table (in italics).

Names of studies included within table

If the information in the table includes references to relevant sources, then notes below the table are not required (this is commonly the case with summary tables of previous studies).

Table 5

Summary of studies about gait rehabilitation after stroke

Superscript letters representing sources used

• Use a superscript lower-case letter to indicate in the table any in-text citations used.

• If direct quotes are used, quotation marks should be used in the table.

• Provide a note below the table organised according to where the superscripts appear in the table following the left-to-right, top-to-bottom order.

• If direct quotes are used, page numbers must be included in the in-text citation.

Table 6

Summary of studies about gait rehabilitation after stroke

Note. ^aKal et al. (2018). ^bBonini-Rocha et al. (2018, p. 402). ^cLiu (2018). ^dBortole et al. (2015).

Reference list

All reference list entries should appear as per the convention of the source being referenced. Please refer to the relevant section(s) within Easy Cite.

• Conference proceedings published in a journal follow the same format as journal articles.
• Conference proceedings published as a whole book follow the same reference format as whole edited books.
• The format for conference proceedings published as an edited book chapter is the same as for edited book chapters.
• Conference contributions accessed online including conference papers, session or presentation, and posters follow this reference format:

  Author, A. A. (Date). Title of Contribution (in italics) [Type of contribution]. Conference Name, Location. DOI or URL if applicable

Paraphrasing in-text

Include the author(s) family name and year of publication in parentheses.

If there are three or more authors list the first family name followed by et al.

It is suggested that . . . (Katashev et al., 2015).

Katashev et al. (2015) state that . . .

Direct quote in-text

Place direct quotes between double quotation marks " " and provide the page number(s) from the conference proceedings.

"For the data acquisition, patients were asked to perform 3 deep breath cycles with hands placed on the back of their heads" (Katashev et al., 2015, pp. 63-64).

Reference list

For proceedings sourced from a print book or e-book, use the same format for a book or book chapter e.g. author(s), year of publication, title of conference paper, editor(s), title of book in italics, page number(s) in parentheses, publisher and DOI.

Example

Katashev, A., Romberg, K., Danielsson, A., & Saraste, H. (2015). Application of 3D scanner for estimation of chest movement in scoliotic patients. In H. Mindedal & M. Persson (Eds.). 16th Nordic-Baltic Conference on Biomedical Engineering: 16 NBC & 10. MTD 2014 joint conferences (pp. 63-66). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-12967-9

Paraphrasing in-text

When paraphrasing, include the author(s) family name and year of publication in parentheses. Or, if referring to the author(s) family name in the body of the text, then just include the year of publication in parentheses immediately after the family name(s).

The characteristics of insulin deficiency are . . . (Wang, 2015).

Wang (2015) argues that . . .

Direct quote in-text

Place direct quotes between double quotation marks " " and provide the page number(s) from the thesis.

"Both ectopic lipids and ER stress have been suggested to be responsible for the inhibition of insulin signalling" (Wang, 2015, p. 129).

Reference list

Rule

Author, A. A. (Year). Title of dissertation [Doctoral dissertation, Name of Institution Awarding the Degree]. Database name. https://xxxxx

Examples

For a thesis sourced from an institutional repository, use the following format: author, year of publication in parentheses, title in italics, identify the type of work and institution in square brackets e.g. [Doctoral dissertation, RMIT University] or [Master's thesis, RMIT University], repository/archive/database name and include a retrieval statement in the form of a URL.

Wang, H. (2015). Protein degradation pathways in hepatic ER stress and insulin resistance [Doctoral dissertation, RMIT University]. RMIT Research Repository. https://researchbank.rmit.edu.au/view/rmit:161444

For a thesis sourced from a library database include the following information: author, year of publication in parentheses, title in italics, accession or order number in parentheses, type of work and institution in square brackets, and the name of the database.

Sutherland, A. M. (2016). Technology for single cell protein analysis in immunology and cancer prognostics (Order No. 3738948) [Doctoral dissertation, California Institute of Technology]. ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global.

Paraphrasing in-text

When paraphrasing, include the organisation name (in this instance, Standards Australia) and year of publication in parentheses.

Needle tip evaluation methods are determined by . . . (Standards Australia, 2014).

Direct quote in-text

Place direct quotes between double quotation marks " " and provide the page number(s) from the Standard.

"Sterile acupuncture needles for single use shall be sterilized through a validated sterilization process in order to ensure that the products are sterile" (Standards Australia, 2014, p. 9).

Reference list

Provide the title in italics, the standard number in parentheses and a URL.

Rule

Name of Group. (Year). Title of standard (Standard number). Publisher Name. https://xxxxx

Example

Standards Australia. (2014). Sterile acupuncture needles for single use (AS ISO Standard No. 17218:2014). https://infostore.saiglobal.com/en-us/Standards/AS-ISO-17218-2014-111547_SAIG_AS_AS_233329/

Paraphrasing in-text

If referencing a PowerPoint presentation that has been published and sourced online (e.g. SlideShare) then it must be cited both in-text, and in the reference list.

To reference a PowerPoint presentation that was taken from a university learning management system (e.g. Canvas), refer to the Other sources > Course materials section.

When paraphrasing, include the author(s) family name and year of publication in parentheses. Or, if referring to the author(s) family name in the body of the text, then just include the year of publication in parentheses immediately after the family name(s).

Chiropractic improves . . . (Haavik, 2014).

Haavik (2014) states that . . .

Direct quote in-text

Place direct quotes between double quotation marks " " and provide the slide number(s) from the slide.

Use s. to denote slide number. If there is no assigned slide number then count the number of slides from the beginning.

"Spinal function impacts integration of sensory information" (Haavik, 2014, s. 85).

Haavik (2014) notes that "spinal function impacts integration of sensory information" (s. 85).

Reference list

Include the author(s) name, year of publication, title of the slide presentation in italics, a description of the form type inside square brackets e.g. [PowerPoint slides], Publisher name, and a retrieval statement in the form of a URL.

Rule

Author, A. A. (Year). Title of slides [PowerPoint slides]. Platform name e.g. Canvas. https://rmit.xxxxx

Example

Haavik, H. (2014). How to confidently communicate the science of chiropractic [PowerPoint slides]. SlideShare. https://www.slideshare.net/heidihaavik/how-to-confidently-communicate-the-science-of-chiropractic

Only include a full reference to lecture notes or class materials that are behind a login screen (such as Canvas) if you are writing for an audience that will be able to retrieve them. Otherwise, cite it as a personal communication. See section Using APA 7th ed. >Personal communication.

Examples of course materials are:

• lecture recordings

• PowerPoint slides from lectures

• practical/laboratory manuals

Lecture recording

Paraphrasing in-text

When citing in-text, include the author family name and year.

Lee's (2017) lecture outlined the differences between . . .

Reference list

The reference list citation should include: the author(s) name, year, month and day of lecture, title of the lecture in italics, a description of the form type inside square brackets e.g. [Lecture recording], LMS@Publisher name, and a retrieval statement in the form of a URL (use the login page).

Rule

Author, A. A. (Year, Month Day). Title of lecture [Lecture recording]. Platform name e.g. Canvas. https://rmit.xxxxx

Example

Lee, M. (2017, May 10). Maslow's hierarchy [Lecture recording]. Canvas@RMIT University. https://rmit.instructure.com

PowerPoint slides from lectures

Paraphrasing in-text

When citing in-text, include the author(s) family name and year.

The topic of postural assessment was examined and found that . . . (Draper, 2017).

Reference list

The reference list citation should include: the author(s) name, year of publication, title of the slide presentation in italics, a description of the form type inside square brackets e.g. [PowerPoint slides], LMS@Publisher name, and a retrieval statement in the form of a URL (use the login page).

Rule

Author, A. A. (Year). Title of slides [PowerPoint slides]. Platform name e.g. Canvas. https://rmit.xxxxx

Example

Draper, B. (2017). Postural assessment [PowerPoint slides]. Canvas@RMIT University. https://rmit.instructure.com

Practical / Laboratory manual

Paraphrasing in-text

When citing in-text, be sure to include the author family name and year.

Mouradov (2017) explains the process of plasmid transferral is . . .

Reference list

The reference list citation should include: the author(s) name, year of publication, title of the practical/laboratory manual in italics, a description of the form type inside square brackets e.g. [Practical manual], LMS@Publisher name, and a retrieval statement in the form of a URL (use the login page).

Rule

Author, A. A. (Year). Title of practical/laboratory manual [Format description]. Platform name e.g. Canvas. https://rmit.xxxxx

Example

Mouradov, A. (2017). ONPS1052 gene technologies 1 - practical class [Practical manual]. Canvas@RMIT University. https://rmit.instructure.com

Paraphrasing in-text

When paraphrasing, include either the author/company/government department name and year of publication in parentheses.

Public hospital expenditure increased dramatically . . . (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2016).

Direct quote in-text

Many electronic sources do not provide page numbers, unless they are in PDF format.

Place direct quotes between double quotation marks " " and provide the page number(s) of the direct quote if taken from a PDF document.

If the document does NOT contain page numbers, then use the name of the section and the paragraph number as part of the in-text reference.

"For private hospitals, the recurrent expenditure data provided for 2014–15 are considered comparable with the data provided for 2010–11 to 2013–14" (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2016, p. 47).

Reference list

Include the author(s) if stated; otherwise add the company, organisation or government department, followed by the year of publication in parentheses.

As the document is a report, the title is italicised and, if there is a report number, place it in parentheses immediately after the title. If the report has been sourced online make sure to include the retrieval statement.

Only identify the publisher as part of the retrieval statement if the publisher has NOT been identified as the author.

Rule

Author, A. A. or Group Author. (Year). Title of report (Report Number) or [Description]. Publisher Name. https://xxxxx

Example

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. (2016). Hospital resources 2014–15: Australian hospital statistics (Health services series No. 71, Cat. No. HSE 176). https://www.aihw.gov.au/publication-detail/?id=60129556122

You should include the use of scholarly sources in your written assessments to adhere to best academic integrity practice. Citing yourself as an authority on your own opinion should be avoided.

Note: Check first with your lecturer, or teacher, if it is permissible to cite your previously submitted work.

Remember that when submitting work, you will be asked to agree to the Assessment Declaration.

The Publication manual of the American Psychological Association does not provide information on how to cite your own work. The following is based on how to cite dissertations and theses.

If you cite or quote your previous work, treat yourself as the author and your own previous course work as an unpublished paper.

Paraphrasing in-text

When paraphrasing, include your family name and year of previous work in parentheses. Or, if referring to your family name in the body of the text, then just include the year of previous work in parentheses immediately after your family name.

For example, if Jane Smith wanted to cite a paper she wrote at RMIT University in 2018 her in-text reference may look like this:

Studies indicate that . . . (Smith, 2018).

Smith (2018) noted that . . .

If your original work contained citations from other sources, you would need to include those same citations in the new work as well. If Jane Smith's earlier paper had cited Presley and Johnson, for example, it may look like this:

According to Smith (2018), psychologists such as Presley and Johnson (2009) . . .

Direct quote in-text

Place direct quotes between double quotation marks " " and provide the page number from the previous work.

"Risk taking behaviours align neatly with certain personality traits or disorders" (Smith, 2018, p. 3).

Reference list

In the Reference list include:

Rule

Author, A. A. (Year). Title of work: Subtitle of work [Unpublished resource type]. Institution Name.

Example

Smith, J. (2018). An analysis of personality theory [Unpublished paper]. RMIT University.

When acknowledging sources created by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, it is recommended that the Nation/Country/Language Group is included after the author’s or creator’s name. This is based on guidance from the Indigenous Referencing Guidance for Indigenous Knowledges published in 2023 by the Indigenous Archives Collective.

The guidelines licensed under a CC-BY-NC-SA licence allows reusers to distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon the material in any medium or format for non-commercial purposes only, and only so long as attribution is given to the creator. This license also applies to this guide.

It is advised to attribute a Nation/Country/language group to an author who has self-identified. This information can be located, for example, in a biographical note to an article or on a personal website.

For more information on how to critically evaluate information sources, visit the IKAT Toolkit.

Note: Guidance from First Nations Communities is welcome, especially from the people of the Woi Wurrung and Boon Wurrung language groups of the eastern Kulin Nation on whose unceded lands RMIT conducts their business. If you would like to send any comments regarding this guide, please use our EasyCite feedback form.

Follow APA 7th standard and include attribution of the author/s affiliated Nation, Country or Language group in both the in-text and reference list, if that information is provided within the source being cited. Avoid assuming a person’s affiliation if not stated clearly.

In-text citation

The in-text citation follows the same format for all sources, except for personal communication. Please see further down for the in-text citation for personal communication.

Rule- Information prominent

(Surname, Nation/Country/Language Group, year)

Rule- Author prominent

Surname (Nation/Country/Language Group) (year)

Examples

(Moreton-Robinson, Goenpul, 2020)

As argued by Moreton-Robinson (Goenpul) (2020)

Personal Communication

In-text citation

Rule- Information prominent

(Surname, Nation/Country/Language Group, personal communication, Month Day, Year)

Rule- Author prominent

Surname (Nation/Country/Language Group). (personal communication, Month Day, Year)

Reference List

Cited from personal communication does not appear in the reference list.

Reference List for other sources

Book

Rule

Author Surname, Initials. (Nation/Country/Language Group). (Year), Book Title. Publisher.

Example

Moreton-Robinson, A. (Goenpul). (2020). Talkin’ Up to the White Woman. University of Queensland Press.

Book Chapter

Rule

Author Surname, Initials. (Nation/Country/Language Group). (Year). Title of chapter. In Editor(s) initial(s). Surname. (Nation/Country/Language Group). (Ed. OR Eds.) Title of book, (page numbers). Publisher.

Example

De Santolo, J. (Garrwa; Barunggum). (2019). The emergence of Yambar Jarnngkurr from Indigenous homelands: a creative Indigenous methodology. In J. Archibald (Stó:lō; St’at’imc), J. Lee-Morgan (Waikato-Tainui; Ngāti Mahuta) & J. De Santolo. (Garrwa; Barunnggum). (Eds.), Decolonizing research: Indigenous storywork as methodology (pp239-259). ZED Books LTD.

Journal article

Rule

Author Surname, Initial(s). (Nation/Country/Language Group). (Year). Title of journal article. Journal name, Volume(edition), Page number(s). DOI address

Example

Couzens, V. (Keerray Wooroong; Gunditjimara). (2018). Woman spirit weerreeyaar; Weerreeyaar – woman spirit. The Lifted Brow, 40, 60. https://search.informit.org/doi/10.3316/informit.036973519792855

Website

Rule

Author name, Initials. (Nation/Country/Language Group). (Year, Month Day – if available) Title of page. Website name. URL

Example

Cromb, N. (Gamilaraay). (2022). So whose ‘Voice’ is it anyway?. IndigenousX. https://indigenousx.com.au/so-whose-voice-is-it-anyway/

Social Media

X (formally Twitter)

Rule

Author Surname, Initials. (Nation/Country/Language Group). [@username]. (Year, Month Day) Text of tweet [description of audiovisuals]. [Post type]. Twitter. URL

Example

O’Sullivan, S. (Wiradjuri). [@sandyosullivan]. (2022, February 20) Side note from my rant earlier today: there are an (unsurprisingly) large number of non-indigenous writers whose work focusses on Indigenous people [Tweet]. Twitter. https://x.com/sandyosullivan/status/1495310160012537862

YouTube

Rule

Surname, Initials. (Nation/Country/Language Group). [Channel name]. (Year, month day). Video title [Video]. YouTube. URL

Example

Sentence, N. (Wiradjuri). [ALIANational]. (2022, March 8). Panel session – Indigenous Australian sovereignties and Australian libraries: Who is in control? [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wrMQM8jY1A&t=2915s

Blog

Rule

Author Surname, Initials. OR Author screen name {as it appears on the blog}. (Nation/Country/Language Group). Year, Month Day {of post}. Title of specific post. Site name (if needed). URL of specific post.

Example

Barrowcliffe, R. (Butchulla). 2020, June 17. #BlackLivesMatter and Archives in Australia. Indigenous Archives Collective. https://indigenousarchives.net/2020/06/17/blacklivesmatter-and-archives-in-australia/

Artwork

Rule

Author, A. (Nation/Country/Language Group). (Year). Title [Medium]. Museum name, Museum location.

Example

Evans, P (Gailaraay/Gomeroi). (2022) Waabigu Maragalgaa. [Ceremic]. Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences, Sydney NSW.

Give attribution for the people/person or Nation, Country or Language group who are quoted within the article or are noted as the source of the Indigenous knowledges contained within the book, in both the in-text and reference list.

Book

In-text citation

Rule- Information prominent

(Nation/Country/Language Group in Surname [Nation/Country/Language Group], year)

Rule- Author prominent

Nation/Country/Language Group (in Surname [Nation/ Country/Language Group], year)

Examples

(Kaurareg, in McBride [Wailwan] & Smith [Yuin], 2021

Kaurareg (in McBride [Wailwan] & Smith [Yuin], 2021)

Reference List

Rule

Nation/Country/Language Group. In Author Surname, Initial(s). (Indigenous Nation/Country/Language Group), & Author Surname, Initial(s). (Indigenous Nation/Country/Language Group). (Year). Title of book. Publisher.

Example

Kaurareg. In McBride, L. (Wailwan)., & Smith, M, (Yuin). (2021). Unsettled: an Australian Museum exhibition. Australian Museum Trust.

Journal Article

In-text citation

Rule- Information prominent

(Surname [Nation/Country/Language Group] in Surname [Nation/Country/Language Group],year)

Rule- Author prominent

Surname (Nation/Country/Language Group), (in Surname [Nation/Country/Language Group], year)

Examples

(Paton [Gunai] in Jones [Wiadjuri; Kamilaroi], 2014)

As quoted by Paton (Gunai), (in Jones [Wiradjuri; Kamilaroi], 2014)

Reference list

Rule

Author Surname, Initial(s). (Nation/Country/Language Group). (Year). Title of journal article. Journal name, Volume(edition), Page number(s). DOI address

Example

Paton (Gunai) in Jones, J. (Wiradjuri; Kamilaroi). (2014). Lighting the fire: Cultural renaissance in the south-east. Artlink, 34(2), 35-38.

Newspaper article

In-text citation

Rule- Information prominent

(Surname [Nation/Country/Language Group], in Surname [Nation/Country/Language Group], year)

Rule- Author prominent

Surname (Nation/Country/Language Group), (in Surname [Nation/Country/Language Group], year)

Examples

(Cutmore [Gomeroi] in Hromas & Saunders [Biripi], 2021)

Cutmore [Gomeroi], (in Hromas & Saunders [Biripi], 2021)

Reference List

Rule

Surname, initial(s). (Nation/Country/Language Group). In Author Surname, Initial(s)., & Aurthor Surname, Initial(s). (Nation/Country/Language Group). (Year, Month Day) Title of article, Newspaper title. URL

Example

Cutmore,P. (Gomeroi). In Hromas, J., & Saunders, A (Biripi). (2021, February 14) Moree elders: proud, strong and always resilient. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/feb/14/moree-elders-proud-strong-and-always-resilient

Podcast

In-text citation

Rule- Information prominent

(Surname [Nation/Country/Language Group], year)

Rule- Author prominent

Surname (Nation/Country/Language Group), (year)

Examples

(Lf [Yuwi], et al. 2022)

As argued in Lf (Yuwi) et al. (2022)

Reference List

Rule

Host last name, Initials. (Nation/Country/Language Group) (Host). (Year, Month Day). Episode title (No. Episode number) [Audio podcast episode]. In Podcast name. Production Company. URL

Example

Lf, A. (Yuwi)., De Vries, T. (Gamilaroi; Dharug)., & Scobie, B. (Bundjalung). (Hosts). (2022, October 25). #3.3 Heartbreak high: the reboot [Audio podcast episode]. In Trash Tiddas. Awesome Blak. https://open.spotify.com/episode/3JUs9AkZZLubi4N3qv56ot?si=CkjR_6A7SYGR3gbSGWaDjw

Following standard APA 7th but give attribution to the Indigenous person/s who provided the knowledge, when explicitly mentioned as the knowledges’s source. If no specific person is named, give attribution to the Nation/Country/Language group mentioned as the knowledge’s source. Avoid assuming an attribution if not stated clearly in the resource.

Book

In-text citation

Rule- Information prominent

(Nation/Country/Language Group in Surname, year)

Rule- Author prominent

Nation/Country/Language Group (in Surname, year)

Examples

(Awabakal in Threlkeld & Fraser, 1892)

Awabakal (in Threlkeld & Fraser, 1892)

Reference List

Rule

Nation/Country/Language Group. In Author Surname, Initial(s). (Year). Title of book. Publisher.

Example

Awabakal. In Threlkeld, L. E. & Fraser, J. (1982). An Australian language: as spoken by the Awabakal, the people of Awaba or Lake Macquarie (near Newcastle, New South Wales) being an account of their language, traditions, and customs. Govt. Printer, Sydney.

Journal Article

In-text citation

Rule- Information prominent

(Nation/Country/Language Group in Surname, year)

Rule- Author prominent

Nation/Country/Language Group in Surname (Year)

Examples

(Narrangga in Nunn & Reid, 2015)

Narrangga in Nunn & Reid (2015)

Reference List

Rule

Nation/Country/Language Group in Author Surname, Initial(s). (Year). Title of journal article. Journal name, Volume(edition), Page number(s). DOI address

Example

Narrangga in Nunn, P., & Reid, N. (2015) Aboriginal Memories of Inundation of the Australian Coast Dating from More than 7000 Years Ago. Australian Geographer, 47(1), 11-47. https://10.1080/00049182.2015.1077539

Newspaper Article

In-text citation

Rule- Information prominent

(Nation/Country/Language Group) in Surname or “name of article”, year)

Rule- Author prominent

Nation/Country/Language Group (in Surname or “name of article”, year)

Examples

(Wiradjuri in “Aboriginal Place Names”, 1938)

Wiradjuri (in “Aboriginal Place Names”, 1938)

Reference List

Rule

Nation/Country/Language Group (Year, Month Day). Title of article. Newspaper title. URL

Example

Wiradjuri in (1938, December 15) Aboriginal Place Names. Mudgee Guardian and North-Western Representative

AI-generated text

Using generative artificial intelligence (AI) in learning and research, including assessment tasks

The educators within your courses can tell you if you are able to use artificial intelligence (AI) tools in your assessment tasks, including how you can use the tools and what tools you can use. If you use any AI tools, you must appropriately acknowledge and reference the use of these tools and their outputs. Failure to reference the use of these tools can result in academic misconduct.

Please confirm with your course educator before using any AI tools in your assessment tasks.

Please note that the guidelines on how to reference AI tools have been updated on Monday the 26th of June 2023. This is in response to updated guidelines from the APA style manual editors, as well as the new ability to generate shareable URLs in some of the AI tools.

Overview of text-generating AI tools

Introduction to AI tools that can generate text

AI tools that generate text, such as OpenAI's ChatGPT, are large language models with a conversational type of interface, where you can ask a question, receive a detailed response and follow up with additional queries.

Some generative AI tools are not connected to the internet and are trained on data sets up to a specific time point. Other generative AI tools connect to the internet and will provide URL links to information. There are some points to consider when using the text generated by these tools:

• As these tools function in a similar way to predictive text on your phone, by recognising and reproducing patterns in language, they can generate incorrect information.
• While they can produce citations and references, these are not always correct. If you are relying on the information to be accurate, you should check that the reference cited by the AI tool exists, and that the information cited is present in the original source.
• The data sets used to train these tools often include biased and inaccurate information, as access to scholarly information and valid scientific studies may be limited, and information from social media and other less reputable sources is included.

The Learning Lab Artificial Intelligence Tools module has more information on how these AI tools work, and some points to consider when using them.

Copyright and non-human authors

Current copyright law only recognises humans as authors and creators. One of the moral rights associated with copyright is the right to be acknowledged as the author of a work. From a copyright perspective an AI tool cannot be recognised as the creator of a work, however it is important to explain that an AI tool was used in the creation of the work. This has informed our referencing guidance.

General acknowledgement that AI tools have been used in the creation of a work

In some assessment tasks, you may be able to use AI tools for background research, or to generate an outline for your essay or report (as stated earlier, please follow your educator's guidance before using any AI tools).. In this case, rather than citing and referencing specific text generated by AI tools, you will need to provide a general acknowledgement within the body or methods section of your text to explain that an AI tool was used in the creation of your work. Include as much detail as possible, including how you used the AI tool, the prompt used, the date you used the tool, and the name, creator and version of the AI tool.

Example: On the 26th June 2023, I used the May 24 version of OpenAI's ChatGPT to perform background research by using the following prompt "explain the difference between deep learning and machine learning".

Referencing specific text content generated by AI tools

Each of the referencing styles used at RMIT is based on a source style manual. More information on the source style manuals used for each style can be found in Easy Cite. Currently, only the editors of the APA style manual have provided advice on referencing AI-generated content. For the other referencing styles used at RMIT, we have created interim guidelines for referencing AI-generated content that we believe are the best match within that style. These may change in the future as the source style manuals develop or update their guidelines for referencing AI-generated content.

If you are referring to content generated by AI tools within your work, we recommend that you include the shareable link to the content if available, or otherwise include this AI-generated content as an appendix or supplemental information. It is also good practice to include the question or prompt that generated the response to provide context for your readers.

Two sets of reference guidelines are provided below for each style - one is for AI tools that include shareable URLs to the outputs generated from text prompts, which enables your readers to access the outputs themselves. The other is for AI tools that do not provide shareable links, meaning that the readers of your work cannot access the same information themselves.

AI-generated images

Using generative AI in learning and research, including assessment tasks

Your course lecturer can tell you if you are able to use content generated by artificial intelligence (AI) tools in your assessment tasks, including AI-generated images. Please confirm with your course lecturer for a specific assessment task before using any AI tools.

If you are able to use AI tools in your assessment task, you need to appropriately acknowledge and reference all of the AI-generated content that you include. Failure to reference this AI-generated content can result in academic misconduct.

Please note that the information about using generative AI tools will continue to be updated - we recommend checking this guide regularly and confirming with your course lecturer if you are unsure.

Overview of images generated by AI tools

Some generative AI tools have been trained on large numbers of existing images, and these tools can create new images based on prompts from users. The images created using these tools can be downloaded, but they are not published or reproducible in the AI platform. Images generated using AI tools such as Midjourney and DALL-E 2 are the topic of much debate. Current copyright law only recognises humans as authors. One of the moral rights associated with copyright is the right to be acknowledged as the author of a work. From a copyright perspective there is currently no obligation to recognise AI as the creator of a work, however it is important to explain that AI was used in the creation of the work.

AI-generated images are an emerging technology, and there are not yet clear guidelines for how to incorporate them into existing referencing styles such as APA 7th, Chicago, etc. Our current recommendation for how to reference AI-generated images varies for each referencing style, and is included below. Additionally, we recommend that you include the question or prompt that generated the image where possible, to provide context for your readers.

Please note that our recommendations for how to reference AI-generated content may change in the future as referencing style manuals are updated.

How to reference AI-generated text in APA 7th

The current (April 2023) guidelines from the APA style manual editors are to reference outputs from AI tools such as ChatGPT in a similar way to referencing software outputs. Use the name of the creator of the tool as the author and include both an in-text citation and a reference list entry. If a shareable URL to the content is available, include it in your reference list entry. If the content is not shareable, include the prompt used and the output generated in an appendix. Include the general URL for the tool and a note about the appendix in the reference list entry

In-text citations:

For in-text citations, use the creator of the AI tool as the author (i.e., OpenAI), and the year of the version of the AI model that you have used.

Guide for narrative (author-prominent) citations: Author (year)

Example 1: OpenAI (2023)

Example 2: Anthropic (2024)

Guide for parenthetical (information-prominent) citations: (Author, year)

Example 1: (OpenAI, 2023)

Example 2: (Anthropic, 2024)

Reference list entry example - shareable URL generated by the AI tool:

Guide

Author. (Year). Title of software program (Version) [Format]. Publisher*. URL

*Note: when the publisher and author name are the same, do not repeat the publisher name after the format, and instead move directly to the URL.

Example

OpenAI. (2023). ChatGPT (May 24 version) [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com/share/81f2e81f-f137-41b6-9881-39af1672ae3c

Reference list entry example - non-shareable AI-generated content:

Guide

Author. (Year). Title of software program (Version) [Format]. Publisher*. URL. Appendix.

*Note: when the publisher and author name are the same, do not repeat the publisher name after the format, and instead move directly to the URL.

Example

Anthropic. (2024). Claude [Large language model]. https://claude.ai/chats. See Appendix for prompt used and output generated.

How to reference AI-generated images in APA 7th

RMIT's APA 7th guide contains information about using and referencing images using and referencing images.

AI-generated images reproduced in a published source:

If using AI-generated images reproduced in a published source (e.g. a newspaper article), reference the published source in the caption below the figure following the instructions for generating APA 7th style captions in Easy Cite. Include a figure number and a brief title above the image, and information about the image, including the source, in the caption below the image. Also include the published source in your reference list using the standard APA guidelines for the relevant source (e.g. a newspaper article).

Caption

Guide

Note. Description of figure. From: "Title of article/book/webpage etc", by A.A. Author, year of publication, Journal/Newspaper title (if applicable), volume number (if applicable), issue number (if applicable), page number/s (if applicable), DOI (if applicable), copyright year and owner.

Example

Note. An AI-generated image took first place in the digital category at the Colorado State Fair. From "An A.I.-Generated Picture Won an Art Prize. Artists Aren’t Happy." by K. Roose, 2022, The New York Times, https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/02/technology/ai-artificial-intelligence-artists.html, Copyright 2023 The New York Times Company.

AI-generated images that you produce:

To include the image in your work provide a figure number and brief title above the image. Below the image, provide a caption that explains that the work was generated by an AI tool, and what prompt was used. No reference list entry is required for an AI-generated image that you have produced.

Caption

Rule

Note. Description of figure.

Example

Note. Image generated using Adobe Firefly using prompt interstellar purple and orange space squid.