4TH EDITION

GUIDE TO

RESEARCH

& CITATION
APA STYLE

LIBRARIES

RESEARCH & CITATION GUIDE

Welcome!
Welcome to the Seneca Libraries Guide to Research and Citation, APA Style.
Note: This research guide is based on the Publication manual of the American Psychological Association
(6th ed.). The contents are accurate to the best of our knowledge. Some examples illustrate Seneca
Libraries recommendations and are marked as modifications of the official APA guidelines.
What is Citing?
When you use someone elses ideas, words or images in your paper, you must clearly show who
created the work and where the original item can be found. Citation is an organized set of rules that
make these acknowledgements consistent and easier to understand.
What is APA?
APA is a set of rules for publications, including research papers. APA style was created by the
American Psychological Association.
In APA, you must cite sources that you have paraphrased, quoted or otherwise used to write your
research paper. Cite your sources in two places:
1. In the body of your paper where you add an in-text citation in brackets.
2. In the Reference List at the end of your paper where you give more complete information about
the source.
Common Terms
Academic Honesty: Academic honesty means that all Seneca College persons will conduct
themselves in an honest and trustworthy manner in all aspects of their academic career. See Senecas
Academic Policy for more detailed information at www.senecacollege.ca/academic-policy.
Copyright: Copyright literally means the right to copy either in print or online. Copyright has rights
for both authors and users in an effort to create a balanced and fair use of copyrighted works. In
Canada, copyright protection is automatic upon the creation of a work.You have to ensure you are
following Canadian copyright law whenever you reproduce or distribute someone elses copyrighted
works.
In-Text Citation: A brief note at the point where information is used from a source to indicate
where the information came from. An in-text citation should always match more detailed information
that is available in the Reference List.
Paraphrasing: Taking information that you have read and putting it into your own words.
Paraphrased information should be followed by an in-text citation.
Plagiarism: Taking, using, and passing off as your own, the ideas or words of another.
Quoting: The copying of words of text originally published elsewhere. Direct quotations generally
appear in quotation marks and end with a citation.
Reference: Details about one cited source. Individual references are listed in your Reference List.
Reference List: Contains details on ALL the sources cited in a text or essay.
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RESEARCH TIPS

The Research Process

Before You Start Your Research
Make sure you have a clear understanding of the type of research materials required for
your assignment (e.g. websites, scholarly journal articles, books, etc.).
The Research Process
Research is a process that requires planning and may take longer than you think. Begin
your research as early as possible to give yourself enough time to locate relevant
resources and to get help if you need it.
Start your research with the steps outlined below.You may find you have to go back to
a previous step to find the best resources for your assignment. For example, if you start
searching in step 2 and see you arent getting many good search results, you may have to
go back to step 1 to review your topic and the keywords youre using to find new ways
to search.

1. Define your topic

and think of keywords
for searching

4. Cite your sources

Your Topic

2. Search to find
related books,
journals, newspapers,
videos, etc.

3. Evaluate what you

find and choose the
best sources
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RESEARCH & CITATION GUIDE

Identifying Types of Articles

Is it a journal, magazine, or newspaper article?

Well does it have a
bibliography at the end?

START

Yes

More than 3 pages long?

Yes

No

No
Skim the first few paragraphs.
Are there lots of words that
are difficult to understand?
No

Yes

Compare the date of the article to the

events talked about in the article. Are they
within a few weeks of each other?

Does the article state what

education the author has or
what university they are
affiliated with?

Yes
Yes

No

Its most likely a journal

article!
(Like one from Canadian
Nurse or Marketing
Research!)

Its most likely a

newspaper article!
(Like one from the
Toronto Star or
Montreal Gazette!)

No

Would most people reasonably

consider this article more educational
than entertaining?

Yes

No

Its most likely a

magazine article!
(Like one from
Macleans or Todays
Parent!)

RESEARCH TIPS

Evaluating Information
Evaluating Information
A research assignment is only as good as the information used to create it. The following
criteria should be used when evaluating all types of resources, including: books, magazine,
journal and newspaper articles, and websites.

Who is the
intended
audience?

Is the
information
supported by
evidence?

What is the
purpose? Is
it to teach,
inform, sell or
entertain?

Is the
information
current
enough for my
topic?

Evaluation:
Questions to
Ask Yourself

Is the
information
biased?

Does the
information
relate to my
topic?

Who is the
author?
What are the
authors
qualifications?

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RESEARCH & CITATION GUIDE

Paraphrasing and Quoting

There are two ways to integrate the information you have gathered into your assignment: you can
paraphrase or you can quote. Both are acceptable, as long as you cite your sources properly. See
page 2 for definitions of paraphrasing and quoting.
Paraphrasing is used to show that you understand what the author wrote.You must make sure that
you completely reword the passage, not just change a few words here and there.
When quoting you typically place quotation marks around the selected passage.
You will need to cite your source after both a quote and a paraphrase.

Quotation from Original Source

Homeless individuals commonly come from families who are riddled with problems and marital
disharmony, and are alienated from their parents. They have often been physically and even
sexually abused, have relocated frequently, and many of them may be asked to leave home or are
actually thrown out, or alternatively are placed in group homes or in foster care. They often have
no one to care for them and no one knows them intimately.
Reference List Citation:
Rokach, A. (2005). The causes of loneliness in homeless youth. The Journal of Psychology, 139, 469480. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier database.

RESEARCH TIPS

www.seneca.libguides.com/apa
Example - Quoting

Proper Quoting:
The homeless were typically neglected growing up since they commonly come from families who
are riddled with problems and marital disharmony (Rokach, 2005, p. 477).
or
As Rokach (2005) notes, the homeless often have no one to care for them and no one knows them
intimately (p. 477).

Typically an in-text citation will have the authors last name and the year of publication. In the second
quoting example, because the authors name was given leading into the quote, the name didnt have to be
repeated in the citation.

Example - Paraphrasing

Incorrect Paraphrasing:

The homeless come from families with problems. Frequently, they have been physically or sexually
abused, or have lived in group homes. Usually, no one cares for them or knows them intimately
(Rokach, 2005).

Correct Paraphrasing:
Many homeless experience isolation in part due to suffering from abuse or neglect during their
childhood (Rokach, 2005).

The incorrect example is too close to the original source. The student only changed or removed a few
words. The correct example keeps the idea of the original, but phrases it in a new way.

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RESEARCH & CITATION GUIDE

Books & eBooks

Titles
Capitalize the
first letter of
the first word
of the title, and
any proper
nouns such
as the names
of places or
people. If there
is a colon (:) in
the title, also
capitalize the
first letter of
the first word
after the colon.
Place of
Publication
For cities in
the US and
Canada list the
city name and
the province or
state code. For
other countries,
list the city
name and the
country.

Book In Print with One Author

Authors Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial if Given. (Year of Publication). Title
of book: Subtitle if given (edition if given and is not first edition). Publication
City, Province, State or Country: Publisher Name often shortened.
Watson, J. (2012). Human caring science: A theory of nursing (2nd ed.). Sudbury,
MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.
In-Text Paraphrase:

(Authors Last Name,Year)

Example: (Watson, 2012)

In-Text Quote:
(Authors Last Name,Year, p. Page Number)

Example: (Watson, 2012, p. 70)

eBook From a Library Database with One Author

Authors Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial if Given. (Year of Publication). Title
of book: Subtitle if given (edition if given and is not first edition). Retrieved
from Database Name database.
Schildt, H. (2011). Java:The complete reference (8th ed.). Retrieved from Books
24x7 database.
In-Text Paraphrase:

(Authors Last Name,Year)

Example: (Schildt, 2011)

In-Text Quote:
(Authors Last Name,Year, p. Page Number)

Example: (Schildt, 2011, p. 101)

No Author
If no author or creator is provided, start the citation with the title/name of the
item you are citing instead. Follow the title/name of the item with the date of
publication, and the continue with other citation details. Note: an author/creator
wont necessarily be a persons name. It may be an organization or corporation,
for example Health Canada.
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APA CITATION EXAMPLES

www.seneca.libguides.com/apa
Editors

eBook From a Website with One Author

If you have
more than one
editor list their
names after
the first editor
listed in the
book, giving
their initials and
last name. Put
an ampersand
(&) before the
last editors
name.

Authors Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial if Given. (Year of Publication). Title

In-Text Paraphrase:

(Authors Last Name,Year)

Example: (Nightingale, 1860)

When you have

one editor
the short
form (Ed.) is
used after the
editors name. If
you have more
than one editor
use (Eds.)
instead.

In-Text Quote:

(Authors Last Name,Year, p. Page Number)

Example: (Nightingale, 1860, p. 157)

If there is no
editor given,
you may leave
out that part of
the citation.

of book: Subtitle if given (edition if given and is not first edition) [Name of
Electronic Book Provider or Device version if any, e.g. Google Books version,
Kobo version]. Retrieved from URL
Nightingale, F. (1860). Notes on nursing:What it is, and what it is not
[Google Books Version]. Retrieved from http: //books.google.ca/
books?id=YxIDAAAAQAAJ&dq=nursing&pg=PR5#v=onepage&q&f=false

Short Stories, Essays, Chapters or Articles From a

Book (Anthology or Collection)
Authors Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial if Given. (Year of Publication). Title
of chapter, article, essay or short story. In Editors First Initial. Second Initial
if Given. Editors Last Name (Ed.), Title of book (pp. first page number-last
page number). Publication City, Province, State or Country: Publisher Name
often shortened.
Stockert, P.A. & Taylor, C. (2014). Sleep. In P.A. Potter, A.G. Perry, J.C. Ross-Kerr &
M.J. Wood (Eds.), Canadian fundamentals of nursing (5th Cdn. ed., pp. 9931016). Toronto, ON: Elsevier.
In-Text Paraphrase:

(Authors Last Name,Year)

Example: (2 authors) (Stockert & Taylor, 2014)

In-Text Quote:

(Authors Last Name,Year, p. Page Number)

Example: (2 authors) (Stockert & Taylor, 2014, p. 998)

See In-Text Citation For 2 or More Authors on Page 10

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RESEARCH & CITATION GUIDE

Pamphlets, Handouts, Encylopedias & Dictionaries

In-Text Citation for 2 or More Authors
Number of
Authors/Editors

First Time
Paraphrase

Second and
Subsequent Times
Paraphrase

Two

(Case &
Daristotle, 2011)

(Case &
Daristotle, 2011)

Three to Five

(Case, Daristotle,
Hayek, & Raash, (Case et al., 2011)
2011)

Six or More

(Case et al.,
2011)

(Case et al., 2011)

First Time Quoting

Second and
Subsequent Times
Quoting

(Case & Daristotle, (Case & Daristotle,

2011, p. 57)
2011, p. 57)
(Case, Daristotle,
Hayek, & Raash,
2011, p. 57)

(Case et al., 2011,

p. 57)

(Case et al. 2011,

p. 57)

(Case et al., 2011,

p. 57)

Reference List Citation for 2 or More Authors

When a book has one to seven authors or editors, all authors names are cited in the Reference
List citation. When a book has eight or more authors or editors, list the first six authors followed
by three spaced ellipses points (. . .), and then the last authors name.

Pamphlet in Print with a Group or Corporate Author

Name of Corporate/Group Author. (Year of Publication). Title of pamphlet or brochure: Subtitle
if given [Brochure]. Publication City, Province, State or Country: Publisher Name often
shortened. Note: Use the term [Brochure] for a pamphlet or brochure.
Region of Waterloo Public Health. (n.d.). Eat well for less [Brochure]. Waterloo, ON: Author.
In-Text Paraphrase:

(Name of Corporate/Group Author,Year)

Example: (Region of Waterloo Public Health, n.d.)

In-Text Quote:

(Name of Corporate/Group Author,Year, p. Page Number)

Example: (Region of Waterloo Public Health, n.d., p. 15)

Note: In this example the author is also the publisher of the brochure. In this case put the word
Author where youd normally put the publishers name.
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APA CITATION EXAMPLES

www.seneca.libguides.com/apa
Quoting With
No Page
Numbers
If there are no
page numbers
and there
are section
headings, give
the name of
the heading,
followed by
the word
section and
the number of
the paragraph
within the
section it is
from with the
word para
before it.
If there are
no section
headings,
write only the
authors last
name and year.

Class Handouts from My.Seneca (Blackboard)

Instructors Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial if given. (Year Handout Was
Created if known). Title of handout: Subtitle if any [Class handout]. Retrieved
from URL for My. Seneca
Magowan, A. (2013). Career resources at the library [Class handout]. Retrieved
from https://my.senecacollege.ca/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp
In-Text Paraphrase:

(Instructors Last Name,Year)

Example: (Magowan, 2013)

In-Text Quote:

(Instructors Last Name,Year, p. Page Number)

Example: (Magowan, 2013, p. 2)

Online Encyclopedia or Dictionary From a Website Unknown Author

Title of entry. (Year of Publication). In Editors First Initial. Second Initial if given.
Last Name (Ed.), Name of encyclopedia or dictionary (Edition if given and is not
first edition). Retrieved from URL
Acetone. (2012). In Macmillan dictionary. Retrieved from http://www.
macmillandictionary.com/dictionary/british/acetone
In-Text Paraphrase:

(Title of entry,Year)
Example: (Acetone, 2012)

In-Text Quote:
See below for how to quote in-text when there are no
page numbers.

Quoting With No Page Numbers Example

Heres an example of an in-text citation to quote with no page numbers: (Carruthers, 2002,
Functions and Duties section, para. 2)
Include the authors last name, the year, the name of the section followed by the word section and
the paragraph the quote came from in that section.
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RESEARCH & CITATION GUIDE

Images & Journals

Figure
Numbers

Reproducing Images, Charts,Tables & Graphs

Each image
you reproduce
should be
assigned a
figure number,
starting with
number 1 for
the first image
used in the
assignment.

Image Reproduced From a Website

Title
Images may
not have a set
title. If this is
the case give
a description
of the image
where you
would normally
put the title.
Copyright
Include
copyright
information
in the citation
if it is given,
including the
year and the
copyright
holder.
Copyright
information on
a website may
often be found
at the bottom
of the home
page.

If you copy or recreate an image, table, graph or chart in your assignment, you
must create a note underneath it to show where you found it.
You do not include this information in a Reference List.

Note: Applies to Graphs, Charts, Maps, Drawings, Tables and Photographs

Figure X. Description of the image or image title if given. Adapted from Title
of Website, by Author/Creators First Initial. Second Initial. Last Name if given,
publication date if given, Title of Website. Retrieved Month, day, year that you last
viewed the website, from URL. Copyright date by Name of Copyright Holder.
Note: Information about the image is placed directly below the image in your
assignment.

Example:

55

--

iii

==

66

Figure 2. Table of symbols.Adapted from Case One Study Results, by G.A. Black,
2006, Strong Online. Retrieved June 14, 2013, from http://www.strongonline/
casestudies/one.html. Copyright 2010 by G.L. Strong Ltd.

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APA CITATION EXAMPLES

www.seneca.libguides.com/apa
DOI Numbers
in Library
Databases
Some electronic
content is
assigned a
unique number
called a Digital
Object Identifier
(DOI). If a DOI
is provided
for a journal
article, include
it after the page
numbers of
the article as
doi:###.
You do not
need to put a
period after a
DOI number.
If no DOI
number is given,
Seneca Libraries
recommends
that you add
Retrieved
from _____
database as
opposed to
the URL for
an entry or
database. This
is to avoid
difficulties with
links.

Journal Article From Library Database with DOI One Author

Authors Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial if Given. (Year of Publication). Title
of article: Subtitle if any. Name of Journal, Volume Number(Issue Number if
page numbering begins at 1 for each issue in the volume), first page numberlast page number. doi: doi number
Bailey, N.W. (2012). Evolutionary models of extended phenotypes. Trends in
Ecology & Evolution, 27, 561-569. doi: 10.1016/j.tree.2012.05.011
In-Text Paraphrase:

(Authors Last Name,Year)

Example: (Bailey, 2012)

In-Text Quote:

(Authors Last Name,Year, p. Page Number)

Example: (Bailey, 2012, p. 562)

Journal Article From Library Database no DOI One Author

Authors Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial if Given. (Year of Publication). Title
of article: Subtitle if any. Name of Journal,Volume Number(Issue Number if
page numbering begins at 1 for each issue in the volume), first page numberlast page number. Retrieved from Database Name database.
Carlisle, D. (2012). In the line of fire. Nursing Standard, 26(39), 18-19. Retrieved
from Academic Search Premier database.
In-Text Paraphrase:

(Authors Last Name,Year)

Example: (Carlisle, 2012)

In-Text Quote:

(Authors Last Name,Year, p. Page Number)

Example: (Carlisle, 2012, p. 18)

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RESEARCH & CITATION GUIDE

Magazines & Newspapers

Journal Article From a Website - One Author
Authors Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial if Given. (Year of Publication). Title of article:
Subtitle if any. Name of Journal,Volume Number(Issue Number if given). Retrieved from URL
Flachs, A. (2010). Food for thought: The social impact of community gardens in the Greater
Cleveland Area. Electronic Green Journal, 1(30). Retrieved from http://escholarship.org/uc/
item/6bh7j4z4
In-Text Paraphrase:

(Authors Last Name,Year)

Example: (Flachs, 2010)

In-Text Quote:

See Page 11 for how to quote in-text when there are no page numbers.

Magazine Article From a Website

Authors Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial if Given. (Year of Publication). Title of article: Subtitle
if any. Name of Magazine,Volume Number(Issue Number if given), first page number-last page
number if given. Retrieved from URL
Freedman, D. H. (2012, June). The perfected self. The Atlantic. Retrieved from http://www.theatlantic.
com/magazine/archive/2012/06/the-perfected-self/8970/4/?single_page=true
In-Text Paraphrase:

(Authors Last Name,Year)

Example: (Freedman, 2012)

In-Text Quote:

See Page 11 for how to quote in-text when there are no page numbers.

Alphabetical Order in Reference List

When putting works in alphabetical order, ignore initial articles such as the, a, or an. For
example the title The best of Canada would be alphabetized as if it started with the word best
instead of the word The. If the title begins with a number, alphabetize it as if the number was spelled
out. For example the title 5 ways to succeed in business would be alphabetized under F as if it had
started with the word Five.

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APA CITATION EXAMPLES

www.seneca.libguides.com/apa
No Authors
If a magazine
article has no
author, start the
citation with
the article title.
See Page 8 for
how to cite
when no author
is given.
Anonymous
If a magazine
article is
written by
Anonymous,
put the word
Anonymous
where youd
normally have
the authors
name.
Websites
As content is
likely to change
over time, the
date websites
are viewed are
included in
the retrieval
information.

Magazine Article From a Library Database - One

Author
Authors Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial if Given. (Year of Publication,
Month Day if Given). Title of article: Subtitle if any. Name of Magazine,
Volume Number(Issue Number if page numbering begins at 1 for each
issue in the volume), first page number-last page number. Retrieved from
Database Name database.
Abramsky, S. (2012, May 14). The other America 2012. Nation, 294(20), 1118. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier database.
In-Text Paraphrase:

(Authors Last Name,Year)

Example: (Abramsky, 2012)

In-Text Quote:

(Authors Last Name,Year, p. Page Number)

Example: (Abramsky, 2012, p. 14)

Newspaper Article From a Library Database

Authors Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial if Given. (Year of Publication,
Month Day if Given). Title of article: Subtitle if any. Name of Newspaper, p.
SectionPage if given. Retrieved from Database Name database.
Schachter, H. (2012, June 18). What does it take to be a good team player? The
Globe and Mail, p. B7. Retrieved from Canadian Newstand Major Dailies
database.
Note: If an article ends with a question mark or exclamation mark (!), you do
not need to add a period to mark the end of the title.
In-Text Paraphrase:

(Authors Last Name,Year)

Example: (Schachter, 2012)

In-Text Quote:

(Authors Last Name,Year, p. Page Number)

Example: (Schachter, 2012, p. B7)

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RESEARCH & CITATION GUIDE

Newspapers & Websites

No Database
Name
If you find an
article using
Library Search
make sure to
click through
to read the full
text article.
Once you are
looking at the
full article it
usually says the
database name
at the top or
bottom of the
screen.
If it is
ambiguous or
says something
like searching
12 databases
and you cant
tell which one
the database
is from, enter
the name of
the database
provider (e.g.
Proquest,
EBSCO, etc.) as
the database.

Newspaper Article From a Website

Authors Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial if Given. (Year of Publication,
Month Day if Given). Title of article: Subtitle if any. Name of Newspaper
Retrieved from URL
Aw, J. (2012, June 12). Stopping the soda bulge: Why we need to consider
restricting sugary beverages. National Post. Retrieved from http://life.
nationalpost.com/2012/06/12/stopping-the-soda-bulge-why-we-need-toconsider-restricting-sugary-beverages/
In-Text Paraphrase:

(Authors Last Name,Year)

Example: (Aw, 2012)

In-Text Quote:
See Page 11 for how to quote in-text when there are no
page numbers.

Website by a Corporation, Institution or Group

Corporation/Group/Organizations Name. (Year website was last updated/
published, Month Day if given). Title of website. Retrieved Month Day,Year
site was last viewed (if content is likely to change over time), from URL
World Health Organization. (2012). Data and statistics. Retrieved March 18,
2013, from http://apps.who.int/research/en/
In-Text Paraphrase:

(Corporation/Groups Name,Year)
Example: (World Health Organization 2012)

In-Text Quote:

See Page 11 for how to quote in-text when there are

no page numbers.

No Author - Citing In-Text ..cont. on page 17

Where youd normally put the authors last name, instead use the first one, two,
or three words from the title. Provide enough words to make it clear which
work youre referring to.
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APA CITATION EXAMPLES

www.seneca.libguides.com/apa
No Author
If no author
or creator is
provided, start
the citation
with the title
/ name of the
item you are
citing instead.
Follow the
title / name of
the item with
the date of
publication, and
then continue
with other
citation details.
An author /
creator wont
necessarily be a
persons name.
It may be an
organization or
corporation, for
example Health
Canada.

Website with a Known Author

Authors Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial if Given. (Year website was
updated/published, Month Day if given). Title of website. Retrieved Month
Day,Year site was last viewed (if content likely to change), from URL
Mabillard, A. (2011, December 29). Shakespeare online. Retrieved June 19,
2012, from http://www.shakespeare-online.com/
In-Text Paraphrase:

(Authors Last Name,Year)

Example: (Mabillard, 2001)

In-Text Quote:
See Page 11 for how to quote in-text when there are
no page numbers.

Chapter or Section from a Website Corporate or

Group Author
Corporation/Group/Organizations Name. (Year website was last updated/
published, Month Day if given). Title of chapter or section: Subtitle if any.
In Title of section or page. Retrieved Month Day,Year site was last viewed
(if content is likely to change over time), from URL
Canadian Cancer Society. (2013). Cancer research. In Cancer information.
Retrieved May 13, 2013, from http://www.cancer.ca/en/cancerinformation/cancer-101/cancer-research/?region=on
In-Text Paraphrase:

(Corporation/Groups Name,Year)
Example: (Canadian Cancer Society, 2013)

In-Text Quote:
See Page 11 for how to quote in-text when there are
no page numbers.
No Author - Citing In-Text ..cont.
If the title in the References List is in italics, italicize the words from the title in the in-text citation.
If you are citing an article, a chapter of a book or a page from a website, put the words in quotation
marks. For example, Book: (Cell Biology, 2012) Article: (Nursing, 2011).
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RESEARCH & CITATION GUIDE

Websites
Website
Content
If the content
could change
over time,
include the
Month Day,
Year you
viewed the site
after the word
Retrieved
and before the
words from
URL
No
Publication
Number
Because there
is a publication
number it is
included in
the citation
after the title.
If there was
a chapter or
section number,
it would be
included in the
same place as
the publication
number as
(Chapter xx) or
(Section xx).

Report or Document from a Website Corporate or

Group Author
Corporation/Group/Organizations Name. (Year report was last updated/
published, Month Day if given). Title of report: Subtitle if given. Retrieved
Month Day,Year site was last viewed (if content is likely to change over
time), from URL
College of Nurses of Ontario. (2009). Practice standard: Ethics (Pub. No. 41034).
Retrieved from http://www.cno.org/docs/prac/41034_Ethics.pdf
In-Text Paraphrase:

(Corporation/Groups Name,Year)
Example: (College of Nurses of Ontario, 2009)

In-Text Quote:
See Page 11 for how to quote in-text when there are no
page numbers.

Government Document From a Website

Name of Government Department, Agency or Committee. (Year of Publication,
Month Day). Title of document: Subtitle if given (edition if given and is not first
edition). Retrieved Month Day,Year that you last viewed the website, from
URL
Ontario Ministry of Children and Youth Services. (2010, April 27).Your
preschool childs speech and language development. Retrieved April 1, 2013,
from http://www.children.gov.on.ca/htdocs/English/topics/earlychildhood/
speechlanguage/ brochure_preschool.aspx
In-Text Paraphrase: (Name of Government Department, Agency or
Committee,Year)

Example: (Ontario Ministry of Children and Youth

Services, 2010)
In-Text Quote:
See Page 11 for how to quote in-text when there are no
page numbers.

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APA CITATION EXAMPLES

Annotated Bibliography
How To Create An Annotated Bibliography
An annotated bibliography is a list of citations on a certain topic that provide a description of each
of the various books, articles, and other sources on the list. The annotated bibliography looks like a
Reference List but includes a summary and/or critical evaluation (i.e., annotation) after each source
that is cited. It can be part of a larger research project, or can be a stand-alone report in itself.
There are two types of annotations:
A summary annotation describes the source by answering the following questions: who wrote the
document, what does the document discuss, when and where was the document written, why was the
document produced, and how was it provided to the public. The focus is on description.
An evaluative annotation includes a summary as listed above but also critically assesses the work
for accuracy, relevance, and quality. Evaluative annotations can help you learn about your topic, develop
a thesis statement, decide if a specific source will be useful for your assignment, and determine if
there is enough valid information available to complete your project. The focus is on description and
evaluation.
Process for Writing an Evaluative Annotation:
1. Cite the source using APA style.
2. Describe the main ideas, arguments, themes, theses, or methodology, and identify the
intended audience.
3. Explain the authors expertise, point of view, and any bias he/she may have.
4. Compare to other sources on the same topic that you have also cited to show similarities
and differences.
5. Explain why each source is useful for your research topic and how it relates to your topic.
6. Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of each source. Identify the observations or
conclusions of the author.
Remember
Annotations are original descriptions that you create after reading the document.
When researching, you may find journal articles that provide a short summary at the beginning of
the text. This article abstract is similar to a summary annotation.You may consult the abstract when
creating your evaluative annotation, but never simply copy it as that would be considered plagiarism.
Basic Writing and Format Tips
Each annotation should be one paragraph, between three to six sentences long (about 150 - 200 words).
Start with the same format as a regular Reference List.
After each citation, the annotation is indented two spaces from the left margin as a block.
All lines should be double - spaced. Do not add an extra line between the citations.
If your list of citations is especially long, you can organize it by topic.
Try to be objective, and give explanations if you state any opinions.
Use the third person (e.g., he, she, the author) instead of the first person (e.g., I, my, me).

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RESEARCH & CITATION GUIDE

Annotated Bibliography
Example - Summary Annotation
Maak, T. (2007) Responsible leadership, stakeholder engagement, and the emergence of social capital.
Journal of Business Ethics, 74, 329-343. doi:10.1007/s10551-007-9510-5

This article focuses on the role of social capital in responsible leadership. It looks at both the

social networks that a leader builds within an organisation, and the links that a leader creates
with external stakeholders. Maaks main aim with this article seems to be to persuade people of
the importance of continued research into the abilities that a leader requires and how they can
be acquired.

The underlined words below show what has been added to the summary annotation to make it an
evaluative annotation.

Example - Evaluative Annotation

Maak, T. (2007). Responsible leadership, stakeholder engagement, and theemergence of social capital.
Journal of Business Ethics, 74, 329-343. doi:10.1007/s10551-007-9510-5

This article focuses on the role of social capital in responsible leadership. It looks at both the
social networks that a leader builds within an organisation, and the links that a leader creates
with external stakeholders. Maaks main aim with this article seems to be to persuade people of
the importance of continued research into the abilities that a leader requires and how they can
be acquired. The focus on the world of multinational business means that for readers outside
this world many of the conclusions seem rather obvious (be part of the solution not part of
the problem). In spite of this, the article provides useful background information on the topic
of responsible leadership and definitions of social capital which are relevant to an analysis of a
public servant.

Adapted From Memorial University Libraries. (2008). How to write annotated bibliographies. Retrieved
November 13, 2013, from http://www.library.mun.ca/guides/howto/annotated_bibl.php
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APA CITATION EXAMPLES

Sample Paper
Running head: SHORTENED TITLE

Left-side of the title page header:

Right-side of the title page header:

Include the words Running head: followed by

the short title (first few words) in UPPERCASE

Page numbering starts o the title page and

should be one inch from the right-side of page

Full title, centered

Full Title of Research Paper

Students name, centered

Students Name

Course number

CRS 101

Instructors name
Date submitted

Professors Name
September 18, 2012

This is only a suggested format. Please ask your instructor for individual preferences.

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RESEARCH & CITATION GUIDE

Sample Paper
The header contains the SHORT TITLE
SHORTENED TITLE

of the paper and the page number

The title is centered, Uppercase and
Lowercase, but not Bolded or Italicized

Full Title of Research Paper

Begin the first paragraph of your research paper with a half-inch indent. Avoid the

temptation of using the heading Introduction at the start of your paper. Your first sentence is
what should immediately follow the title.

Paper is double-spaced

As your paper develops, you will want to incorporate your research. Sometimes you will use
direct quotes that duplicate the original source word for word (Jones & Brook, 2011, p. 3).
Other times, you will put the ideas from your research into your own words, and that paraphrased
material must also be cited in-text (Xiang, Cooper, Wilson & Liang, 2012). Even if your
information came from a website without an author, you must cite that source (Corporation,
2012).

Font: Times New Roman Size 12

At the end of your paper, you will list all of your sources in a Reference List. The Reference List
page begins on a new page and must be included in every research paper.

Margins are set at 1 on all sides

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APA CITATION EXAMPLES

Sample Paper
SHORTENED TITLE

SHORT TITLE at the top left corner and page

number at the top

right corner



3
of each page, 1/2
inch from the top of the page

Centre the title, , at the top of the page

References

Corporation. (2012). Company brochure: Available online. Retrieved August 27, 2014 from

http://www.corporationxyz.brochure/pdf

Citations should be double-spaced

Jones, A. B., & Brooks, C. D. (2011). Sample print book title. Toronto, ON: Publisher.
Xiang, E., Cooper, F., Wilson, G. H., & Lang, I. (2012). Sample title: Of an invented journal

article. Citations, 14(7), 34-41. doi: 10.1056/j.cit.2012.08.034

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RESEARCH & CITATION GUIDE

Additional Resources
Legal Citations
Because of the complexity of legal citations, APA follows a legal citation style guide for citing sources
such as legislation and case law. Legal citations in your Reference List will look significantly different
from other material you may cite.
Seneca Libraries recommends following the Canadian Guide to Uniform Legal Citation for citing legal
resources. In-text citations should still follow the standard APA format. Links to examples can be
found from other material that you may cite.
Subject Guides
Not sure where to start your research? Want to find great resources for your program? Check out
our Subject Guides! Visit the library at library.senecacollege.ca for more information.
Using EasyBib, KnightCite, or other citation generators
Writing accurate citations can be challenging. A wide range of tools are available to help you. However,
no tool is perfect. These citation generators can help you get started, but you are responsible for
the accuracy of the citations in your paper. Always check the citations you are given against the
information in this guide.

Assignment Calculator
Want to plan your time well? Use
the Assignment Calculator to help
you break down your assignment
or project into manageable
steps and direct you to useful
guides & services. Assignment
calculator can be found at
https://sparc4.senecac.on.ca/
assignmentcalculator/

All content, except where otherwise noted, created by

the Library Citation Committee lcc@senecacollege.ca

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