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Radiography and Radiation Oncology

A guide designed for the Radiography and Radiation Oncology Programs at Virginia Western.

Introduction to APA Style

APA Style is a citation format that is typically used for courses in the sciences. The official manual is published by the American Psychological Association. It's currently in the 7th edition, published in 2019. There are two main components of an APA citation: the entry in the References page, and in-text citations.

This page will show you how to set up your paper in APA format, and how to properly cite a variety of resources, both in your References list and within your paper using in-text citations.

Other helpful resources:

Paper Formatting

APA formatting has specific guidelines for writing academic student papers. Here’s a breakdown of the key rules for APA paper formatting:

1. General Formatting

  • Font: Use a readable font, typically Times New Roman, size 12 pt.
  • Spacing: The entire paper should be double-spaced, including the title page, abstract, and reference page.
  • Margins: Use 1-inch margins.
  • Paragraph Indentation: Indent the first line of each paragraph by 0.5 inches.
  • Page Numbers: Include page numbers in the top-right corner of each page (starting from the title page).

2. Title Page

  • The title page should include:
    • Title of the Paper: Centered, bolded, and in title case (capitalize major words).
    • Your Name: Below the title, centered (use full names).
    • Institutional Affiliation: Below the author's name(s), centered.
    • Course Name and Number (if required by your instructor).
    • Instructor Name (if required).
    • Due Date (if required).

3. Abstract

  • The abstract is a brief summary of your paper (150-250 words).
  • It should be placed on the page immediately following the title page.
  • The word “Abstract” should be centered and bolded at the top of the page.
  • Do not indent the first line of the abstract.

4. Main Body

  • Introduction: The introduction starts on the next page, with no heading labeled “Introduction” (it is implied). Begin with the title of the paper (centered and bolded).
  • Headings: APA uses a five-level heading structure. Here’s how to format them:
    • Level 1: Centered, bold, title case.
    • Level 2: Left-aligned, bold, title case.
    • Level 3: Left-aligned, bold, italicized, title case.
    • Level 4: Indented, bold, title case, and ends with a period.
    • Level 5: Indented, bold, italicized, title case, and ends with a period.

5. References Page

  • The References page should be on its own page, at the end of the paper.
  • The word References should be centered and bolded at the top of the page.
  • Entries should be alphabetized by the last name of the first author.
  • Use hanging indent for each reference (the first line is flush left, and subsequent lines are indented 0.5 inches).

Sample Papers:

Reference Components

The first component in every APA reference is the author. The author can be a person, corporation, or group. List the full last name, a comma, and then the initials of the author, with a space between the initials. Do not list the full first or middle name of an author.

  • One author: Smith, J.
  • Two authors: Smith, J., & Miller, L.
  • Three to twenty authors: Smith, J., Miller, L., Brown, B. M., & Lee, H. A. (In the in-text citation, only include the first author and add et al.)
  • 21+ Authors: Include the first 19 authors in the reference, then three ellipsis points (. . .), and then the last author (there is no ampersand). In the in-text citation, only include the first author and add et al.
  • Organizational author: Virginia Western Community College.

The second component in a reference is the date. Most citations only need the year in parentheses, followed by a period. Most sources (such as books, journal articles, and films) only require the year. For magazines, newspapers, social media, YouTube videos, blog posts, etc., provide the full date. If an item does not have a discernible date, you may use n.d. as the date (for no date).

  • Author. (2020). Title. Source.
  • Author. (2020, November 16). Title. Source.
  • Author. (n.d.). Title. Source.

The third component is the title. Depending on what you are citing, your title will be formatted differently.

APA requires you to only capitalize certain words in a title. You should capitalize the following:

  • The first word of the title
  • The first word of the subtitle, usually directly after a colon :
  • Any proper nouns (places, people, organizations, etc.)
  • All significant words in a journal/website title

APA requires you to italicize the titles of stand-alone works:

  • books
  • journals
  • webpages

If you are citing something that is part of a bigger work, you do not italicize the titles:

  • chapters in books
  • title of entry in a reference book
  • articles from journals, magazines, or newspapers

 

The final component of a reference is the source, which is the retrieval information.

  • The source for a book is the publisher.
  • Article sources typically include the journal, volume, issue, page numbers, and DOI. The journal title and volume should be italicized.
  • Internet sources typically include the website on which the source is located and the URL. If the author and the website title are identical, omit the website title.

Reference Templates and Examples

Book

Template:
Surname, A. A. (Year). Title of book. Publisher.

Example:

Perlin, R. (2024). Language city: The fight to preserve endangered mother tongues in New York. Atlantic Monthly Press.

In-Text Citation:
(Perlin, 2024) or (Perlin, 2024, p. 75)

Electronic Book

Template:
Surname, A. A. (Year). Title of book. Publisher. URL

Example:

Austen, J. (1803). Northanger Abbey. Project Gutenberg. https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/121/pg121-images.html

In-Text Citation:
(Austen, 1803)

Book with an Editor

Template:
Editor, A. A. (Ed.). (Year). Title of book (edition if applicable). Publisher.

Example:

Bryfonski, D. (Ed.). (2008). Social issues in literature (3rd ed.). Greenhaven Press.

In-Text Citation:
(Bryfonski, 2008)

Chapter in an Edited Book

Template:
Author of chapter, A. A. (Year). Title of chapter or entry. In A. Editor, B. Editor, & C. Editor (Eds.), Title of book (pp. XX-XX). Publisher.

Example:

Leyburn, E. D. (1971). Animal stories. In R. Paulson (Ed.), Satire: Modern essays in criticism (pp. 217-232). Prentice-Hall.

In-Text Citation:
(Leyburn, 1971)

Work in an Anthology

Template:
Surname, A. A. (Year). Title of work. In A. A. Editor (Ed.), Title of anthology (pp. XX-XX). Publisher. (Original work published Year)

Example:

Hawthorne, N. (1980). Young Goodman Brown. In G. McMichael (Ed.), Anthology of American literature (pp. 1135-1144). Macmillan. (Original work published 1835)

In-Text Citation:
(Hawthorne, 1835/1980)

Sacred Texts

Template:
Title of religious work (A. A. Translator, Trans.). (Year). Publisher. (Original work published Year)

Example:

The Bhagavad Gita (E. Easwaran, Trans.; 2nd ed.). (2007). The Blue Mountain Center of Meditation.

In-Text Citation:
(The Bhagavad Gita, 2007)

Journal Article

Template:
Surname, A. A., Surname, B. B., & Surname, C. C. (Year). Title of article. Title of journal, volume(issue), pp. X-X. DOI/URL

Example:

Without DOI:

Massey, S. R. (2015). The multidimensionality of children’s picture books for upper grades. The English Journal, 104(5), 45-58. http://www.jstor.org/stable/24484579

With DOI:

Codispoti, M., De Cesarei, A., & Ferrari, V. (2012). The influence of color on emotional perception of natural scenes. Psychophysiology, 49(1), 11-16. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-8986.2011.01284.x

In-Text Citation:
(Massey, 2015, p. 48)
(Codispoti et al., 2012, p. 14)

Magazine Article

Template:
Surname, A. A. (Year, Month Day). Title of article. Title of magazine, volume(issue). URL

Example:

Douglas, K. (2021, March 27). The nature fix. New Scientist, 249(3327). https://research.ebsco.com/linkprocessor/plink?id=caf491b8-f8a2-3a0b-a2d7-95f0f77ee911

In-Text Citation:
(Douglas, 2021)

Newspaper Article

Template:
Surname, A. A. (Year, Month Day). Title of article. Title of newspaper. URL

Example:

Miller, K. (2024, August 21). A ‘speedy little star’ may be on course to escape our galaxy. The New York Times. www.nytimes.com/2024/08/21/science/speeding-star-escape-galaxy.html

In-Text Citation:
(Miller, 2024)

Journal Article

Template:
Surname, A. A., Surname, B. B., & Surname, C. C. (Year). Title of article. Title of journal, volume(issue), pp. X-X.

Example:
Harlin, R. A. (2008). Research into practice: What do you really know about learning? Journal of Research in Childhood, 23(2), 125-134.

In-Text Citation:
(Harlin, 2008)

Magazine Article

Template:
Surname, A. A. (Year, Month Day). Title of article. Title of magazine, volume(issue), pages-pages.

Example:

Nordhaus, H. (2025, April). Survivors from the dinosaur age. National Geographic, 247(4), 114-133.

In-Text Citation:
(Nordhaus, 2025)

Newspaper Article

Template:
Surname, A. A. (Year, Month Day). Title of article. Title of newspaper, section and page number.

Example:

Lynch, C. B. (2007, March 2). U.N. Secretary General calls global warming a priority. The Washington Post, A1.

In-Text Citation:
(Lynch, 2007)

Webpage

Template:
Author or Organization Name. (Year). Title of webpage. Website. URL

Examples:

Cleveland Clinic. (2024). Shoulder impingement (rotator cuff tendinitis). https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/shoulder-impingement-rotator-cuff-tendinitis

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2014). Safety guidelines: After a hurricane or other tropical storm. https://www.cdc.gov/hurricanes/safety/how-to-safely-stay-safe-after-a-hurricane-or-other-tropical-storm.html

In-Text Citation:
(Cleveland Clinic, 2024)
(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2014)

Entire Websites

Simply give the URL of the website within the text of your essay.

Example:
The Brown Library website (https://www.virginiawestern.edu/library/) provides many resources for the students and faculty at Virginia Western Community College.

Blog Posts

Template:
Author, A. or ScreenName. (Year, Month Day). Title of blog post. Blog Title. URL

Example:

Green, A. (2017, November 6). How to deal with a coworker who's rude to you. Ask a Manager. https://www.askamanager.org/2017/11/how-to-deal-with-a-coworker-whos-rude-to-you.html

In-Text Citation:
(Green, 2017)

Online Video

Template:
Surname, A. A. [username]. (Year, Month Day). Title of video [Video]. Website. URL

Example:

Vox. (2016, March 17). Proof of evolution that you can find on your body [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rFxu7NEoKC8

In-Text Citation:
(Vox, 2016)

Films (DVD/Blu-Ray/Streaming)

Template:
Director, A. A. (Director). (Year). Title of film [Film]. Production Company.

Example:

Takahata, I. (Director). (1988). Grave of the fireflies [Film]. Studio Ghibli.

In-Text Citation:
(Takahata, 1988, 15:23)
 

Figures and Images

If you are using figures, graphics, and images from external sources within your paper, you need to include a References list entry for where the image came from.

Formatting Figures/Graphics

Above the figure, type Figure # in bold (with # being replaced a number), and then give the figure a title, in italics, on the next line, using Title Case (capitalize each important word). Underneath the figure, write Note. and then provide any relevant notes for your reader, a slightly edited version of the reference, and the copyright year and holder. Note that the titles in attributions are formatted in Title Case, as opposed to titles in the References list, which are in Sentence case.

Who Is the Copyright Holder?

The copyright holder is usually the publisher of a book/journal/website or the author/creator. Items created prior to 1929 or created by the federal government are in the public domain, which means there is no longer a copyright associated with the work. The copyright year is the year the work was created.

The reference list entry for each example is located after the note.

Screenshot from Website

Because websites can change, include the accessed date in your caption.

Figure 1

Brown Library Homepage

Note. Screenshot from Brown Library, Virginia Western Community College (https://www.virginiawestern.edu/library/), accessed April 14, 2025. Copyright 2025 by Virginia Western Community College.

Virginia Western Community College. (n.d.). Brown Library. https://www.virginiawestern.edu/library/

Still from Film

Figure 2

Interrogation Scene in Longlegs

Note. Screenshot from Longlegs [Film] (1:14:40), by O. Perkins, 2024, Neon. Copyright 2024 by Neon.

Perkins, O. (Director). (2024). Longlegs [Film]. Neon.

Still from TV Series

Figure 3

Irving B. in Severance

Note. Screenshot from "Woe's Hollow" [TV series episode], by D. Erickson, February 7, 2025, Severance (season 2, episode 4), Apple TV+. Copyright 2025 by Apple TV+.

Erickson, D. (Creator) (2025, February 7). Woe's hollow (Season 2, Episode 4) [TV series episode]. In D. Erickson (Creator), Severance. Apple TV+.

Still from Video Game

Figure 4

Alan Wake 2 Video Game

Note. Screenshot from Alan Wake 2 [Video game; Sony Playstation 5], by S. Lake and K. Rowley, 2023, Remedy Entertainment; Epic Games Publishing. Copyright 2023 by Epic Games Publishing.

Lake, S., & Rowley, K. (Directors). (2023). Alan Wake 2 [Video game; Sony Playstation 5]. Remedy Entertainment; Epic Games Publishing.

The reference list entry for each example is located after the note.

Graph from a Journal Article

Figure 5

Students' Reported Reasons for Not Asking a Librarian for Help

Note. From "Evolving and Enduring Patterns Surrounding Student Usage and Perceptions of Academic Library Reference Services," by J. Jameson, G. Natal, and J. Napp, 2019, College & Research Libraries, 80, 3, p. 372 (https://doi.org/10.5860/crl.80.3.366). Copyright 2019 by American Library Association.

Jameson, J., Natal, G., & Napp, J. (2019). Evolving and enduring patterns surrounding student usage and perceptions of academic library reference services. College & Research Libraries, 80(3), 366–385. https://doi.org/10.5860/crl.80.3.366

Graph on a Website

Figure 6

American Poll Responses on Experiences with Extreme Weather

Note. From Extreme Weather Affects Sharply More in Western U.S., by J. M. Jones, April 1, 2025, Gallup (https://news.gallup.com/poll/658745/extreme-weather-affects-sharply-western.aspx). Copyright 2025 by Gallup.

Jones, J. M. (2025, April 1). Extreme weather affects sharply more in western U.S. Gallup, https://news.gallup.com/poll/658745/extreme-weather-affects-sharply-western.aspx

The reference list entry for each example is located after the note.

Book Illustration

Figure 7

Illustration of Tomie Kawakami from Tomie

Note. From Tomie, by J. Ito, 2016, VIZ Media, p. 365. Copyright 2011 by VIZ Media.

Ito, J. (2016). Tomie (Deluxe ed.). VIZ Media.

Graph or Figure from a Book

Figure 8

Key College Resources for Navigating Life Challenges

Note. Table shows what college resources students can utilize depending on what issues they're currently struggling with. From Connections are Everything: A College Student's Guide to Relationship-Rich Education, by P. Felten, L. M. Lambert, I. Artze-Vega, and O. R. Miranda Tapia, 2023, Johns Hopkins University Press, p. 31. Copyright 2023 by Johns Hopkins University Press.

Felten, P., Lambert, L. M., Artze-Vega, I., & Miranda Tapia, O. R. (2023). Connections are everything: A college student's guide to relationship-rich education. Johns Hopkins University Press.

Cite the tool (e.g., DALL-E; MidJourney) in your References list. Include the prompt as part of the note.

Figure 9

College Student Using the Library

Note. The image was generated using DALL-E (OpenAI, 2025) with the prompt "College student using the library."

OpenAI. (2025). DALL-E (Version 3) [Artificial intelligence system]. https://openai.com/index/dall-e-3/

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