How to Cite a Book in APA 7th Edition

This guide explains how to format a book citation in APA 7th Edition. Follow the format template below, refer to the real example, and use the step-by-step instructions to build your citation correctly.

Format Template

The general pattern for citing a book in APA 7th Edition:

Template

Author, A. A. (Year). *Title of work: Capital letter also for subtitle* (Edition). Publisher. https://doi.org/xxxxx

In-Text Citation Example

How the citation appears within the body of your paper:

In-text citation

(Johnson, 2021, p. 78)

Reference List Entry Example

The full citation as it appears in your reference list:

Reference list entry

Sapolsky, R. M. (2017). Behave: The biology of humans at our best and worst. Penguin Books.

Step-by-Step Guide

1
Identify the author(s)
List each author's last name, a comma, and their initials. For edited books with no single author, list the editor(s) with "(Ed.)" or "(Eds.)" after the names.
2
Add the publication year
Place the year of publication in parentheses, followed by a period.
3
Write the book title
Italicize the title and subtitle. Use sentence case. Include the edition in parentheses after the title if it is not the first edition, e.g., (2nd ed.).
4
Add the publisher
Write the publisher name followed by a period. Do not include the publisher's location.
5
Include the DOI or URL if applicable
If the book has a DOI, include it as a URL. If you accessed the book online without a DOI, include the URL of the page where you accessed it.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Forgetting to italicize the book title.
Including the publisher's location (city/state), which is no longer required in APA 7th edition.
Not using sentence case for the book title.
Omitting the edition number when citing a book that is not the first edition.
Adding "Inc.," "Ltd.," or "Publishing" to the publisher name when it is not part of the official name.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I include the publisher location for books in APA 7th edition?

No. APA 7th edition removed the requirement to include the publisher's location (city and state/country). Only include the publisher name.

How do I cite a book with an editor instead of an author?

List the editor(s) in the author position, followed by "(Ed.)" for one editor or "(Eds.)" for multiple editors. Example: Williams, R. T. (Ed.). (2020). Title of book. Publisher.

How do I cite an edition other than the first?

Include the edition information in parentheses after the book title, before the period. For example: Title of book (3rd ed.). Do not include edition information for first editions.

Information You Will Need

Before creating your citation, gather the following information from your book:

Author(s) or Editor(s)
Year of publication
Title
Edition (if not the first)
Publisher
DOI or URL (if electronic)

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Step-by-Step Guide

Identify the author(s)

List each author's last name, a comma, and their initials. For edited books with no single author, list the editor(s) with "(Ed.)" or "(Eds.)" after the names.

Add the publication year

Place the year of publication in parentheses, followed by a period.

Write the book title

Italicize the title and subtitle. Use sentence case. Include the edition in parentheses after the title if it is not the first edition, e.g., (2nd ed.).

Add the publisher

Write the publisher name followed by a period. Do not include the publisher's location.

Include the DOI or URL if applicable

If the book has a DOI, include it as a URL. If you accessed the book online without a DOI, include the URL of the page where you accessed it.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Forgetting to italicize the book title.

Including the publisher's location (city/state), which is no longer required in APA 7th edition.

Not using sentence case for the book title.

Omitting the edition number when citing a book that is not the first edition.

Adding "Inc.," "Ltd.," or "Publishing" to the publisher name when it is not part of the official name.