How to Cite a Book in APSA Style Manual

This guide explains how to format a book citation in APSA Style Manual. 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 APSA Style Manual:

Template

Author, First Name. Year. *Title of Book*. Place: Publisher.

In-Text Citation Example

How the citation appears within the body of your paper:

In-text citation

(Pierson 2004, 78)

Reference List Entry Example

The full citation as it appears in your reference list:

Reference list entry

Pierson, Paul. 2004. *Politics in Time: History, Institutions, and Social Analysis*. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.

Step-by-Step Guide

1
List the author(s)
First author: Last name, First name. Subsequent authors: First name Last name. Use "and" before the final author.
2
Add the publication year
Write the year followed by a period.
3
Write the book title
Italicize the title. Use headline-style capitalization. End with a period.
4
Add the place and publisher
Write the city (and state for lesser-known U.S. cities), followed by a colon and the publisher name. End with a period.
5
Include edition if applicable
If not the first edition, include the edition after the title: *Title*. 2nd ed. Place: Publisher.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Forgetting to italicize the book title.
Omitting the place of publication.
Using initials instead of full first names.
Not including the state abbreviation for U.S. cities that are not well known.
Placing the publisher before the place of publication.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I include the state with the publisher location?

Include the state abbreviation for U.S. cities that are not well known (e.g., Princeton, NJ). Well-known cities like New York and London can stand alone.

How do I cite a book with an editor in APSA?

List the editor(s) followed by ", ed." or ", eds." For example: Smith, John, ed. 2020. *Title*. Place: Publisher.

Does APSA include the publisher location?

Yes. Unlike APA 7th edition, APSA retains the place of publication in book references.

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

List the author(s)

First author: Last name, First name. Subsequent authors: First name Last name. Use "and" before the final author.

Add the publication year

Write the year followed by a period.

Write the book title

Italicize the title. Use headline-style capitalization. End with a period.

Add the place and publisher

Write the city (and state for lesser-known U.S. cities), followed by a colon and the publisher name. End with a period.

Include edition if applicable

If not the first edition, include the edition after the title: *Title*. 2nd ed. Place: Publisher.