How to Cite a Conference Paper in APSA Style Manual

This guide explains how to format a conference paper 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 conference paper in APSA Style Manual:

Template

Author, First Name. Year. "Title of Paper." Paper presented at the Conference Name, Location, Date.

In-Text Citation Example

How the citation appears within the body of your paper:

In-text citation

(Rodriguez 2023)

Reference List Entry Example

The full citation as it appears in your reference list:

Reference list entry

Rodriguez, Maria. 2023. "Democratic Backsliding in the Digital Age." Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Political Science Association, Los Angeles, CA, August 31--September 3, 2023.

Step-by-Step Guide

1
List the author(s)
Use standard APSA name format: Last name, First name for the first author.
2
Add the year
Write the year followed by a period.
3
Write the paper title
Place in double quotation marks with headline-style capitalization.
4
Add conference details
Write "Paper presented at the" followed by the full conference name, city, state/country, and dates.
5
Include URL if available online
If the paper is available online, add the URL and access date at the end.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Omitting "Paper presented at" before the conference name.
Not including the specific dates of the conference.
Forgetting the conference location.
Using the conference abbreviation without the full name.
Not placing the paper title in quotation marks.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I cite published conference proceedings in APSA?

If the proceedings are published as a book, cite as a book chapter. If published in a journal, cite as a journal article. The "Paper presented at" format is for unpublished presentations.

Do I include the full date range of the conference?

Yes. Include the specific dates: Month Day--Day, Year or Month Day--Month Day, Year if the conference spans months.

Should I include the panel or session name?

Including the panel name is optional but can be helpful for locating the paper. Place it after the paper title if included.

Information You Will Need

Before creating your citation, gather the following information from your conference paper:

Author(s)
Year of presentation
Title of paper
Conference name
Location
Date(s) of conference
Publisher of proceedings (if published)
Page range (if in proceedings)
DOI or URL

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Step-by-Step Guide

List the author(s)

Use standard APSA name format: Last name, First name for the first author.

Add the year

Write the year followed by a period.

Write the paper title

Place in double quotation marks with headline-style capitalization.

Add conference details

Write "Paper presented at the" followed by the full conference name, city, state/country, and dates.

Include URL if available online

If the paper is available online, add the URL and access date at the end.