How to Cite a Patent in APSA Style Manual

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

Template

Inventor Last, First Name. Year. *Title of Patent*. Country Patent No. x,xxx,xxx. URL.

In-Text Citation Example

How the citation appears within the body of your paper:

In-text citation

(Johnson 2022)

Reference List Entry Example

The full citation as it appears in your reference list:

Reference list entry

Johnson, Lisa K. 2022. *System and Method for Adaptive Neural Network Training*. U.S. Patent No. 11,345,678. https://patents.google.com/patent/US11345678B2.

Step-by-Step Guide

1
Identify the inventor(s)
List the inventor(s) with full names: Last, First. Use "and" before the last inventor for multiple inventors.
2
Add the year
Use the year the patent was issued (granted), followed by a period.
3
Write the patent title
Italicize the title using headline-style capitalization.
4
Include the patent number
Write the country designation and patent number (e.g., U.S. Patent No. 11,345,678).
5
Add the URL
Provide the URL where the patent can be accessed. End with a period.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Using initials instead of the inventor's full first name.
Omitting the patent number.
Using the filing date instead of the issue date as the primary year.
Not italicizing the patent title.
Placing a comma between the author and year in the in-text citation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does APSA use full first names for patent inventors?

Yes. APSA always uses full first names, consistent with its conventions for all author types.

Should I use the filing date or issue date?

Use the issue (grant) date as the primary year. The filing date can be mentioned in the text if relevant.

Are patents common in political science papers?

Patents are uncommon in political science but may appear in papers about technology policy, intellectual property law, or innovation policy.

Information You Will Need

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

Inventor
Title
Patent Number
Country
Filing Date
Issue Date

Generate citations automatically with CiteDash

Stop formatting citations by hand. CiteDash automatically generates accurate APSA Style Manual citations for all your sources while you research and write.

Start Free Trial More APSA Style Manual Guides

Step-by-Step Guide

Identify the inventor(s)

List the inventor(s) with full names: Last, First. Use "and" before the last inventor for multiple inventors.

Add the year

Use the year the patent was issued (granted), followed by a period.

Write the patent title

Italicize the title using headline-style capitalization.

Include the patent number

Write the country designation and patent number (e.g., U.S. Patent No. 11,345,678).

Add the URL

Provide the URL where the patent can be accessed. End with a period.