How to Cite a Book in ASA (7th Edition)

This guide explains how to format a book citation in ASA (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 ASA (7th Edition):

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

(Massey and Denton 1993:42)

Reference List Entry Example

The full citation as it appears in your reference list:

Reference list entry

Massey, Douglas S. and Denton, Nancy A. 1993. *American Apartheid: Segregation and the Making of the Underclass*. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

Step-by-Step Guide

1
List the author(s)
Invert all author names: Last, First. For multiple authors, separate with commas and use "and" before the last. All names are inverted.
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 abbreviation for lesser-known U.S. cities), colon, and publisher name. End with a period.
5
Include edition if applicable
If not the first edition, note it after the title: *Title*. 2nd ed. Place: Publisher.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Forgetting to italicize the book title.
Omitting the place of publication.
Not inverting all author names (ASA inverts all authors, not just the first).
Using initials instead of full first names.
Placing a comma between author and year (ASA uses a period after the author, then the year).

Frequently Asked Questions

Does ASA invert all author names or just the first?

ASA inverts all author names (Last, First for every author). This is different from APA and Chicago, which invert only the first author.

Is the publisher location still required in ASA?

Yes. ASA requires the place of publication for books: City, State: Publisher.

How do I handle multiple authors in ASA?

Invert all names: Massey, Douglas S. and Denton, Nancy A. Note that "and" is spelled out, not an ampersand.

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)

Invert all author names: Last, First. For multiple authors, separate with commas and use "and" before the last. All names are inverted.

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 abbreviation for lesser-known U.S. cities), colon, and publisher name. End with a period.

Include edition if applicable

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