How to Cite Sources in APA Style

Check which referencing style your programme requires

Before adding citations, check:

• your graduation manual;
• the assessment criteria;
• the required referencing style;
• any institutional APA guide;
• instructions from your thesis supervisor.

Many programmes use APA 7. Others require Harvard, Chicago, Vancouver or legal citation rules.

Use the version required by your programme. Do not assume that an online example automatically matches your assessment criteria.

Quoting, paraphrasing and summarising

You can use a source in three main ways.

Paraphrasing

When you paraphrase, you explain a specific idea in your own words.

Do not replace only a few words with synonyms. Read the source, understand the point and then write it in a new sentence structure.

Original idea: Clear supervisor feedback helps students revise their work more effectively.

Paraphrase: Students can make more focused revisions when their supervisor explains clearly what needs to improve (Jansen, 2024).

Include the author and year.

A page or paragraph number is not required for a paraphrase. You may add one when it helps the reader locate a specific passage.

Summarising

When you summarise, you shorten the main message of a larger section, article or study.

For example: Recent studies identify planning, supervisor communication and confidence as important factors in thesis progress (De Vries, 2023).

A summary still uses someone else’s ideas. You therefore need a citation.

Direct quotations

A direct quotation copies the exact wording of a source.

For a quotation of fewer than 40 words:

• use double quotation marks;
• include the author;
• include the year;
• include a page number or another locator.

Narrative example: Smith (2024) states that “clear feedback helps students identify their next step” (p. 18).

Parenthetical example: “Clear feedback helps students identify their next step” (Smith, 2024, p. 18).

Use direct quotations sparingly. In most thesis chapters, paraphrasing shows more clearly that you understand the source.

Block quotations

Use a block quotation for a direct quotation of 40 words or more.

Start the quotation on a new line. Indent the complete quotation and do not use quotation marks.

Place the citation according to APA rules and keep the original wording exactly as written.

Long quotations can interrupt the flow of your thesis. Only use them when the precise wording is important.

How to cite different numbers of authors

One author

Parenthetical:

(Jansen, 2024)

Narrative:

Jansen (2024)

Two authors

Name both authors every time.

Parenthetical:

(Jansen & De Vries, 2024)

Narrative:

Jansen and De Vries (2024)

Three or more authors

From the first citation onwards, use the first author’s surname followed by et al.

Parenthetical:

(Jansen et al., 2024)

Narrative:

Jansen et al. (2024)

Do not write et al. in italics.

How to cite secondary sources

Use the original source whenever possible.

Suppose De Vries discusses a study by Jansen, but you cannot access Jansen’s original publication. You may then use a secondary citation.

In the text:

Jansen’s study found a relationship between feedback and motivation (as cited in De Vries, 2024).

Only De Vries appears in the reference list because that is the source you actually read.

Use secondary citations sparingly. They make it harder to check the original context and findings.

How to cite a thesis or dissertation in APA 7

The format depends on whether the thesis is published or available through a database or institutional repository.

A reference usually includes:

• author;
• year;
• title;
• description of the work;
• institution or database;
• URL where relevant.

Example of a thesis in an institutional repository:

Jansen, L. (2024). The influence of supervisor feedback on thesis progress [Master’s thesis, University X]. University X Research Repository. https://…

Example of an unpublished thesis:

Jansen, L. (2024). The influence of supervisor feedback on thesis progress [Unpublished master’s thesis]. University X.

Check whether the work is a bachelor’s thesis, master’s thesis or doctoral dissertation. Use the description that accurately matches the document.

Can you use Word or citation generators?

Reference tools can save time.

You can use:

• Microsoft Word;
• Google Docs;
• Zotero;
• Mendeley;
• EndNote;
• citation tools in academic databases;
• Google Scholar’s citation function.

These tools can help you store sources and generate references. They do not guarantee a correct result.

Common tool errors include:

• incorrect capitalisation;
• missing authors;
• wrong source type;
• incomplete journal details;
• missing DOI;
• incorrect italics;
• an older APA edition;
• unnecessary database information.

Always compare generated citations with a reliable APA 7 guide.