Skip to Main Content

APA Referencing: Journal Articles, Magazines, Newspapers

Checklist for journal articles

In-Text Citation

  • Author: Surname only or group author name. Do not include initials of the first name or middle name in the in-text citation e.g. (Smith, 2024). 
  • Only include an initial if you have 2 different authors with the same surname who have written different articles. Initials help avoid confusion within the text and help readers locate the correct entry in the reference list
  • Do not include titles, positions, ranks or academic achievements e.g. Dr., Professor, Rt. Hon., Sir, Reverend, PhD etc. 
  • Date: Year of publication. 
  • If it is a direct quote (an author's ideas and words) place double quotation marks around the quote and include the number of the page that will direct your reader to the quote
  • Only include an in-text citation for resources listed in your reference list
  • See the in-text citation tab for more information

Reference list entry

  • Author. Surname/Family name comes first, comma, space, initial for first name (and middle name if available), or group name. 
  • List authors' names in the same order as shown on the first page of the article
  • Do not include titles, positions, ranks or academic achievements e.g. Dr., Professor, Rt. Hon., Sir, Reverend, PhD etc. 
  • Date. Year of publication only in parentheses ( )
  • Title: The article title. It is not in italics, as it is part of the whole journal. It is in sentence case where there is a capital letter for the first word of the title, a capital letter for the first word of any subtitle and capital letters for proper nouns i.e. names of people, organisations, countries etc.  All other letters are in lowercase 
  • Source: Journal titles. They are in italics as they are stand-alone works (name of the whole journal). Journal titles use title case where the main words have capital letters, the minor words do not have capital letters 
  • Volume is in italics, issue number is in round brackets and not in italics, page numbers range (not in italics)
  • Do not use p. or pp. when writing the page range in the reference list entry of a journal article. Only include p. or pp. in text to show the location of a direct quote
  • If a journal article has a DOI, include it in the reference (See below)
  • Only include an entry in your reference list for resources cited in the text of your assignment
  • See the Reference List tab for more information

Journal article with a DOI

In-text citation

MacDonald et al. (2020) believe that ... (p. 23).
"..." (MacDonald et al., 2020, p. 23).
Naufahu (2018) outlines how ...
... (Naufahu, 2018). 

Reference list entry

MacDonald, R., Shildrick, T., & Furlong, A. (2020). 'Cycles of disadvantage' revisited: Young people, families and poverty across generations. Journal of Youth Studies, 23(1), 12-27. https://doi.org/10.1080/13676261.2019.1704405

Naufahu, M. (2018). A Pasifika research methodology: Talaloto. Waikato Journal of Education, 23(1), 15-24. https:/doi.org/
10.15663/wje.v23i1.635

  • A DOI (Digital Object Identifier) is a unique code consisting of letters and numbers that identifies content and provides a reliable link to its location on the internet. 
  • If a journal article has a DOI, include it in the reference.
  • DOIs are hyperlinked which means they start with https:// before the unique code. Some library databases or journal articles will display the letters DOI: followed by the string of letters and numbers. You need to add https://doi.org/ before this code.
  • You have to make DOIs live if your assignment or work is being submitted online. You can use either the default display setting of blue font and underlined or plain text and not underlined.
  • You do not include Whitireia in the DOI. This appears in DOIs because you have accessed the journal article via a subscription-based library database and have had to sign in with your student email address and network password.

Journal article with no DOI

In-text citation

According to Raheem and Altmann (2020), ...
... (Raheem & Altmann, 2020).

 

Reference list entry

 

Raheem, R. O., & Altmann, J. (2020). Support for deploying business processes for the interaction between IP network and transport network management systems. IUP Journal of Computer Sciences, 14(3), 48-67.

 

  • Articles from a print journal stop at the page numbers
  • If a journal article held in a Library/academic research database does not have a DOI, treat the article as a print version and stop at the page numbers

Journal article with an article number or an eLocator

In-text citation

Brookfield et al. (2024) presented ...
... response to data (Brookfield et al., 2024). 
As Seale et al. (2020) reported "..." (p. 4).
"..." (Seale et al., 2020, p. 4).

Reference list entry

Brookfield, S., Chye, N. A., Carah, N., & Gartner, C. (2024). "I've lost my children to vaping": A frame analysis of the Australian media's construction of the "Youth vaping crisis". International Journal of Drug Policy, 130, Article 104513. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugpo.2024.104513

Seale, H., Heywood, A. E., Leask, J., Sheel, M., Thomas, S., Durrheim, D. N., Bolsewicz, K., & Kaur, R. (2020). COVID-19 is rapidly changing: Examining public perceptions and behaviors in response to this evolving pandemic. PLoS One15(6), Article e0235112. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0235112

  • For journal articles that have an article number or an eLocator,  write 'Article' and the single number rather than page numbers
  • If an article with an article number also has numbered pages (as seen on a PDF version), those numbers can be used for the in-text citation of a direct quote. You do not use those page numbers in the reference list entry

Journal article - Missing Information

 

Nairn, R. (1999). Codes and cultures: A resulting ethical dilemma. The Bulletin, (96), 8-11.

Sanchiz, M., Chevalier, A., & Amadieu, F. (2017). How do older and young adults start searching for information? Impact of age, domain knowledge and problem complexity on the different steps of information searching. Computers in Human Behavior72, 67–78. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2017.02.038

Butler, J. (2017). Where access meets multimodality: The case of ASL music videos. Kairos: A Journal of Rhetoric, Technology, and Pedagogy21(1). http://technorhetoric.net/21.1/topoi/butler/index.html

  • If the journal does not use volume, issue and / or article or page numbers, omit the missing element from the reference.

Journal with ahead of print, online first or advanced online publication

Articles published online before a volume or issue has been assigned to them i.e. “online first,” “ahead of print,” “advance online publication,” or something else. Use “Advance online publication” .

Reference List entry

Woods, A., Zajac, S. A., Middleton, E. D., Cavanaugh, K. J., Hayes, W. C., Johnson, S. K., & Holladay, C. L. (2024). Doing the work: The role of inclusive leadership in promoting psychological safety and openness to diversity through diversity, equity, and inclusion practices. Psychology of Leaders and Leadership. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1037/mgr0000158

 

Journal article - Secondary source

Often authors quote from or refer to research of other authors in their work.  If you wish to refer to the original author's quote this is called citing from a secondary source. It is best to locate the original source and quote or paraphrase from that.

In-text citation

As Ramsden (1992, as cited in Rust, 2002) states ...
... (Ramsden, 1992, as cited in Rust, 2002).

Reference list entry

 

Rust, D. (2002). The impact of assessment on student learning: How can the research literature practically help to inform the development of departmental assessment strategies and learner-centred assessment practices? Active Learning in Higher Education, 3(2), 145-158. https://doi.org/10.1177/1469787402003002004

  • Give credit to all authors in text ( the author(s) of the original work and the author(s) of the work you have read)
  • In text use the phrase as cited in
  • Only list the journal article you have read in your reference list (cite what you sight)
  • Keep the original punctuation (e.g. question mark at the end of the title)

Journal article with twenty one or more authors

In-text citation

Nath et al. (2019) emphasise the "..." (p. 1080).
"..." (Nath et al., 2019, p. 1080).

 

Reference list entry

Nath, A. P., Ritchie, S. C., Grinberg, N. F., Tang, H. H., Huang, Q. Q., Teo, S. M., Ahola-Olli, A. V., Wurtz, P., Havulinna, A. S., Santalahti, K., Pitkanen, N., Lehtimaki, T., Kahonen, M., Lyytikainen, L. P., Raitoharju, E., Seppala, I., Sarin, A. P., Ripatti, S., Palotie, A., . . . Inouye, M. (2019). Multivariate genome-wide association analysis of a cytokine network reveals variants with widespread immune, haematological, and cardiometabolic pleiotropy. American Journal of Human Genetics, 105(6), 1076-1090. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajhg.2019.10.001

 

  • Include the first 19 authors followed by an ellipsis (...) then the final name

Magazines

In-text citation

Tellado (2020) believes that ...
... (Tellado, 2020).

Reference list entry

Tellado, M. L. (2020, November 1). How we fight misinformation. Consumer Reports, 85(11), 6. 
  • Use the most specific date possible for works published on a regular basis. The year is first, months are written in full. Include the day if available e.g. Weekly (2020, November 1), monthly (2020, November) or annually (2020)
  • Titles of stand-alone works use italics. Magazines titles are in italics
  • Titles that are part of a greater whole do not use italics e.g. journal, magazine or newspaper articles
  • Most titles use sentence case, where there is a capital letter for the first word of the main title, the first word of the subtitle and any proper nouns (name of person, place, organisation etc) 
  • Journal, magazine and newspapers titles use title case. The main words have capital letters, the minor words (3 letters or smaller) do not have capital letters
  • Do not include the database name or URL if the article is from a Library database

Newspapers

Newspaper article

In-text citation

As Venuto (2021) reported, ...
... (Venuto, 2021).
Ali (2019) states that ...
... (Ali, 2019).
In the article "Is Your Home Making You Sick" (2018), ...
 ... ("Is Your Home," 2018).

Reference list entry

Ali, L. (2019, July 17). Emmy picks reveal a lot about those we put on thrones. Los Angeles Times, A1.  
Is your home making you sick? (2018, May 9). The New Zealand Herald, E9.  

Venuto, D. (2021, June 3). Advertising giant DDB appoints Priya Patel as new chief executive. New Zealand Heraldhttps://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/advertising-giant-ddb-appoints-priya-patel-as-new-chief-executive/EWAL4TDVAC75TINHKWBKUITJPY/

  • If there is no author, abbreviate the title if it is long, use double quotation marks and capital letters for your in-text citation. Shift the article title to the author position in the reference list entry
  • Use the most specific date possible for works published on a regular basis. Year first, months are written in full. Include day if available
  • Newspaper articles use sentence casewhere there is a capital letter for the first word of the main title, the first word of the subtitle and any proper nouns (name of person, place, oraganisation etc) 
  • Titles of stand-alone works use italics e.g. Newspapers. The newspaper title use title case where the main words have capital letters, the minor words (3 letters or smaller) do not have capital letters
  • If you used a print version of the newspaper article, provide the page or pages of the article after the newspaper title. Do not include the abbreviations “p.” or “pp.” before the page(s)
  • If the article is from a Library database do not include the database name or URL
  • If the article is from a newspaper’s website, provide the URL

Webpage on a news website

In-text citation

According to the article Air Tahiti Nui (2021) ...
... (Air Tahiti Nui, 2021).
Malpass (2021) describes "..." (para. 3)
"..." (Malpass, 2021, para. 3).
  • If quoting from a web document or HTML version, use a section heading, paragraph number (para.) or both 

Reference list entry

Malpass, L. (2021, May 31). An Anzac path with no pandemic rulebook: Jacinda Ardern and Scott Morrison meet in Queenstown. Stuff. https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/125289842/an-anzac-path-with-no-pandemic-rulebook-jacinda-ardern-and-scott-morrison-meet-in-queenstown

Air Tahiti Nui to help regenerate native forest in Kaikōura through carbon offset scheme. (2021, June 3). Stuff. https://www.stuff.co.nz/travel/green-travel/300323848/air-tahiti-nui-to-help-regenerate-native-forest-in-kaikura-through-carbon-offset-scheme

  • Use this reference for those sites that do not have a daily or weekly newspaper
  • The writer is the author. If there is no author, shift the webpage title to the author position. If the title is italicised in the reference list, italicise in-text
  • Use the specific date the news item was published
  • The title is in italics as a webpage is a stand alone work. The title uses sentence case  i.e. A capital letter for the first word of the main title, the subtitle and any proper nouns (names of place, person or organisation etc)
  • Include the name of the news website (Stuff, BBC News, CNN, Reuters, Newsroom etc) and the URL

Useful links

Whitireia/WelTec Learning Support Guides

Assignment Writing - Covers plagiarism, paraphrasing

Tūāpapa Online Study Hub Modules. To access go to Moodle:

Click here if you are a Whitireia student. 

Click here if you are a Weltec student. 

  • Log in if prompted
  • Click Academic Communication, then Introduction to APA and Plagiarism & Academic Integrity

Referencing Tools 

APA Interactive, Massey University

APA Style Blog

Referencite, University of Auckland

Referencing software

Mendeley 

Zotero

Plagiarism

Avoiding plagiarism guide 

Hill, D. J. (2015). A beginners' guide to plagiarism: What is plagiarism and how can you avoid it? Ako Aotearoa.  https://ako.ac.nz/assets/Knowledge-centre/RHPF-c57-A-beginners-guide-to-plagiarism/PRACTICAL-GUIDE-BOOK-A-Beginners-Guide-to-Plagiarism.pdf