Students often use the phrase APA bibliography when they mean the source list at the end of an APA paper.
In most APA assignments, that final source list is actually called References, not bibliography. Still, some instructors may use “bibliography” as a general word for a list of sources. This guide explains what APA usually requires, how a References page works, and how to format common APA source entries correctly.
Quick Answer to APA Bibliography
In APA 7th edition, the final source list is usually called a References page, not a bibliography. It includes only the sources you cited in your paper. Each in-text citation should match one full reference entry.
Basic APA book reference format:
Author, A. A. (Year). Title of book. Publisher.
Example:
Miller, R. T. (2023). Writing with evidence in college. Beacon Academic Press.
APA in-text citation:
(Miller, 2023)
If your instructor asks for an “APA bibliography,” confirm whether they mean a standard APA References page or an annotated bibliography. In regular APA papers, the correct page title is usually References.
Is It Called an APA Bibliography or References Page?
APA style normally uses the term References for the final source list. A bibliography is a broader term that can mean a list of sources used, read, or consulted. In many writing classes, students say “bibliography” casually, but APA has a more specific rule.
Here is the difference:
Term | What It Usually Means |
|---|---|
APA References | Sources actually cited in the paper |
Bibliography | Sources used, read, or consulted, depending on the assignment |
Annotated bibliography | Source entries plus short summaries or evaluations |
Works Cited | MLA source list, not APA |
For most APA 7 papers, use the page title References. The official APA Style guidance on references explains how reference entries help readers identify and retrieve the works cited in a paper.
What Goes on an APA References Page?
An APA References page includes full entries for all sources cited in the text. If your paper cites (Johnson, 2022), then the References page should include an entry beginning with Johnson and the year 2022.
Most APA reference entries include four main parts:
Author: Who created the source
Date: When the source was published
Title: What the source is called
Source: Where readers can find it
For example:
Johnson, M. L. (2022). Academic writing for first-year students. Northview Press.
This entry includes the author, year, title, and publisher. For online sources, the source part may include a DOI or URL.
Basic APA References Page Formatting
An APA References page should appear at the end of your paper on a new page. The title References should be centered and bold. Entries should be alphabetized by the first author’s last name.
APA References Rule | Correct Format |
|---|---|
Page title | References |
Title placement | Centered and bold |
Spacing | Double-spaced |
Entry order | Alphabetical by author’s last name |
Indentation | Hanging indent |
Included sources | Only sources cited in the paper |
Title capitalization | Sentence case for most titles |
A hanging indent means the first line of each reference entry starts at the left margin, while the second and later lines are indented. This helps readers quickly scan author names.
APA Bibliography Format by Source Type
Although APA usually calls the page References, students often search for APA bibliography formats when they need source examples. The format depends on the source type.
Source Type | Basic APA Reference Format |
|---|---|
Book | Author, A. A. (Year). Title of book. Publisher. |
Journal article | Author, A. A. (Year). Title of article. Journal Title, volume(issue), page range. DOI |
Website | Author, A. A. (Year, Month Day). Title of page. Website Name. URL |
Report | Organization. (Year). Title of report. Publisher. URL |
YouTube video | Channel Name. (Year, Month Day). Title of video [Video]. YouTube. URL |
The key is to identify the source type before formatting the entry. A website, book, and journal article should not all follow the same pattern.
Complete APA Bibliography Example
Here is a complete APA References example for a book used in a student paper.
Source information:
Author: Rebecca T. Miller
Year: 2023
Book title: Writing With Evidence in College
Publisher: Beacon Academic Press
Sentence in the paper:
Strong academic writing depends on clear source use, organized evidence, and careful revision (Miller, 2023).
Reference entry:
Miller, R. T. (2023). Writing with evidence in college. Beacon Academic Press.
This example is correct because the in-text citation includes the author’s last name and year. The reference entry begins with the same author and year, making it easy for readers to match the citation to the full source.
Notice that the book title is written in sentence case: only the first word, proper nouns, and the first word after a colon are capitalized. This is different from MLA, which usually uses title case for book titles.
APA Reference Example for a Journal Article
Journal articles are common in APA papers, especially in psychology, education, nursing, and social science courses.
Reference entry:
Carter, L. M., & Nguyen, P. R. (2022). Student motivation and online learning habits. Journal of Higher Education Research, 18(2), 45–61. https://doi.org/10.1234/jher.2022.018
In-text citation:
(Carter & Nguyen, 2022)
This entry includes the authors, year, article title, journal title, volume, issue, page range, and DOI. The article title is in sentence case, while the journal title is italicized and written in title case.
APA Reference Example for a Website
Webpages are also common sources, but they can be tricky because authors and dates are not always clear.
Reference entry:
University Writing Center. (2024, March 12). How students can evaluate online sources. https://www.example.edu/evaluate-online-sources
In-text citation:
(University Writing Center, 2024)
If the author and website name are the same, APA often omits the website name to avoid repetition. If no date is available, use n.d. in the date position.
No-date example:
University Writing Center. (n.d.). Avoiding plagiarism in research papers. https://www.example.edu/avoiding-plagiarism
APA Bibliography vs. Annotated Bibliography
An annotated bibliography is different from a standard APA References page. It includes a citation plus a short paragraph that summarizes or evaluates the source.
Standard APA reference entry:
Miller, R. T. (2023). Writing with evidence in college. Beacon Academic Press.
Annotated bibliography entry:
Miller, R. T. (2023). Writing with evidence in college. Beacon Academic Press.
This book explains how college students can use evidence clearly in academic essays. It is useful for understanding how source material supports claims, especially in first-year writing courses.
If your instructor asks for an APA annotated bibliography, they usually expect each citation to be followed by an annotation. If they simply ask for APA references, do not add summaries.
Common APA Bibliography Mistakes
Mistake | Correct Approach |
|---|---|
Titling the page “Bibliography” | Use References for most APA papers. |
Listing sources you only read but did not cite | Include only sources cited in the paper unless instructed otherwise. |
Forgetting hanging indents | Indent the second and later lines of each entry. |
Using title case for article or webpage titles | Use sentence case for most APA titles. |
Missing DOI information | Include a DOI when one is available. |
Adding retrieval dates unnecessarily | Use retrieval dates only when APA recommends them. |
Not matching in-text citations to references | Every in-text citation should match a reference entry. |
Mixing APA with MLA Works Cited rules | Use APA References formatting throughout. |
Tips for Checking an APA Bibliography Before Submitting
First, check the page title. Unless your instructor specifically asks for a bibliography or annotated bibliography, title the page References.
Next, compare every in-text citation with the References page. If your paper cites (Carter & Nguyen, 2022), there should be a matching entry beginning with Carter and Nguyen.
Then review formatting. Entries should be alphabetized, double-spaced, and formatted with hanging indents. Book, article, and webpage titles should usually use sentence case.
Finally, check online sources carefully. Make sure URLs work, DOIs are included when available, and dates are accurate. Do not cite a search result or homepage if you used a specific webpage.
FAQ About APA Bibliography
Does APA use a bibliography?
APA usually uses a References page, not a bibliography. However, some instructors may use “bibliography” as a general term for a source list.
What is the difference between APA References and a bibliography?
APA References usually include only sources cited in the paper. A bibliography may include sources consulted but not cited, depending on the assignment.
What should an APA bibliography include?
If your instructor means an APA References page, include full entries for every source cited in the text. Each entry should include author, date, title, and source information.
How do you format an APA References page?
Start on a new page, center and bold the title References, alphabetize entries, double-space the page, and use hanging indents.
Is an annotated bibliography the same as APA References?
No. An annotated bibliography includes citation entries plus short summaries or evaluations. A standard APA References page includes citations only.
Should APA references be alphabetized?
Yes. APA reference entries should be alphabetized by the first author’s last name or by the first word of the entry if there is no author.
Conclusion
Students often say APA bibliography, but the standard APA source list is usually called References. This page includes every source cited in the paper and gives readers the details they need to find each source. Before submitting your assignment, check the title, alphabetizing, hanging indents, sentence case titles, DOI or URL information, and whether every in-text citation has a matching reference entry.