How to Cite a Book in APA 7th Edition
Learn the exact format with examples, in-text citations, and common mistakes to avoid.
Citation Format
Basic Template
Author. (Year). Title of book (Edition if not first). Publisher.
Citation Components
Author(s)
Format: (Last, First Initial.). Multiple authors: separate with commas; use '&' before the last author.
Year
Enclose publication year in parentheses.
Book Title
Italicized. Capitalize only the first word and proper nouns (sentence case).
Edition
Include edition info if not first edition: (2nd ed.), (3rd ed.), etc. in parentheses.
Publisher
Full publisher name. Omit words like 'Publisher' or 'Co.'
Real-World Example
Example Source
Palinkas, L. A., & Krameddine, Y. I.
2020
Using mixed methods in mental health services and implementation research
2nd ed.
American Psychological Association
Formatted Citation
Palinkas, L. A., & Krameddine, Y. I. (2020). Using mixed methods in mental health services and implementation research (2nd ed.). American Psychological Association.
In-Text Citation
(Palinkas & Krameddine, 2020)
(Author, Year) or (Author & Author, Year)
Common Mistakes
Wrong:
Palinkas, L. A. & Krameddine, Y. I. (2020). Using Mixed Methods in Mental Health Services and Implementation Research. American Psychological Association.
Right:
Palinkas, L. A., & Krameddine, Y. I. (2020). Using mixed methods in mental health services and implementation research. American Psychological Association.
Why: Book titles use sentence case (not title case) and must be italicized. Use commas and ampersand consistently.
Wrong:
Smith, J. (2020). Title of Book. 2nd Edition. Publisher.
Right:
Smith, J. (2020). Title of book (2nd ed.). Publisher.
Why: Edition info goes in parentheses after the title with abbreviation '2nd ed.', not as a separate element.
Wrong:
Smith, J. (2020). Title of book. Publisher Company, Inc.
Right:
Smith, J. (2020). Title of book. Publisher Company.
Why: Omit 'Inc.', 'Co.', 'Publisher', and other corporate suffix words from the publisher name.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I cite an edited book in APA? ▼
List the editor(s) instead of author(s): Editor(s) (Ed.). Year. Title. Publisher. For example: Smith, J. (Ed.). (2020). Title of edited book. Publisher.
Do I need to include the publication city in APA 7th edition? ▼
No, the publication location is no longer required in APA 7th edition. Only include the publisher name.
What if the book has multiple editions and I'm using a specific one? ▼
Always cite the edition you actually used. Include the edition number: (2nd ed.), (Rev. ed.), etc. in parentheses after the title.
Need to Generate a Citation?
Use our free APA 7th Edition citation generator tool to instantly format your citations.
Go to APA Citation Generator →Looking for other citation styles or source types?
View All Citation Guides →