So you’ve found an amazing blog post that perfectly supports your research, and now you need to cite it in APA style. But where do you even begin? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered! In this article, we’ll guide you through the simple steps of citing a blog post in APA style, ensuring that your references are accurate and in line with the style guide. Whether you’re a student, researcher, or avid reader, mastering this skill will enhance your academic writing and give credit where credit is due. So let’s get started on this journey to becoming a citation pro!
APA Style Basics
Overview of APA Style
APA Style is a set of guidelines established by the American Psychological Association for documenting sources in academic writing. It provides a standardized way to cite references and format papers, ensuring clarity, consistency, and credibility in research. By using APA Style, you demonstrate your understanding of academic integrity and respect for the ideas and work of others.
Purpose of Citations in APA Style
Citations in APA Style serve multiple purposes. Firstly, they give credit to the original authors or creators of the information you are using in your research or writing. This helps avoid plagiarism and acknowledges the intellectual contributions of others. Additionally, citations provide readers with the necessary information to locate the sources you have referenced, allowing them to explore the topic further or verify the accuracy of your claims.
Formatting Guidelines for APA Style
APA Style encompasses various formatting guidelines for different elements of a research paper, such as margins, font size, headings, and spacing. It also provides specific rules for citing sources in-text and creating a reference list at the end of the paper. Adhering to these formatting guidelines helps ensure consistency and clarity throughout your document, making it easier for readers and reviewers to follow your arguments and understand your research.
Blog Post Citation Format
Basic Format for In-Text Citations
To cite a blog post in APA Style, you need to include the author’s last name and the publication date of the blog post in parentheses within the text of your paper. For example, if you are referring to information from a blog post written by John Smith and published on July 15, 2022, you would write: (Smith, 2022). This in-text citation allows readers to locate the full reference in your reference list.
Reference List Entry Format
In the reference list at the end of your paper, you need to provide the full details for the blog post you have cited. This includes the author’s last name and initials, the publication date in parentheses, the title of the blog post in sentence case (capitalizing only the first word and any proper nouns), the name of the blog or website in italics, and the URL or DOI (Digital Object Identifier) of the blog post. The basic format is as follows:
AuthorLastName, AuthorInitials. (Year, Month Day). Title of blog post. Title of Blog or Website. URL or DOI
For example: Smith, J. (2022, July 15). How to Cite a Blog Post in APA Style. APA Style Blog. https://blog.apastyle.org/apastyle/2022/07/how-to-cite-a-blog-post-in-apa-style.html
Citing Blog Posts with No Author or Date
If a blog post does not have an identified author, you can use the title of the blog post in place of the author’s name in both the in-text citation and the reference list entry. If the blog post does not have a publication date, use the abbreviation “n.d.” (for “no date”) in place of the year in both the in-text citation and the reference list entry. Remember to maintain the alphabetical order in the reference list.
In-Text Citations
Direct Quotes
When you directly quote a blog post, APA Style requires you to provide the author’s last name, publication date, and the page number (if available) in the in-text citation. Place the information within parentheses and separate the elements with commas. For example: (Smith, 2022, p. 10). This allows readers to easily locate the exact passage you have quoted.
Paraphrasing
When you paraphrase information from a blog post, you still need to provide an in-text citation. Include the author’s last name and the publication date within parentheses. This helps readers know the source of the information and enables them to find the corresponding reference in your reference list.
Multiple Authors
If a blog post has multiple authors, you need to list all the authors’ last names in the in-text citation, separated by commas. Use the word “and” before the last author’s name. For example: (Smith, Johnson, & Lee, 2022). If a blog post has three or more authors, you can use the first author’s last name followed by “et al.” after the first citation. For example: (Smith et al., 2022).
Multiple Blog Posts by the Same Author and Year
If you are citing multiple blog posts written by the same author in the same year, you need to differentiate them in both the in-text citation and the reference list entry by adding lowercase letters after the publication date. Assign the letters in alphabetical order, starting with “a” for the first blog post published in that year. For example: (Smith, 2022a; Smith, 2022b).
Reference List Entries
Blog Posts with a Known Author and Publication Date
When creating a reference list entry for a blog post with a known author and publication date, follow the format mentioned earlier. Include the author’s last name and initials, the publication date in parentheses, the title of the blog post in sentence case, the name of the blog or website in italics, and the URL or DOI. Remember to use hanging indentation for subsequent lines of the reference entry.
Blog Posts with a Known Author but No Publication Date
If a blog post has a known author but no publication date, use the abbreviation “n.d.” in place of the year. This indicates that no date of publication is available. Follow the same format as before but include the “n.d.” within the parentheses after the author’s name.
Blog Posts with No Author
For blog posts with no identified author, use the title of the blog post in place of the author’s name in the reference list entry. Format the entry as usual, with the title of the blog or website in italics, followed by the URL or DOI. If no date is available, use “n.d.” in place of the year within the parentheses.
Specific Examples
Blog Post with One Author
In-text citation: (Smith, 2022) Reference list entry: Smith, J. (2022, July 15). How to Cite a Blog Post in APA Style. APA Style Blog. https://blog.apastyle.org/apastyle/2022/07/how-to-cite-a-blog-post-in-apa-style.html
Blog Post with Two Authors
In-text citation: (Smith & Johnson, 2022) Reference list entry: Smith, J., & Johnson, A. (2022, June 30). The Impact of Blogging on Academic Writing. AcadeBlog. https://www.acadeblog.com/impact-of-blogging-academic-writing
Blog Post with No Publication Date
In-text citation: (Smith, n.d.) Reference list entry: Smith, J. (n.d.). The Evolution of Social Media. Blogging Insights. https://www.blogginginsights.com/evolution-of-social-media
Blog Post with No Author
In-text citation: (“How to Cite a Blog Post,” 2022) Reference list entry: How to Cite a Blog Post in APA Style. (2022, July 15). APA Style Blog. https://blog.apastyle.org/apastyle/2022/07/how-to-cite-a-blog-post-in-apa-style.html
Additional Notes
Capitalization
In APA Style, titles of blog posts should be capitalized in sentence case, which means only the first word and proper nouns are capitalized. Do not capitalize every word as you would in a title case.
Italicization
When creating reference list entries, italicize the title of the blog or website to distinguish it from the title of the blog post. All other elements should be in plain text.
Retrieving Blog Posts
When citing a blog post, it is important to include the direct URL or DOI to direct readers to the exact source. Always ensure that the URL is accurate and accessible to others.
DOI vs. URL
A DOI is a unique alphanumeric string assigned to a digital object, such as a blog post, to ensure its persistent access over time. Many reputable blogs provide DOIs for their posts, and when available, it is preferred to use the DOI instead of a URL. However, if a DOI is not provided, a URL can be used instead.
By following these APA Style basics, you can effectively cite blog posts in your research or writing, ensuring proper attribution and providing the necessary information for readers to locate the sources. Remember to carefully format your in-text citations and reference list entries, paying attention to details such as author names, publication dates, and titles. You can always consult the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association for more comprehensive guidance on using APA Style.
Paul is a digital marketing and blogging specialist who shares his knowledge and experience on his blog. He writes about topics such as SEO, PPC advertising, social media marketing, content marketing, email marketing, analytics and much more. Paul’s goal is to provide his readers with the information and resources they need to create and implement successful digital marketing campaigns and a profitable blog.