Electronic Sources in APA Format

There are a number of special style concerns for referencing electronic sources in APA format. Online documents, journal articles, databases, and message boards all have unique referencing requirements. It is important to note the exact Web address on any online source you use. Always keep track of the electronic resources you refer to as you are researching a topic and collecting references. The following examples can help you prepare your electronic references in proper APA format.

The basic structure for referencing online documents is very similar to other references, but with the addition of a retrieval date and source. List the day you accessed the document online and provide the exact URL where it can be found.

Author, A. A. (2000). Title of work. Retrieved month day, year, from source

For example:

Van Wagner, K. (2006). Guide to APA format. About Psychology. Retrieved November 16, 2006 from http://psychology.about.com/od/apastyle/guide

Online journal articles should be cited much like print articles, but they should include additional information about the retrieval date and source location. The basic structure is as follows:

Author, A. B., Author, C. D., & Author, E. F. (2000). Title of article. Title of Periodical, Volume number, page numbers. Retrieved month day, year, from source

For example:

Jenet, B. L. (2006) A meta-analysis on online social behavior. Journal of Internet Psychology, 4. Retrieved November 16, 2006 from http://www. journalofinternetpsychology.com/archives/volume4/ 3924.html

Articles that are retrieved from online databases are formatted like a print reference, but also provide information about the date the article retrieved and the location of the database.

For example:

Henriques, J. B., & Davidson, R. J. (1991) Left frontal hypoactivation in depression. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 100, 535-545. Retrieved November 16, 2006 from PsychINFO database.

Messages posted by users on forums, discussion lists, and newsgroups should follow the basic structure for citing an online document. When possible, use the posters real name. If this is not possible, list the author’s online screen name.

For example:

Leptkin, J. L. (2006, November 16). Study tips for psychology students [Msg. 11]. Message posted to http://groups.psychelp.com/forums/messages/48382.html

• Emails should not be included in your reference section, although they should be cited in-text.
• The APA also provides information on the preferred spelling of several electronic terms, including the following:
• e-mail
• e-journal
• database
• Internet
• FTP
• online
• Web