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Surgical Technology Research Guide

Creating APA Reference page

When creating your Reference page in APA, be aware that:

  • Reference list entries should be alphabetized by the last name of the first author of each work.
  • All lines after the first line of each entry in your reference list should be indented one-half inch from the left margin. This is called hanging indentation.
  • All authors' names should be inverted (i.e., last names should be provided first).
  • Authors' first and middle names should be written as initials
  • Give the last name and first/middle initials for all authors of a particular work up to and including 20 authors . Separate each author’s initials from the next author in the list with a comma. Use an ampersand (&) before the last author’s name. If there are 21 or more authors, use an ellipsis (but no ampersand) after the 19th author, and then add the final author’s name.
  • For multiple articles by the same author, or authors listed in the same order, list the entries in chronological order, from earliest to most recent.

For more information check out this APA Reference List: Basic Rules page from Purdue OWL

Here is an example of an APA formatted reference list:

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Common mistakes & questions:

Do I need a running head? Mostly, yes. Ask your professor if you are unsure.

How do I create a hanging indent? Instructions for Google Docs - Instructions for Microsoft Word

How to I create a running head? - APA 7 does not require a running head