How to cite using APA in the Health Sciences

The APA Publication Manual requires that your reference list must be in alphabetical order by author.

• Chapter 10 of the APA Publication Manual, 7th edition (2020) gives a great sample reference list.
• Scroll down to view where to locate reference list information in your source.
• If the type of information you need to include in your reference list isn't included in the sidebar, consult the APA Style reference list webpage.

General Formatting

• The reference list should start on a new page titled simply with "References" in bold and centred at the top of the page.
• Entries should be arranged in alphabetical order according to author name.
• The list is left-justified. The first line of each entry should follow this line, and every line after must be formatted with a hanging indent (0.5 inches).
• You must double-space the items in your reference list. Do not add extra spaces between reference entries.

Elements

References

Ambtman-Smith, V. N., Crawford, A., D’Hondt, J., Lindstone, W., Linklater, R., Longboat, D., & Richmond, C. (2024). Incorporating

First Nations, Inuit and Métis traditional healing spaces within a hospital context: A place-based study of three unique spaces

within Canada’s oldest and largest mental health hospital. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 

21(3), 282-303.https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21030282

Bagheri, S. C. (Ed.). (2014). Clinical review of oral and maxillofacial surgery: A case-based approach (2nd ed.). Mosby Elsevier.

Boutros, H. M., Koprich, S., Simms, A. J., Tsui, N., Boyle, R.-A., Harrison, J., Riddell, M., Sanftenberg, S., Cripps, S., & Edwards, S.

A. (2024). Landscape of Métis health and wellness: Protocol for a scoping review. BMJ Open, 14(3), Article e077868. 

https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2023-077868

Dillard, J. P. (2020). Currents in the study of persuasion. In M. B. Oliver, A. A. Raney, & J. Bryant (Eds.), Media effects: Advances in

theory and research (4th ed., pp. 115–129). Routledge.

Fante-Coleman, T., Booker, M., Craigg, A., Plummer, D. & Jackson-Best, F. (2022). Factors that impact how Black youth access the

mental healthcare system in Ontario. Pathways to Care Project, Black Health Alliance. https://blackhealthalliance.ca/wp-

content/uploads/pathways-to-care-focus-groupenglish-web-lu-6TF.pdf

Hall, J. B., & Schmidt, G. A. (2015). Principles of critical care (4th ed). McGraw-Hill education.

McGowan, S. (2020, July 20). U of T develops LGBTQ+ focused health curriculum for medical residents. University Affairs.

https://universityaffairs.ca/news/news-article/u-of-t-develops-lgbtq-focused-health-curriculum-for-medical-residents/

Theile, C. M. W., Weinberg, M. A., & Segelnick, S. L. (Eds.). (2019). Clinical cases in dental hygiene. John Wiley & Sons.

Where to Find Information in Common Sources (Journal Articles, Books, and Webpages)

Journal Articles

Journal articles will often contain the elements you need for your reference list on the first page of the article. 

Retrieved from the APA Style webpage, Basic Principles of Reference Entries (2022)

Books

The two most likely sources of information about a book are the book's title page and copyright page. Additionally, if you are only referencing one chapter in an edited book, you will also need to locate the author, title, and page numbers of the chapter. This can usually be done by looking at the table of contents in a book.

Retrieved from the Scribbr webpage, How to Cite a Book in APA (2024)

Websites

Website information is derived from the direct page that you are visiting. Be as specific as possible when providing the URL and do not use the homepage (unless that is what you are referencing). Because the example below is a news article, the date that the article was published is the date that would appear in the reference list. However, for non-news websites, the best date to use is the date at the bottom of the page, which will usually refer to when the content was last updated.

Retrieved from the Excelsior Online Writing Lab webpage, Locating Reference Information - Website (2023)

Information on this page was adapted from "Chapter 10: Reference List", in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.), as well as the APA webpage, "Reference Lists".