Build Your APA Citation Skills
Citing sources is a skill, not a mystery. Work through the five modules below in order — each one builds on the last. You'll start by learning where citation information actually lives in a journal article, then build reference entries, cite inside your paragraphs, handle quotes and paraphrases, and finish by learning when to use each citation style. Every module has a short instructor video and interactive practice with instant feedback.
Finding the Reference Information
Before you can cite anything, you have to find it. Explore a real journal article layout and learn exactly where the authors, date, page numbers, and DOI hide.
Start here → Module 2Creating the APA Reference Entry (Journal Articles)
Turn what you found into a correct reference list entry: online journal articles with a DOI, without a DOI, and articles from the campus library databases.
Open module → Module 3APA In-Text Citation
Parenthetical and narrative citations: where the author, year, and page number go, how "et al." works, and the ampersand-vs-"and" rule.
Open module → Module 4Quotes & Long Paraphrases
The six parts of a cited quotation, when a citation is required, how to punctuate direct quotes, block quotes of 40+ words, and how to cite a paraphrase that runs several sentences.
Open module → Module 5Narrative vs. Parenthetical: When to Use Each
The writer's choice: what each form emphasizes, when to name the researchers, when to stack sources in parentheses, and how to escape the "Author (year) says..." monotony trap.
Open module →Other Types of Sources
Use these modules for other sources you may encounter.
Books
Secondary and tertiary sources with deep, comprehensive overviews: printed textbooks, digital monographs, edited volumes, and historical reference volumes.
Open module → Module BAcademic Papers
Scholarly work outside journals: conference proceedings, dissertations, master's theses, working papers, and technical whitepapers from university research centers.
Open module → Module CGovernment & Educational Websites
Highly credible, authoritative digital sources from official state bodies and institutions: public policies, curriculum guidelines, and agency pages.
Open module → Module DIndustry Publications
Professional, field-specific documents bridging theory and practice: market research reports, trade magazines, corporate white papers, and organization newsletters.
Open module → Module EDemographic & Academic Data Sources
First-hand datasets and numeric metrics, which count as primary sources: census databases, KIDS COUNT, NCES dashboards, and school performance report cards.
Open module →