References are used to document and substantiate statements made in the paper.
APA publications and other publishers and institutions using APA Style generally require reference lists, not bibliographies. A reference list contains works that specifically support the ideas, claims, and concepts in a paper; in contrast, a bibliography provides works for background or further reading and may include descriptive notes (e.g., an annotated bibliography).
The Publication Manual (see Section 9.51) provides formatting guidance and examples for annotated bibliographies. Annotated bibliographies can also be created with APA’s cloud-based writing and research software called Academic Writer.
Reference lists versus bibliographies is covered in the introduction to Chapter 9 of the APA Publication Manual, Seventh Edition
This guidance is new to the 7th edition.
Related handout
From the APA Style blog
How to cite an untitled music album reference
Before you attempt to create a reference list entry for a music album in your paper, fact-check the recording artist or group’s discography to ensure the title of the album—or the lack of one—is accurate.
How to alphabetize “a,” “an,” and “the” in APA Style references
One question we receive from time to time is how to alphabetize reference list entries starting with “a,” “an,” or “the,” and we’re here to help.
How to cite a music album reference
Seventh edition APA Style guidelines have made citing a music album easier for writers.
How to cite a single song or track reference
APA Style can help you cite the melodic works you love in your paper or manuscript. In this post, you will learn how to cite a single song or track reference.
The “outdated sources” myth is that sources must have been published recently, such as the last 5 to 10 years. There is no timeliness requirement in APA Style.
Back-to-school resources for students of APA Style: 2021 edition
This post compiles instructional resources about APA Style for easy reference.
When and how to transliterate titles in references
APA Style guidelines are to transliterate the title of a work written in a non-Roman alphabet into the Roman alphabet in the reference list entry and if mentioning the title in the text of your paper.
In this blog post, you will learn how to cite translated works. When doing so, create the reference in the language in which the translation you read was published.
Why titles have sentence case capitalization in APA Style references
Why are article titles and book titles in APA Style references in sentence case? The answer takes us back to the 1929 origins of APA Style and a guideline that continues to have practical advantages today.
![“Lost” in translations? Aigoo [Oh no]](jpg/blog-citing-works-written-in-another-language-index_tcm11-290785_w160_n.jpg)
“Lost” in translations? Aigoo [Oh no]
Creating an APA Style reference list entry for a work in another language is much simpler than translating every element.
From COVID-19 to demands for social justice: Citing contemporary sources for current events
The guidance in the seventh edition of the Publication Manual makes the process of citing contemporary sources found online easier than ever before.
Citing classical and religious works
A classical or religious work is cited as either a book or a webpage, depending on what version of the source you are using. This post includes details and examples.
Which edition of a book should you cite?
Whether quoting or paraphrasing, you should include a reference for only the edition of the book that you’re actually using.