How to Cite Books in APA Format

Learn how to properly cite different types of books in APA format. Choose a specific book type below for detailed guidelines.

General Book Citation Guidelines

  • Always italicize book titles
  • Include the publisher name but not the location
  • Use sentence case for book titles (capitalize only the first word and proper nouns)
  • Include edition information when available (e.g., 2nd ed.)
  • For online books, include DOI when available, URL if no DOI exists

Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Don't include the publisher location
  • Don't abbreviate publisher names
  • Don't forget to italicize the book title
  • Don't capitalize all words in the title (unless they're proper nouns)
  • Don't include "Inc.", "Publishers", "Co.", etc. in publisher names