APA 7 Citation Guide

The Caucasus Journal of Social Sciences (CJSS) follows the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, Seventh Edition for in-text citations, references, headings, quotations, tables, figures, and related elements of scholarly presentation.

This guide summarises the APA rules and source formats most frequently required in CJSS manuscripts. It is intended as a practical quick-reference resource and does not reproduce every rule contained in the APA Publication Manual.

Important: The references presented below are formatting illustrations. Authors must replace the sample information with the complete and accurate bibliographic details of the sources they actually used.

Contents

1. General APA Requirements

Element CJSS Requirement
Citation style APA Style, Seventh Edition.
In-text citation system Author–date system.
Reference-list order Alphabetical by the surname of the first author or by the name of the organisational author.
Reference-list heading Use the heading References.
Hanging indent Apply a hanging indent to each reference entry.
Spacing Use consistent double spacing unless the journal's production template applies different display formatting.
Minimum references Research articles should normally include at least 20 relevant scholarly references.
DOIs Include a DOI whenever one is available and present it as an active URL.
Source matching Every in-text citation must have a corresponding reference-list entry, and every reference-list entry must be cited in the manuscript.
Reference accuracy Authors are responsible for the accuracy, completeness, and accessibility of all references.

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2. In-Text Citation Basics

Situation Parenthetical Citation Narrative Citation Explanation
General citation (Smith, 2024) Smith (2024) Use the author's surname and year of publication.
Paraphrase (Smith, 2024) Smith (2024) argues that... A page number is not normally required, but it may be added when it would help readers locate a specific passage.
Direct quotation (Smith, 2024, p. 18) Smith (2024) stated that... (p. 18). A page number or another precise locator is required.
Page range (Smith, 2024, pp. 18–21) Smith (2024, pp. 18–21) Use pp. for a range of pages.
Several sources (Brown, 2022; Jones, 2023; Smith, 2024) Discuss each author in the sentence where appropriate. Arrange different authors alphabetically and separate sources with semicolons.

Paraphrasing: Replacing only a few words from the original passage is not adequate paraphrasing. Authors must express the source material in their own wording and sentence structure while still citing the source.

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3. Citations by Number of Authors

Authorship Parenthetical Citation Narrative Citation Reference-List Rule
One author (Smith, 2024) Smith (2024) List the author's surname and initials.
Two authors (Smith & Brown, 2024) Smith and Brown (2024) List both authors. Use an ampersand before the final author in the reference list.
Three or more authors (Smith et al., 2024) Smith et al. (2024) List all authors up to 20. For 21 or more authors, list the first 19, insert an ellipsis, and add the final author.
Organisational author (World Health Organization, 2024) World Health Organization (2024) Use the organisation's complete official name.
Organisation with abbreviation First: (World Health Organization [WHO], 2024)
Later: (WHO, 2024)		 First: World Health Organization (WHO, 2024)
Later: WHO (2024)		 Introduce an abbreviation only when the organisation is cited repeatedly and the abbreviation is clear.

Use of et al.: Do not italicise et al. A full stop follows al., but no full stop follows et.

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4. Special In-Text Citation Situations

Situation Format Example Notes
No publication date (Author, n.d.) (Smith, n.d.) Use n.d. for “no date.”
No named author Use a shortened title and year. ("Research Integrity Guidelines," 2024) Use the organisation as author where one is identifiable. Use “Anonymous” only when the work is formally signed Anonymous.
Same author, different years Arrange years chronologically. (Smith, 2020, 2022, 2024) List the author's name once.
Same author, same year Add lowercase letters. (Smith, 2024a, 2024b) The letters must also appear in the reference list.
Different authors with the same surname Include initials. (A. Smith, 2023; J. Smith, 2024) Use initials even when publication years differ.
Authors with identical surnames and initials Include enough identifying information to distinguish the authors. (Alex Smith, 2024; Andrew Smith, 2024) Follow APA guidance for resolving ambiguity consistently.
Secondary citation (Original Author, Year, as cited in Secondary Author, Year) (Vygotsky, 1934, as cited in Smith, 2024) Include only the source actually consulted in the reference list. Use secondary citations sparingly.
Personal communication (Initial. Surname, personal communication, Month Day, Year) (A. Smith, personal communication, March 15, 2024) Cite in the text only. Do not include personal communications in the reference list.
Several works in one citation Alphabetical order, separated by semicolons. (Brown, 2021; Jones & Green, 2023; Smith et al., 2024) Arrange according to the order used in the reference list.
Specific parts of a source Author, year, and locator. (Smith, 2024, Chapter 3) A locator may be a page, paragraph, chapter, table, figure, timestamp, or section.

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5. Direct Quotations

Quotation Type APA Requirement Example
Quotation under 40 words Include the quotation within the paragraph using quotation marks. Smith (2024) described the change as “a substantial institutional transformation” (p. 18).
Quotation of 40 words or more Present the quotation as an indented block without quotation marks. Introduce the quotation, indent the entire passage, and place the citation after the final punctuation.
One page Use p. (Smith, 2024, p. 18)
Page range Use pp. (Smith, 2024, pp. 18–21)
No page numbers Use a paragraph number, section name, heading, chapter, table, or another clear locator. (Smith, 2024, para. 6)
Audiovisual source Use a timestamp. (Brown, 2024, 12:35)
Omission from quotation Use an ellipsis to indicate omitted words within a sentence. “The findings ... support the original hypothesis” (Smith, 2024, p. 22).
Insertion or clarification Use square brackets for words added by the author. “They [the participants] completed the survey” (Smith, 2024, p. 22).
Error in original text Use [sic] immediately after the error only when necessary. “The participants was [sic] informed” (Smith, 2024, p. 22).

Direct quotations should be used selectively. The manuscript should primarily present the authors' own analysis, interpretation, and synthesis of the literature.

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6. Reference List Rules

Element APA Rule Example or Explanation
Author names Surname followed by initials. Smith, J. A.
Two authors Separate names with a comma and use an ampersand before the final author. Smith, J. A., & Brown, L. T.
Up to 20 authors List all authors. Do not replace authors with et al. in the reference list.
Twenty-one or more authors List the first 19 authors, insert an ellipsis, and add the final author. Do not place an ampersand before the final author after the ellipsis.
Publication year Place the year in parentheses after the author. (2024).
Article and chapter titles Use sentence case and do not italicise. Research visibility in small academic systems.
Book and report titles Use sentence case and italicise. Academic publishing in the digital age.
Journal title Use title case and italicise. Journal of Scholarly Communication
Volume number Italicise. 12
Issue number Place in parentheses immediately after the volume number; do not italicise. 12(2)
Page range Include the complete page range without pp. for journal articles. 115–132.
DOI Present as an active URL. https://doi.org/10.xxxx/xxxxx
Publisher location Do not include. Use Oxford University Press, not Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.
Database name Usually omit for ordinary academic journal articles. Include a database only when the work is available exclusively through that database or the database forms part of the required source format.
Access date Usually omit. Use a retrieval date only for content designed to change continuously when archived versions are unavailable.

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7. Journal, Newspaper, and Magazine Articles

Source Type In-Text Citation Reference Format Illustrative Reference Example Notes
Journal article with DOI (Smith & Brown, 2024) Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Year). Title of article. Journal Title, volume(issue), page–page. https://doi.org/xxxxx Smith, J. A., & Brown, L. T. (2024). Research visibility in small academic systems. Journal of Scholarly Communication, 12(2), 115–132. https://doi.org/10.xxxx/xxxxx Include the DOI whenever available.
Journal article without DOI (Smith, 2024) Author, A. A. (Year). Title of article. Journal Title, volume(issue), page–page. Smith, J. A. (2024). Academic publishing in transition. International Journal of Social Research, 15(1), 45–61. Do not add a database URL for an ordinary journal article.
Online-only article with article number (Brown, 2024) Author, A. A. (Year). Title of article. Journal Title, volume(issue), Article number. https://doi.org/xxxxx Brown, L. T. (2024). Open access and research participation. Digital Scholarship Review, 9(3), Article e105. https://doi.org/10.xxxx/xxxxx Use the article number instead of inventing page numbers.
Advance online publication (Jones, 2024) Author, A. A. (Year). Title of article. Journal Title. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/xxxxx Jones, P. R. (2024). Research assessment in emerging academic systems. Higher Education Policy Review. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.xxxx/xxxxx Update the reference when volume, issue, and page information becomes available.
Article with more than 20 authors (Smith et al., 2024) List the first 19 authors, insert an ellipsis, and include the final author. Smith, J. A., Brown, L. T., Jones, P. R., ... Green, M. C. (2024). Title of article. Journal Title, 12(2), 115–132. https://doi.org/xxxxx Do not use et al. in the reference-list entry.
Systematic review or meta-analysis (Green et al., 2024) Use the standard journal-article format. Green, M. C., Brown, L. T., & Smith, J. A. (2024). Open science practices in social research: A systematic review. Review of Research Methods, 18(1), 1–27. https://doi.org/10.xxxx/xxxxx The study design does not change the reference format.
Newspaper article online (Smith, 2024) Author, A. A. (Year, Month Day). Title of article. Newspaper Name. URL Smith, A. (2024, January 15). Universities expand international research collaboration. The Daily Chronicle. https://www.example.org/article Use the complete publication date.
Newspaper article without named author ("Universities Expand Research," 2024) Title of article. (Year, Month Day). Newspaper Name. URL Universities expand international research collaboration. (2024, January 15). The Daily Chronicle. https://www.example.org/article Move the title to the author position.
Magazine article online (Brown, 2024) Author, A. A. (Year, Month Day). Title of article. Magazine Name. URL Brown, M. (2024, April 8). The future of scholarly publishing. Academic Review. https://www.example.org/article Include volume, issue, and pages where they are provided.
Editorial (Jones, 2024) Author, A. A. (Year). Title of editorial [Editorial]. Journal Title, volume(issue), pages. DOI Jones, P. R. (2024). Research integrity requires collective responsibility [Editorial]. Journal of Publication Ethics, 8(1), 1–3. https://doi.org/10.xxxx/xxxxx Add a bracketed description when useful for identifying the work.
Letter to the editor (Smith, 2024) Author, A. A. (Year). Title of letter [Letter to the editor]. Journal Title, volume(issue), pages. DOI Smith, J. A. (2024). Clarifying standards for data transparency [Letter to the editor]. Social Science Methods, 11(2), 145–146. https://doi.org/10.xxxx/xxxxx Identify the publication type in square brackets.
Published correction (Smith & Brown, 2025) Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Year). Correction to “Title of original article” [Correction]. Journal Title, volume(issue), page. DOI Smith, J. A., & Brown, L. T. (2025). Correction to “Research visibility in small academic systems” [Correction]. Journal of Scholarly Communication, 13(1), 2. https://doi.org/10.xxxx/xxxxx Cite the correction when discussing the corrected information.

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8. Books and Book Chapters

Source Type In-Text Citation Reference Format Illustrative Reference Example Notes
Authored book (Smith, 2024) Author, A. A. (Year). Title of book. Publisher. DOI or URL Smith, J. A. (2024). Academic publishing in the digital age. Academic Press. Do not include the publisher's city or country.
Book with two authors (Smith & Brown, 2024) Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Year). Title of book. Publisher. Smith, J. A., & Brown, L. T. (2024). Research communication and academic visibility. University Press. List both authors in every in-text citation.
Edited book (Jones, 2024) Editor, A. A. (Ed.). (Year). Title of book. Publisher. Jones, P. R. (Ed.). (2024). Perspectives on higher education reform. Springer. Use (Eds.) for two or more editors.
Chapter in an edited book (Brown, 2024) Author, A. A. (Year). Title of chapter. In B. B. Editor & C. C. Editor (Eds.), Title of book (pp. xx–xx). Publisher. DOI Brown, L. T. (2024). Open access in emerging research systems. In J. A. Smith & P. R. Green (Eds.), Global trends in scholarly communication (pp. 75–94). Routledge. Do not italicise the chapter title. Italicise the book title.
Later edition of a book (Smith, 2024) Author, A. A. (Year). Title of book (2nd ed.). Publisher. Smith, J. A. (2024). Research methods in the social sciences (3rd ed.). Academic Press. Do not identify the first edition.
Edited book with later edition (Jones & Green, 2024) Editor, A. A., & Editor, B. B. (Eds.). (Year). Title (2nd ed.). Publisher. Jones, P. R., & Green, M. C. (Eds.). (2024). Handbook of comparative education (2nd ed.). Academic Press. Place editor and edition information in separate parentheses.
Book with DOI (Smith, 2024) Author, A. A. (Year). Title of book. Publisher. https://doi.org/xxxxx Smith, J. A. (2024). Knowledge visibility and research inequality. University Press. https://doi.org/10.xxxx/xxxxx A DOI is preferred to a general book webpage.
E-book without DOI (Smith, 2024) Use the standard book format. Add a stable URL only when appropriate. Smith, J. A. (2024). Digital scholarship and academic communication. Academic Press. https://www.example.org/book Do not identify the electronic format or device unless it is necessary to identify the work.
Encyclopaedia entry with author (Brown, 2024) Author, A. A. (Year). Title of entry. In B. B. Editor (Ed.), Title of encyclopaedia (edition, volume, pages). Publisher. Brown, L. T. (2024). Scholarly communication. In P. R. Jones (Ed.), Encyclopaedia of higher education (2nd ed., Vol. 3, pp. 210–218). Academic Press. For continuously updated online entries, a retrieval date may be required.
Dictionary entry without named author (Oxford University Press, n.d.) Organisation. (n.d.). Entry term. In Dictionary title. Retrieved Month Day, Year, from URL Oxford University Press. (n.d.). Scholarship. In Oxford English dictionary. Retrieved July 1, 2026, from https://www.example.org/dictionary-entry Use a retrieval date when the entry is continuously updated.
Whole multivolume work (Smith, 2020–2024) Author, A. A. (Years). Title of work (Vols. 1–5). Publisher. Smith, J. A. (2020–2024). History of social research (Vols. 1–5). Academic Press. Use the complete publication date range.

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9. Reports and Government Publications

Source Type In-Text Citation Reference Format Illustrative Reference Example Notes
Report by an organisation (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development [OECD], 2024) Organisation Name. (Year). Title of report. DOI or URL Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. (2024). Education at a glance 2024. https://doi.org/10.xxxx/xxxxx Omit the publisher when the author and publisher are the same.
Report with individual authors (Smith & Brown, 2024) Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Year). Title of report. Organisation. URL Smith, J. A., & Brown, L. T. (2024). National research visibility assessment. Centre for Higher Education Studies. https://www.example.org/report List the organisation as publisher.
Report with report number (Smith, 2024) Author, A. A. (Year). Title of report (Report No. xxx). Publisher. URL Smith, J. A. (2024). Research infrastructure and open access (Report No. 24-07). Institute for Science Policy. https://www.example.org/report Place the report number in parentheses after the title.
Government ministry publication (Ministry of Education, Science and Youth of Georgia, 2024) Government Agency. (Year). Title of publication. URL Ministry of Education, Science and Youth of Georgia. (2024). Higher education development strategy. https://www.example.org/government-report Use the official institutional name appearing on the publication.
Government document with parent agency (National Statistics Office of Georgia, 2024) Agency. (Year). Title. Parent Department. URL National Statistics Office of Georgia. (2024). Higher education statistics. Government of Georgia. https://www.example.org/statistics Include a parent department only where needed to identify the publisher.
Policy brief (Brown, 2024) Author, A. A. (Year). Title of policy brief [Policy brief]. Organisation. URL Brown, L. T. (2024). Strengthening open research infrastructure [Policy brief]. Centre for Science Policy. https://www.example.org/policy-brief A bracketed description may be used to identify the document type.
Working paper (Jones, 2024) Author, A. A. (Year). Title (Working Paper No. xx). Institution. DOI or URL Jones, P. R. (2024). Research funding and international collaboration (Working Paper No. 18). Institute for Education Policy. https://doi.org/10.xxxx/xxxxx Use the DOI when available.
White paper (International Research Council, 2024) Organisation. (Year). Title [White paper]. URL International Research Council. (2024). Responsible uses of artificial intelligence in research [White paper]. https://www.example.org/white-paper Identify the document type when useful.

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10. Webpages and Online Content

Source Type In-Text Citation Reference Format Illustrative Reference Example Notes
Webpage with individual author (Smith, 2024) Author, A. A. (Year, Month Day). Title of webpage. Website Name. URL Smith, J. A. (2024, March 5). How open access supports research visibility. Research Communication Network. https://www.example.org/webpage Use the most specific publication date available.
Webpage with organisational author (World Health Organization, 2024) Organisation. (Year, Month Day). Title of webpage. URL World Health Organization. (2024, March 5). Health promotion. https://www.example.org/health-promotion Omit the website name when it is identical to the author.
Webpage without date (Research Council, n.d.) Organisation. (n.d.). Title of webpage. URL Research Council. (n.d.). Open science principles. https://www.example.org/open-science Use n.d. only when no date can be identified.
Webpage with changing content (World Data Centre, n.d.) Organisation. (n.d.). Title of page. Retrieved Month Day, Year, from URL World Data Centre. (n.d.). Global research indicators dashboard. Retrieved July 1, 2026, from https://www.example.org/dashboard Use a retrieval date when the content changes over time and archived versions are unavailable.
Blog post (Brown, 2024) Author, A. A. (Year, Month Day). Title of post. Blog Name. URL Brown, L. T. (2024, June 20). Improving reference accuracy in academic manuscripts. Scholarly Communication Blog. https://www.example.org/blog-post Italicise the blog name, not the post title.
Online reference work entry (Smith, 2024) Author, A. A. (Year). Title of entry. In Title of reference work. Publisher. URL Smith, J. A. (2024). Open access. In Encyclopaedia of scholarly communication. Academic Press. https://www.example.org/entry Use a retrieval date when the entry is continuously updated.
Entire website mentioned generally Provide the website name and URL in the text. No reference-list entry is normally required. Submission is managed through the CJSS website (https://cjss.ug.edu.ge). This applies when referring generally to a website rather than citing specific content.
Wikipedia or collaboratively edited entry ("Open Access," 2024) Title of entry. (Year, Month Day). In Wikipedia. Archived URL Open access. (2024, June 10). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Example&oldid=000000 Use the archived version consulted. Scholarly and primary sources are preferable wherever available.

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11. Conference Materials

Source Type In-Text Citation Reference Format Illustrative Reference Example Notes
Paper presentation (Jones, 2024) Author, A. A. (Year, Month Day–Day). Title of presentation [Paper presentation]. Conference Name, City, Country. Jones, P. R. (2024, September 12–14). Research integrity in open science [Paper presentation]. International Conference on Scholarly Communication, Vienna, Austria. Add a URL when the presentation is publicly available.
Poster presentation (Brown & Smith, 2024) Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Year, Month Day–Day). Title [Poster presentation]. Conference Name, City, Country. Brown, L. T., & Smith, J. A. (2024, May 8–10). Open data practices in social science journals [Poster presentation]. European Research Methods Conference, Prague, Czech Republic. Identify the contribution as a poster presentation.
Conference session (Green, 2024) Chair, A. A. (Chair). (Year, Month Day–Day). Title of session [Conference session]. Conference Name, City, Country. Green, M. C. (Chair). (2024, October 3–5). New directions in publication ethics [Conference session]. Global Publishing Forum, Berlin, Germany. Identify the chair and contribution type.
Conference proceedings published as a book (Jones, 2024) Use the edited-book or book-chapter format. Jones, P. R. (2024). Research assessment in small academic systems. In L. T. Brown (Ed.), Proceedings of the International Conference on Research Policy (pp. 45–58). Academic Press. Follow the format of the published source.
Conference paper published in a journal (Smith, 2024) Use the journal-article format. Smith, J. A. (2024). Open access and regional knowledge visibility. Conference Studies Quarterly, 10(2), 50–66. https://doi.org/10.xxxx/xxxxx The publication venue determines the reference format.

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12. Theses and Dissertations

Source Type In-Text Citation Reference Format Illustrative Reference Example Notes
Doctoral dissertation in an institutional repository (Smith, 2024) Author, A. A. (Year). Title [Doctoral dissertation, Institution]. Repository Name. URL Smith, J. A. (2024). Open access publishing in small research systems [Doctoral dissertation, Example University]. Example University Repository. https://www.example.org/dissertation Name the degree type and awarding institution.
Master's thesis in a repository (Brown, 2024) Author, A. A. (Year). Title [Master's thesis, Institution]. Repository Name. URL Brown, L. T. (2024). Research visibility and multilingual publishing [Master's thesis, Example University]. Example University Repository. https://www.example.org/thesis Use the official name of the repository.
Dissertation from a commercial database (Jones, 2024) Author, A. A. (Year). Title (Publication No. xxxxx) [Doctoral dissertation, Institution]. Database Name. Jones, P. R. (2024). Internationalisation of higher education publishing (Publication No. 12345678) [Doctoral dissertation, Example University]. ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global. Include the publication number where supplied.
Unpublished doctoral dissertation (Smith, 2024) Author, A. A. (Year). Title [Unpublished doctoral dissertation]. Institution. Smith, J. A. (2024). Academic publishing reform in transitional systems [Unpublished doctoral dissertation]. Example University. Use only when the work is not publicly retrievable.
Unpublished master's thesis (Brown, 2024) Author, A. A. (Year). Title [Unpublished master's thesis]. Institution. Brown, L. T. (2024). Editorial practices in regional journals [Unpublished master's thesis]. Example University. Do not include a repository or URL when none exists.

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13. Datasets and Software

Source Type In-Text Citation Reference Format Illustrative Reference Example Notes
Dataset with DOI (Smith, 2024) Author, A. A. (Year). Title of dataset (Version) [Data set]. Repository. DOI Smith, J. A. (2024). Scholarly communication indicators in Europe (Version 2.0) [Data set]. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.xxxx/xxxxx Cite datasets as retrievable research outputs.
Dataset by an organisation (National Statistics Office of Georgia, 2024) Organisation. (Year). Title of dataset [Data set]. Repository or Publisher. URL National Statistics Office of Georgia. (2024). Higher education enrolment statistics [Data set]. https://www.example.org/dataset Include the version or release date when necessary.
Continuously updated dataset (World Data Centre, 2026) Organisation. (Year). Title [Data set]. Retrieved Month Day, Year, from URL World Data Centre. (2026). Global research output database [Data set]. Retrieved July 1, 2026, from https://www.example.org/database Use a retrieval date when values change continuously.
Computer software (Research Software Group, 2024) Author or Organisation. (Year). Name of software (Version) [Computer software]. Publisher. URL Research Software Group. (2024). Qualitative analysis toolkit (Version 4.2) [Computer software]. https://www.example.org/software Reference specialised software when it is essential to the research.
Software package (Smith et al., 2024) Author, A. A., Author, B. B., & Author, C. C. (Year). Package name (Version) [Computer software]. Repository. URL Smith, J. A., Brown, L. T., & Jones, P. R. (2024). ResearchMetrics (Version 2.1) [Computer software]. GitHub. https://www.example.org/software Use the citation requested by the software's developers where available.
Source code archive (Brown, 2024) Author, A. A. (Year). Title of code (Version) [Source code]. Repository. DOI Brown, L. T. (2024). Code for analysing journal visibility indicators (Version 1.0) [Source code]. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.xxxx/xxxxx Prefer a permanently archived version with a DOI.

A bibliographic citation to a dataset does not replace the manuscript's required Data Availability Statement. Authors must also follow the CJSS Data Sharing and Reproducibility Policy.

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14. Audiovisual and Social Media Sources

Source Type In-Text Citation Reference Format Illustrative Reference Example Notes
Film (Smith, 2024) Director, A. A. (Director). (Year). Title of film [Film]. Production Company. Smith, J. A. (Director). (2024). Knowledge across borders [Film]. Example Studios. List the director as author.
Television episode (Brown, 2024) Writer, A. A. (Writer), & Director, B. B. (Director). (Year, Month Day). Title of episode (Season x, Episode x) [TV series episode]. In C. C. Producer (Executive Producer), Series title. Production Company. Brown, L. T. (Writer), & Jones, P. R. (Director). (2024, March 10). Publishing in transition (Season 2, Episode 4) [TV series episode]. In M. Green (Executive Producer), Research worlds. Example Media. Include the episode and series information.
YouTube video (Research Council, 2024) Account Name. (Year, Month Day). Title of video [Video]. YouTube. URL Research Council. (2024, May 14). Introduction to responsible research assessment [Video]. YouTube. https://www.example.org/video Use the account name shown on the platform.
Podcast episode (Smith, 2024) Host, A. A. (Host). (Year, Month Day). Title of episode (Episode No.) [Audio podcast episode]. In Podcast title. Publisher. URL Smith, J. A. (Host). (2024, June 12). Research visibility and open access (Episode 18) [Audio podcast episode]. In Scholarly communication today. Academic Media. https://www.example.org/podcast List the host in the author position.
Webinar (Brown, 2024) Presenter, A. A. (Year, Month Day). Title [Webinar]. Organisation. URL Brown, L. T. (2024, April 18). Preparing manuscripts for international journals [Webinar]. Research Training Centre. https://www.example.org/webinar Use this format only when the webinar is retrievable.
Social media post (Research Council, 2024) Author or Group [@username]. (Year, Month Day). First 20 words of post [Description]. Platform. URL Research Council [@ResearchCouncil]. (2024, March 5). Open research practices improve transparency, accessibility, and collaboration across disciplines [Post]. X. https://www.example.org/post Reproduce only the first 20 words when the post has no title.
Photograph (Smith, 2024) Photographer, A. A. (Year). Title of photograph [Photograph]. Website or Collection. URL Smith, J. A. (2024). University library reading room [Photograph]. Digital Heritage Archive. https://www.example.org/photo Permission may be required for reproduction.
Map (Geographic Institute, 2024) Author or Organisation. (Year). Title [Map]. Publisher or Website. URL Geographic Institute. (2024). Research institutions in the South Caucasus [Map]. https://www.example.org/map Include scale or version information when relevant.

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APA legal references are adapted primarily from legal citation conventions. Formats may differ by jurisdiction. Authors should use the official title and citation of the law, case, treaty, regulation, or parliamentary document and provide an authoritative source whenever possible.

Source Type General Format Illustrative Format Notes
Legislation or statute Title of Act, official source or code § section (Year). URL Higher Education Act, Official Gazette § 15 (2024). URL Use the official citation conventions of the relevant jurisdiction.
Court decision Name v. Name, volume Reporter page (Court Year). URL Applicant v. Ministry of Education, 12 Official Reports 145 (Supreme Court 2024). URL Italicisation and punctuation may vary according to jurisdiction.
Constitution Constitution title, article or section (Year). URL Constitution of Georgia, art. 27 (1995). URL Cite the official or authoritative version.
Treaty Name of Treaty, Month Day, Year, treaty source. URL Convention on Academic Cooperation, June 15, 2024, Treaty Series No. 25. URL Provide the treaty series or official source where available.
Regulation Title of Regulation, official source § section (Year). URL Research Ethics Regulation, Official Gazette § 8 (2024). URL Use the official number and issuing authority.
Parliamentary document Legislative Body. (Year). Title of document (Document No.). URL Parliament of Georgia. (2024). Report on higher education reform (Document No. 18-24). URL Use the issuing body as author.
International court decision Case Name, Application No., Court (Year). URL Applicant v. State, Application No. 00000/24, European Court of Human Rights (2024). URL Follow the official citation provided by the court.

Jurisdiction-specific rule: Where established legal citation practice conflicts with the general examples above, authors should follow the authoritative citation system of the relevant jurisdiction consistently and provide sufficient information for the source to be identified and retrieved.

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16. Classical, Religious, and Archival Works

Source Type In-Text Citation Reference Treatment Notes
Classical work with standard numbering (Plato, trans. 1997, 514a–517a) Include the edition or translation consulted in the reference list. Use canonical divisions rather than page numbers where appropriate.
Religious work (New Revised Standard Version Bible, 1989, John 3:16) Include the version used in the reference list when required by APA 7. Use book, chapter, verse, surah, or another canonical locator.
Archival letter (Smith, 1945) Author, A. A. (Year, Month Day). [Letter to Recipient]. Collection Name (Box, Folder). Archive, City, Country. Provide the precise archival location.
Unpublished manuscript in archive (Brown, 1938) Author, A. A. (Year). Title or description [Unpublished manuscript]. Collection Name, Archive, City, Country. Use a descriptive title in square brackets if the item is untitled.
Interview held in an archive (Jones, 1985) Interviewee, A. A. (Year, Month Day). Interview by B. B. Interviewer [Interview]. Collection, Archive, City, Country. Unlike private personal communication, an archived interview is retrievable and belongs in the reference list.
Historical newspaper archive (Smith, 1925) Use the newspaper-article format and include an archive URL where appropriate. Cite the original publication date, not only the digitisation date.

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17. Translated and Republished Works

Source Type In-Text Citation Reference Format Illustrative Reference Example Notes
Translated book (Author, Original Year/Translation Year) Author, A. A. (Translation Year). Title (B. B. Translator, Trans.). Publisher. (Original work published Original Year) Author, A. A. (2024). Title of translated work (B. B. Translator, Trans.). Academic Press. (Original work published 1925) Include both years in the in-text citation.
Republished book (Author, Original Year/Republication Year) Author, A. A. (Republication Year). Title. Publisher. (Original work published Original Year) Author, A. A. (2024). Foundations of social theory. Academic Press. (Original work published 1910) Use the version actually consulted.
Translated chapter (Author, Original Year/Translation Year) Include the chapter author, translator, edited-book details, and original publication information. Author, A. A. (2024). Title of chapter (B. B. Translator, Trans.). In C. C. Editor (Ed.), Title of book (pp. 20–35). Academic Press. (Original work published 1930) Ensure that all contributor roles are correctly identified.
Reprinted article (Author, Original Year/Republication Year) Reference the version consulted and identify the original publication year. Author, A. A. (2024). Title of article. Journal Title, 15(2), 100–115. (Original work published 1950) Use this format only for an authorised republication.

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18. Non-English Sources

Situation Reference Treatment Illustrative Example
Work published in a non-Latin alphabet Transliterate the author name and title into the Latin alphabet according to a recognised transliteration system. Add an English translation of the title in square brackets. Author, A. A. (2024). Transliterated title [English translation of title]. Publisher.
Work published in a Latin alphabet language other than English Retain the original author name and title. Add an English translation of the title in square brackets. Author, A. A. (2024). Titre original [English translation of title]. Journal Title, 12(2), 20–35.
Translated quotation Cite the source used. Indicate when the translation is the author's own. (Smith, 2024, p. 18; author's translation)
Official English translation available Cite the official translated version that was actually consulted. Include the translator or translated edition information where applicable.
Transliteration consistency Use one recognised transliteration system consistently throughout the manuscript and reference list. Do not alternate between different spellings of the same author or title.

Authors should preserve diacritical marks and the official spelling of personal names wherever possible. The spelling used in an author's ORCID record or the source publication may be useful for verification.

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19. Artificial Intelligence Tools

Generative artificial intelligence tools should not be used as substitutes for scholarly evidence. Where an AI tool is itself the object of analysis, or its output must be cited for transparency, authors should identify the developer, date or version, system name, description, and URL as appropriate.

Situation In-Text Citation General Reference Format Notes
AI system or large language model (Developer, Year) Developer. (Year). Name of system (Version) [Large language model]. URL Use the version and date actually used where these are available.
AI-generated output directly analysed Cite the system and identify the prompt or output location. Reference the system; reproduce the relevant prompt and output in the text, appendix, or supplementary material where necessary. Because outputs may not be retrievable, sufficient documentation is necessary for transparency.
AI used for language assistance A reference may not be necessary unless the output is directly discussed. Disclose the use according to the CJSS Artificial Intelligence Policy. Citation and disclosure are separate requirements.
AI-generated factual claims or references Not acceptable as evidence without verification from authoritative sources. Cite the original, verified scholarly or primary source. Authors are responsible for checking all claims, quotations, and bibliographic references.

CJSS requirement: Citing an AI tool does not replace disclosure of AI use. Authors must comply with the journal's Artificial Intelligence Policy and remain fully responsible for the accuracy, originality, integrity, and authorship of their submission.

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20. DOI and URL Rules

Situation Correct Incorrect
DOI format https://doi.org/10.xxxx/xxxxx doi:10.xxxx/xxxxx
DOI label https://doi.org/10.xxxx/xxxxx DOI: 10.xxxx/xxxxx
DOI versus database URL Use the DOI. Do not substitute a library proxy or database-session URL.
URL punctuation End the reference with the URL and no final full stop. Do not add punctuation that may interfere with the link.
Broken URL Verify and update the URL before submission. Do not submit inactive or incomplete links.
Hyperlink display Active blue or underlined links are acceptable. Do not remove functional hyperlinks merely for visual consistency.
Retrieval date Use only for content designed to change over time. Do not add retrieval dates to ordinary journal articles, books, or stable webpages.
Long URLs Retain the complete functional URL. Do not manually break, shorten, or alter the URL unless using an authorised persistent link.

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21. APA Heading Levels

Level Format Text Placement
Level 1 Centred, Bold, Title Case Heading Text begins as a new paragraph below the heading.
Level 2 Flush Left, Bold, Title Case Heading Text begins as a new paragraph below the heading.
Level 3 Flush Left, Bold Italic, Title Case Heading Text begins as a new paragraph below the heading.
Level 4 Indented, Bold, Title Case Heading, Ending With a Full Stop. Text begins on the same line and continues as a paragraph.
Level 5 Indented, Bold Italic, Title Case Heading, Ending With a Full Stop. Text begins on the same line and continues as a paragraph.
  • Use only as many heading levels as the manuscript requires.
  • Do not skip heading levels.
  • Do not number headings unless a disciplinary convention or journal template specifically requires numbering.
  • A subsection should normally not appear alone; use two or more parallel subsections where subdivision is necessary.
  • The manuscript title is not treated as a heading level.

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22. Tables

Element APA Requirement
Number Number tables consecutively in the order in which they are first mentioned: Table 1, Table 2, and so forth.
Title Place a concise italicised title on the line below the table number.
Placement Place tables near their first mention in the manuscript or at the end of the manuscript according to journal instructions.
Text reference Refer to every table in the main text. Do not write “the table below” or “the table above.”
Format Create tables using the editable table function in the word-processing program. Do not submit tables as screenshots.
Headings Use clear and concise column and row headings.
Lines Use only the borders needed for clarity. Avoid excessive vertical and horizontal lines.
General note Use a general note beginning with Note. to explain the table as a whole.
Specific note Use superscript lowercase letters to identify notes relating to specific cells.
Probability note Use probability notes to define asterisks indicating statistical significance.
Abbreviations Define abbreviations used in the table even when they have already been defined in the text, where necessary for independent interpretation.
Source attribution Acknowledge adapted or reproduced material and obtain permission where required.

Basic table arrangement:

Table 1
Descriptive Statistics for the Study Variables
Variable M SD
Research visibility 4.25 0.81
International collaboration 3.74 0.92
Open-access availability 4.02 0.76
Note. M = mean; SD = standard deviation.

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23. Figures

Element APA Requirement
Number Number figures consecutively in the order in which they are first mentioned: Figure 1, Figure 2, and so forth.
Title Place a concise italicised title on the line below the figure number.
Caption and notes Add explanatory notes below the figure where needed.
Text reference Refer to every figure in the main text using its number.
Quality Submit figures at sufficient resolution and size for clear publication.
Legibility Ensure that labels, legends, symbols, and text remain readable after resizing.
Accessibility Do not rely on colour alone to communicate meaning. Use labels, patterns, or symbols where necessary.
Consistency Use consistent typography, scales, symbols, and terminology across figures.
Image manipulation Do not alter images in a way that could misrepresent the underlying data or evidence.
Permissions Obtain written permission for copyrighted material where required and include appropriate attribution.
Separate files Upload original figure files separately when requested by the Editorial Office.

Basic figure arrangement:

Figure 1
Relationship Between Open-Access Availability and Citation Visibility

[Insert figure here]

Note. Higher values indicate greater open-access availability and citation visibility.

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24. Common APA Errors

Common Error Incorrect Correct Explanation
Using et al. for two authors (Smith et al., 2024) (Smith & Brown, 2024) Use both surnames for a work by two authors.
Writing all authors in a three-author citation (Smith, Brown, & Jones, 2024) (Smith et al., 2024) Use the first author's surname plus et al. from the first citation.
Missing page number for quotation (Smith, 2024) (Smith, 2024, p. 18) Direct quotations require a precise locator.
Incorrect DOI presentation doi:10.xxxx/xxxxx https://doi.org/10.xxxx/xxxxx Present the DOI as an active URL.
Title case for article title Research Visibility in Small Academic Systems Research visibility in small academic systems Use sentence case for article titles.
Lowercase journal title Journal of scholarly communication Journal of Scholarly Communication Use title case for journal titles.
Issue number italicised 12(2) 12(2) Italicise the volume number but not the issue number.
Publisher location included Oxford, UK: Academic Press. Academic Press. APA 7 does not include the publisher's location.
Database name added to journal article Retrieved from Academic Search Database Omit the database name. Ordinary journal articles do not normally require database information.
Reference not cited Source appears only in the reference list. Cite the source in the manuscript or remove it. The reference list contains only cited sources.
Citation missing from references (Smith, 2024) appears in text but no reference is listed. Add the complete Smith (2024) reference. Every recoverable citation requires a reference-list entry.
Broken URL Inactive or session-based link. Stable, functioning URL or DOI. Authors must test links before submission.
Using “and” in parentheses (Smith and Brown, 2024) (Smith & Brown, 2024) Use an ampersand inside parentheses.
Using ampersand in narrative text Smith & Brown (2024) argue... Smith and Brown (2024) argue... Use the word “and” in narrative citations.
Incorrect use of same-year letters (Smith, 2024, 2024) (Smith, 2024a, 2024b) Distinguish separate works by the same author in the same year.
Automatically generated errors Unverified Zotero, EndNote, or Mendeley output. Manually checked and corrected APA reference. Authors remain responsible for references generated by software.

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25. Final APA Checklist

Check Requirement
□ Every in-text citation has a matching reference-list entry.
□ Every reference-list entry is cited in the manuscript.
□ Author names and publication years match exactly between citations and references.
□ References are arranged alphabetically.
□ Same-author works are ordered correctly.
□ Works by the same author in the same year use letters such as 2024a and 2024b.
□ All direct quotations include page numbers or another precise locator.
□ Article, chapter, book, report, and webpage titles use sentence case.
□ Journal titles use title case and italics.
□ Journal volume numbers are italicised.
□ Journal issue numbers are placed in parentheses and are not italicised.
□ DOIs are included whenever available.
□ DOIs use the format https://doi.org/....
□ URLs and DOIs have been tested and are functional.
□ Publisher locations have been removed from book references.
□ Database names have been omitted where they are not required.
□ A hanging indent has been applied to each reference entry.
□ Tables and figures are numbered and cited in the manuscript.
□ Permissions and source acknowledgements are supplied for third-party material.
□ Reference-management software output has been checked manually.
□ Non-English references are transliterated and translated where required.
□ AI use has been disclosed in accordance with the CJSS Artificial Intelligence Policy.
□ The manuscript follows APA 7 consistently throughout.

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26. Official APA Resources

For complete guidance, uncommon source types, and detailed examples, authors should consult the following official resources:

Where this CJSS quick guide does not address a particular source or formatting issue, authors should follow the current instructions in the official APA Publication Manual and APA Style resources.

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