How to Cite an Anthology (APA style)

Citing an anthology in a bibliography or list of references can be a bit tricky, as you generally must include information on the anthology itself, as well as on the particular work in the anthology (essay, poem, play, story, etc) that you are referencing. Here's how one citation authority, APA, suggests you do it.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Know when to use APA citation styles. APA (American Psychological Association) is commonly used to cite sources in the social sciences (psychology, sociology, history, economics, etc). If you are writing a paper in the social sciences, the APA manual is a good source for citation guidelines.

2. Keep good records for anthologies. Anthology citations are complex, as you must include information on the original publication, as well as on the anthology document in which it appears.

3. Use anthology format as follows: Author's name. (Year). Title of selection. In Editor's name (Ed.), Title of anthology (Vol. volume number if appropriate, pp. page numbers of selection). Place of publication: Publisher.
   
   NOTE--The title of the anthology is usually italicized.

4. An example should help clarify: Updike, J. (2004). Reading Trends. In M. Meyer (Ed.), The Bedford introduction to literature: Reading, thinking and writing (pp.487-491). Boston: St. Martin's Press.

5. The Resources section includes more citation style information.

Tips & Warnings

• Note that APA citations are often double-spaced. Check with your professor as to the desired style guide and format for your particular research paper.

Resources

• How to Cite an Anthology (MLA style)
• Need more information? Ask a professional research service.

[bluefrog82]

on 9/4/2009 @ Sapling: Yes, the title should be in italics.

My question: Which publication is the date from? Is it the original publication of the excerpted work, or is it the publication date of the anthology?

I lean toward the latter, but I'm curious about what you think.

[sappling]

on 7/23/2009 Isn't the title italicized?

[Becca08]

on 12/1/2008 This is a good article that is very informative! APA citations can be quite difficult, and when writing a paper everything has to be cited both in-text and in the references. Knowing how to cite sources is very important and necessary in order to prevent plagiarism. Good article!