How to Cite the DSM IV in APA

Students and professional writers writing in the social sciences may find themselves referring to the fourth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. If using information from this manual in an article or term paper, it is important to cite it correctly. American Psychological Association (APA) Style lays out clear guidelines for citing printed materials.

Instructions

1. List the name of the author or authoring organization, followed by a period. In this case, the name of the authoring organization is the American Psychological Association.

2. List the date the manual was published in parentheses, followed by a period. Make sure the period is outside the parentheses. In this case, the DSM IV was published in 1994.

3. List the title of the manual, followed by a period. Make sure that the title is underlined. Be sure to indicate that you are referring to the fourth edition. The title should appear in the following format:

   Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (4th ed.).

4. List the place of publication, followed by a colon. In this case, the place of publication is Washington, D.C.

5. List the name of the publisher, followed by a period. In this case, the publisher is the same as the author (the APA), so the name of the publisher should simply be listed as "Author."

References

• The Myrin Virtual Library: APA Sample Citations