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APA - Referencing Guide

Internet Content

Information

Cite documents published on the internet according to the specific guidelines for the type of document. More specific information is available for AI Generated ContentBooks, Journal articles, and Reports .

If a social media post does not have an explicit title, use the content of the post up to the first twenty words.

 Social media could include a personal communication such as an email, text or SnapChat message; a Facebook page or entry; a blog; an Instagram or Twitter account; blog, Twitter or Instagram posts; a YouTube, Vimeo or Ted Talk video; comments on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Vimeo or blog posts; an app or a game.

Do not alter the spelling or capitalisation of a social media reference. Retain hashtags and links. Replicate emojis or describe in square brackets, for example [smiley face emoji] or [face with tears emoji].

 Use the name of the organisation as the author for an organisation’s webpage without individual authors.

 If no author or editor is given and the document is not a part, article or chapter, then citation is by title, with the title preceding the year of publication.

Do not include the site name if it is the same as the author's.

Do not include the publisher's name if it is the same as the author's. 

• Record n.d. for the date of publication, if no date of publication or revision can be found.

 Do not create a reference for a whole website. If mentioned in text, with no particular information about that website, provide the name of the website in the text and include the URL in parentheses.

 Include live links to DOIs and URLs if the work is to be published or read online

 Australian Medicines Handbook is referenced as an ebook

Format

Standard format for citation

Author, A. A. (Year). Title: Subtitle (edition). Publisher. URL

 

Standard format for citation

Author, A. (Year, Month, Date). Title: Subtitle [Format]. Source. URL 

 

Standard format for citation blog

Author, A. [Screen name if applicable]. (Year, Month, Date). Page or article title: Subtitle. Website or blog title: Subtitle. URL 

 

Standard format for citation podcast

Artist, A. A. (Credit), & Artist, B. B. (Credit). (Year of copyright, Date of recording). Title of episode. Title of Programme: Subtitle [format]. Publisher. (Year of recording if different from year of copyright). URL

 

Standard format for citation social media

Creator, A. A. (Year, Month day). Title of entry or first 20 words of content. [Format]. Publisher (if applicable). URL

 

Standard format for citation webpage 

Author, A. [Screen name if applicable]. (Year, Month, Date). Page or article title: Subtitle. Website or blog title: Subtitle. URL 

 

Examples

Analytics report

Google Analytics. (2017). Analytics 3.1: Water Corporation domain only (excluding internal traffic and bots%2Fspiders) overview 20160701-20170630. http://Analytics 3.1 Water Corporation Domain Only (Excluding Internal Traffic and Bots%2FSpiders) Overview 20160701-20170630.pdf

App / Software

Microsoft. (Year). Microsoft Copilot [Software]. https://copilot.github.com

StudentVIP. (2017). Lost on Campus (Version 4.1.3) [Mobile app]. Apple App Store. https://www.apple.com/au/ios/app-store/

Blog post

Flower, R. (2015, June 1). How a simple formula for resolving problems and conflict can change your reality. Pick The Brain. http://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/how-a-simple-formula-for-resolving-problems-and-conflict-can-change-your-reality/

Taylor, T. [Tiffany T]. (2022, December 13). Amazing cardiac nursing basics guide for students. The Nurse Break. https://www.thenursebreak.org/cardiac-nursing-basics-for-nursing-students/

Blog post comment

Stephen. (2017, February 21). Re: Why you should let your passion die [Comment]. PsychCentral. https://psychcentral.com/blog/discuss/102347/

Document

Murray, G. (2005). A duty of care to children and young people in Western Australia: Report on the quality assurance and review of unsubstantiated allegations of abuse in care: 1 April 2004 to 12 September 2005. Western Australia, Department of Child Protection. http://www.community.wa.gov.au/NR/rdonlyres/851183A4-A822-4592-AB66-C410E453AEEC/0/DCDRPTGwennMurrayreportwithcover2006.pdf

Document: no author

How to cite references (1996). Murdoch University Library. http://wwwlib.murdoch.edu.au/find/citation/

Email, Text or SnapChat message
These types of material are unpublished personal communications and are not included in the reference list because they do not contain recoverable data. Cite personal communications in the text only.

Give the title, given name or initials as well as the surname of the communicator and provide as exact a date as possible:

Professor Visser (personal communication, January 16, 2004) gave his reasons for closing the laboratory, the reasons given were...

OR

Dr A.C. Miller (personal communication, February 12, 2017) stated that ...

Facebook page

Nurses Australia. (2012, May 12). Home [Facebook page]. Facebook. Retrieved November 2, 2023, https://www.facebook.com/NursesAustralia/

Facebook post

Murdoch University Library. (2017, February 22). In a dedication ceremony on Tuesday, Murdoch University celebrated the naming of the Library after eminent historian and Murdoch icon, the late Emeritus Professor Geoffrey Bolton [Status update]. Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/murdochlibrary/?fref=ts

Forum/discussion board

LawAnswers. (2023). Criminal Law Forumhttps://www.lawanswers.com.au/forums/criminal-law-forum.5/

Forum post

imaximis (2023, January 17). I bought a car with a false signature [Forum post to Criminal Law Forum]. LawAnswers. https://www.lawanswers.com.au/threads/i-bought-a-car-with-a-false-signature.24578/

Comment on forum post

Veith, R. (2023, February 1). If you have proof of purchase then you should be at little risk as long as you paid fair market value. [Response to the forum post I bought a car with a false signature]. LawAnswers. https://www.lawanswers.com.au/threads/i-bought-a-car-with-a-false-signature.24578/

Game

Persson, M., & Bergensten, J. (2011). Minecraft [Game]. Mojang Synergies AB. https://minecraft.net/en-us/

Instagram post

Murdoch University Library. (2017, February 21). An exhibition entitled ‘Geoffrey Bolton: The Legacy of an Eminent Historian and Iconic Murdoch Figure’, featuring artworks, pictures, awards and memorabilia relating to his life, will be showcased in the University Library foyer until March 17 [Photographs]. https://www.instagram.com/murdochlibrary/

Instagram post comment

Coltferrari. (2017, February 21). Re: An exhibition entitled ‘Geoffrey Bolton: The Legacy of an Eminent Historian and Iconic Murdoch Figure’, featuring artworks, pictures, awards and memorabilia relating to his life, will be showcased in the University Library foyer until March 17 [Comment]. Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/murdochlibrary/

Podcast

Robertson, R. (Speaker). (2010). Leadership at the bottom of the earth…where no one hears you scream, 2010 Sir Walter Murdoch lecture [Audio podcast]. Murdoch University. https://lectures.murdoch.edu.au/lectopia/lectopia.lasso?ut=1369&id=71101

Podcast radio program

Gary, S. (Host). (2007, December 23). Black hole death ray. StarStuff [Audio podcast]. ABC News Radio. http://abc.net.au/newsradio/podcast/STARSTUFF.xml

Podcast television program

Brown, W. (Host)., Brodie, K. (Host)., & George, P. (Producer). (2007, June 4). From Lake Baikal to the halfway mark, Yekaterinburg. Peking to Paris: Episode 3 [Video podcast]. ABC Television.  http://www.abc.net.au/tv/pekingtoparis/podcast/pekingtoparis.xml

TikTok video

Parafina, A. [@nursearchie]. (2023, October 28). How to become a registered nurse in Australia as an internationally qualified nurse?#Australia #nurse #nursearchie [Video]. TikTok. https://www.tiktok.com/@nurse.archie/video/7294458669238897921

Webpage

Goldberg, I. (2000). Dr. Ivan's depression central. http://www.psycom.net/depression.central.html

More examples

X Post / Tweet

Kruszelnicki, K. [@DoctorKarl]. (2017, February 19). Fact-checker scientist @bengoldacre, evidence-based medicine, dead cat #Shirtloadsofscience: http://apple.co/2kXmeCd: http://bit.ly/2faxmw5 [Tweet]. https://twitter.com/DoctorKarl? ref_src=twsrc^google| twcamp^serp|twgr^author

YouTube/Vimeo/Ted Talk video

NRK. (2007, February 26). Medieval helpdesk with English subtitles. [Video]. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQHX-SjgQvQ

Setrakian, L. (2017, January). Lara Setrakian: 3 ways to fix a broken news industry. [Video]. https://www.ted.com/talks/lara_setrakian_3_ways_to_fix_a_ broken_news_industry#t-521404

YouTube video comment

Kirk, J. (2017, February). Re: Medieval helpdesk with English subtitles. [Comment]. YouTube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQHX-SjgQvQ


See the All Examples page for examples of in-text and reference list entries for specific resources such as articles, books, Internet documents, and web pages.

Minimum Information Required for a Citation

Below is a guide to what information you may need to record when citing an online resource:

name of author(s) if given

year or date of publication (or date page/site was created or updated)

title of document

title of website

pages, sections or paragraphs (if given)

digital object identifier (DOI) (if given)

URL