How to Format Dates in APA

• Written by Hannah Berry (Ph.D.)
• Reviewed by Rebecca Cahill

• Published on 12/20/2023
• Updated on 01/25/2026

The APA format dictates specific guidelines for citing dates, encompassing various scenarios such as year, specific dates, seasons, date ranges, and cases where information is unavailable. You will use dates for your References page, as well for your in-text citations.

• Date Formats: Year, Year-Month-Day, Year and Month, Year and Season, and Date Ranges.
• Precision Matters: Choose formats wisely for accuracy in academic writing, ensuring relevance and clarity.
• Adapt to Citations: Tailor date formatting to specific categories, such as using copyright dates for books and volume years for journals. Acknowledge exceptions for digital resources and works with no date.
• In-Text Simplicity: Align in-text citations with the reference list, use n.d. for undated works, and use in press for pending publications.

Try our free citation generator for APA book citations, APA webpage citations, and citing APA journals. Consider using our APA citation generator to ensure proper formatting and adherence to citation guidelines.

YEAR FORMAT

References page citations:

Citation	Talusan, L. A. (2022). The identity-conscious educator: Building habits & skills for a more inclusive school. Solution Tree Press.
Structure	Author Surname, Initials. (Year). Title of work. Publisher.

YEAR-MONTH-DAY FORMAT

In cases where a publication provides the complete date, the APA format involves placing the year first, followed by a comma, and then the spelled out month and day. When the source you are using is a print journal that can be found online, follow the guidelines for a printed article. 

Citation	Bales, A. P. (2023, December 20). Retention of older male students in the elementary setting. Education Today, 7(2), 23-34. https://www.edutoday.com/articles/maleinele
Structure	Author Surname, Initials. (Year, Month Day). Title. Journal Name, volume number(issue number), pages. URL

YEAR AND MONTH FORMAT

If the source includes only the year and month, the format remains consistent. Place the year first, followed by a comma, and then the spelled out month.

Citation	Bales, A. P. (2023, December). Retention of older male students in the elementary setting. Education Today, 7(2), 23-34. https://www.edutoday.com/articles/maleinele
Structure	Author Surname, Initials. (Year, Month). Title. Journal Name, volume number(issue number), pages. URL

YEAR AND SEASON FORMAT

For sources released in a particular season, APA dictates that you place the year first, followed by a comma, and then the season. Seasons are often included in newsletters or quarterly journals.

Citation	Kolb, A. Y., & Kolb, D. A. (2024, Winter). Learning styles and learning spaces: Enhancing experiential learning in higher education. Academy of Management Learning & Education, 4(2), 25-39. https://doi.org/10.5465/aml.2005.1726566
Structure	Author Surname, Initials., & Final Author Surname, Initials. (Year, Season). Title of article. Title of Periodical, volume number(issue number), pages. DOI

DATE RANGES FORMAT

When dealing with a range of dates, such as a week or a month, maintain the year first, a comma, and then the inclusive dates.

Citation	Patton, S. M. (2023, December 1-7). Working with wraparound services in the department of education. Juvenile Justice, 4, 37-42.
Structure	Author Surname, Initials. (Year, Month day-range). Title of article. Title of Periodical, volume number, pages.

Denotes the first week of December in the specified year.

NO DATE (N.D.)

In instances where the publication date is unavailable, use of (n.d.) within parentheses. This applies both in the in-text citation and the reference list.

Citation	Paiva, L. J. (n.d.). Equipping children with coping skills. McMillian.
Structure	Author Surname, Initials. (n.d.). Title. Source.

IN PRESS

When dealing with works not yet published, (Author, in press) serves as a placeholder in both in-text citations and the reference list.

Citation	Jones, A. (in press). Examining the urban impact on indigenous wildlife. Natural Elements.
Structure	Author Surname, Initials. (in press). Title of article. Title of Journal.

IN-TEXT CITATIONS

Adhering to APA in-text citation practices, it is essential to maintain consistency with the reference list entry by featuring only the year in the citation, even if the reference includes a more specific date. For works missing a publication date, use (n.d.) in both the in-text citation and reference list. Additionally, when citing works accepted for publication but not yet released, employ in press in the in-text citation

Example	(2023)
Structure	(Year) published or last updated

Enclosure in Parentheses: Dates must be enclosed within parentheses for both in-text citations and the APA reference list. Spelling out Months: When dealing with dates that include month values, it is essential to spell out the name of the month. Books and Copyright Dates: For books, the citation should include the copyright date, ensuring that the information presented accurately reflects the source’s publication details. Journals and Volume Years: In the case of journals, the citation should specify the year of the volume. The volume will be italicized, along the name of the journal.

Use the MLA citation generator for precise MLA book citations, MLA webpage citations, and cite MLA journals following the MLA format. Streamline the citation process by leveraging our comprehensive tools, including the Harvard reference generator.