Examples of Missing Elements in APA

The American Psychological Association (APA) style requires four elements for each reference to be included in the reference list at the end of the research paper. These elements include the author, date, title, and source. 

  • The author is the creator of the work 
  • The date is the year of publication (more specific dates can be added) 
  • The title is what the resource is called
  • The source is where the resource was retrieved (as well as an online link, when available)  

In an ideal situation, the researcher will include all four elements in each citation. However, there are times when you might need to craft references with missing elements.

Citation with Four Elements

Citation
Yabe, T., Bueno, B. G. B., & Dong, X. (2023). Behavioral changes during the COVID-19 pandemic decreased income diversity of urban encounters. Nature Communications, 14, 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-37913-y
Structure
Surname, Initials., Surname, Initials., & Surname, Initials. (Date). Title of work. Source, volume, page numbers. DOI

Citation without an Author

The majority of works will have an identified author, however, if the author is unknown, you will shift the title to the first position in the reference. Do not use “anonymous” for the author unless the work was officially published listing “anonymous” as the author.

Citation
Beowulf. (2000). Faber & Faber.
Structure
Title of work. (Date). Source.

Citation without a Date

When you locate a work without a date, you will abbreviate no date (n.d.) in the reference. You should not include spaces after the periods.

Citation
Gonzalez, C. J. (n.d.). The effects on sports participation in the early teen years. World Health Organization. https://www.WHO.org/adolescence/sports/teenparticipation
Structure
Surname, Initials. (abbreviate no date as n.d.). Title. Source. URL

Citation without a Title

If you would like to include a work that does not have a title, replace it with a description of the work in square brackets. The best practice is to limit the description to around ten words. Include the medium in the description when possible.

Citation
Mead, D. J. (2014). [Map depicting changes to topography in Lima, Peru]. The American Center for Geographic Studies. https://www.ACG.org/Lima-Peru-Topo
Structure
Surname, Initials. (Date). [Description of work]. Source. URL

Citation without a Source

A researcher should not include works in the reference list that cannot be retrieved by others. If the work is a personal communication it can still be cited within the text itself. If a previous online source cannot be located, it can only be referenced if an archived version of the webpage can be located. 

If the work in question is from an online periodical, it might lack a volume, issue, or page numbers. The reference can be created without these elements.

When identifying the author of a reference, be sure to pay attention to the source material. For example, there will be times when an organization or an editor will be listed as the author. 

The reference list at the end of a paper should always be in alphabetical order. If there is no author, alphabetize by the title, using the first significant word (skip A, An, The). 

When the work has online access, you should include the hyperlink or digital object identifier. If both are available, use the digital object identifier, as it is a permanent link and allows for ongoing access.

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Rebecca Cahill

Rebecca Cahill is an assistant principal in the U.S. who works with students across diverse educational disciplines, providing guidance in research, academic writing, and citation. She supports learners at all levels, from young adults beginning with research skills to adults pursuing advanced degrees.

Learn how to cite in APA