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UNI Rod Library

SW 3185 - Social Work Research - Ilesanmi; Velazquillo Franco

What if the DOI is missing?

How do I indent citations in my References list?

APA requires a "hanging indent" for citations in a References list (or annotated bibliography). This means the first line of each citation is flush left and subsequent lines are indented. To do this in Microsoft Word, first ensure you have no extra spaces or tabs in your citations, then:

  1. Highlight the entire bibliography (or entire citation in an annotated bibliography).
  2. In the Home tab, Paragraph section, choose the tiny arrow in the bottom right of that section.
  3. Under Indentation Special, choose Hanging from the pull-down options.
  4. Then choose OK.

Note that the instructions for Google Docs are similar. Use the Format tab, Align & Indent, and Indentation Options. Under Special, choose Hanging.

For instructions with visuals, see this guide from Central Connecticut State University's library.

How many authors do I include for in-text citations?

For In-text citations, here is how many authors to include, with examples for each.

  • If there is ONE author, include it with the year.
    • Example: (Gruber, 2025) or Gruber (2025) found...
  • If there are TWO authors, include both with the year.
    • Example: (Gruber & Hansen, 2025) or Gruber and Hansen (2025) found...
  • If there are THREE+ authors, include the first and et al. with the year.
    • Example: (Gruber et al, 2020) or the study by Gruber et al. (2025) suggests...
  • If there is a group/organization as author, include it with abbreviation and the year.
    • Example first time you cite the source: (National Institutues of Health [NIH], 2025) 
    • Example the remaining times you cite the source: (NIH, 2025)

Adapted from inside front cover of Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 7th edition. Rod Library has available for in-library checkout at the Library Services Desk (main floor directly next to main entrance). See also: APA Style website > Style and Grammar Guidelines > References > Reference Examples.

What if my article doesn't have page numbers?

You can refer to articles by the article number if there is one instead of page numbers. See this example.

What if I can't find government data I need?

Federal government data availability changes with each new presidential administration. If there is data you are interested in and you can't find it, reach out to your librarian. In addition, there are many "data rescue" projects that have archived vital information elsewhere. A helpful guide.

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