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How to Cite Online Nursing Resources Using APA Style
Amy Shannon & Millie L. Syring

With the evolution and proliferation of the World Wide Web (WWW) in recent years, citing online resources has become a challenge. Printed guides to the American Psychological Association's (APA) style format lack the currency needed by today's researchers. Since the latest printed edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (Fourth Edition) is from 1994, the APA has provided a brief guide to citing documents found on the World Wide Web on their website and the examples below are based that guide. Another useful guide that follows the newer APA online format is Online: A Reference Guide to Using Internet Sources. The chapter "Using APA Style to Cite and Document Sources." has some helpful examples for constructing references.

Articles from Electronic Journals

Article — This takes you to the actual article

Example:

Watson, R., & Thompson, D.R. (2000). Recent developments in UK nurse education: Horses for courses or courses for horses? Journal of Advanced Nursing, 32, 1041-1042. Retrieved January 29, 2001, from the World Wide Web: http://www.blackwell-synergy.com

Article — This takes you to the article using a unique "doi" (document object identifier)

Example:

Miller, S. (1997). Midwives' and physicians' experiences in collaborative practice: A qualitative study. Women's health issues, 7, 301-308. Retrieved January 23, 2001, from the World Wide Web: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S1049-3867(97)00051-0

Abstracts from Online Databases

Abstract This takes you to the database to search for the abstract

Example:

McGrath, A., & Walker, A. (1999, September). Nurses' perception and experiences of advocacy [Abstract]. Contemporary Nurse, 8, 72-8. Retrieved January 6, 2001, from CINAHL database on the World Wide Web: http://www.knowledgecenter.unr.edu/subjects/databases.aspx

Chapter from an Electronic Book

Chapter in an Electronic Book — This takes you to the electronic book

Example:

Kritchevsky, D. (1996). Food lipids and atherosclerosis. In McDonald, R., & Min, D. (Eds.), Food lipids and health (pp. 19-34). New York: Marcel Dekker. Retrieved January 30, 2001, from the World Wide Web: http://www.knowledgecenter.unr.edu/ebooks/

Websites

American Public Health Association

Example:

American Public Health Association. (2000). American Public Health Association. Retrieved January 29, 2001, from the World Wide Web: http://www.apha.org

Nursing Spectrum - Careers in Nursing

Example:

Nursing Spectrum, Inc. (2001). Careers in Nursing. Retrieved January 22, 2001, from the World Wide Web: http://www.nursingspectrum.com/CareersInNursing/index.htm

Government Websites

National Cancer Institute Press Release

Example:

National Cancer Institute. Office of Cancer Communication.(December 21, 2000). No Association Found Between Cellular Phone Use and Risk of Brain Tumors. National Cancer Institute Press Release. Retrieved January 6, 2001, from the World Wide Web: http://rex.nci.nih.gov/massmedia/pressreleases/cellphassoc.html

HIV/AIDS Statistics from the National Center for HIV, STD and TB Prevention

Example:

Centers for Disease Control. National Center for HIV, STD and TB Prevention. Divisions of HIV/AIDS Prevention. (January 2, 2001). Basic Statistics - International Statistics. Retrieved January 6, 2001, from the World Wide Web: http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/stats/internat.htm

Questions and Answers About Hip Replacement

Example:

National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. (n.d.). Questions and Answers About Hip Replacement. Retrieved January 6, 2001, from the World Wid Web: http://www.nih.gov/niams/healthinfo/hiprepqa.htm

Healthy People 2010

Example:

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. (n.d.). Healthy People 2010. Retrieved January 22, 2001, from the World Wide Web: http://www.health.gov/healthypeople/

Laws — State and Federal

Nevada Revised Statutes Chapter 632 - Nursing

Example:

Practice of professional nursing. (1999). N.R.S. 632.018. Retrieved January 22, 2001, from the World Wide Web: http://www.leg.state.nv.us/NRS/NRS-632.html

United States Code Title 42 - Requirements for Nursing Facilities

Example:

Requirements for nursing facilities. (1994). 42 U.S.C. 1396r. Retrieved from GPO Access database on the World Wide Web: http://www.access.gpo.gov/congress/cong013.html

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