Q. How do I cite an online dictionary or encyclopedia in APA?
Last Updated: Aug 06, 2025 Views: 452
According to Purdue's Online Writing Lab (OWL), the standard APA format for a resource with an individual author:
Format: Last name, F. M. (Year). Title of entry. In F. M. Last name (ed.), Title of reference work (edition). Publisher. URL or DOI
Example: Martin, M. (2018). Animals. In L. A. Schintler & C. L. McNeely (Eds), Encyclopedia of big data. SpringerLink. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-32001-4_7-1
The standard format for a resource with a group (or organization) author:
Format: Institution or organization name. (Year). Title of entry. In Title of reference work. URL
Example: Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). Braggadocio. In Merriam-Webster.com dictionary. Retrieved January 13, 2020, from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/braggadocio
