APA Citation Generator

Online Encyclopedia Entry

How to Cite an Online Encyclopedia Entry in APA Style

Citing an online encyclopedia entry in APA 7th edition style requires the following elements:

  • Author's name or entry title if no author
  • Date of publication or n.d. if no date
  • Title of the entry (in italics if it stands alone, plain text if part of a larger work)
  • Title of the encyclopedia (in italics)
  • Publisher (if not already listed as author)
  • URL of the entry

General Format

Author, A. A. or Entry title if no author. (Year, Month Day). Entry title. In Encyclopedia Title. Publisher. URL


Online Encyclopedia Entry Citation Examples in APA Style

Example 1 (With author): Smith, J. (2023, May 15). Artificial intelligence. In Encyclopedia of Technology. TechKnow Publishing. https://www.techencyclopedia.com/entries/artificial-intelligence

Example 2 (No author): Quantum computing. (2022, September 8). In Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Stanford University. https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/qt-quantcomp/

Example 3 (Wikipedia): Climate change. (2023, September 18). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climate_change

Example 4 (Continuously updated): American Psychological Association. (n.d.). Cognitive behavioral therapy. In APA Dictionary of Psychology. Retrieved September 20, 2023, from https://dictionary.apa.org/cognitive-behavioral-therapy

Example 5 (Non-English): Müller, H. (2022). Quantenmechanik [Quantum mechanics]. In Enzyklopädie der Physik. Springer. https://www.physik-enzyklopaedie.de/quantenmechanik

Example 6 (Print version of online entry): García, M. (2023). Sustainable development. In J. Smith & L. Johnson (Eds.), Encyclopedia of Environmental Science (2nd ed., pp. 450-455). Green Publishing. https://www.greenpublishing.com/encyc-env-sci/sustainable-development


Key Points to Remember

If no author is listed, begin the citation with the entry title.

Use "n.d." for the date if no publication date is provided.

Include a retrieval date if the content is likely to change over time (e.g., wikis).

Italicize the encyclopedia title, not the entry title (unless it's a standalone work).

For entries in languages other than English, provide an English translation in square brackets after the original title.

If citing a print version of an online entry, include page numbers and edition information.


Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How do I cite a Wikipedia article?

A: Cite it like other online encyclopedia entries, with "Wikipedia" as the encyclopedia title and include a retrieval date.

Q: What if the online encyclopedia is continuously updated?

A: Use "n.d." for the date and include a retrieval date in your citation.

Q: How do I cite an encyclopedia entry with no individual author?

A: Begin the citation with the title of the entry, followed by the date.

Q: Should I include the publisher for online encyclopedias?

A: Include the publisher if it's different from the author or encyclopedia name.

Q: How do I cite an encyclopedia entry that I accessed through a database?

A: Cite it as you would a regular online encyclopedia entry, without mentioning the database.

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