how to write the name of a book in an essay apa

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Q. How do I refer to a book by title in-text in APA format?

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Answered By: Gabe Gossett Last Updated: Jun 22, 2023     Views: 673847

The basic format for an in-text citation is: Title of the Book (Author Last Name, year).

One author: Where the Wild Things Are (Sendak, 1963) is a depiction of a child coping with his anger towards his mom.

Two authors (cite both names every time): Brabant and Mooney (1986) have used the comic strip to examine evidence of sex role stereotyping. OR The comic strip has been used to examine evidence of sex role stereotyping (Brabant & Mooney, 1986).

Three or more authors (cite the first author plus et al.): Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy (Clare et al., 2016) depicts a young man's experience at the Shadowhunter Academy, a place where being a former vampire is looked down upon.OR Clare et al. (2016) have crafted a unique story about a young man's journey to find himself.

No author: Cite the first few words of the reference entry (usually the title) and the year. Use double quotation marks around the title of an article or chapter, and italicize the title of a periodical, book, brochure, or report. Examples: From the book Study Guide (2000) ... or ("Reading," 1999).

Note: Titles of periodicals, books, brochures, or reports should be in italics and use normal title capitalization rules.

If you are citing multiple sources by multiple authors in-text, you can list all of them by the author's last name and year of publication within the same set of parentheses, separated by semicolons.

Example: (Adams, 1999; Jones & James, 2000; Miller, 1999)

For more information on how to cite books in-text and as a reference entry, see the APA Publication Manual (7th edition) Section 10.2 on pages 321-325 .

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Comments (13)

• This was very useful for me! I was having a really hard time finding information on how to mention an article title AND the author in text in APA so this was very helpful!!! by Ryan Waddell on Jun 27, 2019
• If I just mention that I used a book to teach a topic do I have to include it in the reference list? by Franw on Oct 17, 2019
• @Franw, if it is a source that informs your paper in any way, or if your reader would have reason to look it up, then you should include a full reference list entry for the book. by Gabe [Research & Writing Studio] on Oct 18, 2019
• Maybe I'm misunderstanding the question, but I think the OP is asking how to refer to a book title, not how to cite one. I believe APA uses quotation marks around book titles and MLA uses italics. by AB on Dec 12, 2019
• @AB: The first sentence has been tweaked to clarify title of book usage, reflecting the examples given. For APA style you should use italics for book titles. It would be quotation marks. by Gabe [Research & Writing Studio] on Dec 12, 2019
• Hi, can any one help me with in-text-citation of this, how can i cite it in the text Panel, I. L. (2002). Digital transformation: A framework for ICT literacy. Educational Testing Service, 1-53. by Milad on Aug 20, 2021
• @Milad: In that case it would be (Panel, 2002). If you are quoting, or otherwise choosing to include page numbers, put a comma after the year, then p. and the page number(s). by Gabe Gossett on Aug 20, 2021
• Hey, I'm a little bit curious, what if I'm mentioning a book and paraphrasing it but still want to give credit. Would I put the information into parenthesis instead? Like: Paraphrased info. ("Title in Italics" Author, year) by Kai on Sep 14, 2023
• @Kai: Apologies for not seeing your question sooner! (Our academic year has not started yet). If I am understanding your question correctly, what I suggest is referring to the book title in the narrative of your writing, rather than in the in-text citation. I do not see an examples of using a book title in an in-text citation except for rare circumstances including citing a classic religious text or using the title when there is no author information because it is the start of your reference list entry. Basically, APA's in-text convention is supposed to make it easy for your reader to locate the source being cited in the reference list. So the first part of the in-text citation, usually authors, comes first to locate it alphabetically. Putting the book title first when you have an author name can throw that off. by Gabe Gossett on Sep 21, 2023
• Perhaps this is along the lines of the response to Kai - Can you reference a book title as a common point of social understanding to demonstrate a common concept? Is official citing required if you use widely known titles such as "Where's Waldo" and "Who Moved My Cheese?" to make a point of illustration? by Chez Renee on Sep 30, 2023
• @Chez: Aside from some classical religious texts, if it is a published book, I'd try to make sure that it is appropriately cited for APA style. That said, I think I understand where it gets tricky with things like Where's Waldo, since that is a series of books and stating "Where's Waldo" is a cultural reference many people would understand, though you can't reasonably cite the entire series. I don't believe that APA gives guidance for this particular issue. If it is being referred to in order to back up a claim, it would help to cite a particular book. If not, then it might work to use a statement such as, "Hanford's Where's Waldo series . . ." by Gabe Gossett on Oct 02, 2023
• How to cite a dissertation thesis in apa form? by Elizabeth on Feb 05, 2024
• @Elizabeth: For citing a dissertation or thesis you can check out our page answering that here https://askus.library.wwu.edu/faq/153308 by Gabe Gossett on Feb 05, 2024

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How to Write a Book Title in an Essay (MLA, APA etc.)

Formatting your essay correctly ensures that you get full recognition for the hard work you put into it. Wondering what to do? There are two scenarios that lead you to the question of "how to write a book title in an essay":

• You have not been required to use a particular style guide, in which case consistency remains important.
• You have been instructed to use a particular style guide. You now simply need to ensure that you are familiar with its rules.

Regardless of which of these scenarios holds true for you, this guide is here to help.

How to Write a Book Title in an Essay

Many style manuals call on writers use title case and italics to format a book title. Title case rules vary slightly from one style guide to the next, but generally capitalize all important words — nouns, pronouns, verbs, and adverbs. Conjunctions and prepositions are not capitalized unless they are very long (generally more than four letters) or they appear at the beginning or end of a book title.

Writers who are not required to work with a specific style manual can't go wrong if they stick to this style. Some examples would be:

• To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
• The Gift of Fear and Other Survival Signals That Protect us From Violence by Gavin de Becker
• The Cat With a Feathery Tail and Other Stories by Enid Blyton

If, on the other hand, you're required to use a style guide, it will likely be one of these:

• MLA, commonly used in disciplines relating to literature and social sciences.
• APA, commonly used in psychology and other sciences.
• Chicago, often used in the publishing industry.
• Harvard style, commonly used in philosophy and social sciences.

These are certainly not the only "big players" in the style guide world, but they're ones it's good to be familiar with. There is overlap between these styles, but there are also major differences — so knowing one definitely does not mean you know the others, too.

Guidelines for Writing a Book Title in an Essay

Looking for a short and sharp answer, so you can get on with the rest of your essay? This is it.

This quick guide will help you reference the book title of your choosing in the body of your essay, but what about your Works Cited pages? Each style guide offers different rules, and we'll use the same book as an example to illustrate the differences.

• MLA uses the following format: Author Last Name, First Name. Title of Book . City of Publication, Publisher, Publication Year. Example: Card, Orson Scott. Ender's Game. Tor Books, 1985. (You only have to detail the city of publication if the book was published before 1900, the publisher has offices in many localities, or the publisher is not known in the US.)
• APA uses the following format: Author Last Name, First Name. (Year of Publication). Title of book. Example: Card, Orson Scott. (1985). Ender's game.
• Chicago style uses the following format: Author Last Name, First Name. Book Title: Subtitle . Place of publication: Publisher, Year. Example: Card, Orson Scott. Ender's Game . Tor Books, 1985.
• Harvard uses the following format: Author Last Name, First Initial. (Publication Year). Title . ed. City: Publisher. Example: Card, O. (1985). Ender's Game. Tor Books.

If, after researching, you cannot find relevant information about publication years, publishers, or the city in which a book was published, you may omit it. For a full guide, it is always best to have a physical copy of the latest edition of the style manual you are using. You can, however, get by without this if you need to.

Should you still not know what to do, it will be helpful for you to know that you can "generate" citations for a particular style manual with the help of online tools like Cite Me . These are not always accurate, so if you decide to use one, always check the citation manually.

Why Is Proper Formatting Important?

All of the well-known style manuals ultimately serve the very same set of purposes, although they were each developed for a particular niche. The goals of these style manuals are both explicit and implicit:

• Following a style guide ensures consistency throughout a document, in this case an essay.
• Consistency ensures that reader's understand precisely what the writer is talking about, without exerting any effort on figuring that out. Clarity is especially important in academic writing.
• By using a style guide within a certain discipline, you show that you understand the rules within that discipline. This adds credibility to your voice as a writer. You have done your homework, have ideally bought the style manual, and are part of the "in group".
• Sticking to a certain style guide makes it easier for relevant parties to check your references, which they can then use to perform further research.

Students are increasingly asked to refer to style guides at all levels, including in high school. In this case, formatting your essay correctly, in accordance with the right style manual, serves two additional purposes:

• You'll lose points if you don't do it right, offering you an additional reason to do your research.
• Getting used to these formats prepares you for further education. If you are in high school, it prepares you for college-level writing. If you are an undergraduate student, it prepares you for academic work at the graduate and post-graduate levels.

Can you start an essay with a book title?

Yes, you can start an essay with a book title. This is a valid stylistic choice, but you will always want to consider your introduction carefully.

How do you write a book title in handwriting?

Students sometimes ask whether it is acceptable to underline book titles instead of italicizing them. This practice indeed stems from a time in which most students wrote their essays by hand. Although it has largely fallen out of practice now, you can still underline a book title if you are handwriting your essay.

How do you write a book title and chapter in an essay?

You should mention the chapter title first: "Rat" from Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card. Consult the relevant style manual to ensure you get the formatting right.

Can you shorten a book title in an essay?

Yes, you can. Reference the full title the first time you mention it (for example: Furiously Happy: A Funny Book About Horrible Things ). The next time you mention the book, you may simply refer to Furiously Happy .

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How to Write a Book Name in an Essay

Last Updated: February 14, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Noah Taxis and by wikiHow staff writer, Danielle Blinka, MA, MPA . Noah Taxis is an English Teacher based in San Francisco, California. He has taught as a credentialed teacher for over four years: first at Mountain View High School as a 9th- and 11th-grade English Teacher, then at UISA (Ukiah Independent Study Academy) as a Middle School Independent Study Teacher. He is now a high school English teacher at St. Ignatius College Preparatory School in San Francisco. He received an MA in Secondary Education and Teaching from Stanford University’s Graduate School of Education. He also received an MA in Comparative and World Literature from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and a BA in International Literary & Visual Studies and English from Tufts University. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 67,353 times.

When you’re writing an essay that includes a book title, it can be confusing to write the title correctly. However, it’s really easy once you know the rules. How you write the title will vary a little bit depending on the style your instructor assigns and if you are typing or handwriting the essay. Luckily, it's easy to follow the rules for writing a book name in an essay.

Writing Help

Typing an Essay in MLA or Chicago Style Format

• For example, you would write To Kill a Mockingbird , The Lord of the Rings , or Wuthering Heights .

• If you have the book name in front of you, you can just copy it down as it is printed.
• Articles include a, an, and the.
• Prepositions include at, in, on, of, about, since, from, for, until, during, over, above, under, underneath, below, beneath, near, by, next to, between, among, and opposite.
• Coordinating conjunctions include the FANBOYS, which are for, and, not, but, or, yet, and

• For example, you would write the name of William Faulkner’s novel Absalom, Absalom! with both the comma and the exclamation point in italics.

• If the highlight bar goes away, try again, making sure that you don’t click anywhere on the page after you highlight the book name.

• Alternatively, you can press the italicize icon before you type the title.
• If you’re using Microsoft Word to type your essay, the italicize key may appear if you hover over the highlighted book name.

• If the next word after your title appears italicized when you resume typing, simply highlight it and click the italicize icon to remove the formatting.

• For example, The Lord of the Rings trilogy is sometimes published in one volume. In this case, you could write the name of the first novel as "The Fellowship of the Ring" when citing it in an essay.

Typing an Essay in APA Format

• Capitalize the first letter of the words, not the entire word.
• If the word is a two-part hyphenated word in the title, you should capitalize both words. For example, you would write Blue River: The Trial of a Mayor-Elect .
• If there is a dash or colon in the title, you should capitalize the word after the punctuation, regardless of how long the word is. As above, you would write Blue River: The Trial of a Mayor-Elect .

• For example, you would write Philip K. Dick’s Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? with the question mark italicized.

• If the book name is not highlighted, left click and drag your cursor again, making sure that you don’t click again anywhere on the page.

• If you are using Microsoft Word, the italics icon may appear when you hover over the highlighted book title. It’s okay to click this key.

Handwriting an Essay

• For MLA and Chicago style essays, capitalize the first word of the book name and every word other than articles, prepositions, or coordinating conjunctions. For example, write The Lord of the Rings .
• If you’re using APA style, capitalize the first word and all words longer than 4 letters. [9] X Research source This means you would write Public Policy in Local Government .

• If you’re writing on lined paper, it may help to follow along the line of the paper. However, make sure your line is dark enough so that your instructor will see that you properly underlined the book name.

• For example, you would write Judy Blume’s Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret by underlining the punctuation marks as well as the words.

Expert Interview

Thanks for reading our article! If you’d like to learn more about academic writing, check out our in-depth interview with Noah Taxis .

• ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/mla_style/mla_formatting_and_style_guide/mla_general_format.html
• ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/subject_specific_writing/writing_in_literature/writing_about_literature/formatting.html
• ↑ https://www.grammarly.com/blog/underline-or-italicize-book-titles/
• ↑ https://askus.library.wwu.edu/faq/116757
• ↑ https://libguides.up.edu/apa/books_ebooks
• ↑ https://apastyle.apa.org/style-grammar-guidelines/italics-quotations/italics

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Writing A Book Title In Your Essay – The Right Way

Table of contents

• 1 APA Style: How to Write Book Titles in Essays
• 2 APA Style Essay: Writing The Name of The Author
• 3 MLA Style Essay: Citing a Book Title
• 4 Chicago Style Essay: Writing the Book Title
• 5 Writing Various Types of Titles
• 6 Should We Underline or Italicize Book Titles?

When you are writing an academic essay , the book title and author’s name should be written in italics. However, if the book title is part of a larger work (such as a journal article), it should be underlined instead. So, you’re wondering how to write a book title in an essay?

Writing an essay with a book title can be tricky, particularly because each style guide has its own formatting rules for including titles in the main text. Whether you are using MLA, APA, Chicago, or Harvard referencing styles, you will need to consider how to properly format the book title. For more complicated literature-based assignments, seeking assistance from an admission essay writing service may be wise, as they specialize in writing essays that incorporate academic sources.

In this article, we will explore how to write both titles in an essay properly so that you avoid any mistakes!

APA Style: How to Write Book Titles in Essays

When writing an essay, you must follow the style guide provided by your professor. Some teachers may require you to use APA style and others MLA style. There are some rules on how to quote a book title in an essay. You should use italics and quotation marks when writing book titles in essays. For example: “ The Rape of Nanking: The Forgotten Holocaust of World War II. “

When writing a book title in APA Style , you should be aware of these rules:

Write the book title in italics and place it after the author’s name, which is presented in reverse order (last name first).

Use quotation marks around the headline of a chapter or article.

Capitalize proper names that are not common nouns (names of people, places, organizations), but do not capitalize words such as “and,” “or,” “to,” or “and/or.”

Do not capitalize prepositions that appear at the beginning of titles if they are followed by an article (e.g., “A,” “An”), but do capitalize prepositions at the beginning of titles if they are not followed by articles (“Of”).

The first word of the headline should be capitalized, as well as any other words after a colon or hyphen. For example, “The Elements of Style: Grammar for Everyone”  or “Theories of Personality: Critical Perspectives.”

Capitalize proper names and words derived from them (e.g., the names of people, places, organizations), except proper nouns used generically (e.g., ‘a bed’).

APA Style Essay: Writing The Name of The Author

You should always use the full name and surname of the author in your APA essay because this will give proper credit to the writer. If you do not mention the author’s full name, people may not know who wrote what and will think you copied it from somewhere else. This will cause lots of problems for you and your reputation as well.

Make sure that all authors’ names appear in the same format in each entry. For example, if one person’s surname is Smith and another’s is Jones, both have first names starting with “J.” It may seem like they are being cited as different people when they’re actually written differently from each other on separate pages in your paper.

To write an APA essay without any issues, there are certain rules that you need to follow while writing an author’s name in APA essay:

• Use only one author’s name in your paper unless there are multiple authors
• If there are multiple authors, then use both their last names followed by the initials of their first names
• Only use initials of first names when there are three or more authors; otherwise, use full names with their last names

Example: Johnson, M.C., Carlson, M., Smith, J. N., & Hanover, L. E.

MLA Style Essay: Citing a Book Title

Now let’s discuss how to mention a book in an essay. The MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, 7th edition, published by the Modern Language Association (2014), contains detailed rules about how to cite a book title in an essay.

The following guidelines will instruct you on how to refer to a book in an essay in MLA style :

• List your sources at the end of your paper, before the works cited page or bibliography.
• Use italics for titles of books, magazines, and newspapers, but not for articles within those publications, which should be placed in quotation marks.
• Include all relevant book information under two categories: “title” and “author.” In the former category, include the work’s title and its subtitle if there is one; do this even if neither appears on your title page (see below). In the latter category, include only primary authors who have written or edited an entire book; if there are multiple contributors, you should cite them separately under each.

The general format for citing the title of the book in an essay is as follows:

Author’s last name, first initial (Date). Title of Book with Subtitle if there is one. Publisher Name/Location of Publisher; Year Published

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Chicago Style Essay: Writing the Book Title

One of the most important things to remember when writing in Chicago style is how to write the title of a book in an essay. To write a good book title in an essay, you should follow these steps:

• Write it at the beginning of your sentence.
• Capitalize it just like any other noun or proper noun.
• Put a comma after the title unless it’s an introductory clause or phrase. For example: “The Firm,” by John Grisham (not “by”) and “The Catcher in the Rye,” by J.D Salinger (not “and”).
• In addition to the book’s name, punctuation marks should also be italicized.

For example: Harry Potter and the Half-blood Prince: Children’s Edition

Writing Various Types of Titles

Now that we covered how to write a book title and author in an essay, it’s time to look at some different types of titles. When you write a book title in an essay, several things must be considered. Whether it’s a book, series, chapter title, editor’s name, or author’s name, how you write it depends on where it appears in your paper.

Here are some key rules for writing headings for novels:

•  Use capital letters to write the title of the novel. For example,  The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett .
• Use italics and capital letters to write the name of the author and his/her other works mentioned in a book title—for example,  Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice (1813) .

You should use quotation marks when writing headings of short title poems, articles, and stories.

However, before deciding which format to use, it is important to understand the main idea you want to express in your essay. Additionally, you could use essay papers for sale to help you accomplish your goal of writing an essay effectively.

Should We Underline or Italicize Book Titles?

It depends on which style guide you use. The Modern Language Association and Chicago Manual of Style both suggest using italics, while the American Psychological Association suggests using quotation marks with a few exceptions.

The way you write the title of a book in an essay is different depending on the instructions you were given. For example, if you’re writing an essay in APA style, use quotation marks around the book’s name. If you’re writing for MLA or Chicago style , however, italicize the book’s name instead. If you’re writing a handwritten essay instead of using a computer, capitalize and underline the book’s name.

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How to Write a Book Title in an Essay (+48 Examples)

Knowing how to properly format book titles in your essay is crucial. This guide will walk you through the various rules and conventions, ensuring that your writing is polished and professional.

Here’s how to write a book title in an essay.

Basic Rules for Writing a Book Title in an Essay

Let’s get right into the basic rules that you will use most of the time.

Italicize Book Titles

In most style guides, such as MLA, APA, and Chicago, book titles should be italicized. This helps to distinguish the title from the rest of the text and makes it clear to the reader.

• Correct: To Kill a Mockingbird
• Incorrect: To Kill a Mockingbird

Use Quotation Marks for Shorter Works

Shorter works, such as articles, essays, chapters, and short stories, should be placed in quotation marks.

• Correct: “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson
• Incorrect: The Lottery by Shirley Jackson

How to Write a Book Title in Different Scenarios

Table of Contents

Of course, sometimes, you’ll run into different situations where you might need to change how you write book titles in your essays.

In this section, I’ll cover as many of these scenarios as possible, along with examples.

1. MLA Format

In MLA format, book titles are italicized. If you are writing an essay in MLA format, ensure that you follow this rule.

Additionally, titles of articles, essays, chapters, and web pages should be placed in quotation marks.

This style is commonly used in humanities and liberal arts. MLA format emphasizes the clarity of source titles, helping to avoid confusion and ensure proper citation.

MLA guidelines help maintain consistency across academic writing, making it easier for readers to follow and understand references.

• Correct: In The Great Gatsby , F. Scott Fitzgerald explores themes of decadence and idealism.
• Correct: The chapter titled “The Custom-House” in The Scarlet Letter provides essential background.

2. APA Format

APA format also requires book titles to be italicized.

This style is commonly used in the social sciences. Titles of articles, chapters, and other shorter works are placed in quotation marks.

APA format focuses on date-driven citations, so the book title should stand out to help the reader quickly identify the source.

Using italics for book titles in APA ensures clarity and consistency, helping to distinguish the titles from other elements of the citation.

• Correct: The study is detailed in The Psychology of Learning .
• Correct: In the book Thinking, Fast and Slow , Daniel Kahneman discusses cognitive biases.

3. Chicago Style

Chicago style, used in history and other disciplines, also calls for book titles to be italicized.

This format is flexible and allows for both footnotes and endnotes.

Titles of articles, chapters, and shorter works are placed in quotation marks. The Chicago Manual of Style provides extensive guidelines for source citation and text formatting.

By italicizing book titles, Chicago style ensures that references are clear and unambiguous, aiding readers in locating the sources.

• Correct: The author of War and Peace is Leo Tolstoy.
• Correct: In her analysis, the book Pride and Prejudice is frequently cited.

4. In-Text Citations

When referencing a book title in the body of your essay, it should be italicized.

If you are referring to a specific chapter or section, place the title of the chapter in quotation marks.

This ensures clarity and helps the reader distinguish between the book title and other elements of your text.

In-text citations need to be precise and clear to ensure that the reader can easily identify the source material and verify the information.

• Correct: The theme of betrayal in 1984 is evident throughout the novel.
• Correct: The essay “Self-Reliance” by Ralph Waldo Emerson is often quoted in academic circles.

5. In a Works Cited Page

In your works cited page, format book titles according to the style guide you are using.

For MLA, APA, and Chicago styles, book titles should be italicized.

This section provides full bibliographic details, making it easy for readers to locate your sources.

Properly formatting book titles in your works cited page ensures that your references are clear and consistent, which is crucial for academic integrity and credibility.

• MLA: Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby . Scribner, 2004.
• APA: Fitzgerald, F. S. (2004). The Great Gatsby . Scribner.
• Chicago: Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby . New York: Scribner, 2004.

6. Handwritten Essays

If you are writing an essay by hand, underline book titles instead of italicizing them.

This is because italics can be difficult to distinguish in handwritten text.

Underlining provides a clear way to differentiate book titles from the rest of your writing.

In handwritten essays, maintaining clear and legible formatting is important to ensure that the reader can easily recognize book titles and other elements of your text.

• Correct: Moby Dick should be underlined in a handwritten essay.
• Incorrect: Moby Dick should not be italicized in a handwritten essay.

7. Titles Within Titles

If a book title appears within another book title, italicize the main title and use quotation marks for the title within the title.

This distinction helps clarify the structure of the titles and ensures that each component is properly formatted.

Formatting titles within titles correctly avoids confusion and maintains the clarity and readability of your text.

• Correct: She read A Study of “The Raven” by Edgar Allan Poe .
• Correct: His analysis in Understanding “Moby Dick” was groundbreaking.

8. Multiple Works by the Same Author

When referencing multiple works by the same author in an essay, list the titles in italics and separate them with commas.

This formatting helps readers easily identify the different works and understand the scope of the author’s contributions.

Properly formatting multiple works by the same author ensures that your references are clear and organized, making it easier for readers to follow your analysis.

• Correct: Orwell’s 1984 , Animal Farm , and Homage to Catalonia all critique social structures.
• Correct: Austen’s novels, Pride and Prejudice , Emma , and Sense and Sensibility , are classics.

9. In a Bibliography

In a bibliography, book titles should be italicized, and other details should follow the respective style guide’s rules.

This ensures that your sources are listed correctly and consistently, making it easy for readers to find them.

A properly formatted bibliography is essential for academic integrity, providing a clear and comprehensive record of the sources you have used.

• MLA: Orwell, George. 1984 . Secker & Warburg, 1949.
• APA: Orwell, G. (1949). 1984 . Secker & Warburg.
• Chicago: Orwell, George. 1984 . London: Secker & Warburg, 1949.

10. In a Research Paper

In research papers, book titles should be italicized, and any specific sections, like chapters or essays, should be in quotation marks.

This clear differentiation helps readers distinguish between the entire work and individual parts.

Proper formatting in research papers ensures that your references are clear and professional, making it easy for readers to verify your sources.

• Correct: The character development in The Catcher in the Rye is significant.
• Correct: The chapter “The Catcher in the Rye” in Salinger’s book highlights the main theme.

11. In a Thesis or Dissertation

Theses and dissertations require strict adherence to formatting rules, so ensure book titles are italicized.

Proper formatting in these extensive research papers demonstrates attention to detail and adherence to academic standards.

Italicizing book titles in a thesis or dissertation helps maintain consistency and professionalism, which is crucial for the credibility of your work.

• Correct: The influence of Crime and Punishment on modern psychology is evident.
• Correct: In her dissertation, she cited Brave New World extensively.

12. In a Presentation

When preparing a presentation, italicize book titles in your slides or handouts to maintain professional formatting.

This practice ensures that your presentation is clear and visually appealing, reinforcing your points effectively.

Properly formatting book titles in presentations enhances the readability and professionalism of your slides, making your information more accessible to the audience.

• Correct: Key themes in To Kill a Mockingbird include justice and morality.
• Correct: The impact of The Iliad on literature cannot be overstated.

13. In a Discussion Post

When writing discussion posts for online classes or forums, italicize book titles to follow proper formatting.

This helps maintain clarity and ensures your posts are taken seriously by other participants.

Properly formatting book titles in discussion posts demonstrates your attention to detail and respect for academic conventions, enhancing the credibility of your contributions.

• Correct: I found The Great Gatsby to be a profound critique of the American Dream.
• Correct: In Frankenstein , Mary Shelley explores themes of creation and responsibility.

14. In a Book Review

In book reviews, the title of the book being reviewed should be italicized to clearly distinguish it from the rest of the text.

This practice ensures that readers can easily identify the book you are discussing.

Properly formatting book titles in reviews enhances the readability and professionalism of your writing, making your review more engaging and credible.

• Correct: The Road by Cormac McCarthy is a haunting tale of survival.
• Correct: In her review of Beloved , she highlights the emotional depth of the narrative.

15. In a Literary Analysis

Literary analysis essays should follow the same formatting rules, with book titles italicized.

This helps distinguish the titles from other parts of the text, making your analysis clear and organized.

Proper formatting in literary analysis ensures that your references are easily identifiable and enhances the overall professionalism of your essay.

• Correct: The symbolism in The Scarlet Letter is intricate and multifaceted.
• Correct: Macbeth by Shakespeare is a study in ambition and power.

16. In a Creative Writing Piece

Even in creative writing, when referencing other works, book titles should be italicized to maintain clarity.

Proper formatting ensures that your references are easily identifiable, even in a more informal context.

Italicizing book titles in creative writing helps to maintain consistency and professionalism, enhancing the readability and credibility of your work.

• Correct: She often thought of herself as a modern-day Elizabeth Bennet from Pride and Prejudice .
• Correct: His journey felt like something out of The Hobbit .

17. In a History Essay

In history essays, book titles are italicized, and other works such as articles or chapters are placed in quotation marks.

This formatting helps clarify sources and makes your essay more professional.

Properly formatting book titles in history essays ensures that your references are clear and easily distinguishable, enhancing the credibility and readability of your work.

• Correct: The events in All Quiet on the Western Front illustrate the horrors of war.
• Correct: In the book The Guns of August , the causes of WWI are detailed.

18. In a Science Paper

Even in science papers, book titles should be italicized to ensure professional and clear presentation.

This practice helps to maintain consistency and clarity in your citations and references.

Properly formatting book titles in science papers ensures that your sources are easily identifiable and enhances the overall professionalism of your work.

• Correct: The theories in The Origin of Species revolutionized biology.
• Correct: In his book A Brief History of Time , Stephen Hawking explores complex physics concepts.

19. In a Philosophy Paper

Philosophy papers require careful citation, with book titles italicized and other works properly formatted.

Accurate formatting reflects a commitment to scholarly rigor and helps readers locate your sources easily.

Properly formatting book titles in philosophy papers ensures that your references are clear and professional, enhancing the credibility and readability of your work.

• Correct: Plato’s The Republic is fundamental to understanding his philosophy.
• Correct: The ideas in Being and Time by Heidegger are complex and profound.

20. In a Law Essay

Law essays often reference important texts and cases, with book titles italicized for clarity.

Proper formatting ensures that your legal citations are clear and professional, facilitating easy reference.

Italicizing book titles in law essays helps to maintain consistency and clarity, making your references easily identifiable and enhancing the overall professionalism of your work.

• Correct: In The Common Law , Oliver Wendell Holmes outlines fundamental legal principles.
• Correct: The casebook Constitutional Law is widely used in legal education.

21. In a Social Studies Essay

Social studies essays should also follow proper formatting rules, with book titles italicized.

This practice helps to clearly distinguish the sources and enhances the readability of your essay.

Properly formatting book titles in social studies essays ensures that your references are clear and consistent, making it easier for readers to locate your sources and enhancing the credibility of your work.

• Correct: The impact of Silent Spring on environmental policy was significant.
• Correct: In Guns, Germs, and Steel , Jared Diamond explores the factors influencing human societies.

Here is a good video about how to write a book title in an essay:

Summary Chart: How to Write a Book Title in an Essay

Final Thoughts

By following the formatting rules outlined in this guide, you can ensure that your writing is clear, professional, and polished.

For more guides on writing essays (and more), check out some of our other blog posts below.

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Book/Ebook References

Use the same formats for both print books and ebooks. For ebooks, the format, platform, or device (e.g., Kindle) is not included in the reference.

This page contains reference examples for books, including the following:

• Whole authored book
• Whole edited book
• Republished book, with editor
• Book published with new foreword by another author
• Several volumes of a multivolume work

1. Whole authored book

Jackson, L. M. (2019). The psychology of prejudice: From attitudes to social action (2nd ed.). American Psychological Association. https://doi.org/10.1037/0000168-000

Sapolsky, R. M. (2017). Behave: The biology of humans at our best and worst . Penguin Books.

Svendsen, S., & Løber, L. (2020). The big picture/Academic writing: The one-hour guide (3rd digital ed.). Hans Reitzel Forlag. https://thebigpicture-academicwriting.digi.hansreitzel.dk/

• Parenthetical citations : (Jackson, 2019; Sapolsky, 2017; Svendsen & Løber, 2020)
• Narrative citations : Jackson (2019), Sapolsky (2017), and Svendsen and Løber (2020)
• Provide the author, year of publication, title, and publisher of the book. Use the same format for both print books and ebooks.
• Use the copyright date shown on the book’s copyright page as the year of publication in the reference, even if the copyright date is different than the release date.
• Include any edition information in parentheses after the title, without italics.
• If the book includes a DOI, include the DOI in the reference after the publisher name.
• Do not include the publisher location.
• If the ebook without a DOI has a stable URL that will resolve for readers, include the URL of the book in the reference (as in the Svendsen and Løber example, which is from the iBog database, where ebooks are referred to as “internetbooks”). Do not include the name of the database in the reference.
• If the ebook is from an academic research database and has no DOI or stable URL, end the book reference after the publisher name. Do not include the name of the database in the reference. The reference in this case is the same as for a print book.

2. Whole edited book

Hygum, E., & Pedersen, P. M. (Eds.). (2010). Early childhood education: Values and practices in Denmark . Hans Reitzels Forlag. https://earlychildhoodeducation.digi.hansreitzel.dk/

Kesharwani, P. (Ed.). (2020). Nanotechnology based approaches for tuberculosis treatment . Academic Press.

Torino, G. C., Rivera, D. P., Capodilupo, C. M., Nadal, K. L., & Sue, D. W. (Eds.). (2019). Microaggression theory: Influence and implications . John Wiley & Sons. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119466642

• Parenthetical citations : (Hygum & Pedersen, 2010; Kesharwani, 2020; Torino et al., 2019)
• Narrative citations : Hygum and Pedersen (2010), Kesharwani (2020), and Torino et al. (2019)
• Use the abbreviation “(Ed.)” for one editor and the abbreviation “(Eds.)” for multiple editors after the editor names, followed by a period. In the case of multiple editors, include the role once, after all the names.
• If the ebook without a DOI has a stable URL that will resolve for readers, include the URL of the book in the reference (as in the Hygum and Pedersen example, which is from the iBog database). Do not include the name of the database in the reference.

3. Republished book, with editor

Watson, J. B., & Rayner, R. (2013). Conditioned emotional reactions: The case of Little Albert (D. Webb, Ed.). CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. http://a.co/06Se6Na (Original work published 1920)

• Parenthetical citation : (Watson & Rayner, 1920/2013)
• Narrative citation : Watson and Rayner (1920/2013)
• The book by Watson and Rayner was originally published in 1920. It was edited by Webb and republished in 2013.
• Sometimes an authored book also credits an editor on the cover. In this case, include the editor in parentheses without italics after the book title.
• Provide the year of the republication in the main date element of the reference. Provide the year of original publication at the end of the reference in parentheses after the words “Original work published.”
• Both publication years appear in the in-text citation, separated with a slash, with the earlier year first.

4. Book published with new foreword by another author

Kübler-Ross, E. (with Byock, I.). (2014). On death & dying: What the dying have to teach doctors, nurses, clergy & their own families (50th anniversary ed.). Scribner. (Original work published 1969)

• Parenthetical citation : (Kübler-Ross, 1969/2014)
• Narrative citation : Kübler-Ross (1969/2014)
• Use this format when a person other than the original author has added a new part to the work, such as a foreword or introduction.
• Provide the author of the whole book in the main author element of the reference. Then provide the name of the person who wrote the foreword, introduction, or other new part, in parentheses, after the word “with.” In the example, Byock wrote a new foreword to the book by Kübler-Ross.
• When citing the main book, include only the name of the book author in the in-text citation.
• Parenthetical citation of foreword : Workers in the medical community should “listen to the people who need our help and respond with all the knowledge and skill we can bring to bear” (Kübler-Ross, 1969/2014, foreword by Byock, p. xv).
• Narrative citation of foreword : Byock stated that Kübler-Ross’s (1969/2014) work “challenged the authoritarian decorum and puritanism of the day” (p. xii).

5. Several volumes of a multivolume work

Harris, K. R., Graham, S., & Urdan T. (Eds.). (2012). APA educational psychology handbook (Vols. 1–3). American Psychological Association.

• Parenthetical citation : (Harris et al., 2012)
• Narrative citation : Harris et al. (2012)
• Provide the name(s) of the editor(s)-in-chief as the editors of the work, even if the volume editors are different.

Book/ebook references are covered in the seventh edition APA Style manuals in the Publication Manual Section 10.2 and the Concise Guide Section 10.2

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In-Text Citations

Resources on using in-text citations in APA style

Reference List

Resources on writing an APA style reference list, including citation formats

Other APA Resources

How to Write Book Titles in Essays: APA, MLA, Chicago Styles

It’s your practical and up-to-point guide on how to write a book title in an essay. You’ll get the formatting rules and examples for citing book and author names in academic papers.

We’ve covered the top three citation styles: APA, Chicago, and MLA.

How to Write the Title of a Book in an Essay

First, remember the general rules of citing book names in academic works.

Here’s how to cite books in essays :

• Use capitalization. Every word of a book’s name goes in the title case, except prepositions, articles, and coordinating conjunctions.
• Use italics for longer and independent works. Use double quotations for shorter ones (poems, articles, book chapters, or play acts and scenes).
• Use single quotations for a book’s title within another title. (When citing monographs about literary works, for example.) 

While capitalization rules depend on the citation style, some general tips have a place to be. Please, no capitalization for:

• Articles: a, the (unless the book title begins with it)
• Coordinating conjunctions and prepositions: of, and, or, but, for, to, nor, in, so (unless the book title begins or ends with it)

Subordinating conjunctions (although, unless, because, if) go in capital letters.

How to Write a Book Title in an Essay: APA

APA (American Psychological Association) is the most popular style for citing academic works. It’s common for the social sciences like Education, Psychology, Sociology, and others. The current edition: 7th (2019).

Book titles in APA stand for:

• Italics. (If a book name includes any punctuation, italicize it too.)
• Capitalization. (Capitalize all words longer than four letters , regardless of the part of speech. Also, use capital letters for two-part words and those coming after a dash or a colon.)
• Double quotations instead of italics. (When citing a short work like an article or a poem; when citing a book chapter or when the book is a part of an anthology.)

For example: 

The Lord of the Rings but “The Fellowship of the Ring” (The latter is part of the trilogy.)

Related: How to Cite a Movie in APA Format

How to Write the Name of a Book in an Essay: Chicago

The Chicago Manual of Style is a guide by the University of Chicago. It’s common for fields like History, Fine Arts, and Business. The current edition: 17th (2017).

How to format book titles in Chicago:

• Italicize longer and independent works; put shorter ones in double quotations.
• Use italics for punctuation within a title.
• Capitalize all words except articles (a, the) and ALL prepositions or conjunctions (regardless of length).

For example:

In George Orwell’s 1984 , the author presents a dystopian society characterized by pervasive government surveillance and the suppression of individual freedom. The harrowing events in “Chapter 2,” where Winston Smith begins to rebel against the Party by starting a forbidden diary, mark a pivotal moment in the novel’s exploration of resistance against totalitarianism.

The style resembles the MLA format, but it’s flexible, allowing you to “break the rules if necessary.”

How to Write a Book Title in an Essay: MLA

MLA format stands for the Modern Language Association. It’s common for humanities like Literature, Culture, Linguistics, etc. The current edition: 8th (2016). 

How to format books in MLA:

• Italicize all words, including punctuation and those of two parts or going after colons and hyphens.
• Capitalize all words except articles (a, the) , prepositions, and short conjunctions within a book title.
• Use double quotations instead of italics when writing a book chapter or a part of a book series.

In Little Women , Beth March dies in Chapter 40, “The Valley of the Shadow.”

Formatting Book Author Names in Papers

Use the author’s full name (first and last) to format it in your essay for proper credit.

If a book has two authors, use both last names and initials. For works with three or more authors, use the last name of the first one and add “et all.”

No need to italicize author names in papers.

Why Properly Cite Book Titles in Essays

The short answer:

You won’t get a high grade for an essay. Formatting blunders count as mistakes.

The longer answer:

• You prove writing skills and an understanding of the rules in academia.
• Your papers maintain consistency. It’s critical to stick to criteria to prevent confusion. The consistent format for book headings also serves to better scannability and readability.
• You learn to cite different types of references for your future projects.

Do you italicize book titles?

Yes, you put book titles in italics. Please italicize long and stand-alone works: books, movies, webpages, reports, or music albums. Shorter works’ titles (articles, essays, poems, songs, or book chapters) come in quotations. (1)

Do you underline book titles?

Underlining book titles is an outdated practice. Some still use it in handwritten essays, but it’s not a must-follow rule. Neither APA nor MLA (or Chicago) mentions underlining book names in academic papers.

How to use book title capitalization in texts?

Capitalize every word in a book’s title. Exceptions are articles (a, the), prepositions, and short (three or fewer letters) conjunctions in mid-titles.

Are books italicized in all formatting styles?

Yes, book titles come in italics in all styles: APA, MLA, and Chicago. When citing book chapters or a book as a part of a series, use quotation marks instead.

How to write a book author in an essay?

Use the author’s full name when citing their book in your papers. For works with several authors, mention their last names and initials. Unlike book titles, author names come in standard formatting with no italics.

References:

• https://english.csuci.edu/resources/essay-writing-essentials.htm
• Essay samples
• Essay writing
• Writing tips

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Generate accurate APA citations for free

• Knowledge Base
• APA Style 7th edition
• Beginner’s guide to APA in-text citation

APA In-Text Citations (7th Ed.) | Multiple Authors & Missing Info

Published on November 4, 2020 by Raimo Streefkerk . Revised on September 5, 2024.

In-text citations briefly identify the source of information in the body text. They correspond to a full reference entry at the end of your paper.

APA in-text citations consist of the author’s last name and publication year. When citing a specific part of a source, also include a page number or range, for example (Parker, 2020, p. 67) or (Johnson, 2017, pp. 39–41) .

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Table of contents

Apa in-text citations explained in 4 minutes, parenthetical vs. narrative citations, apa in-text citations with multiple authors, no author, date or page number, multiple sources in one parenthesis, avoiding ambiguity in apa in-text citations, citing indirect sources (“as cited in”), citing personal communication, general mentions of websites and software, example paragraph with in-text citations, frequently asked questions.

The in-text citation can be placed in parentheses or naturally integrated into a sentence.

• Parenthetical : There is a correlation between social media usage and anxiety symptoms in teenagers (Parker, 2019) .
• Narrative: Parker (2019) found a correlation between social media usage and anxiety symptoms in teenagers.

The publication year appears directly after the author’s name when using the narrative format. The parenthetical citation can be placed within or at the end of a sentence, just before the period. Check out a full example paragraph with in-text citations .

Every source you reference in your writing should be accompanied by an accurate APA citation. Our plagiarism checker can help ensure your paper contains appropriate author attributions.

If a work has two authors, separate their names with an ampersand (&) in a parenthetical citation or “and” in a narrative citation. If there are three or more authors, only include the first author’s last name followed by “et al.”, meaning “and others”.

Group authors known by their abbreviations (e.g., CDC) are written in full the first time and are abbreviated in subsequent citations.

If the author of a source is unknown, try to determine if there is an organization or government responsible for creating the content. If so, include its name in the in-text citation (and reference entry).

Alternatively, use the source title in place of the author. Italicize the title if it’s italicized in the reference entry (except for court cases , which are italicized in the in-text citation but not the reference entry). Otherwise, enclose it in double quotation marks.

Apply title case capitalization, and shorten long titles. The first word of the title should always be included so readers can easily locate the corresponding reference entry.

• (“U.S. Flood Risk,” 2015)
• ( Thinking, Fast and Slow , 2017)

No publication date

If the publication date is unknown, write “n.d.” (no date) in the in-text citation.

No page number (alternative locators)

Page numbers are only required with direct quotes in APA . If you are quoting from a work that does not have page numbers (e.g., webpages or YouTube videos ), you can use an alternative locator, such as:

• (Liu, 2020, 03:26 )
• (Johnson, 2019, Chapter 3 )
• (McCombes, 2016, para. 4 )
• (Davis, 2016, Slide 15 )
• (Flores, 2020, Table 5 )
• (Streefkerk, 2020, “No page number” section )

Note that Bible citations always use chapter and verse numbers, even when page numbers are available:

If a statement is supported by multiple sources, the in-text citations can be combined in one parenthesis. Order the sources alphabetically, and separate them with a semicolon.

When citing multiple works from the same author, list the years of publication separated by a comma.

When in-text citations are ambiguous because they correspond to multiple reference entries, apply the solutions outlined in the table below.

If you want to refer to a source that you have found in another source, you should always try to access the original or primary source .

However, if you cannot find the original source , you should cite it through the secondary source that led you to it, using the phrase “as cited in”.

If the publication date of the primary source is unknown, include only the year of publication of the secondary source.

Only include a reference entry for the secondary source, not the primary source.

Personal communications , such as phone calls, emails, and interviews, are not included in the reference list because readers can’t access them. The in-text citation is also formatted slightly differently.

Include the initials and last name of the person you communicated with, the words “personal communication,” and the exact date in parentheses.

General mentions of a website or software don’t have to be cited with an in-text citation or entry in the reference list. Instead, incorporate relevant information into the running text.

• The website of Scribbr (www.scribbr.com) contains various useful resources.
• Statistical software SPSS (version 25) was used to analyze the data.

When citing a webpage or online article , the APA in-text citation consists of the author’s last name and year of publication. For example: (Worland & Williams, 2015). Note that the author can also be an organization. For example: (American Psychological Association, 2019).

If you’re quoting you should also include a locator. Since web pages don’t have page numbers, you can use one of the following options:

• Paragraph number: (Smith, 2018, para. 15).
• Heading or section name: ( CDC, 2020, Flu Season section)
• Abbreviated heading:  ( CDC, 2020, “Key Facts” section)

Instead of the author’s name, include the first few words of the work’s title in the in-text citation. Enclose the title in double quotation marks when citing an article, web page or book chapter. Italicize the title of periodicals, books, and reports.

If the publication date is unknown , use “n.d.” (no date) instead. For example: (Johnson, n.d.).

The abbreviation “ et al. ” (meaning “and others”) is used to shorten APA in-text citations with three or more authors . Here’s how it works:

Only include the first author’s last name, followed by “et al.”, a comma and the year of publication, for example (Taylor et al., 2018).

Always include page numbers in the APA in-text citation when quoting a source . Don’t include page numbers when referring to a work as a whole – for example, an entire book or journal article.

If your source does not have page numbers, you can use an alternative locator such as a timestamp, chapter heading or paragraph number.

If you cite several sources by the same author or group of authors, you’ll distinguish between them in your APA in-text citations using the year of publication.

If you cite multiple sources by the same author(s) at the same point , you can just write the author name(s) once and separate the different years with commas, e.g., (Smith, 2020, 2021).

To distinguish between sources with the same author(s) and  the same publication year, add a different lowercase letter after the year for each source, e.g., (Smith, 2020, 2021a, 2021b). Add the same letters to the corresponding reference entries .

In an APA in-text citation , you use the phrase “ as cited in ” if you want to cite a source indirectly (i.e., if you cannot find the original source).

Parenthetical citation: (Brown, 1829, as cited in Mahone, 2018) Narrative citation: Brown (1829, as cited in Mahone, 2018) states that…

On the reference page , you only include the secondary source (Mahone, 2018).

An APA in-text citation is placed before the final punctuation mark in a sentence.

• The company invested over 40,000 hours in optimizing its algorithm (Davis, 2011) .
• A recent poll suggests that EU membership “would be backed by 55 percent of Danish voters” in a referendum (Levring, 2018) .

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If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.

Streefkerk, R. (2024, September 05). APA In-Text Citations (7th Ed.) | Multiple Authors & Missing Info. Scribbr. Retrieved October 9, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/apa-style/in-text-citation/

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