How do I cite my OER Textbook in APA Style?

Answer

All books follow a basic template.

Author’s last name, First initial. Second Initial. (Year of Publication). Title of the book: Subtitle of the book. Publisher. DOI or URL

 

Make sure you check the following:

  • Use a DOI if available whether or not you used an online version. Keep the hyperlink.
  • If using a book from one of the library databases include a DOI if available, but do not provide the database name or a permanent link to the book. 
  • If using an online book on a free website with no DOI, include a direct URL to a website.
  • Do not include city and state of publication, only the publisher.

The most common type of textbook is written by one author or a group of authors. The key is that the chapters do not have different authors listed. In this type of book always reference the entire book and then point to a specific chapter or page when creating your in-text citation.

Book

This is a textbook written by one main author and several secondary authors. Each chapter is part of the whole manuscript and does not have seperate authors.

Krutz, G. (2021). American government (3rd ed.). Open Stax. https://openstax.org/details/books/american-government-3e

 

The parenthetical and narrative citations include the first part of the reference, in this case the author. If paraphrasing a page number is not mandatory but can be included for the sake of clarity. If using a direct quote add the page number.

Parenthetical paraphrase: Government is the way in which society establishes itself in order to achieve goals and benefit its citizens (Krutz, 2021).
Parenthetical quote: The textbook defines government as "the means by which a society organizes itself and how it allocates authority in order to accomplish collective goals and provide benefits that the society as a whole needs" (Krutz, 2021, p. 8).
Narrative paraphrase: Krutz (2021) explains that government is the way in which society establishes itself in order to achieve goals and benefit its citizens.
Narrative quote: Krutz (2021) defines government as "the means by which a society organizes itself and how it allocates authority in order to accomplish collective goals and provide benefits that the society as a whole needs" (p. 8).

Book Chapters Written by Different Authors

For this example, Katz and Van Allen wrote a chapter in this book. The entire book was edited by Clifton and Hoffman. So, in the example below, the chapter authors and title are listed first and followed by a notation that the chapter lives inside the book edited by Clifton and Hoffman.

Katz, S., & Van Allen, J. (n.d.). Evolving into the open: A framework for collaborative design of renewable assignments. In A. Clifton & K.D. Hoffman (Eds.), Open pedagogy approaches: Faculty, library, and student collaborations. Milne Library. https://milnepublishing.geneseo.edu/openpedagogyapproaches/

 

For the references below, no page numbers are available so an alternative identfier (a paragraph number) is used.

Parenthetical paraphrase: For assignments to be renewable, the students have to be urged to openly license their work for the benefit of society-at-large (Clifton & Hoffman, n.d.).
Parenthetical quote: Assignments are renewable when "the teacher invites the students to openly license and publicly share their work with the global community" (Clifton & Hoffman, n.d., para. 5).
Narrative paraphrase: Clifton & Hoffman (n.d.) explain that for assignments to be renewable, the students have to be urged to openly license their work for the benefit of society-at-large.
Narrative quote: Clifton & Hoffman (n.d.) explain that assignments are renewable when "the teacher invites the students to openly license and publicly share their work with the global community" (para. 5).

 

Please contact one of our Librarians in person or through our Ask a Librarian if you have questions.

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  • Last Updated Feb 12, 2025
  • Views 523
  • Answered By Nora Rackley

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