Self-assessment: Acronyms in APA References

In your references list, do you use the full forms of all names as opposed to using acronyms, unless that acronym is part of a title?

If the answer is yes, click here to move on to the next section in the guide. If you aren't sure, keep reading below for more explanation.

Understanding Acronyms in APA References

In a references list in APA style, it's best to offer the full name of any organization listed as the author. This means avoiding abbreviations and acronyms. Check out the image below for an example.

Understanding Acronyms in APA In-Text Citations

For organizations with familiar acronyms (e.g., CDC and CMS), you are welcome to use the acronyms in your writing.

To do so, you will want to provide the full name of any organization, followed by the acronym, in the first in-text citation. In a narrative citation, when you include the organization name as part of your sentence, follow the full name of the organization with a set of parentheses that includes the acronym and the date. In a parenthetical citation, follow the full name of the organization with the acronym in square brackets.

In subsequent in-text citations for that source, you can use the acronym by itself to represent the organization.

Check out the image below for examples of how to set up the use of an acronym for an organization.

If you're ready to move on to the next section of the guide, click here to proceed.