In the realm of academic writing, proper citation is essential to give credit to the original sources of information. One common citation style used worldwide is the APA (American Psychological Association) format. One specific type of citation that often confuses writers is the APA citation of an organization. This article aims to provide a comprehensive guide on how to correctly cite an organization in APA style.
The APA citation of an organization involves several key components that must be included in the correct order. Firstly, the organization’s name should be provided in italics, followed by the publication date in parentheses. If the organization’s name is part of a larger organization, it should be included as well. Additionally, if the organization has a website, the URL should be provided after the publication date.
For example, let’s consider the following scenario: The World Health Organization (WHO) released a report on global health trends in 2020. The APA citation of this organization would be formatted as follows:
World Health Organization. (2020). Global health trends.
In this example, the organization’s name is italicized, and the publication date is enclosed in parentheses. It is important to note that the organization’s name should be written in full, with no abbreviations.
If the organization is part of a larger organization, the larger organization’s name should be included before the specific organization’s name. For instance, if the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is a division of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the citation would be:
Department of Health and Human Services. (2020). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Global health trends.
In this case, the larger organization’s name is mentioned first, followed by the specific organization’s name.
When citing an organization that has a website, the URL should be included after the publication date. For example:
World Health Organization. (2020). Global health trends. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/
It is essential to ensure that the URL is complete and includes the full web address, including the http:// or https:// prefix.
In conclusion, the APA citation of an organization requires careful attention to detail, including the proper formatting of the organization’s name, publication date, and, if applicable, the URL. By following these guidelines, writers can accurately credit the organizations that have contributed to their research and maintain the integrity of their academic work.
