How to Cite a Book in APA, MLA, Harvard and Chicago
Books look like the easiest source to cite, because the details are on the title page. Even so, they cause plenty of errors: the wrong year, a missing edition, an editor treated as an author or a chapter cited as if it were the whole book. A little care at the start saves a lot of fixing at the end.
This guide gives a five-step method and examples for the main book types in APA 7, MLA 9, Harvard and Chicago. The examples use invented sources to show the format.
The steps
Find the book's details on the title page
Use the title page and the copyright page, not the cover, to find the author, full title, edition, publisher and year.
Identify the type of book
Decide whether it is an authored book, an edited collection, a translation or a chapter in an edited book, because each has its own pattern.
Record the edition and page numbers
Note the edition if it is not the first, and the pages you used for any quotation or specific idea.
Format the entry in your style
Arrange the author, year, title, edition and publisher in the order your style requires.
Write the in-text citation
Add the matching citation in the text, with the page number for direct quotations.
The sections below take each step in turn.
Step 1: Use the title page and copyright page
Do not copy details from the cover or from a bookshop listing. The title page gives the author's name and the full title, including any subtitle. The copyright page, usually on the back of the title page, gives the publisher, the year and the edition. If you are using a library catalog or a database, check the details against the book itself or the publisher's page.
Step 2: Identify the type of book
| Type | How to recognize it | What changes |
|---|---|---|
| Authored book | One or more authors wrote the whole book | The standard pattern |
| Edited collection | Chapters by different authors, with editors named on the cover | Editor in the author position, or cite the chapter |
| Chapter in an edited book | You used one chapter | Cite the chapter author and title, then the book |
| Translation | The book was translated | Add the translator |
| Later edition | Marked 2nd, 3rd or revised | Add the edition |
| Ebook | You read it on a device or online | Add DOI or URL if required |
Step 3: Note the edition and page numbers
The edition matters because content and pagination change. Record it whenever it is not the first. For quotations and specific ideas, record the page numbers as you read, since finding them later is slow.
Step 4: Format the entry
Authored book
APA 7: Author, A. A. (Year). Title of book in sentence case (Edition). Publisher.
Lee, J. (2021). Reading in college: Strategies that work (2nd ed.). Northfield Press.
MLA 9: Author last name, First name. Title of Book in Title Case. Edition, Publisher, Year.
Lee, Jordan. Reading in College: Strategies That Work. 2nd ed., Northfield Press, 2021.
Harvard (common pattern): Author surname, Initial. (Year) Title of book. Edition. Place: Publisher.
Lee, J. (2021) Reading in college: strategies that work. 2nd edn. Northfield: Northfield Press.
Chicago notes: 1. Author, Title of Book, edition (Publisher, Year), page.
- Jordan Lee, Reading in College: Strategies That Work, 2nd ed. (Northfield Press, 2021), 45.
Chicago bibliography: Author last name, First name. Title of Book. Edition. Publisher, Year.
Lee, Jordan. Reading in College: Strategies That Work. 2nd ed. Northfield Press, 2021.
Book with two or more authors
List the authors in the order on the title page.
APA: Lee, J., & Patel, R. (2021). Study methods for first-year students. Harbor Press.
MLA: Lee, Jordan, and Rina Patel. Study Methods for First-Year Students. Harbor Press, 2021.
In the text, APA uses (Lee & Patel, 2021) and MLA uses (Lee and Patel 45). For three or more authors, APA and MLA use et al. in the text, and Harvard versions vary.
Edited book
APA: Gomez, M. (Ed.). (2019). Teaching literature today. Northfield Press.
MLA: Gomez, Marta, editor. Teaching Literature Today. Northfield Press, 2019.
Chapter in an edited book
APA: Patel, R. (2019). Learning to read closely. In M. Gomez (Ed.), Teaching literature today (pp. 22-40). Northfield Press.
MLA: Patel, Rina. "Learning to Read Closely." Teaching Literature Today, edited by Marta Gomez, Northfield Press, 2019, pp. 22-40.
Translated book
APA: Author, A. A. (Year). Title (T. Translator, Trans.). Publisher. (Original work published Year)
Ebook
Cite it like a print book. Add a DOI or URL if your style asks, and in styles that require it, note the format. APA 7 does not require the ebook platform or device.
Lee, J. (2021). Reading in college: Strategies that work. Northfield Press. https://doi.org/10.0000/example
Step 5: In-text citations
| Style | Paraphrase | Direct quotation |
|---|---|---|
| APA | (Lee, 2021) | (Lee, 2021, p. 45) |
| MLA | (Lee 45) | (Lee 45) |
| Harvard | (Lee 2021) | (Lee 2021, p. 45) |
| Chicago notes | Note number | Note number with page |
Always give the page for a direct quotation. For ebooks without page numbers, use a chapter, section or location number if the style allows it. Our guide to in-text citations explained covers these patterns in more detail.
When details are missing
- No author: use the organization or editor, and if there is neither, start with the title.
- No date: use n.d. in APA and Harvard.
- Unknown publisher: check the title page, the copyright page and the publisher's website.
- Old books with several reprints: cite the edition you used, and in some styles give the original date as well.
- Self-published books: cite them like any other, with the author or imprint as the publisher.
Tools and checking
A reference manager can import a book's details from its ISBN, which is quick. The data often has errors, so check the title, capitalization, edition and publisher. Our citation generator can build a starting entry. Always compare with the examples above and your course guide.
Citing books you found in different ways
Where you found a book changes only a few details. A library copy is cited exactly like a bought copy. A book read through Google Books or a preview can be cited as a print book if you checked the details, but note that previews may omit pages.
An ebook with locations instead of pages should be cited with a chapter or section number for quotations if the style allows it. A book from a database such as an academic ebook collection is cited like a print book, and some styles ask for the DOI or URL. A book you only saw cited in another work should be handled as a secondary source, and cited through the work you actually read.
Reading with citations in mind
Most citation errors happen because the details were not noted at the time. As you read, write the page numbers beside quotations and ideas you plan to use, and photograph or copy the title page and copyright page for each book. If you use a reference manager, add the book the moment you start reading it. A minute of record keeping per book removes the need to hunt for details in a library at midnight.
Common mistakes
- Using the cover instead of the title page.
- Omitting the edition.
- Capitalizing every word of the title in APA or Harvard entries.
- Treating an editor as an author without the editor label.
- Citing a whole book when you used one chapter.
- Leaving out page numbers for quotations.
- Using the original publication year when you read a later edition.
A quick checklist
- Did I take details from the title and copyright pages?
- Have I identified the type of book?
- Is the edition included if needed?
- Are authors, title, publisher and year correct?
- Does the in-text citation match the list entry?
- Have I noted page numbers for quotations?
Final thoughts
A book citation is a matter of reading the front pages carefully and choosing the right pattern for the type of book. Record the details when you first pick the book up, note pages as you read and format the entry once, correctly. It takes less time than rebuilding a reference list the night before the deadline.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I find the publication year?
On the copyright page, usually on the back of the title page. Use the year of the edition you actually used, which may be later than the year of first publication.
Do I include the place of publication?
APA 7 and MLA 9 do not require it. Some Harvard versions and the 17th edition of Chicago do. The 18th edition of Chicago no longer requires it. Check your course guide.
How do I cite an ebook?
Cite it like a print book, and add a DOI or URL if the style asks for it. Some styles also ask you to name the format, such as Kindle edition. Check your guide.
How do I cite a book with an editor and not an author?
Put the editor in the author position followed by (Ed.) or ed., depending on the style, and use the same pattern as for an authored book.
What if the book has several authors?
List them in the order shown on the title page. Styles differ on how many to list in the reference and when to use et al. in the text, so check your style.