Cite A Poem In Apa

Citing Poetry in APA Style: A complete walkthrough

Citing poetry in APA style can seem daunting at first, but with a clear understanding of the rules and conventions, it becomes straightforward. This full breakdown will walk you through the process, covering various scenarios and providing examples to clarify the nuances of correctly citing poems in your academic work. This guide will cover everything from citing a single poem to citing multiple poems from a collection, dealing with online sources, and addressing common formatting challenges. Mastering this will ensure your academic integrity and enhance the credibility of your research.

Understanding APA Style's Core Principles for Poetry Citations

Before delving into specific examples, let's establish the fundamental principles governing APA style for citing poetry:

• Accuracy: Ensure all information – author name, poem title, publication details, etc. – is precise and verifiable.
• Consistency: Maintain consistent formatting throughout your work. Every citation should follow the established APA guidelines.
• Completeness: Include all necessary information for readers to easily locate the source. This often includes more details than you might include for prose.
• Clarity: The citation should be clear, unambiguous, and easy to understand.

Citing a Poem from a Print Anthology

At its core, the most common scenario. Here's the basic format:

In-text citation: (Author's Last Name, Year, p. Page Number(s)).

Reference list entry:

Author, A. On the flip side, a. (Year). On the flip side, title of poem. In Title of anthology (pp. page range). Publisher.

Example:

Let's say you're citing "The Raven" by Edgar Allan Poe from The Complete Poems and Stories of Edgar Allan Poe.

In-text citation: (Poe, 1845, p. 123). (Assuming "The Raven" begins on page 123)

Reference list entry:

Poe, E. In The complete poems and stories of Edgar Allan Poe (pp. (1845). 123-130). Plus, the Raven. Practically speaking, a. Publisher Name.

Important Considerations for Anthologies:

• Page Numbers: Always include the page numbers where the poem begins and ends. If the poem spans multiple pages, use a hyphen to indicate the range (e.g., pp. 123-130).
• Publisher: Include the publisher's name. If there are multiple publishers (e.g. in a reprint), list the most relevant one.
• Edition: If using a specific edition other than the first, include the edition number after the title (e.g., 2nd ed.).

Citing a Poem from an Edited Book

If the poem is part of an edited collection, the editor's name will appear in the reference entry:

Reference list entry:

Author, A. So naturally, a. (Year). Title of poem. In A. A. Editor & B. B. Editor (Eds.), Title of book (pp. page range). Publisher.

Example:

If "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" by Robert Frost is included in an anthology edited by John Smith and Jane Doe:

In-text citation: (Frost, 1923, p. 45)

Reference list entry:

Frost, R. Think about it: (1923). But stopping by woods on a snowy evening. In J. Worth adding: smith & J. Doe (Eds.), American Poetry: A Century of Voices (pp. And 45-47). Publisher Name.

Citing a Poem from a Standalone Book (Single-Author Collection)

If the poem is from a book containing only the author's poems, the citation is slightly different:

Reference list entry:

Author, A. Day to day, a. Now, (Year). Think about it: Title of poem. On the flip side, in Title of book (pp. page range). Publisher.

Example:

If "Ode to a Nightingale" is found in a collected works of John Keats:

In-text citation: (Keats, 1819, p. 87)

Reference list entry:

Keats, J. 87-92). Consider this: in John Keats: Collected Poems (pp. (1819). Ode to a Nightingale. Publisher Name.

Citing a Poem from an Online Database or Journal

For poems accessed through an online database (like JSTOR or Project MUSE) or an online journal, you need to include the URL or DOI (Digital Object Identifier) in your reference list entry.

Reference list entry (Database):

Author, A. A. (Year). Title of poem. In Title of anthology or book (pp. page range). Database Name.

Reference list entry (Online Journal):

Author, A. A. Title of poem. (Year). Title of Journal, Volume(Issue), page range.

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Example (Database):

Let's assume you accessed "A Poison Tree" by William Blake on a database:

In-text citation: (Blake, 1794, p. 15)

Reference list entry:

Blake, W. 15-16). In Songs of Innocence and Experience (pp. (1794). A Poison Tree. Poetry Database.

Example (Online Journal):

If the poem appeared in an online journal:

In-text citation: (Dickinson, 1890, para. 3) Note the use of paragraph instead of page numbers for online sources.

Reference list entry:

Dickinson, E. (1890). Hope is the thing with feathers. The Online Journal of Victorian Literature, 5(2), 1-5. /10.

Quoting Poetry in Your Text

When incorporating poetry into your text, remember these important aspects:

• Short Quotations: For quotations of three lines or fewer, incorporate them directly into your text, enclosing them in double quotation marks. Use a slash (/) to indicate line breaks.

  Example: As Frost observes, “Whose woods these are I think I know / His house is in the village though” (1923, p. 45).

• Long Quotations (Block Quotations): For quotations exceeding three lines, use a block quote. Indent the entire quotation one inch from the left margin, without quotation marks. Maintain original line breaks. The citation follows the final punctuation. Easy to understand, harder to ignore.

  Example:

  The woods are lovely, dark and deep, But I have promises to keep, And miles to go before I sleep, And miles to go before I sleep. (Frost, 1923, p. 45)

• Ellipses: Use ellipses (...) to indicate omitted words within a quotation. Even so, avoid using ellipses at the beginning or end of a quotation unless it is necessary for clarity.

• Brackets: Use square brackets [ ] to add words or make changes for clarity within a quotation.

Dealing with Line Breaks and Stanzas

When quoting poetry, accurately representing line breaks and stanza breaks is crucial. Even so, use a forward slash (/) to represent line breaks within a short quotation embedded in your text. For block quotations, maintain the original formatting of the poem, including stanza breaks and line breaks.

Citing Multiple Poems by the Same Author

If you cite multiple poems by the same author within the same paragraph, you can shorten the in-text citation by only including the year and page number after the author's name:

Example: In several poems (Keats, 1819, pp. 87, 95, 102), Keats explores themes of mortality and beauty.

Handling Anonymous Works

If the author of a poem is unknown, begin the citation with the title of the poem in the in-text citation and alphabetize it in your reference list by the first significant word of the title (excluding articles like "A," "An," or "The"):

In-text citation: ("The Ballad of Reading Gaol," 1898, p. 20)

Reference list entry:

Ballad of Reading Gaol, The. Which means 20-27). In Title of Anthology (pp. (1898). Publisher Name.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: What if I can't find the publisher's name?

A: Try to locate it through online library catalogs or the book itself. If you can’t find it, you may omit it. On the flip side, strive to provide as much information as possible.

Q: How do I cite a translation of a poem?

A: Include the translator's name after the author's name in the reference list entry. For example:

Author, A. page range). Worth adding: (Year). Day to day, a. Think about it: b. In *Title of anthology or book* (pp. On top of that, translator). That's why *Title of poem* (B. Publisher.

Q: What if the poem is from a website without pagination?

A: Use paragraph numbers if provided, or section headings for referencing. g.You may also include a specific descriptive element (e., stanza number) for more precise referencing.

Q: How do I cite a poem from a website without an author?

A: Use the title of the poem (and the website) in place of the author’s name.

Conclusion

Mastering the art of citing poetry in APA style requires attention to detail and adherence to the established guidelines. By carefully following the principles and examples provided in this guide, you can confidently integrate poetry into your academic work while ensuring accuracy and maintaining academic integrity. Remember to always consult the latest edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association for the most up-to-date guidelines. With practice, you'll become proficient in accurately and effectively citing poetic works in your research. Precise and consistent citations strengthen your arguments, enhance credibility, and enable scholarly discourse.