How to cite dictionaries, thesauri, and encyclopedia

Use these elements when citing a dictionary, thesaurus, or encyclopedia:

• Name of group or editor:  The name of the group or editor is in the author position.  However, in some instance, entries do have authors.  Information on citing the author of an entry is detailed below this section.
  • Group: Use the organization name, and follow the capitalization and punctuation of the proper name.
  • Editor: Use the last name of the editor, followed by a comma, and initial(s) of the editor.  Add a period and a space after each initial.  After the initials, write the abbreviation for editor as “Ed.” With a capital “E” and period after the letter “d.”  Enclose in parentheses, and follow with a period and space.

• Publication year: Use the year in numerals, and enclose in parentheses.  Follow with a period and a space.  However, use “(n.d.)” for the publication year if the reference work is online, continuously updated, and not archived.  In such instances, include a retrieval date with the URL.

• Title of reference work: Capitalize only the first letter of the first word and any proper names.  Write in italics. Followed with a period and a space.
• Edition of reference (if any): Enclose in parentheses.  Abbreviate the word “Edition” as “ed.”  Do not capitalize the “e” in edition.  Other elements of the edition vary, and a comma and space should be added after each element.  The elements could include the following:
  • Date of edition: Use numerals for a year or date.  Use letters for other date elements such as a month or season.
  • Number of edition:  Use ordinal numbers before the abbreviation of edition.
  • Volume of edition: Write the abbreviation for volume as “Vol.” with a capital “V” and a space.  The number of the volume should be a numeral.
  • After all elements of the edition, close with a parenthesis, period, and a space.
  • Examples: (Fall 2018 ed.)   (2nd ed., Vol. 6)   (7^th ed.)   (March 2013 ed., 2^nd ed.)
• Publisher.  Follow with a period and space.
• URL.  If using a retrieval date, follow this format:
  • Write “Retrieved from” with a capital “R” and followed by a space
  • Date, in the format month (in letters), date (in numerals), and year (in numerals).  Place a comma and space after the month and the year
  • URL.  Do not use a period after the URL

Example from the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 7^th Edition:

Zalta, E. N. (Ed.). (2019). The Stanford encyclopedia of philosophy (Summer 2019 ed.). Stanford University. https://plato.stanford.edu/archives/sum2019/

Entry in a dictionary, thesaurus, or encyclopedia, with a group author

• Author: List the group or organization name as author, followed by a period and space.
• Publication year: Use the year in numerals, and enclose in parentheses.  Follow with a period and a space.  However, use “(n.d.)” for the publication year if the reference work is online, continuously updated, and not archived.  In such instances, include a retrieval date with the URL.
• Title of entry, followed by a period and space.
• Source: Write the word “In” with a capital “I” and followed by the source written in italics.  Add a period and space after the source name.
• URL.  If using a retrieval date, follow this format:
  • Write “Retrieved from” with a capital “R” and followed by a space
  • Date, in the format month (in letters), date (in numerals), and year (in numerals).  Place a comma and space after the month and the year
  • URL.  Do not use a period after the URL

Example:

Collins. (n.d.) Laugh. In CollinsDictionary.com. Retrieved July 21, 2020 from https://www.collinsdictionary.com/us/dictionary/english-thesaurus/laugh

Entry in a dictionary, thesaurus, or encyclopedia, with an individual author

This type of citation is similar to a citation for an edited book chapter because the entry has an individual author, the reference book has an editor, and the work has a publisher.

• Author: List the last name first, followed by a comma and space.  Then list the initials, with a period and space after each initial.
• Publication year: Use the year in numerals, and enclose in parentheses.  Follow with a period and a space.
• Title of entry, followed by a period and a space.
• Editor: Write the word “In” with a capital “I” and then followed by:
  • A space
  • Initials of the editor.  Put a period and a space after each initial.
  • Last name of the editor
  • A space
  • Opening parenthesis
  • The abbreviation for editor: “Ed.”  Capitalize the “E” and include the period.
  • Closing parenthesis
  • Comma
  • Space
• Title of the reference work.  Use italics, and capitalize only the first letter and any proper names. Follow with a space.
• Edition of reference: Enclose in parentheses.  Abbreviate the word “Edition” as “ed.”  Do not capitalize the “e” in edition.  Other elements of the edition vary, and a comma and space should be added after each element.  The elements could include the following:
  • Date of edition: Use numerals for a year or date.  Use letters for other date elements such as a month or season.
  • Number of edition:  Use ordinal numbers before the abbreviation of edition.
  • Volume of edition: Write the abbreviation for volume as “Vol.” with a capital “V” and a space.  The number of the volume should be a numeral.
  • After all elements of the edition, close with a parenthesis, period, and a space.
  • Examples: (Fall 2018 ed.)   (2nd ed., Vol. 6)   (7^th ed.)   (March 2013 ed., 2^nd ed.)
• Publisher.  Follow with a period and space.
• URL

Example from the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 7^th Edition:

Graham, G. (2019). Behaviorism. In E. N. Zalta (Ed.), The Stanford encyclopedia of philosophy (Summer 2019 ed.). Stanford University. https://plato.stanford.edu/archives/sum2019/entries/behaviorism

For more information from the APA Publication Manual (7th ed.), pp. 324-325, 328.