ASA Format: Guidelines for Citation & Referencing in 6th Ed.

By Christopher Smith Jun 30, 2025

Welcome to the fascinating world of sociology! You get to study the big questions about how society works, from the dynamics of a small family to the massive global trends that shape our lives. When you write about these ideas, you are joining a conversation that has been going on for hundreds of years.

To be a part of that conversation, you need to speak the language of sociologists. A big part of that language is how you give credit to the experts whose work you use. This is done with a specific citation style called ASA format.

If your professor has asked you to use "ASA 6th edition," don’t worry! This guide is here to translate all the rules for you. Think of citing as creating a "map of the conversation." It shows your readers who you are talking about and where they can find the original work. It’s a crucial skill for any serious scholar.

What Is ASA Style and Why Do Sociologists Use It?

ASA stands for the American Sociological Association. They created this set of rules to be the standard for any paper written in the field of sociology. It helps make sure that everyone’s work is clear, consistent, and professional.

Using ASA style is important because:

It shows you respect the work of other scholars by giving them proper credit.
It proves your arguments are based on real, credible research.
It allows other sociologists to easily find your sources and continue the conversation.
Most importantly, it is how you avoid plagiarism while incorporating research in your writing.

The Two Key Parts of ASA Citation

ASA is an author-date style, which is very user-friendly. It has two parts that must work together:

In-Text Citations: These are brief notes inside your sentences that point to a source. They look like this: (Author’s Last Name Year).
The References List: This is an alphabetized list at the end of your paper that gives the full details for every source you cited.

The in-text citation is the quick signpost, and the References list is the detailed map.

Part 1: In-Text Citations in ASA Style (6th Edition)

This is what you do as you are writing your paper. It’s simple once you know the rules.

The Basic Format: (Last Name Year)

When you summarize or paraphrase an idea from a source:
- Example: If we want to understand a community, we must look at its social capital (Putnam 2000).
When you mention the author’s name in your sentence: You only need to put the year in parentheses right after their name.
- Example: According to Putnam (2000), social capital is a key resource for communities.
When you use a direct quote: You MUST include the page number where you found the quote. Use a colon : after the year.
- Example: He argued that “American community life has collapsed in the last generation” (Putnam 2000:26).

How to Handle Multiple Authors:

Two Authors: List both last names.
- Example: (Marx and Engels 1848).
Three Authors:
- For the first time you cite them, list all three last names.
  - Example: (Coleman, Campbell, and Hobson 1966).
- For all later citations of that same source, list only the first author’s name followed by “et al.” (which means “and others”).
  - Example: (Coleman et al. 1966).
Four or More Authors: Use “et al.” from the very first time you cite the source.
- Example: (Laumann et al. 1994).

Part 2: How to Build Your ASA "References" List

This is the list at the very end of your paper. It should have the title REFERENCES (all caps and centered). The list must be alphabetized by the author's last name.

Here are the templates for the most common types of sources, following the ASA 6th edition rules.

Example 1: Citing a Book

Template: Last Name, First Name. Year. Title of Book in Italics and Title Case. City, ST: Publisher.
Real Example: Putnam, Robert D. 2000. Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community. New York: Simon & Schuster.
Key Tips:
- Use the two-letter postal abbreviation for the state (e.g., NY for New York, MA for Massachusetts).
- The book title is italicized.

Example 2: Citing a Journal Article

Template: Last Name, First Name. Year. “Title of Article in Quotation Marks and Title Case.” Journal Name in Italics Volume(Issue):First Page–Last Page.
Real Example: Lareau, Annette. 2002. “Invisible Inequality: Social Class and Childrearing in Black Families and White Families.” American Sociological Review 67(5):747–76.
Key Tips:
- The article title is in quotation marks.
- The journal name is italicized.
- There is no "pp." before the page numbers.

Example 3: Citing a Chapter in an Edited Book

Template: Last Name, First Name. Year. “Title of Chapter.” Pp. ##–## in Title of Book, edited by F. Editor and S. Editor. City, ST: Publisher.
Real Example: Portes, Alejandro. 1998. “Social Capital: Its Origins and Applications in Modern Sociology.” Pp. 1–24 in Annual Review of Sociology, vol. 24, edited by J. Hagan and K. S. Cook. Palo Alto, CA: Annual Reviews.
Key Tips:
- Notice the use of "Pp." before the page numbers for a book chapter. This is different from a journal article.

Example 4: Citing a Website

Template: Organization Name or Author's Last Name, First Name. Year. “Title of Web Page.” Retrieved Month Day, Year (URL).
Real Example: American Sociological Association. 2019. “What Is Sociology?” Retrieved June 30, 2025 (https://www.asanet.org/about/what-sociology).
Key Tips:
- The word "Retrieved" is used before the date you accessed the site.
- The full URL is included at the end.

Final Tips for ASA 6th Edition Success

Capitalization is Key: For article and chapter titles, use "Title Case" and put them in quotation marks. For book and journal titles, use "Title Case" and put them in italics.
List All Authors: In your References list, you must write out the names of all authors, even if you used "et al." in your in-text citation.
Double-Space: Your entire References list should be double-spaced.
Be a Perfectionist: Getting the details right shows you are a careful scholar. Remember that why citation errors lower your grade and how to avoid them is a lesson every student should learn.

You Can Cite Like a Sociologist!

Learning the rules of ASA format is like learning the proper way to participate in a professional conversation. It might seem like a lot of small details at first, but with practice, it will become second nature.

By following the simple author-date system and building your References list carefully, you show respect for the scholars who came before you and make your own work more powerful and credible. Use this guide, pay attention to the examples, and you'll be ready to write your next sociology paper with confidence.