Abbreviations for APA
The APA style guide specifies that the first time you use a group author for an in-text citation, you should use square brackets to indicate an abbreviation. Then, in subsequent in-text citations, you use the abbreviation instead of the full name of the group author. See below for an example.
First in-text citation:
Children should learn about family finances in age-appropriate ways (American Psychological Association [APA], 2011).
Second in-text citation using the same source:
Children should learn about family finances in age-appropriate ways (APA, 2011).
To make these abbreviations in Google Docs:
For the first reference
1. In Google Docs, open the EndNote Cite While You Write extension > Manage Citations
2. Click the purple pencil icon to edit the citation.
3. Click the > Citation editor box at the top, then click the three dot icon on the right, then click Edit.
4. Click the box for Exclude Author and in the Prefix box, add the full group author name, square bracketed abbreviation, comma, and a space (e.g., American Psychological Association [APA], )
4. Click Save
For subsequent in-text citations
1. In Google Docs, open the EndNote Cite While You Write extension > Manage Citations
2. Click the purple pencil icon to edit the citation.
3. Click the > Citation editor box at the top, then click the three dot icon on the right, then click Edit.
4. Click the box for Exclude Author and in the Prefix box, add the abbreviated group author name, a comma, and a space (e.g., APA, )
5. Click Save
6. If applicable, click the Update Citations and Bibliography button and your changes should be reflected in the document.
