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APA Style (7th ed.)

Software & Computer Code

The Basics

Browse APA Style & Grammar and APA Academic Writer

Useful websites for citing copied source code include:

When using code from an open source project, provide attribution for the source and follow the terms of any open source license that applies to the code. Keep in mind:

  • When downloading the source, the license is typically part of the download
  • The source code itself will contain the copyright and terms of use
  • When incorporating open-source-licensed code into a program, it is good practice to duplicate the copyright in your code, and/or store the license in a file with the code
  • If you don’t obtain the license with the download, you should be able to find it on the site of the open source project such as Apache HTTP Server site and Open Source Initiative (OSI) Site.

Examples

Computer Software, online

Smith, J. (2011). GraphicsDrawer source code (Version 2.0) [Source code]. http://www.graphics drawer.com 

Computer Software, hardcopy

Comprehensive Meta-Analysis (Version 2) [Computer software]. Biostat.

Citing Code in the Source Code

Insert as a comment above the reused source code

**/
*    Title: GraphicsDrawer source code
*    Author: Smith, J
*    Date: 2011
*    Code version: 2.0
*    Availability: http://www.graphicsdrawer.com
*
**/

Find more examples from APA Academic Writer. (Click on +More Like This for a list of similar examples)
See chapter 10 of the Publication Manual.

Your professor may have different citing expectations than library staff. Always check at the beginning of term and before starting assignments that the citing rules you are using are appropriate for your class.

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