Ever stumble upon something you wrote previously that perfectly articulates the point you're trying to make in your current paper? You might be tempted to simply copy and paste that brilliant passage, but that could lead to self-plagiarism, which is a serious academic offense. While it might seem odd to cite your own work, doing so correctly is crucial for maintaining academic integrity and giving proper attribution, even when the author is you.
Accurately citing yourself in APA style demonstrates that you are aware of and building upon your previous ideas. It allows you to show the evolution of your thinking, connect your current work to your past research, and avoid any potential accusations of self-plagiarism. Furthermore, mastering self-citation prevents redundancy by clearly indicating when you are re-using material, and lets readers know where they can find the original source for a more comprehensive understanding.
How do I cite my own published and unpublished work in APA format?
How do I cite my own previously published work in APA?
To cite your own previously published work in APA style, treat yourself as the author and your prior work as you would any other source. Provide an in-text citation (Author, year) and a corresponding reference list entry with the same author name, year, title, and publication information as the original work.
When you are essentially repeating information or large sections of text from your previous work, it's crucial to properly cite yourself to avoid self-plagiarism, even though you are the original author. This ensures transparency and gives credit where it is due. Think of it as acknowledging the origin of the ideas and phrasing. Ignoring prior publication could lead readers to mistakenly believe the content is original to the current work, potentially misleading them about the novelty or originality of your current research. The reference list entry should be formatted according to the type of publication (e.g., journal article, book chapter, conference paper). For example, if citing a journal article: Author, A. A. (Year). Title of article. *Title of Journal*, *Volume*(Issue), page numbers. Include a DOI (Digital Object Identifier) if available. If you're citing a book chapter: Author, A. A. (Year). Title of chapter. In Editor, A. A. (Ed.), *Title of book* (pp. page numbers). Publisher. While self-plagiarism is a concern, you don't need to cite yourself for every general concept or widely accepted fact that you've previously written about. The need for citation arises when you reuse specific phrases, sentences, paragraphs, or figures from your earlier work. If adapting or building upon your previous work, make it clear how the current work differs and contributes new insights. Signal to the reader the relationship between the present work and your prior publication. For example: "As I argued in my previous study (Author, Year),..."When is it considered self-plagiarism if I reuse my own work?
Self-plagiarism occurs when you present your previously published work as new without proper attribution. This generally happens when you submit the same paper to multiple publications, reuse significant portions of a previously published work without citation, or present reworked versions of your earlier work as entirely original.
While reusing your own work might seem harmless, it violates publication ethics and copyright agreements. Most journals and publishers hold copyright to published works. Submitting the same work to multiple journals simultaneously, for example, breaches these agreements and wastes valuable reviewer time. Even if you retain the copyright, representing previously published material as novel undermines the expectation of originality in academic and professional settings. It can also inflate your publication record artificially.
The key is transparency and proper citation. If you are reusing a substantial portion of your work, acknowledge the original source explicitly. This includes citing your previous publications using standard citation styles, such as APA. If the overlap is minimal (e.g., a sentence or two of background information), citation might not be strictly necessary, but you should still ensure that the overall submission presents original analysis and findings. Always consider the context in which the work is being presented. Coursework assignments and professional publications have different standards. Consult with your instructor or editor if you are uncertain.
What if I'm citing something I co-authored; does that change the citation?
No, citing something you co-authored doesn't fundamentally change the citation format in APA style. You still cite the work using the standard author-date format, listing all authors (including yourself) in the reference list and in-text citations, just as you would cite any other source.
The important thing is to represent the work accurately and ethically. Don't omit your name or any other authors' names from the citation. Doing so would misrepresent the authorship of the work and could be seen as unethical. Include all authors in both the in-text citation and the reference list entry. For in-text citations, remember the rules for listing multiple authors: for works with three or more authors, use "et al." after the first author's name from the second citation onward.
Ethically, it's vital to ensure proper attribution of ideas. Citing your co-authored work is necessary to give credit where it's due, preventing plagiarism and upholding academic integrity. Presenting ideas from the co-authored work as solely your own is misrepresentation, even if you were a major contributor. Proper citation provides readers with the context and source of the information, allowing them to evaluate the evidence and arguments presented in your work.
How do I cite my unpublished dissertation or thesis in APA style?
To cite your own unpublished dissertation or thesis in APA style, use the following format: Author, A. A. (Year). *Title of dissertation/thesis* (Doctoral dissertation or Master's thesis, Institution Name).
When citing your own unpublished dissertation or thesis, remember that "unpublished" simply means it hasn't been formally published in a journal or book format. It likely exists in a university repository or library. The key elements of the citation are the author (you), the year the degree was awarded, the full title of your work (italicized), the parenthetical statement clarifying the type of academic work it is (Doctoral dissertation or Master's thesis), and the name of the institution that granted the degree. For example: Smith, J. (2023). *The impact of social media on political polarization* (Doctoral dissertation, University of California, Berkeley). If you are referencing your own dissertation or thesis multiple times within the same paper, avoid awkward phrasing like "As I discussed in my dissertation..." Instead, cite it directly, integrating the citation smoothly into your sentence. For example: "Political polarization has been exacerbated by social media algorithms (Smith, 2023)." Focus on presenting the information objectively, as you would with any other source, letting the citation guide the reader to the original work if they seek further detail or context.Should I always self-cite, even if it feels repetitive?
Generally, yes, you should self-cite in APA style whenever you are directly quoting, paraphrasing, or building upon your own previously published work, even if it feels somewhat repetitive. Failing to do so can be considered self-plagiarism, which undermines academic integrity. The key is to find a balance between thoroughness and readability.
The rationale behind self-citation is that your previous work represents your intellectual property, just like any other author's. By citing yourself, you are acknowledging the origin of the ideas and avoiding the impression that you are presenting old material as entirely new. If the same data, methodology, or substantial portions of text appear in the current work, citation is a must. It allows readers to trace the development of your ideas and understand the context of your current research.
However, excessive and unnecessary self-citation can be perceived negatively as a way to artificially inflate your citation count. Use your judgment to determine if the self-citation is truly necessary for clarity and attribution. If you are simply mentioning a general concept or widely known information that you also happened to discuss in a previous paper, a self-citation might not be required. Consider rephrasing your sentences to minimize reliance on previous work and prevent over-citation. Prioritize citing the original source material whenever possible, especially if your previous work was a review or synthesis of other research.
How do I cite myself differently if the work is already cited by someone else?
You don't cite yourself differently simply because someone else has already cited your work. The fundamental principle of citation in APA (and most academic styles) is accuracy and transparency. You cite your own work the *same way* you would cite anyone else's work, adhering to the standard APA format for the relevant source type (journal article, book, website, etc.). The fact that another author has referenced your publication does not change the core requirements for your own citation of that same publication.
The critical aspect to remember is avoiding self-plagiarism. You must properly attribute your own previously published ideas, findings, or text, even if you are the original author. Omitting a citation to your previous work when reusing it can be construed as self-plagiarism. Therefore, when referencing your prior work, create a full and accurate APA-style citation as you would for any other author. This includes providing the author(s), year of publication, title, and source information (e.g., journal name, book publisher, URL). This transparency ensures proper attribution and allows readers to trace the development of your ideas.
However, the *context* in which you refer to your prior work might differ. You might explicitly acknowledge that you are building upon or extending your earlier research. For instance, you could write, "As demonstrated in my previous study (Author, Year),..." This clarifies the relationship between the current work and your earlier contributions. The goal is to be forthright about the connections between your current and past scholarship, allowing readers to understand the evolution of your thinking and the cumulative nature of research. But remember, this is about *how* you discuss the citation in the text and not how the citation itself is formatted.
What if the title of my previous work is very similar to my current work's title?
If your current work has a title very similar to a previous publication, cite yourself as you normally would, but pay extra attention to clearly differentiating the two works in your writing. The citation should include the author, year, and if applicable, specific page numbers or sections you are referencing from the previous work. The key is to make it unambiguous which publication you're referring to, especially in your in-text citations and reference list.
The primary concern is avoiding confusion for your readers. A slight title variation isn't inherently problematic, but you must provide sufficient context to ensure the reader understands which work you're referencing. For example, if you wrote a paper titled "The Impact of Social Media on Teenagers" and your current paper is "The Impact of Social Media on Teenagers: A Longitudinal Study," the year of publication will be crucial for differentiation. In your text, you might write "As shown in Smith (2020), social media..." to refer to the first paper, and "However, the longitudinal study (Smith, 2024) reveals…" to distinguish the new work.
Consider adding clarifying phrases within your sentence to help readers distinguish the papers. You could phrase it as, "In my earlier work, *The Impact of Social Media on Teenagers* (Smith, 2020), I argued…" or, "Building upon my previous findings regarding *The Impact of Social Media on Teenagers* (Smith, 2020), this study, *The Impact of Social Media on Teenagers: A Longitudinal Study* (Smith, 2024), examines…". If the works are extremely close in topic and title, briefly explaining the scope or methodology difference will benefit clarity. The goal is transparency and to avoid any perception of unintentional self-plagiarism, even though you're appropriately citing yourself.
And there you have it! Hopefully, this has cleared up any confusion about citing yourself in APA style. It can seem a little strange at first, but with these guidelines, you'll be a pro in no time. Thanks for reading, and be sure to check back for more helpful writing tips and tricks!