How do I cite an encyclical letter found online in APA format?
I believe I would use Pope Paul VI as the author, but I have seen references that indicate you would not use "Pope" or "Supreme Pontiff" in your reference. I also wanted to be clear how to reference the title - is "Encyclical Letter" a separate item? And does the date go in parentheses still? I found conflicting answers to this on my own search online.
I appreciate our help! Thanks!
Answer
- If the issuing organization assigned a number (e.g., report number, contract number, monograph number) to the report, give that number in parentheses immediately after the title.
- Provide a description of the form inside brackets when it would assist the reader in identifying less typical types of sources (e.g., brochures, press releases, white papers, fact sheets). Otherwise, omit this.
- If the publisher has been identified as the author, use the format Retrieved from http://xxxxx
- Identify the publisher as part of the retrieval statement unless the publisher has been identified as the author: Retrieved from Agency Name website: http://www.xxxxx
Now that we have our form, we need to translate what we know about the encyclical into our template. Citations always start with the author, and on p. 23 of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 6th edition, in regards to titles, it states "Omit all titles. ... and degrees." Since there is no exception made for the Pope, we now know how to start out. Following the form & exceptions listed above, here's what the citation could look like -
Paul VI. (1968, July 25). Human vitae of the Supreme Pontiff Paul VI to his venerable brothers, the patriarchs,
archbishops and other local ordinaries in peace and communion with the Apostolic See, to the clergy and faithful of
the whole Catholic world, and to all men of good will, on the regulation of birth [Encyclical letter]. Retrieved from The
Holy See website: http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/paul_vi/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-vi_enc_25071968_humanae-
vitae_en.html
Note: As I was working on this I thought the website name would be the Vatican, but when I shortened the URL to find the source, the title on the webpage (after translation) is "The Holy See."