Which one of the following references is written according to American Psychological Association (APA) format ?

Question

Accepted Answer

The American Psychological Association (APA) style of referencing dictates specific standard formatting rules for a book reference entry in a bibliography. It mandates listing the author's last name first, followed by a comma and their first name initial with a period. Crucially, the year of publication must be enclosed in parentheses followed by another period. The title of the book follows and should be italicized, and separate structural fields use periods rather than commas.

Correct Option (Option 1):
This format accurately incorporates the vital structural components of the APA referencing system. The author's name is arranged properly as "Sharma, V.", and the publication year "2010" is appropriately structured inside parentheses. The transition fields between elements maintain standard termination periods, distinguishing it from alternative styles.

Incorrect Option (Option 2):
This option fails to follow the mandatory APA standard because the publication year 2010 completely lacks the required enclosing parentheses. Instead, it utilizes a plain period after the year, which aligns closely with MLA or other alternative style requirements.

Incorrect Option (Option 3):
This entry introduces multiple structural punctuation faults that deviate from APA regulations. It improperly separates the author's surname with a period rather than a comma, creating "Sharma. V.", and leaves the publication year entirely un-parenthesized.

Incorrect Option (Option 4):
This option accurately wraps the publication year inside parentheses, but it commits an error by putting a trailing comma immediately after it. APA format strictly dictates that a period must follow the parenthesized year to separate the author-date block from the title block.