How do I reference a source I've read in another publication (secondary citations)?

Answer

Where possible, always read the original source and reference that source. For example, if you read a point of view by Tang in a book written by Khan, go to the original source written by Tang.

Sometimes this may not be possible. For example, the original source could be out of print or not accessible for you, or it could be written in another language. In this case, create a secondary citation for your in-text citation.

 

In-text citation

(Tang, 2005, as cited in Khan, 2024) OR According to Tang (2005, as cited in Khan, 2024) . . .

 

Reference list

In your reference list, reference only the source you have read (i.e. Khan).

 

See the secondary citations section of the main APA LibGuides pages for more information.

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  • Last Updated Mar 25, 2025
  • Views 14
  • Answered By Tom Page

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