Subject Guides: APA Style Guide: 6th Edition: Referencing: Classical Works

Creating References for Classical Works

When referencing classical works, reference list entries are not required. Refer to these items in-text only.

According to the APA Publication Manual (2010), the following guidelines must be followed when creating in-text citations for classical works:

When referring to a very old work that has been translated or re-published at a later date, cite the year of the translation or version you used, preceded by "trans." or "version"

Example: (Aristotle, trans. 1931)

If you are referencing a new translation or version of a work but you know the date of original publication, include both dates

Example: James (1890/1983)

Use chapter, verse, line, etc. numbers rather than page numbers when citing classical works in-text. Page numbers are often not standard in classical works; however, chapters, verses, lines, etc. are standardized.

Example: (Qur'an 5:3-4)

Remember, in-text citation formatting may change depending on a number of factors.