Example APA Style: Dictionary

To define a word in your thesis you can use a dictionary. The APA Style has two different notations for the reference of a dictionary. For the right reference you have to distinguish between an online and a printed dictionary.

 Printed dictionary

APA-format	Searchterm. (year). In TitleDictionary (edition). CityPublisher, Country/State: Publisher
In reference list	Chardonnay. (2005). In Merriam-Webster’s collegiate dictionary (11e ed.). Springfield, MA: Merriam-Webster.
In the text	Chardonnay can be defined as: “…” (Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, 2005). According to the Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary (2005) Chardonnay can be defined as: “…”.

 Online dictionary

APA-format	Searchterm. (year). In TitleDictionary (edition). Retrieved from http://Website
In reference list	Chardonnay. (2005). In Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary (11 ed.). Retrieved from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thesis
In the text	Chardonnay can be defined as: “…” (Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, 2005). According to the Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary (2005) Chardonnay can be defined as: “…”.