Accurately citing sources is crucial in academic and professional nursing contexts, ensuring credibility and acknowledging the work of others. For those utilizing the “Nursing Diagnosis Handbook: An Evidence-Based Guide to Planning Care” by Ackley and Ladwig, 13th edition, adhering to APA 7th edition citation guidelines is essential. This guide provides clear examples for citing this indispensable resource.
When referencing the entire handbook in your work, the APA 7th edition format is as follows:
Ackley, B. J., & Ladwig, G. B. (2024). Nursing diagnosis handbook: An evidence-based guide to planning care (13th ed.). Elsevier.
This format includes the authors’ names (Ackley, B. J., & Ladwig, G. B.), the publication year (2024), the handbook title (Nursing diagnosis handbook: An evidence-based guide to planning care), the edition (13th ed.), and the publisher (Elsevier). It’s important to italicize the title of the handbook.
Should you need to cite a specific chapter or section within the handbook, the format adapts slightly. While handbooks may not always be structured with traditional chapters, you can adapt the citation to reference a specific part. For example, if you are referencing the section on “Activity Intolerance”:
Ackley, B. J., & Ladwig, G. B. (2024). Activity intolerance. In Nursing diagnosis handbook: An evidence-based guide to planning care (13th ed., pp. 100-105). Elsevier.
In this instance, you specify the section title (“Activity intolerance”) and include the page range (pp. 100-105) where this information can be found within the 13th edition. Always verify the exact page numbers in your copy of the handbook.
Using these examples as a guide will ensure your citations of Ackley and Ladwig’s “Nursing Diagnosis Handbook” are accurate and conform to APA 7th edition standards, maintaining academic integrity in your nursing practice and scholarship.
