How to Cite Computers & Education in APA Format

Complete guide to citing Computers & Education in APA 7th edition with examples, unique formatting requirements, and common issues specific to this source.

Computers & Education presents unique citation challenges that require specific guidance beyond general source type rules. This page provides targeted help for finding citation information, handling Computers & Education's particular format requirements, and avoiding common mistakes specific to this platform.

🔍 Try It Out

Paste a citation to check its Computers & Education formatting

Quick Reference: Computers & Education Citations

Reference List Format:
Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Year). Title of article. Title of Journal, volume(issue), pages. https://doi.org/xxxxx

Computers & Education-Specific Notes:
When citing articles from the journal "Computers & Education," it is essential to adhere to the general principles of APA 7th edition while also being aware of nuances specific to this publication. The standard APA format applies, which involves listing up to 20 authors by last name and initials. However, a particular point of confusion arises from the journal's emphasis on digital object identifiers (DOIs), which must be included in the citation if available. For instance, after the article title and journal volume, issue, and page numbers, you must add the DOI in the format: https://doi.org/xx.xxxxxxxx.

Unlike some sources where a URL may suffice, "Computers & Education" often necessitates this precise DOI usage to ensure the article's traceability. This sometimes leads to student errors, such as omitting the DOI or formatting it incorrectly, which can detract from the citation's accuracy and adherence to APA guidelines. Additionally, students might struggle with understanding when to italicize elements; specifically, the journal title and volume number should be italicized, not the issue number or page range.

To avoid pitfalls, students should double-check all available author names up to 20, ensure they employ the correct DOI format, and consult the journal's official website or a library database for accurate citation details. This diligence helps maintain consistency and precision, reflecting a professional approach to academic writing. Lastly, using reference management tools can aid in formatting citations correctly, reducing manual errors.

In-Text Citation:
- Parenthetical: ([Author], [Year])
- Narrative: [Author] ([Year])

Key Points:
- Use Journal Article format with Computers & Education specifics
- Locate citation info on Computers & Education's website
- Handle Computers & Education's unique formatting requirements

Last Updated: 2025-10-30 | Reading Time: 5 minutes

Jump to Examples | Jump to Common Issues | Check Your Citation

Where to Find Citation Information on Computers & Education

To efficiently locate citation information on the Computers & Education journal website, you need to navigate through a few key areas. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to find the essential elements required for a citation: author, publication date, article title, and URL.

Locating the Author Information

  1. Access the Journal and Locate Articles: Start by visiting the Computers & Education homepage at https://www.journals.elsevier.com/computers-and-education.

  2. Search for Specific Articles: Use the search bar at the top right of the page or browse through the list of articles. You can filter by the latest issues or most downloaded articles.

  3. Identify the Article: Once you find an article of interest, click on the article title to view its detailed page.

  4. Locate the Author Byline: On the article’s page, the authors' names are prominently displayed at the top, below the article title. This is your primary source for the author information.

Finding the Publication Date

  1. Publication Date Location: Directly beneath the author byline, you will typically find the publication date. It is usually formatted in a straightforward manner, such as "Published on: Month Day, Year."

Identifying the Article Title

  1. Title Placement: The article title is prominently displayed at the top of the page. It is the largest text on the page and appears above the author byline and publication date.

Obtaining the URL/Access Information

  1. URL in the Address Bar: The URL for the article is located in the browser's address bar at the top of your web browser. Simply clicking on the article title will change your URL to reflect the specific article page.

  2. Direct URL: If you are accessing the article through an institution or library, make sure to use the direct URL provided on the article’s page, as this will typically include any necessary proxy information needed for access.

Unique Features of Computers & Education

By following these steps, you can effectively gather all necessary citation information for articles from Computers & Education, ensuring your references are both accurate and complete.

Step-by-Step: Creating Your Computers & Education Citation

How to Create a Citation for Computers & Education

Creating a citation in APA format for an article published in the journal Computers & Education involves a series of systematic steps. This guide will take you through the process with detailed instructions, estimated time for each step, and tips for efficiency.

What You Need

Step-by-Step Instructions

  1. Find the Article
    - Action: Start by locating the article you wish to cite. Go to the Computers & Education journal's website at https://www.journals.elsevier.com/computers-and-education.
    - Verification: Ensure that you have the correct article by checking the title and authors.
    - Estimated Time: 5 to 10 minutes, depending on how familiar you are with navigating academic journals.
    - Tip for Efficiency: Use the search function on the journal site if you know the article title or author.

  2. Gather Necessary Information
    - Action: Note down all relevant details about the article: authors, year of publication, title, journal name, volume number, issue number, page range, and DOI (Digital Object Identifier).
    - Verification: Cross-check the information with the article itself to ensure accuracy.
    - Estimated Time: 5 minutes.
    - Tip for Efficiency: Create a checklist of required information to make sure you gather everything at once.

  3. Format Author Names
    - Action: Write the authors' names in the format Last name, Initials. If there are two authors, separate them with an ampersand (&). For more than two authors, list the first six, followed by 'et al.'
    - Verification: Make sure the names are in the correct order as listed in the article.
    - Estimated Time: 5 minutes.
    - Tip for Efficiency: Use a text editor or citation manager to format names easily.

  4. Write the Year of Publication
    - Action: Include the year the article was published in parentheses immediately after the authors' names.
    - Verification: Ensure the year is correct as per the article.
    - Estimated Time: 1 minute.
    - Tip for Efficiency: Make a habit of noting the publication year along with the article title.

  5. Insert the Article Title
    - Action: Write the title of the article in sentence case, meaning only the first word and proper nouns are capitalized. Do not italicize or put it in quotation marks.
    - Verification: Compare your title with the original to ensure it matches.
    - Estimated Time: 2 minutes.
    - Tip for Efficiency: Keep a consistent style for capitalization to avoid confusion.

  6. Add Journal Title, Volume, and Issue
    - Action: Write the title of the journal in italics, followed by the volume number in italics, and the issue number in parentheses (not italicized). If available, include the page range of the article.
    - Verification: Double-check that the journal name, volume, and issue numbers are correctly formatted.
    - Estimated Time: 3 minutes.
    - Tip for Efficiency: Use standard formatting tools available in your word processor to italicize text quickly.

  7. Include the DOI
    - Action: At the end of your citation, include the DOI as a hyperlink in the following format: https://doi.org/xxxxx.
    - Verification: Make sure you have the correct DOI by checking the article again.
    - Estimated Time: 2 minutes.
    - Tip for Efficiency: Copy and paste the DOI directly from the article to avoid errors.

  8. Compile the Citation
    - Action: Combine all the information into the correct APA format according to the template provided:
    Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Year). Title of article. Title of Journal, volume(issue), pages. https://doi.org/xxxxx.
    - Verification: Ensure that everything is in the correct order and properly formatted.
    - Estimated Time: 5 minutes.
    - Tip for Efficiency: Keep a sample citation handy to refer to while compiling your information.

Example Citation

After following the steps, your final citation might look something like this:

Smith, J. A., & Doe, R. B. (2023). The impact of technology on learning outcomes. Computers & Education, 150(2), 120-135.

Real Examples from Computers & Education

This section provides authentic citation examples from Computers & Education using recent publications from 2023-2024.

I'm unable to browse the web in real-time or access the specific journal "Computers & Education" to retrieve the latest articles from 2023-2024. However, I can guide you on how to format citations for articles from this journal using APA 7th edition. You can apply this guidance when you have the actual articles.

Here's how the citations should be structured once you have the articles:

Example 1: Standard Individual Author

Scenario Description:
This is a research article authored by a single researcher focusing on the impact of digital learning tools in elementary schools.

Complete Reference List Citation:
Smith, J. (2023). The effect of digital learning tools on elementary education. Computers & Education, 190(1), 101-115. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2023.101115

In-text Citation (Parenthetical):
(Smith, 2023)

In-text Citation (Narrative):
Smith (2023) discusses the impact of digital learning tools.

Notes:
This example is straightforward, showcasing a single-author article, which is common in academic publishing.

Example 2: Corporate Author

Scenario Description:
An article published by a government educational body discussing the integration of AI in classrooms.

Complete Reference List Citation:
National Education Research Institute. (2023). Integrating AI into classroom settings: Challenges and opportunities. Computers & Education, 191(2), 116-128. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2023.101128

In-text Citation (Parenthetical):
(National Education Research Institute, 2023)

In-text Citation (Narrative):
According to the National Education Research Institute (2023), AI integration poses both challenges and opportunities.

Notes:
Corporate authorship is noteworthy here, emphasizing organizational contributions to research.

Example 3: Multiple Authors

Scenario Description:
A collaborative study by three researchers on the effects of virtual reality on student engagement in higher education.

Complete Reference List Citation:
Jones, M., Patel, R., & Lee, T. (2023). Virtual reality and student engagement: A higher education perspective. Computers & Education, 192(3), 129-145. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2023.101145

In-text Citation (Parenthetical):
(Jones, Patel, & Lee, 2023)

In-text Citation (Narrative):
Jones, Patel, and Lee (2023) explore how virtual reality affects student engagement.

Notes:
This example illustrates a typical multi-author scenario, which is prevalent in collaborative research efforts.

Example 4: Special Formatting Case (e.g., Article with No DOI)

Scenario Description:
An opinion piece discussing future trends in educational technology without a DOI.

Complete Reference List Citation:
Chen, L. (2023). The future of educational technology: Predictions for the next decade. Computers & Education, 193(4), 146-155.

In-text Citation (Parenthetical):
(Chen, 2023)

In-text Citation (Narrative):
Chen (2023) predicts several trends in educational technology.

Notes:
This article does not have a DOI, showcasing how to handle references when DOIs are unavailable. In such cases, simply omit the DOI.

General Notes:

This guidance should help you format your references accurately once you have the specific article details from "Computers & Education."

Common Issues When Citing Computers & Education

Issue 1: Identifying Authors

Description of the Issue:
Students often struggle to correctly identify and list the authors of articles from Computers & Education. This problem arises particularly when articles have multiple authors or when the author list is extensive.

Why It Happens:
Computers & Education is a peer-reviewed journal that frequently publishes collaborative works involving multiple authors. The author information is typically listed at the beginning of the article, but distinguishing between primary authors and contributors can be confusing due to the formatting in the digital interface.

Solution:
1. Locate the article and navigate to the beginning, where the author list is usually found.
2. Carefully read the author section to identify all contributors. Note that in APA format, all authors should be listed in the order they appear.
3. For articles with up to 20 authors, list all authors by last name, followed by initials. For more than 20 authors, list the first 19 authors, followed by an ellipsis (...), and then the final author’s name.

Example:
- Before: "Smith, J., Doe, J., et al."
- After: "Smith, J., Doe, J., Brown, L., & White, M. (2023)."

Issue 2: Date Formats

Description of the Issue:
Students often encounter confusion regarding the correct date format when citing articles from Computers & Education, especially since the journal may display multiple dates (e.g., submission, acceptance, and publication).

Why It Happens:
Computers & Education often provides several dates related to the publication process. The correct date to use in citations is the publication date, which can be overlooked if not clearly labeled.

Solution:
1. Identify the publication date on the article page, often labeled as "Published online" or "Published in issue."
2. Use the year of publication in your citation.
3. In the reference list, the format should be: (Year, Month Day). If only the year is available, use just the year.

Example:
- Before: "(Accepted 2023)"
- After: "(2023, March 15)"

Issue 3: URL Handling

Description of the Issue:
Handling URLs for articles from Computers & Education can be problematic, particularly when articles are accessed through institutional databases where direct URLs are not stable.

Why It Happens:
URLs provided by databases might include session-specific information that becomes invalid after the session ends. Computers & Education articles accessed through platforms like Elsevier may include such URLs.

Solution:
1. When available, use the DOI (Digital Object Identifier) instead of a URL, as it provides a stable link.
2. If a DOI is not available, use the journal’s homepage URL.
3. Ensure that the DOI is formatted as a hyperlink, beginning with "https://doi.org/".

Example:
- Before: "Retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360131519302019"
- After: "https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2023.104123"

Issue 4: Access Requirements

Description of the Issue:
Students sometimes fail to account for access restrictions when citing articles, particularly when they rely on institutional access that others may not have.

Why It Happens:
Access to Computers & Education articles might be restricted by paywalls or require an institutional login, which students might not realize when preparing citations for a general audience.

Solution:
1. Do not include database or institutional access information in the citation.
2. Use the DOI, which is universally accessible and bypasses access restrictions.
3. If a DOI is unavailable, mention only the journal’s homepage URL, which avoids access-related issues.

Example:
- Before: "Retrieved from University Library"
- After: "Available at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2023.104123"

By addressing these common citation challenges, students can accurately and effectively cite articles from Computers & Education in their academic work.

Note: For general Journal Article citation errors, see How to Cite Journal Article.

Frequently Asked Questions About Computers & Education

Q: How do I navigate the Computers & Education website to find citation information for an article?

A: To find citation information on the Computers & Education website, start by locating the article you need. Click on the article title to access its detailed page, where you will find the authors, publication date, volume, issue number, and DOI, all of which are necessary for citation.

Q: How should I handle unique author formats in Computers & Education articles when citing them in APA 7th edition?

A: If an article from Computers & Education has multiple authors, list them in the order presented on the article. For articles with up to 20 authors, include all names in your reference. If there are more than 20 authors, list the first 19, insert an ellipsis (...), and then add the last author's name.

Q: What should I do if the publication date format in Computers & Education articles includes only a year?

A: If the article provides only the year of publication, use just the year in your citation. In APA format, the year is placed in parentheses immediately after the authors' names, like this: (2023).

Q: Are there specific URL and access requirements when citing an article from Computers & Education?

A: When citing an article from Computers & Education, include the DOI if available, formatted as a URL (e.g., https://doi.org/10.xxxx/xxxxxx). If a DOI is not available, use the URL of the journal's homepage instead of the article's direct URL, as this ensures accessibility.

Q: How does citing an article from Computers & Education differ from other journal article sources in APA format?

A: Citing an article from Computers & Education follows the same basic structure as other journal articles in APA format: Author(s). (Year). Title of the article. Title of the Journal, Volume(Issue), page range. DOI/URL. However, always check for specific details like the DOI and author order unique to this journal.

Similar Source Types:

Validation Guides:

Need More Help?

Still Have Questions?

If you couldn't find the answer you're looking for, try our citation checker tool or browse all APA guides.

Quick Check Your Citation

Validate APA formatting instantly