FAQ: How do I cite the the Project Management Institute's "A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide) - Seventh Edition and the Standard for Project Management" in APA style?

Per APA Style, there is no one mandated way to cite this resource, particularly in an in-text citation, given the way that the pages are numbered in the different sections of the book. The following guidance has been recommended by APA Style. Please check with your instructor for their preferred method for citing this resource.

Reference List

Follow the general format for an eBook provided on our APA Style guide's Book Reference Examples page.

General Format

Author, A. A. (Date). Title of book. Source. DOI

For Example

Project Management Institute. (2021). A guide to the project management body of knowledge (PMBOK guide)—seventh edition and the standard for project management.

NOTE: You do not need to repeat an author's name in the Source (publisher) position of a reference. If the book has a DOI, include the DOI after the Source (publisher). Do not include database information in the reference. If an eBook does not have a DOI and you accessed it through a database, the format will be the same as a print book.

In-Text Citation

Using page numbers in your in-text citation when citing a direct quote can be confusing because the two parts of this book - the Standard and the PMBOK guide - are paginated separately. APA Style does not recommend using e-reader page numbers because different eBook platforms (like EBSCO and ProQuest) use their own systems for pagination.

Instead,  APA Style recommends using a different way of identifying parts of source, such as section numbers, as when citing a resource with no page numbers This link opens in a new window. With this method, you can cite specific portions of the book by identifying the part of the book (either the Standard for Project Management part [abbreviated as Standard] or the PMBOK part) and then providing the section number.

For Example

(Project Management Institute, 2021, Standard Section 2.3.7)

After the Project Management Institute (PMI) has been defined as an abbreviation This link opens in a new window in your text, you can cite it as:

(PMI, 2021, PMBOK Section 4.4.1)

Disclaimer

This information is intended to be a guideline, not expert advice. Please check with your instructor for their preferred method for citing this resource in your course assignments and projects.