How to Cite Surveys in a Research Paper

Jake Essene
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Neither the American Psychological Association style manual nor the Modern Language Association style manual offers specific instructions for citing a survey in a research paper. However, because a survey is a kind of interview, you can cite it as such in your List of Works Cited.

Cite a survey using APA style

Step 1

Cite an unpublished survey by using an in-text reference that includes the full name of the person who was surveyed and the date of the communication. For example:

"At the conference, Margaret Cahill said (Margaret Cahill, survey, January 11, 2011) ..."

Step 2

Cite a published survey by creating a standard APA interview citation and inserting information about the survey in brackets after the surveyor's information. For example:

Cahill, Margaret. (2010, November 16). [Survey of Davidson Elementary School Fifth Grade Students]. Retrieved January 11, 2011, from the Davidson Elementary School website: http://...

Step 3

Place the published survey citation in your List of Works Cited alphabetically, according to the last name of the surveyor.

Cite a survey using MLA style

Step 1

Cite a printed survey using a standard MLA style interview citation. For example:

Harris, Amy. "Best Restaurants in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania." Survey. 11 January 2021.

Step 2

Place the printed survey citation in your List of Works Cited alphabetically, according to the last name of the surveyor.

Step 3

Cite a survey conducted online by creating a standard MLA interview citation and then adding information about the website. For example:

Harris, Amy. "Best Restaurants in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania." Survey. Name of website in italics. Publisher of website, 16 November 2010. Accessed online. 11 January 2011. http://...

Step 4

Place the online survey citation in your List of Works Cited alphabetically, according to the last name of the surveyor.

Use the preferred citation style of your institution.

Note

If a website does not offer all of the required authorship and publishing information, simply provide as much information as you can.

Tips

  • Use the preferred citation style of your institution.
  • If a website does not offer all of the required authorship and publishing information, simply provide as much information as you can.

Writer Bio

Jake Essene began writing in 1993 and has published articles in regional newspapers such as the "Daily Intelligencer" and legal journals such as the "Ohio Northern Law Review." Essene earned a Bachelor of Science in theology at Philadelphia Biblical University, with additional studies in archeology at the Jerusalem University College. He then earned a Juris Doctor at the Pettit College of Law.