In Writing in the Milieu of Utility Teresa Kynell-Hunt (2010) distinguishes "business" from "technical" writing, stating:
[Business writing and technical writing] overlap in their attention to specific formats (for example, letter styles) and their applications in the realms of business and industry, but similarities should not be extended too far beyond this. Business writing emerged in response to the specific needs of those involved in business-related enterprises and from the daily need for clear communication both inside and outside of corporations. Technical writing...emerged in response to technology, most specifically in the need to communicate or describe that technology to an often less than sophisticated audience. Thus technical writing is grounded in the mechanical or scientific arts as well as to produce user documentation... Business writing...is grounded in commercial enterprise, in the communication needs of organizations." (p. 5)
Although the APA provides clear instructions on how to cite standard publication types, some business-specific resources include unique information that doesn't directly match APA instructions. Because of that, some of the examples and instructions on this page represent the WVU Libraries' interpretation of APA rules.
For citing resources in standard article databases including: ABI/INFORM, Factiva, and Business Source Premier, please consult the Journal Articles or Magazine & News Articles tabs.
Click here for examples of business-specific APA citations.
If you have questions about citing your specific source, please contact the WVU Libraries.
