APA Style is the most widely used citation and formatting style in psychology, education, nursing, business and the social sciences. The current version is the 7th edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, published in 2019.
This guide covers everything most students need for a standard paper. Always follow your instructor's specific instructions where they differ.
Page setup
- Margins: 1 inch (2.54 cm) on all sides.
- Font: APA 7 allows several accessible fonts, including Times New Roman 12 pt, Calibri 11 pt, Arial 11 pt, Georgia 11 pt and Lucida Sans Unicode 10 pt. Use the same font throughout.
- Line spacing: double-spaced throughout, including the title page and reference list.
- Alignment: left-aligned, with a ragged right edge (don't justify).
- Paragraph indent: first line indented 0.5 inch.
- Page numbers: top right of every page, starting with the title page.
Student title page
APA 7 has separate title pages for student and professional papers. For a student paper, include, centered on the page:
- Paper title in bold, a few lines down from the top
- One blank line
- Author name(s)
- Department and institution (for example, Department of Nursing, Example University)
- Course number and name
- Instructor name
- Due date
A running head is not required for student papers in APA 7 unless your instructor asks for one. Just include the page number.
Abstract
Student papers usually don't need an abstract unless your instructor requires one. If you include one, put it on its own page with the bold, centered label Abstract, and write a single paragraph (often 150 to 250 words) summarizing the paper.
Headings
APA uses five heading levels. Most student papers need only Levels 1 and 2.
| Level | Format |
|---|---|
| 1 | Centered, Bold, Title Case |
| 2 | Flush Left, Bold, Title Case |
| 3 | Flush Left, Bold Italic, Title Case |
| 4 | Indented, Bold, Title Case, Ending With a Period. Text continues on the same line. |
| 5 | Indented, Bold Italic, Title Case, Ending With a Period. Text continues on the same line. |
Don't label the introduction "Introduction". Instead, repeat the paper's title in bold at the top of the first page of text.
In-text citations
APA uses the author-date system.
Basic formats
- Parenthetical: (Smith, 2022)
- Narrative: Smith (2022) argued that...
- Direct quotation: add a page number: (Smith, 2022, p. 14). For multiple pages, use pp.: (Smith, 2022, pp. 14–15).
- No page numbers (for example a website): use a paragraph number (para. 4) or a section name.
Number of authors
| Authors | Parenthetical | Narrative |
|---|---|---|
| One | (Lee, 2021) | Lee (2021) |
| Two | (Lee & Patel, 2021) | Lee and Patel (2021) |
| Three or more | (Lee et al., 2021) | Lee et al. (2021) |
In APA 7, "et al." is used for three or more authors from the first citation.
Group authors
Write the full name. If the abbreviation is well known, introduce it the first time: (World Health Organization [WHO], 2023), then (WHO, 2023).
Multiple works in one citation
Order alphabetically, separated by semicolons: (Adams, 2019; Brown, 2021; Chen, 2020).
Long quotations
Quotations of 40 words or more go in a block quotation: a new line, indented 0.5 inch, no quotation marks, with the citation after the final punctuation.
The reference list
- Start on a new page with the bold, centered label References.
- Double-spaced, with a 0.5-inch hanging indent.
- Alphabetical by first author's surname.
- Include up to 20 authors in a reference.
- Present DOIs as URLs: https://doi.org/xxxx
- Don't include the publisher location for books.
- "Retrieved from" is only used when content is designed to change and you include a retrieval date.
Journal article
Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Year). Title of the article in sentence case. Journal Name in Title Case, Volume(Issue), page–page. https://doi.org/xxxx
Example:
Nguyen, T., & Brooks, L. (2021). Sleep quality and academic performance in nursing students. Journal of Nursing Education, 60(4), 210–216. https://doi.org/10.0000/example
Book
Author, A. A. (Year). Title of the book in sentence case (edition if not first). Publisher.
Example:
Martin, R. (2020). Research methods for the social sciences (3rd ed.). Example Press.
Chapter in an edited book
Author, A. A. (Year). Title of chapter. In E. E. Editor (Ed.), Title of book (pp. xx–xx). Publisher.
Web page
Author or Organization. (Year, Month Day). Title of the page. Site Name (omit if same as author). URL
Example:
Example Health Agency. (2023, May 10). Hand hygiene in healthcare settings. https://www.example.org/hand-hygiene
If there's no date, use (n.d.).
The example DOIs and URLs above are illustrations of format, not real sources.
Tables and figures
- Number them in bold: Table 1, Figure 1.
- Put the title on the next line in italic title case.
- Add a note below if needed, including the source.
- Refer to each table or figure in the text.
Common APA mistakes
- Using "et al." incorrectly (APA 7 uses it from the first citation for three or more authors).
- Forgetting page numbers for direct quotations.
- Mismatches between in-text citations and the reference list. Every citation needs a reference, and every reference must be cited.
- Title case in article titles (should be sentence case in references).
- Missing hanging indent.
- Including publisher location for books (no longer required).
- Writing "Retrieved from" before every URL.
- Not italicizing the journal name and volume number.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a running head in APA 7?
Not for student papers, unless your instructor requires it.
Is APA 7 double-spaced?
Yes, throughout the paper, including references.
How do I cite a source with no author?
Move the title to the author position. In text, use a short version of the title.
Can I use a citation generator?
Yes, but always check the output. Generators often make capitalization and formatting errors.
Need a formatting check?
Our editing and formatting service checks your paper against APA 7: title page, headings, citations and references, plus grammar and clarity if you want it. The ideas and writing remain yours.