APA Format Guide (7th Edition): Rules, Examples, and Template

What Is APA Format?

APA stands for the American Psychological Association. The organization published its first style manual in 1929 as a set of guidelines for scientific writing, and it has been revised multiple times since then. The 7th edition, released in October 2019, is the current standard. If your instructor or publisher asks for "APA format," they almost certainly mean this edition.

APA style is the default formatting system for papers in psychology, education, nursing, social work, business, and many of the social sciences. It governs everything from the width of your margins to the punctuation inside a citation. That level of specificity can feel overwhelming, but the rules exist for a reason: they make academic writing consistent and easy to navigate, regardless of who wrote it or where it was published.

This guide walks through every major rule in the 7th edition. Keep it bookmarked, and you will have a reliable reference whenever you sit down to write a research paper, literature review, or thesis. If you need to generate individual citations quickly, Rephrasely's APA journal citation tool can handle that for you automatically.

General Formatting Rules

Before you write a single sentence of content, set up your document correctly. These baseline rules apply to every page of an APA paper.

Margins, Font, and Spacing

• Margins: 1 inch (2.54 cm) on all four sides. This is the default in most word processors, so you may not need to change anything.
• Font: The 7th edition is more flexible than its predecessor. You can use 12-point Times New Roman, 11-point Arial, 11-point Calibri, or 10-point Lucida Sans Unicode. Pick one and use it consistently throughout the paper.
• Line spacing: Double-space the entire document, including the title page, abstract, body text, and reference list. Do not add extra space before or after paragraphs.
• Paragraph indentation: Indent the first line of every paragraph by 0.5 inches. The exceptions are the abstract, block quotations, title, headings, table and figure notes, and reference entries (which use a hanging indent instead).
• Alignment: Left-align all body text. Do not justify it.

Page Numbers

Place page numbers in the top-right corner of every page, starting with the title page as page 1. Use the same font and size as the rest of your document. In Microsoft Word, insert the number through the Header & Footer tools so it appears automatically on each page.

Running Head

The running head is an abbreviated version of your paper title, placed in the page header. Here is what changed between the 6th and 7th editions:

• Student papers: A running head is not required unless your instructor specifically asks for one.
• Professional papers: Include a running head on every page. It should be in all capital letters, left-aligned in the header, with a maximum length of 50 characters (including spaces). The label "Running head:" that was required on the title page in the 6th edition has been removed.

If your instructor wants a running head on a student paper, follow the professional format above.

Title Page Format

The title page is page 1. APA 7 distinguishes between student and professional title pages, though the differences are minor.

Student Title Page

Center the following elements vertically and horizontally on the page, each on its own line, double-spaced:

1. Paper title. — bold, in title case, no more than 12 words. Position it three or four lines down from the top margin.
2. Author name(s). — first name, middle initial(s), last name. No titles or degrees.
3. Department and institution. — for example, "Department of Psychology, University of Michigan."
4. Course number and name. — for example, "PSY 301: Research Methods."
5. Instructor name. — for example, "Dr. Sarah Nguyen."
6. Assignment due date. — for example, "March 13, 2026."

Professional Title Page

The professional version omits the course, instructor, and due date. Instead, it adds:

• Author affiliation(s). — department and institution for each author.
• Author note. — a paragraph at the bottom of the page that can include an ORCID iD, change of affiliation, disclosures, and contact information.
• Running head. — required for professional papers.

Abstract

The abstract is a brief, self-contained summary of your paper. It appears on page 2, right after the title page.

• Type the word Abstract centered, bold, at the top of the page.
• Write a single paragraph with no indentation, between 150 and 250 words.
• Cover the purpose, method, results, and conclusions of your study.
• Below the abstract, add a line labeled Keywords: in italics, followed by three to five keywords in lowercase, separated by commas.

Not every paper needs an abstract. Short essays and response papers typically skip it. Check your assignment instructions.

APA Heading Levels (1 Through 5)

APA uses a five-level heading system to organize content. Most papers only need two or three levels, but all five are available when your structure demands it.

A key change in the 7th edition: Level 3 headings are now bold italic instead of just bold. Also, every heading level uses title case, and the text always starts on a new line for Levels 1 through 3.

The heading "Introduction" is never used in APA style. The paper title at the top of page 3 (or the first page of body text) serves as the Level 1 heading for your introduction.

In-Text Citations (Author-Date System)

APA uses an author-date citation system. Every time you refer to someone else's work, you include the author's last name and the year of publication. There are two main forms.

Parenthetical Citations

Place the author and year in parentheses at the end of the sentence, before the period:

Cognitive load theory suggests that working memory has a limited capacity (Sweller, 1988).

Narrative Citations

Use the author's name as part of the sentence and put only the year in parentheses:

Sweller (1988) argued that working memory has a limited capacity.

Variations by Number of Authors

This is a significant simplification from the 6th edition, which required you to list all authors (up to five) on the first citation. The 7th edition uses "et al." from the very first mention when there are three or more authors.

Page Numbers in Citations

Include a page number when you quote directly or paraphrase a specific passage from a long work:

"Working memory is limited to approximately four chunks of information" (Sweller, 1988, p. 261).

For paraphrases, page numbers are encouraged but not strictly required. Adding them is considered good practice because it helps readers locate the original passage. For guidance on paraphrasing and using proper citations, see our detailed blog post.

Secondary Sources

If you read about a study in another author's work (a secondary source), cite it like this:

Bandura's social learning theory (as cited in Garcia, 2021) suggests that...

Only the secondary source (Garcia) goes on your reference list, because that is the work you actually read.

Reference List Formatting

The reference list starts on a new page after the body of your paper. Center the word References in bold at the top of the page. Then list all cited sources alphabetically by the first author's last name.

General Rules

• Double-space the entire list, with no extra space between entries.
• Use a hanging indent: the first line of each entry is flush left, and subsequent lines are indented 0.5 inches.
• Italicize titles of books, journals, and volumes. Do not italicize article or chapter titles.
• Capitalize only the first word, first word after a colon, and proper nouns in book and article titles (sentence case). Journal names use title case.
• Include a DOI or URL when one is available.

The Four Elements of a Reference

Every APA reference follows the same basic template:

1. Who. — Author(s)
2. When. — Publication date
3. What. — Title of the work
4. Where. — Source (journal, publisher, URL, DOI)

The order and punctuation change depending on the source type, but these four pieces are always present in some form.

How to Cite Books

The basic format for a book reference is:

Author, A. A. (Year). Title of work: Capital letter also for subtitle. Publisher. DOI or URL

Examples

Notice that publisher location (city and state) is no longer required in the 7th edition. Just give the publisher name. Also drop "Retrieved from" before URLs unless you need a retrieval date (which is rare for books).

How to Cite Journal Articles

Journal articles are the most commonly cited source type in academic writing. Use Rephrasely's APA journal citation generator to build these references automatically.

Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Year). Title of article. Title of Periodical, Volume(Issue), Page range. DOI

Examples

How to Cite Websites and Online Sources

Website citations are increasingly common, and they trip up a lot of writers. The general format is:

Author or Organization. (Year, Month Day). Title of page. Site Name. URL

Important details to remember:

• If the author and the site name are the same (for example, an organization publishing on its own website), omit the site name to avoid repetition.
• If there is no date, write (n.d.).
• If the content is likely to change over time, add a retrieval date: "Retrieved March 13, 2026, from URL."
• Do not put a period after a URL or DOI at the end of a reference. This was changed in the 7th edition to avoid confusion when copying links.

For more guidance on digital sources, read our article on how to cite online sources correctly.

Website Citation Examples

How to Cite Other Common Source Types

Beyond books, journals, and websites, you may need to cite presentations, dissertations, social media posts, or reports. Here are quick references for two common ones.

Dissertations and Theses

If the dissertation is available in a database (such as ProQuest), treat it similarly to a book:

Author, A. A. (Year). Title of dissertation [Doctoral dissertation, University Name]. Database Name. URL

Rephrasely also offers a dedicated APA dissertation citation tool if you need to format a thesis reference quickly.

Presentations and Conference Papers

Presenter, A. A. (Year, Month Days). Title of presentation [Type of presentation]. Conference Name, Location. URL

The type in brackets might be "Paper presentation," "Poster presentation," or "Keynote address." For automatic formatting, try our APA presentation citation tool.

DOI and URL Formatting

DOIs (Digital Object Identifiers) are permanent links assigned to most published academic articles. The 7th edition made two important changes to how DOIs are presented.

Format DOIs as Hyperlinks

Always present a DOI as a full URL, starting with "https://doi.org/". Do not use the older "doi:" prefix.

No Period After URLs or DOIs

When a reference entry ends with a DOI or URL, do not place a period after it. A trailing period could be mistaken as part of the link and cause it to break.

When to Include a URL

If a source has a DOI, always include it. If there is no DOI but the work was accessed online, include the URL instead. For works accessed through most academic databases (JSTOR, PsycINFO, EBSCO), do not include the database URL—only include the DOI. Database URLs are not stable and vary by institution. The exceptions are databases that publish original content, like UpToDate or the ERIC database.

Tables and Figures

APA 7 provides detailed rules for tables and figures. Here are the essentials:

• Number tables and figures sequentially (Table 1, Table 2; Figure 1, Figure 2).
• Give each table or figure a brief, descriptive title in italics, placed above the table or figure.
• Place any explanatory notes below the table or figure.
• Refer to every table and figure in the text by number (for example, "see Table 2").
• Tables and figures can be placed either within the text near where they are first mentioned or on separate pages after the reference list. Follow your instructor's preference.

Formatting Direct Quotations

Short quotations (fewer than 40 words) go inside double quotation marks within the text. Long quotations (40 words or more) are formatted as block quotations:

• Start the block quotation on a new line.
• Indent the entire block 0.5 inches from the left margin.
• Do not use quotation marks around a block quotation.
• Place the parenthetical citation after the closing punctuation of the block quotation.
• If the quotation spans multiple paragraphs, indent the first line of the second and subsequent paragraphs an additional 0.5 inches.

Always include a page or paragraph number when quoting directly. Accurate quotation formatting is critical for avoiding accidental plagiarism. Before submitting any paper, consider running it through a plagiarism checker to verify originality.

Numbers and Statistics

APA has specific conventions for writing numbers:

• Spell out numbers below 10 (one through nine). Use numerals for 10 and above.
• Always use numerals for numbers that precede a unit of measurement (3 cm, 5 mg), represent statistical or mathematical values, or appear in tables and figures.
• Never begin a sentence with a numeral. Either spell out the number or rewrite the sentence.
• Use a zero before a decimal point when the statistic can exceed 1 (0.45 seconds), but omit the zero when it cannot (p = .032, r = .78).

Bias-Free Language

The 7th edition expanded its guidance on inclusive, bias-free writing. APA recommends:

• Using person-first language where appropriate ("people with disabilities" rather than "disabled people"), while respecting community preferences when identity-first language is preferred.
• Using the singular "they" as a gender-neutral pronoun.
• Being specific about racial and ethnic identities. Capitalize names of racial and ethnic groups (Black, White, Latino).
• Avoiding language that implies evaluation or bias when describing research participants (use "participants" or "respondents" rather than "subjects").

Common APA Formatting Mistakes

Even experienced writers make these errors. Here are the ones instructors flag most often:

1. Incorrect Hanging Indent in the Reference List

Every reference entry must use a hanging indent (the first line flush left, subsequent lines indented 0.5 inches). Manually pressing the spacebar or Tab key usually produces uneven results. Use your word processor's paragraph formatting settings to apply the indent correctly.

2. Using the 6th Edition Running Head Format

The 7th edition dropped the "Running head:" label on the title page. If you see that label in a template, the template is outdated.

3. Listing All Authors in Every In-Text Citation

With three or more authors, use "et al." from the first citation onward. The 6th edition required you to list up to five authors on first mention, so older habits die hard.

4. Writing DOIs in the Old Format

Use "https://doi.org/..." instead of "doi:..." and do not put a period after the DOI. This is a simple change that many writers miss.

5. Including Publisher Location

The 7th edition no longer requires the city and state (or country) of the publisher. Just list the publisher's name.

6. Forgetting the Period After "et al."

The abbreviation "et al." always ends with a period because "al." is short for "alia." A missing period here is a small but noticeable formatting error.

7. Putting the Title Page Running Head in the Wrong Case

The running head should be in ALL CAPS. The paper title itself uses title case. Mixing these up is common.

8. Not Double-Spacing the Entire Document

Everything gets double-spaced in APA format: the title page, abstract, body, references, appendices, tables, and figure notes. No section is exempt.

APA Paper Checklist

Use this quick checklist before you submit:

1. 1-inch margins on all sides.
2. Approved font at the correct size, consistent throughout.
3. Double-spacing everywhere, no extra line breaks between paragraphs or references.
4. Page numbers top-right on every page, starting with 1 on the title page.
5. Title page includes all required elements (title, author, affiliation, course info for students).
6. Abstract on page 2 (if required), 150–250 words, with keywords.
7. Body text starts on a new page with the paper title as the first heading.
8. Headings follow the correct format for their level (centered vs. left-aligned, bold vs. bold italic).
9. Every in-text citation has a matching reference list entry, and vice versa.
10. Reference list is alphabetized by first author's last name.
11. Hanging indents on all reference entries.
12. DOIs formatted as full hyperlinks with no trailing period.

Frequently Asked Questions About APA Format

What are the main differences between APA 6th and 7th edition?

The 7th edition made several notable changes: the "Running head:" label was removed from the title page, publisher location was dropped from references, DOIs are now formatted as URLs (https://doi.org/...), "et al." is used from the first citation when there are three or more authors, the student title page was simplified, and Level 3 headings changed from bold to bold italic. The singular "they" was also officially endorsed as a gender-neutral pronoun.

Do student papers need a running head in APA 7?

No. The 7th edition states that student papers do not require a running head unless the instructor specifically requests one. Professional papers (those being submitted for publication) still require a running head in all capital letters, flush left in the page header.

How do I cite a source with no author in APA format?

Move the title of the work into the author position. For in-text citations, use a shortened version of the title in quotation marks (for articles and web pages) or italics (for books and reports), followed by the year. For example: ("Understanding Climate Change," 2023). In the reference list, alphabetize by the first significant word of the title.

How do I cite a source with no date?

Use (n.d.) in place of the date, both in the in-text citation and the reference list entry. For example: (Smith, n.d.). In the reference list: Smith, J. (n.d.). Title of work. Publisher.

Should I use "Retrieved from" before URLs in APA 7?

Generally, no. The 7th edition dropped "Retrieved from" for most sources. You only include a retrieval date (and thus "Retrieved [date] from") when the source content is designed to change over time, such as a social media profile, a wiki article, or a news site that updates its pages. For stable content like journal articles, books, or reports, simply list the URL or DOI at the end of the reference.

How many authors do I list in a reference entry?

List up to 20 authors in the reference entry. If there are 21 or more authors, list the first 19, insert an ellipsis (but no ampersand), and then add the final author's name. In the 6th edition, the cutoff was seven authors, so this is a substantial change.

What is the difference between a parenthetical and a narrative citation?

A parenthetical citation places the author's name and year entirely inside parentheses at the end of a clause or sentence: (Garcia, 2021). A narrative citation weaves the author's name into the sentence itself, with only the year in parentheses: Garcia (2021) found that... Both forms are correct. Choose whichever fits the flow of your writing.

Do I need to include a DOI for every journal article?

You should include a DOI whenever one is available, regardless of whether you accessed the article in print or online. If no DOI exists and you accessed the article online, provide the URL of the journal's website. If you read a print article that has no DOI, you can end the reference after the page numbers with no URL needed.