APA 7th Edition Format Guide: Paper Setup, Citations, References

Short answer: APA 7th edition requires 1-inch margins, double spacing, a legible 11–12pt font, a title page, author–date in-text citations, and a hanging-indent reference list titled "References".

APA 7 simplified several rules from the 6th edition — publisher location is gone, up to 20 authors are listed, and DOIs appear as plain URLs. Here is the current standard.

Paper Setup Requirements

1. 1-inch margins on all sides
2. Double spacing throughout, including references
3. Times New Roman 12pt, Calibri 11pt, or Arial 11pt
4. Page number in the top-right header on every page
5. Title page with title, author, affiliation, course, instructor, and due date
6. Indent the first line of every paragraph 0.5 inches

In-Text Citation Patterns

1. Parenthetical: (Mitchell, 2024)
2. Narrative: Mitchell (2024) argued that…
3. Direct quote: (Mitchell, 2024, p. 41)
4. Two authors: (Mitchell & Nguyen, 2024)
5. Three or more: (Mitchell et al., 2024)
6. Organization: (American Psychological Association [APA], 2024)

Reference List Examples

1. Journal article: Author, A. A. (2024). Title of article. Journal Name, 12(3), 45–67. https://doi.org/xxxx
2. Book: Author, A. A. (2023). Title of work. Publisher.
3. Chapter: Author, A. A. (2023). Chapter title. In B. Editor (Ed.), Book title (pp. 10–25). Publisher.
4. Website: Author, A. A. (2024, March 5). Page title. Site Name. https://url
5. Report: Organization. (2024). Report title (Report No. 12). Publisher. https://url

Heading Levels

1. Level 1: Centered, Bold, Title Case
2. Level 2: Flush Left, Bold, Title Case
3. Level 3: Flush Left, Bold Italic, Title Case
4. Level 4: Indented, Bold, Title Case, Ending With a Period.
5. Level 5: Indented, Bold Italic, Title Case, Ending With a Period.

How to Choose the Right Topic

Step 1. Set margins, spacing, and font before writing so you never reformat later.

Step 2. Add each source to your reference list the moment you cite it.

Step 3. Alphabetize references by the first author surname.

Step 4. Apply a 0.5-inch hanging indent to every reference entry.

Step 5. Run a final check that every in-text citation has a matching reference and vice versa.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Picking a topic so broad you cannot cover it in the assigned page count


• Choosing a subject with no credible, peer-reviewed sources available


• Restating an argument without adding your own analysis or evidence


• Ignoring your instructor's rubric, required citation style, or page limits


• Leaving topic selection until the night before the deadline

Frequently Asked Questions

Does APA 7 require a running head?

Student papers no longer require a running head — only the page number. Professional manuscripts still include one.

How do I cite a source with no author?

Move the title into the author position and cite a shortened title in quotation marks in text, e.g. ("Climate Trends," 2024).

Should DOIs be hyperlinked?

Present DOIs as full https://doi.org/ URLs. Hyperlinking is optional but must be consistent throughout the reference list.

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