APA 7th edition (2020) simplified academic formatting: no running head for student papers, author-date citations (Smith, 2020), sentence case titles, DOI URLs, and 5 heading levels. Key changes from 6th: up to 20 authors in references, no running head, flexible fonts, online sources without URLs or DOIs.
What Is APA Format?
APA (American Psychological Association) style is the standard citation format for social sciences, psychology, education, nursing, and business. The 7th edition, published in October 2019, modernized guidelines for digital sources and reduced unnecessary formatting requirements.
When to use APA:
- Psychology, sociology, education research
- Nursing and health sciences
- Business and management papers
- Any discipline requiring author-date citations
Major Changes in APA 7th Edition
The 7th edition made significant simplifications over the 6th edition (2009). Here are the most impactful changes students need to know:
| APA 6th Edition | APA 7th Edition |
|---|---|
| Running head required for ALL papers | Running head ONLY for professional/publication papers |
DOI format: doi:10.xxxx/xxxx |
DOI as URL: https://doi.org/10.xxxx/xxxx |
| Max 7 authors in reference list | Up to 20 authors listed |
| “Retrieved from” before URLs | URLs/DOIs alone, no “Retrieved from” |
| Limited font options | Any readable, consistent font acceptable |
| Print vs online source distinctions | Simplified, fewer special cases |
No Running Head for Student Papers
The most common misconception: student papers do NOT require a running head in APA 7th edition. Only manuscripts submitted for publication need a running head. This alone eliminates a major formatting headache.
Professional papers (for journal submission): Running head required, max 50 characters, all caps, flush left on title page.
General Formatting Guidelines
Page Setup
- Margins: 1 inch on all sides
- Font: Any readable, consistent font (e.g., 11-pt Calibri, 11-pt Arial, 12-pt Times New Roman, 10-pt Lucida Sans Unicode)
- Line spacing: Double-spaced throughout (including references, block quotes)
- Paragraphs: Indent first line 0.5 inches
- Alignment: Left-align text (ragged right edge)
- Page numbers: Top right corner, starting from title page
Title Page Requirements
Student papers include:
- Title (bold, centered, 3-4 lines down from top)
- Author name (first name, middle initial, last name)
- Affiliation (university name)
- Course number and title
- Instructor name
- Due date (Month Day, Year)
Example:
THE IMPACT OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON ADOLESCENT MENTAL HEALTH
Jane A. Smith
University of Exampletown
PSY 101: Introduction to Psychology
Professor John Williams
April 15, 2026
Note: No running head, no author note on student title page.
In-Text Citations: Author-Date System
APA uses parenthetical or narrative citations with author and year.
Basic Citations
- Parenthetical: (Smith, 2020)
- Narrative: Smith (2020) argues that…
Multiple Authors
- Two authors: (Smith & Jones, 2020) or Smith and Jones (2020)
- Three or more authors: (Smith et al., 2020) from first citation
- Six or more authors: Always use et al. (no comma)
No Author
Use title in place of author, shortened if long:
- (“Study Finds,” 2020)
- (Social Media Use, 2021)
Direct Quotes
Always include page number:
- (Smith, 2020, p. 15)
- (Smith, 2020, pp. 15-17) for multiple pages
- For paraphrased material, page numbers optional but encouraged
Multiple Sources in One Citation
Alphabetical order, separated by semicolons:
- (Jones, 2019; Smith, 2020; Williams, 2021)
Secondary Sources
Cite original author, then “as cited in”:
- (Freud, 1900, as cited in Smith, 2020)
Reference List: Complete Format
The reference list appears on a new page titled “References” (centered, bold). Entries are alphabetized by author’s last name, double-spaced with hanging indent (0.5 inches).
General Format
Author, A. A., Author, B. B., & Author, C. C. (Year). Title of work: Subtitle if any. Publisher. DOI or URL (if applicable)
Author Names
- List up to 20 authors (use ellipsis … before final author if >20)
- Format: Last name, First initial. Middle initial.
- Example: Smith, J. A., Jones, M. B., Williams, R. C., & Brown, L. D.
Capitalization
- Sentence case: Only first word of title, first word after colon, and proper nouns capitalized
- Journal/magazine title: Title case (major words capitalized)
- Italicize: Book/journal titles, volume numbers
- Do not italicize: Article titles
Journal Article with DOI
Smith, J. A., & Jones, M. B. (2020). The impact of sleep on academic performance.
Journal of Educational Psychology, 112(4), 567-582. https://doi.org/10.1037/edu0000321
Journal Article without DOI (online)
Smith, J. A. (2021). Social media and adolescent development.
Pediatrics Today, 45(3), 234-248. https://www.pediatricstoday.org/articles/12345
Book
Smith, J. A. (2020). *Understanding cognitive development in children* (2nd ed.).
Oxford University Press.
Chapter in Edited Book
Smith, J. A. (2020). Learning strategies in higher education. In M. B. Jones &
L. D. Brown (Eds.), *The psychology of student success* (pp. 45-68).
Routledge.
Website
American Psychological Association. (2020, October 1). APA style blog: Everything
you ever wanted to know about seventh edition APA style.
https://apastyle.apa.org/blog/seventh-edition-2019
No Date
Use “n.d.” in place of year:
Smith, J. A. (n.d.). Introduction to cognitive behavioral therapy.
https://example.com/cbt-intro
APA Headings: 5 Levels
APA uses a hierarchical heading structure with specific formatting. Use headings in this order without skipping levels.
Level 1 (Centered, Bold, Title Case)
Methods
Level 2 (Left-Aligned, Bold, Title Case)
Participants
Level 3 (Left-Aligned, Bold Italic, Sentence Case, ending with a period.)
Data collection procedure. Participants completed questionnaires...
Level 4 (Indented, Bold Italic, Sentence Case, ending with a period. Text continues on same line.)
Statistical analysis. The data were analyzed using SPSS 26.0. Descriptive statistics...
Level 5 (Indented, Bold Italic, Sentence Case, ending with a period. Text continues on same line, like Level 4 but indented further.)
Results for research question one. The first hypothesis was supported...
Note: Level 4 and 5 are identical except indentation depth. Level 5 indents 1 inch from left margin.
Tables and Figures
Tables
- Label: Table 1 (bold, left-aligned)
- Title: Title in italics, title case, on next line
- Note: Below table, if needed (general, specific, probability)
Example:
Table 1
*Demographic Characteristics of Participants*
| Variable | n | % |
|-------------------|-----|------|
| Age 18-21 | 152 | 76.0 |
| Age 22-25 | 38 | 19.0 |
| Age 26+ | 10 | 5.0 |
Figures
- Label: Figure 1 (bold, left-aligned)
- Title: Title in italics, title case, on next line
- Image: Below labels
- Note: Below figure if needed
Common Mistakes Students Make
Based on analysis of thousands of student papers, these are the most frequent APA errors:
1. Including Running Head on Student Papers
Mistake: Adding “Running head: TITLE” to title page.
Fix: Remove running head entirely for student papers. Only page number top right.
2. Sentence Case vs. Title Case Errors
Mistake: Capitalizing major words in article titles.
Fix: Only first word, first after colon, proper nouns capitalized in article/chapter titles.
3. Incorrect Journal Title Italics/Formatting
Mistake: Italicizing article titles OR not italicizing journal names.
Fix: Journal name italicized, article title not italicized.
4. Missing or Incorrect DOIs
Mistake: Leaving DOI as “doi:10.xxxx” format.
Fix: Use full URL: https://doi.org/10.xxxx/xxxx
5. Incorrect Hanging Indent
Mistake: No indent or full paragraph indent.
Fix: First line flush left, subsequent lines indented 0.5 inches.
6. Alphabetization Errors
Mistake: Not sorting references alphabetically by author’s last name.
Fix: List in strict alphabetical order. For same author, sort by year (oldest to newest).
7. Using Et Al. In Reference List
Mistake: Using et al. in reference list entries.
Fix: List all authors (up to 20), then ellipsis, then final author if >20.
8. Double-Spacing Issues
Mistake: Single-spacing within reference entries or block quotes.
Fix: Everything double-spaced, including references and block quotes.
9. URLs/DOIs Not Hyperlinked
Mistake: Removing hyperlinks from DOIs/URLs.
Fix: DOIs/URLs should be active hyperlinks (blue, underlined). Publisher determines final appearance.
10. Page Numbers Missing
Mistake: Forgetting page numbers on direct quotes.
Fix: Always include page number for direct quotes: (Smith, 2020, p. 15)
APA vs MLA vs Chicago Comparison
| Feature | APA 7th | MLA 9th | Chicago 17th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Field | Social sciences | Humanities | History, some humanities |
| In-text | (Smith, 2020) | (Smith 15) | Notes or (Smith 2020) |
| Reference | References | Works Cited | Bibliography |
| Author list | Up to 20 authors | First author et al. after 3 | All authors (no et al.) |
| Dates | After author, early in entry | End of entry | After author/title |
| Title case | Sentence case for works | Title case for works | Varies by source |
| DOI format | URL: https://doi.org/… | Not typically used | Often omitted |
Quick decision guide:
- Psychology, education, nursing → APA
- Literature, arts, humanities → MLA
- History, some publishing → Chicago
APA Format Templates
Student Paper Template Structure
Page 1: Title Page (see example above)
Page 2: Abstract (if required, centered bold "Abstract", 150-250 words)
Page 3+: Main Body
- Introduction (no heading)
- Method (Level 1)
- Results (Level 1)
- Discussion (Level 1)
- References (Level 1, new page)
- Appendices (if needed, new pages)
Sample Reference Entries
Journal article with DOI:
Smith, J. A., Jones, M. B., & Williams, R. C. (2020). Academic resilience
in first-generation college students. Journal of College Student Development,
61(3), 345-360. https://doi.org/10.1353/csd.2020.0021
Book:
Smith, J. A. (2021). *Learning in the digital age: Strategies for student success*.
Harvard Education Press.
Website:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021, March 15). Adolescent and school
mental health. https://www.cdc.gov/mentalhealth/students/index.html
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Do I need an abstract for student papers?
A: Check your instructor. Abstracts are typically for professional publications. Student papers often don’t require them.
Q: Can I use first-person pronouns?
A: Yes. APA 7th encourages using “I” or “we” when appropriate. Avoid overuse but first person is acceptable.
Q: What about appendices?
A: Each appendix starts on a new page. Label: Appendix A, Appendix B, etc. Title on next line, centered, bold.
Q: How many heading levels can I use?
A: Up to 5 levels, but most student papers use 2-3 levels. Don’t skip levels.
Q: Are contractions (don’t, can’t) allowed?
A: APA recommends avoiding contractions in formal academic writing. Use “do not” instead of “don’t.”
Q: Can I use footnotes for citations?
A: No. APA uses author-date in-text citations. Footnotes are only for content notes, not references.
Q: Do I need to cite the APA manual itself?
A: No. The manual is a “classical work” and doesn’t require citation. Reference it only if discussing APA style itself.
Resources and Official Guides
- APA Style Official Website: apastyle.apa.org (tutorials, sample papers, blog)
- Purdue OWL APA Formatting: Purdue OWL
- APA 7th Edition Manual: American Psychological Association. (2020). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.).
- Citation Generator: Citation Machine (verify accuracy)
Checklist Before Submission
✅ Title page includes title, author, affiliation, course, instructor, date
✅ Page numbers in top right corner (starting from title page)
✅ Double-spaced throughout (including references)
✅ 1-inch margins on all sides
✅ Readable font (11-12 pt) consistently used
✅ Running head removed for student paper (only page number)
✅ In-text citations have author and year (page numbers for quotes)
✅ All sources cited in text appear in reference list
✅ Reference list alphabetical by author’s last name
✅ Hanging indent (0.5 inches) for all reference entries
✅ Sentence case for article/chapter titles
✅ Italicized book/journal titles, volume numbers
✅ DOI/URL included when available, as hyperlink
✅ Headings formatted correctly (levels not skipped)
✅ No extra spaces or weird formatting
✅ Spell-check and grammar-check completed
Last updated: April 2026. This guide reflects APA 7th edition (2019) guidelines as interpreted from APA Style official resources, Purdue OWL, and university library guides. Always check your instructor’s specific requirements, which may vary from general APA guidelines.
