Complete Guide to APA Format (7th Edition)
The American Psychological Association (APA) style is the standard format for papers, essays, and publications in the social sciences. First developed in 1929, the APA format provides clear rules for manuscript structure, in-text citations, reference lists, and more.
In-Text Citations in APA Format
APA uses an author-date citation system. When citing a source in your text, include the author's last name and the year of publication:
(Smith, 2020)
For direct quotes, include the page number:
(Smith, 2020, p. 42)
Reference List Formatting
The reference list appears at the end of your paper and provides complete information about each cited source. Key formatting rules:
- Label the page "References" (centered, bold)
- Double-space all text
- Use hanging indent (first line flush left, subsequent lines indented)
- List entries alphabetically by author's last name
Common APA Reference Examples
Book:
Author, A. A. (Year). Title of work. Publisher.
Journal Article:
Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Year). Title of article. Journal Name, Volume(Issue), page range. https://doi.org/xx.xxx/yyyy
Website:
Author, A. A. (Year, Month Day). Title of page. Site Name. URL
APA Title Page Requirements
The title page should include:
- Title of the paper (bold, centered, upper/lowercase)
- Author name(s)
- Institutional affiliation
- Course number and name
- Instructor name
- Due date
- Page number (top right)