Ultimate Guide to APA Formatting (7th Edition) for Research Papers

For many students and researchers, APA formatting feels like a maze of rules: hanging indents here, italics there, a running head that’s different on page one—but only for some papers. 😵‍💫 If you’ve ever lost points for a misplaced comma in a reference or spent an hour wondering whether “et al.” should be italicized, you’re not alone. This guide unpacks APA Style (7th Edition) step by step so you can format with confidence and get back to the real work: communicating your findings.

TL;DR – APA 7th streamlines font choices, nixes the “Running head:” label for student papers, and simplifies citation rules. Scroll down for a one-page checklist, copy-paste citation templates, and a free tool to generate perfectly formatted references in seconds.

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Why APA Style Matters

APA (American Psychological Association) Style provides a consistent framework for reporting research in the social sciences, education, nursing, business, and more. Uniform formatting:

Enhances readability – Readers know exactly where to find key information.

Prevents plagiarism – Clear citations credit original ideas.

Improves credibility – Professional presentation signals rigorous scholarship.

Whether you’re submitting a journal article or a term paper, mastering APA Style ensures your content—not formatting mishaps—takes center stage.

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Major Updates in the 7th Edition

| Category | 6th Edition | 7th Edition (Current) |

|---|---|---|

| Fonts | Times New Roman 12 pt recommended | Any accessible font (e.g., 11 pt Calibri, 11 pt Arial, 12 pt Times New Roman) |

| Running Head | “Running head:” label + short title on all pages | Students: page number only · Pros: short title + page number, no “Running head:” label |

| Publisher Location | Required in references | Omitted |

| Up to 7 Authors | List up to 7 authors | List up to 20 before “…” |

| DOIs | “doi:” prefix | https://doi.org/ format |

| E-books | Device/platform noted | Format like print book; include publisher |

>Pro Tip: If you learned APA years ago, double-check every template you still copy-paste—small rule changes can cost points.

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General Paper Formatting

| Element | Specs |

|---|---|

| Margins | 1 inch (2.54 cm) on all sides |

| Line Spacing | Double-spaced throughout, including reference list & block quotes |

| Indentation | First line of every paragraph 0.5 in (Tab) |

| Page Numbers | Top-right header, starting on title page |

| Alignment | Left-align text, ragged right edge (no full justification) |

Title Page

Student papers need four lines, centered midway down:

Title (bold, Title Case)

Author name(s)

Affiliation (university, department)

Course, professor, and due date

Example

The Impact of Sleep Quality on Academic Performance

Alex Chen

Department of Psychology, National Taiwan University

PSY-305: Research Methods · Prof. L. Huang · 5 June 2025

Professional manuscripts replace course info with: author note, ORCID iDs, disclosures, acknowledgments, etc.

Abstract

- Length: 150–250 words (check journal guidelines).

- Format: Block paragraph, no indent.

- Keywords: Italic “Keywords:” label, then three-to-five words separated by commas.

Headings

APA uses five levels. Remember: headings are flush left → centered → indented.

| Level | Formatting |

|---|---|

| 1 | Bold, Centered, Title Case |

| 2 | Bold, Flush Left |

| 3 | Bold italic, Flush Left |

| 4 | Bold, Indented, period. Paragraph text continues |

| 5 | Bold italic, Indented, period. Paragraph text continues |

Running Header & Page Numbers

| Paper Type | Header Content |

|---|---|

| Student | Page number only (top right) |

| Professional | Shortened title (≤50 chars) + page number |

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In-Text Citations

APA uses author–date citations.

Narrative vs. Parenthetical

- Narrative: Smith (2024) argued…

- Parenthetical: …(Smith, 2024).

Multiple Authors

| Authors | Format |

|---|---|

| 1 | (Lee, 2023) |

| 2 | (Lee & García, 2023) |

| 3+ | (Lee et al., 2023) |

(et al. not italicized.)

Direct Quotes

- Under 40 words: quote in text, add page number – “…” (Wu, 2022, p. 15).

- 40+ words: block quote, indented 0.5 in, no quotation marks, period before citation.

Multiple Works in One Citation

Order alphabetically: (Chen, 2022; Lee, 2019; Martínez & Roy, 2021).

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Reference List Essentials

Core Formula: Author. (Year). Title. Source.

Formatting Rules

Start on a new page titled References (bold, centered).

Double-spaced, hanging indent 0.5 in.

Alphabetize by first author’s last name.

Use sentence-case for article/book titles; Title Case for journal names.

Citation Templates & Examples

| Source Type | Template | Example |

|---|---|---|

| Journal Article | Author, A. A. (Year). Title. Journal Name, _Volume_(Issue), pp–pp. https://doi.org/xxxxx | Brown, K. L., & Smith, T. J. (2024). Mindfulness and stress. Journal of Health Psychology, _29_(3), 255-270. https://doi.org/10.1037/hpy0000217 |

| Book | Author, A. A. (Year). Title (Edition). Publisher. | Cruz, P. (2023). Research Design Simplified (2nd ed.). Sage. |

| Chapter in Edited Book | Author, A. A. (Year). Title of chapter. In E. E. Editor (Ed.), Book title (pp. xx-xx). Publisher. | Lin, S. J. (2022). Survey methods. In R. Zipf (Ed.), Handbook of Social Research (pp. 45-68). Routledge. |

| Webpage | Author, A. A. (Year, Month Day). Title. Site Name. URL | World Health Organization. (2025, March 14). Climate change and health. WHO. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/climate-change-and-health |

#### Missing Information

- No author: Title moves to author position.

- No date: (n.d.).

- No page numbers: Use paragraph # if direct quote (para. 4).

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Tables & Figures

- Number each (Table 1, Figure 1).

- Title: italic, Title Case, one double-spaced line below number.

- Note: If needed, place beneath image/table (italic “Note.” label).

- Citation: For reprinted/adapted material, add copyright statement.

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Common APA Mistakes (and How to Avoid Them)

Hanging indents missing – Highlight refs → Paragraph dialog → Hanging 0.5 in.

Ampersand in text – Use “&” inside parentheses, “and” in narrative.

Title Case misuse – Only journals & series names in Title Case; article titles in sentence-case.

Dead URLs – Add Retrieved Month Day, Year if page content changes over time.

Multiple publisher locations – Drop them; APA 7 no longer requires city/state.

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Rapid APA Checklist

- [ ] 1 inch margins, double spacing, readable font

- [ ] Correct title page format for student vs. professional

- [ ] Page numbers top right; running head if pro paper

- [ ] Headings follow five-level hierarchy

- [ ] All in-text citations match reference list entries

- [ ] Reference list alphabetized, hanging indents

- [ ] DOI hyperlinks start with https://doi.org/

- [ ] Tables/Figures numbered & titled, notes included

- [ ] Proofread for consistency in punctuation & italics

Nail every box above and you’re APA-ready! ✔️

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Additional Resources

- APA Style Blog: Official clarifications & FAQs

- Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.) – The definitive rulebook

- Purdue OWL APA Guide: Quick reference & examples

- QuillWizard Citation Generator: Automated references & in-text citations

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Conclusion: Master APA, Showcase Your Ideas

Formatting may feel tedious, but it’s the frame that elevates your research. With APA 7 rules at your fingertips—and a handy AI assistant when you need backup—you’ll submit papers that look as professional as the insights they contain. Bookmark this guide, share it with lab mates, and let flawless formatting become your new research habit. Happy writing and citing!