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APA 7th Edition

APA 7th Edition

How do I format my APA 7th Edition paper?

The information provided below will assist you in properly formatting your paper according to the APA 7th Edition standards.  Please note that papers that are being written for publication will require additional formatting components.  Please check with your professor to ensure that you are meeting all requirements for your specific class and project.

General Overview

 

How do I format my APA 7th Edition paper?

Watch the video below to learn how to format your APA 7th Edition paper including:

  • Acceptable Font and Font Size
  • How to add page numbers
  • How to Format the Title Page 
  • Spacing Requirements for Main Body and Reference List

Sample Paper

 

What does an example APA 7th Edition paper look like? 

APA Style offers sample student and professional papers, including an annotated student sample paper.

Hanging Indent

 

How do I make a hanging indent in Word?

1. Highlight the citation with your cursor. 

2. Right-click. 

3. Select Paragraph.

4. Under Indentation, select Special and Hanging.

Animated gif of creating a hanging indent in Word. Highlight the full citation. Right click. Go to Paragraph. To to the Special drop down menu, select Hanging. Select Okay.

Student Title Page

 

How do I format a student title page?

Please note that papers for publication will require some different elements.  Please check with your professor to inquire about the specific guidelines of your assignment or project.  Students should follow any specific instructions provided by their individual instructors when it comes to formatting their title page. Unless instructed otherwise, these are the different components of the student title page:

  • Title
  • Author
  • Affiliation (University and School/Department)
  • Course Number and Name
  • Instructor Name
  • Assignment Due Date
  • Page Number (Upper Right Hand Corner)

 

 

Running Head

 

How do I format a running head?

Please note that papers for publication will require a running head.  Please check with your professor to inquire about the specific guidelines of your assignment or project.  Students should follow any specific instructions provided by their individual instructors when it comes to formatting their papers. 

Abstract

 

How do I format an abstract?

Please note that papers for publication will require an abstract.  Please check with your professor to inquire about the specific guidelines of your assignment or project.  Students should follow any specific instructions provided by their individual instructors when it comes to formatting their papers. 

In-text Citations

When you reference someone else's words or thoughts, use an in-text citation in the body of your paper. See examples below or watch the instructional video to learn more. 

Basic Format:
(Author's Last Name, Year).

A Direct Quote

If you're quoting the exact words of someone else, introduce the quote with an in-text citation in parentheses. You must inlcude the page number(s) when incorporating a direct quote; place the page number directly after the quote. Any sentence punctuation goes after the closing parenthesis.

  • According to Brown (2019), "Direct quote" (p. 1021).
  • Brown (2019) found that "Direct quote" (p. 1021).
  • [Some other introduction] "Direct quote" (Brown, 2019, p. 1021).

 

If you're directly quoting more than 40 words, use a blockquote. Block quotes don't need quotation marks. Instead, indent the text 1/2" as a visual cue that you are citing. The in-text citation in parentheses goes after the punctuation of the quote.

Shavers (2007) study found the following:

While research studies have established that socioeconomic status influences disease incidence, severity and access to healthcare, there has been relatively less study of the specific manner in which low SES influences receipt of quality care and consequent morbidity and mortality among patients with similar disease characteristics, particularly among those who have gained access to the healthcare system. (p. 1021)

Tip: Use direct quotes sparingly! Focus on summarizing the findings from multiple research studies. In the sciences and social sciences, only use the exact phrasing or argument of an individual when necessary.

A Summary or Paraphrase

Paraphrasing or summarizing the main findings or takeaways from a research article is the preferred method of citing sources in an APA paper. Always include the last name of the author(s) and the year of the article, so your reader can find the full citation in the reference list.

According to Shavers (2007), limitations of studying socioeconomic status in research on health disparities include difficulties in collecting data on socioeconomic status and the complications of classifying women, children, and employment status.

 

A Source with One Author

 

Author Type Parenthetical Citation Narrative Citation
One author (Mercer, 2020) Mercer (2020)

A Source with Two Authors

 

Author Type Parenthetical Citation Narrative Citation
Two authors (Morgan & Mattace, 2020) Morgan and Mattace (2020)

A Source with Three or More Authors

 

Author Type Parenthetical Citation Narrative Citation
Three or more authors (Ward et al., 2020) Ward et al. (2020)

A Source with a Group Author

 

Author Type Parenthetical Citation Narrative Citation

Group author with abbreviation

     First citation

     Subsequent citations

 

(Appalachian College Association [ACA], 2020)

(ACA, 2020)

 

Appalachian College Association (ACA, 2020)

ACA (2020)
Group author without abbreviation (Lee University, 2020) Lee University (2020)

References

Include the complete citation at the end of your paper in the reference section. References are organized by the author's last name in alphabetic (A-Z) order. Use a hanging indent to separate each list item. See examples below or watch the instructional video to learn more. 

Basic Format:
Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Date). Title of the work. Source where you can retrieve the work. URL or DOI if available

Journal Article

 

  1. Author(s). Note: List each author's last name and initial as Author, A. A., Author, B. B., & Author, C. C. Use an ampersand (&) before the final author's name. Read more from the APA Style website if there are 21 or more authors.
  2. (Year).
  3. Title of the article. Sentence case: only the first word of the title and subtitle and proper nouns are capitalized. Note: For works that are part of a greater whole (e.g. articles, chapter), do not italicize or place in quotation marks.
  4. Title of the Journal, Note: Italicize and capitalize each word in the journal.
  5. Volume Note: Italicize the journal volume. If there is no issue, include a comma before the page range.
  6. (Issue), Note: If there is a issue number in addition to a volume number, include it in parentheses.
  7. Page range.
  8. DOI (Digital Object Identifier) Read more about DOIs from the APA Style wesbite.

 

Ashing‐Giwa, K. T., Padilla, G., Tejero, J., Kraemer, J., Wright, K., Coscarelli, A., Clayton, S., Williams, I., & Hills, D. (2004). Understanding the breast cancer experience of women: A qualitative study of African American, Asian American, Latina and Caucasian cancer survivors. Psycho‐Oncology, 13(6), 408-428. https://doi.org/10.1002/pon.750

 

News/Magazine Article

 

  1. Author(s). Note: List each author's last name and initials as Author, A. A., Author, B. B., & Author, C. C. Use an ampersand (&) before the final author's name.
  2. (Year, Month Date). Note: You do not need to abbreviate the month.
  3. Title of the article. Sentence case: only the first word of the title and subtitle and proper nouns are capitalized. Note: For works that are part of a greater whole (e.g. articles, chapter), do not italicize or place in quotation marks.
  4. Title of the Newspaper or Publication. Note: Italicize and capitalize each word in the publication.
  5. URL

 

Kennedy, M. (2018, October 15). To prevent wildfires, PG&E pre-emptively cuts power to thousands in California. NPR. https://www.npr.org/2018/10/15/657468903/to-prevent-wildfires-pg-e-preemptively-cuts-power-to-thousands-in-california

 

Book

 

  1. Author(s). Note: List each author's last name and initials as Author, A. A., Author, B. B., & Author, C. C. Use an ampersand (&) before the final author's name.
  2. (Year).
  3. Title of the book. Sentence case: only the first word of the title and subtitle and proper nouns are capitalized. Note: For works that stand alone (e.g. books, reports), italicize the title.
  4. (Edition). Note: If there is an edition or volume, include it in parentheses and use abbreviations of ed. or vol.
  5. Publisher. Note: You do not need to include the publisher location or databases where you retrieved it. You should include the DOI or URL if applicable and available.
Schmidt, N. A., & Brown, J. M. (2017). Evidence-based practice for nurses: Appraisal and application of research (4th ed.). Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC.

 

Chapter in an Edited Book

 

  1. Author(s). Note: List each chapter author's last name and initials as Author, A. A., Author, B. B., & Author, C. C. Use an ampersand (&) before the final author's name.
  2. (Year).
  3. Title of the chapter. Sentence case: only the first word of the title and subtitle and proper nouns are capitalized. Note: For works that are part of a greater whole (e.g. articles, chapter), do not italicize or place in quotation marks.
  4. In Editor(s), Note: List each editor's last name and initials as A. A. Editor, B. B. Editor, & C. C. Editors, include (Ed.) or (Eds.) in parentheses, and end with a comma.
  5. Title of the book Sentence case: only the first word of the title and subtitle and proper nouns are capitalized. Note: For works that stand alone (e.g. books, reports), italicize the title.
  6. (pp.xx-xx).
  7. Publisher. Note: You do not need to include the publisher location or databases where you retrieved it. You should include the DOI or URL if applicable and available.

 

McCormack, B., McCance, T., & Maben, J. (2013). Outcome evaluation in the development of person-centred practice. In B. McCormack, K. Manley, & A. Titchen (Eds.), Practice development in nursing and healthcare (pp. 190-211). John Wiley & Sons.

 

Web Page

 

  1. Author(s). Note: List each author's last name and initials as Author, A. A., Author, B. B., & Author, C. C. If there is no author, spell out the name of the organization or site.
  2. (Year, Month Date). Note: Provide as specific a date as is available, but may be only the year. If there is no date use (n.d.).
  3. Title of page or section. Note: Italicize the title of the page.
  4. Source. Note: Usually the official name of the website. If the source would be the same as the author, you can omit the source to avoid repetition.
  5. URL

 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2018, August 22). Preventing HPV-associated cancers. https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/hpv/basic_info/prevention.htm/

 

Online Report

 

  1. Author(s). Note: List each author's last name and initials as Author, A. A., Author, B. B., & Author, C. C. If there is no author, spell out the name of the organization that published the report.
  2. (Year, Month Date). Note: Provide as specific a date as is available.
  3. Title of the report or document. Sentence case: only the first word of the title and subtitle and proper nouns are capitalized. Note: For works that stand alone (e.g. books, reports), italicize the title.
  4. Source. Includes the names of parent agencies or other organizations not listed in the group author name here.
  5. URL
Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. (2017, January). Key indicators of health by service planning area. http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/ha/

 

Dissertation or Thesis

 

  1. Author. Note: List the author's last name and initials as Author, A. A. There is usually only one author for a thesis or dissertation, you don't need to include any faculty advisers.
  2. (Year, Month Date). Note: Provide as specific a date as is available.
  3. Title of the dissertation or thesis [Doctoral dissertation or Master's thesis, Name of University]. Sentence case: only the first word of the title and subtitle and proper nouns are capitalized. Note: For works that stand alone (e.g. books, dissertations, theses), italicize the title. The title page will indicate whether it's a Doctoral dissertation or Master's thesis and list the name of the university granting the degree.
  4. Source. Note: Include the name of the database or institutional repository where you can access the work (e.g. ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global, PQDT Open, CSU ScholarWorks) here.
  5. URL Note: Include if available.
Valentin, E. R. (2019, Summer). Narcissism predicted by Snapchat selfie sharing, filter usage, and editing [Master's thesis, California State University Dominguez Hills]. CSU ScholarWorks. https://scholarworks.calstate.edu/concern/theses/3197xm925?locale=en

Check out more examples for citing dissertations and theses on the APA Style site.

 

Citing a letter, photograph, text document, graphic material, or ephemera? Consult the Gerth Archives APA Citation Guide for Archival Materials.

Formatting your Annotated Bibliography

Please note that your professor will typically set the parameters of your assignment, including the number of references to include, as well as the length and focus of each annotation.  Always follow your professors instructions on class assignments.  The formatting listed below is a general guideline to follow in the absence of any other specific instructions from your professor

  • The first page will be your title page, formatted as normal (see instructions listed under the "Formatting Your APA Paper" tab on this page.)
  • The annotated bibliography should be double-spaced with one-inch margins. 
  • Choose a readable, readily available font such as Times New Roman, 12 point font, and use the same font throughout.
  • Label the first page of your annotated bibliography as Tile: Annotated Bibliography; this title should be center-aligned and bold.
  • On the next line, begin with your first entry.
  • All entries should be in alphabetical order by author and should have a hanging indent.
  • Add full-sentence annotations on a new line directly after the reference entry, indented .5 inch from the left margin.
  • If the annotation has multiple paragraphs, paragraph indent the second and any subsequent paragraphs, but not the first paragraph under each reference entry.
  • There should not be a blank line between the end of the previous entry and annotation and the next entry. 
  • See the sample below for an example of an Annotated Bibliography. 

Watch these instructional videos to learn more about APA 7th edition formatting. 

 

This guide is a general overview of the American Psychological Association (APA) Style for references and citations. Be sure to consult the Publication Manual of the APA or the APA Style website for detailed standards and procedures.

Creative Commons License CC by NC 4.0 This guide was based on the guide created by Tessa Withorn at CSUDH Library and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-Share Alike 4.0 International License.

MLA

MLA Format

Works Cited Template

A list of core elements: click to see an explanation of each component of the Works Cited Entry.

Author.

The author is the person, persons, or organization responsible for the creation of the work.

One Author:
  • Last name, First name.
    • Smith, Mary R.
    • Thomas, George.
Two Authors:
  • Last name, First name of first author listed followed by a comma and the second author's name listed First name Last name.
    • Smith, Mary R., and Samuel C. Turner.
    • Fry, Bob, and Elizabeth Duncan.
Three or More Authors:
  • Last name, First name of only the first author listed followed by the phrase et al.
    • Brown, Katherine G., et al.
    • Green, Doug, et al.
Corporate Author:
  • Institution, Corporation, Organization, or Agency listed as the author.
    • Lee University.
    • Tennessee Department of Health.
  • If the organization is also responsible for the publication of the work, list the organization as the publisher only; do not list as the author.
No Author Listed:
  • If not author information is available, skip this element and go to the title of the work.

Title of source.

The title of the source should always be included.
  • List the complete title, using the exact words listed in the source, including subtitles.
  • Standardize the punctuation and capitalization of the title and subtitle, regardless of how it is listed in the work.
If no title is available, you must list a concise description as the title.
  • Todd, Elizabeth G. Diary Entry.
Should the title be placed in "Quotation Marks" or should the title be placed In Itlialcs?
 
    • Works that are stand-alone works should have the title placed In Italics.
    • What is a stand-alone work?
      • Anything that is not part of a larger work.
        • A Book
        • A Website
        • A Television Series
        • A Film
    • Works that are part of a greater whole should be placed in "Quotation Marks."
      • What is a work that is part of a greater whole?
        • "A Chapter in a Book"
        • "An Essay, Short Story, or Poem in a Book"
        • "An Article in a Journal, Newspaper, or Magazine"
        • "An Article or Posting on a Website"
        • "A Specific Episode of a Television Series"
        • "A Specific Song from an Album"

Title of container,

Containers can be thought of as holders of information.  Where did you access the information being cited?

For works that are parts of a greater whole, such as a chapter in a book or an article in a journal, the greater whole is considered the container.  

Also, there are instances when you will have a second container, such as a chapter in a book that was accessed online through the HathiTrust Digital Library or an article in a journal that was accessed through the library's JSTOR database. 

In these instances, the second container must also be listed in your citation. The second container's information will be listed at the very end of your citation.   

Other contributors,

In addition to the author, list the names of other people who contributed to the creation of your work and whose work played an important part in your research or whose participation in important to identifying the work. 
Here are some examples of contributors that you may need to mention.  Provide the description of the contributor's role followed by the contributor's name or names. Please see page 151 and 152 of the ninth edition MLA Handbook for more information about formatting contributor information.
  • translated by
  • edited by
  • adapted by
  • directed by
  • illustrated by
  • introduction by
  • narrated by
  • performance by
Some contributors roles are better described by simply stated the name of the role, such as general editor.  You may also list more than one contributing role if it is important to your research and the identification of the work. 

   

Version,

Some works have been released in multiple forms.  If your work identifies itself as a particular version or edition, include this information in your citation.
Here are just a few examples of Version:
  • New International Version
  • 9th ed.
  • Revised ed.
  • director's cut

 

Number,

The number element should be included for any work that is part of a numbered sequence. This would include such items as:
  • one volume of a set of books
  • the volume and issue number of a journal
  • the season and episode number of a television series  
For journal articles, include the prefix vol. for the volume number and the prefix no. for the issue number.  

Publisher,

The publisher is the organization responsible for making the work available to the public.
  • For Books, this is the publisher that should be listed on the title page or copyright page.
  • For Television and Film, the publisher is the studio, company, distributor, or network that produced or broadcast the work.
  • For Websites, the institution responsible for the creating the website's content should be listed.
  • For Plays, list the theatre company that put on the play.
  • For a Government Publication, list the agency or department responsible for printing or producing the document.
For the following publications, DO NOT include a publisher:
  • Journals
  • Periodicals
  • Magazines
  • Any work where the individual author or editor is the publisher (does not apply to corporate authors)
  • Any website where the publisher name is the same as the title of the website
  • Any website that simply acts as a host to content but is not actually responsible for publishing the content

Publication date,

Always include the date your source was published.
Publication date refers to the following, depending on source type:
  • Publication Date 
  • Air Date
  • Release Date
  • Posted Date

Location.

The definition of location depends upon the source type.
  • Print Resources - page number (p.) or page range (pp.)
  • Online Resources - URL
    • DOI number
    • Stable URL or Permalink
Use the Practice Template available at The MLA Style Center.

In-text Citations

When you reference someone else's words or thoughts, use an in-text citation in the body of your paper. Watch the video below to learn more. 

Basic Format:
(Author's Last Name Page#).

How do I format my citations?

The information provided below will assist you in properly formatting your in-text citations according to MLA standards. 

I'm using...

 

If you're quoting the exact words of someone else, make certain to include quotation marks around those words. You must also cite information that you have placed into your own words, a paraphrase.

  • According to Brown, "Direct quote" (1021).
  • Brown found that paraphrased passage (1021).
  • [Some other introduction] "Direct quote" (Brown 1021).

 

If you're directly quoting a passage that is longer than 4 lines, use a blockquote. Block quotes don't need quotation marks. Instead, indent the text 1/2 inch from the left margin as a visual cue that you are citing. The in-text citation in parentheses goes after the punctuation of the quote.

Shavers' study found the following:

While research studies have established that socioeconomic status influences disease incidence, severity and access to healthcare, there has been relatively less study of the specific manner in which low SES influences receipt of quality care and consequent morbidity and mortality among patients with similar disease characteristics, particularly among those who have gained access to the healthcare system. (1021)

Tip: Use direct quotes sparingly! Focus on summarizing and paraphrasing the findings from your research instead.

 

If your source has two authors, include the last names of both authors, tied together with the word "and."
  • Citation in prose: According to Brown and Little, limitations of studying socioeconomic status in research on health disparities include difficulties in collecting data on socioeconomic status and the complications of classifying women, children, and employment status (56).
  • Parenthetical citaiton: Limitations of studying socioeconomic status in research on health disparities include difficulties in collecting data on socioeconomic status and the complications of classifying women, children, and employment status (Brown and Little 56).
If your source has three or more authors, include only the last name of the first author listed, followed by the words "and others" or "and colleagues" for a citation in prose or the phrase "et al." for a parenthetical citation.
  • Citation in prose: According to Jones and others, limitations of studying socioeconomic status in research on health disparities include difficulties in collecting data on socioeconomic status and the complications of classifying women, children, and employment status (105).
  • Parenthetical citaiton: Limitations of studying socioeconomic status in research on health disparities include difficulties in collecting data on socioeconomic status and the complications of classifying women, children, and employment status (Jones et al. 105).

 

If the source you are citing does not list an author, use a shortened form of the title instead. See pages 237-238 for more information.
(Growing Gardens 67).
Title of Work: Growing Gardens in the Winter Months

 

If your source has paragraph numbers, section numbers, or chapter numbers, utilize these numbers in the absence of normal page numbers. Use the appropriate abbreviation to identify the type of number identification you are using. Add the letter s to the abbreviation when listing multiple paragraphs, sections, or chapters.
Paragraph: par. or pars.
Section: sec. or secs.
Chapter: ch. or chs.
Line: line or lines

How do I format my MLA paper?

The information provided below will assist you in properly formatting your paper according to the MLA standards.  Please check with your professor to ensure that you are meeting all requirements for your specific class and project.

Please visit the MLA website to learn more about formatting your MLA style paper.  

Creative Commons License CC by NC 4.0 This guide was based on the guide created by Tessa Withorn at CSUDH Library and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-Share Alike 4.0 International License.