APA Format: The Ultimate Guide with Examples (2026)
Master APA format with this complete guide. Includes paper layout, in-text citations, reference list examples, and free templates. Updated for APA 7th edition.
APA Format: The Ultimate Guide with Examples (2026)
APA format is the citation style most commonly used in psychology, education, social sciences, and business. If your professor assigned you a paper in APA format and you're staring at a blank document wondering where to start, you're in the right place.
This guide covers everything you need to know about APA format—from setting up your paper to citing sources correctly. We'll walk through real examples so you can get your formatting right the first time.
Table of Contents
- What Is APA Format?
- APA Paper Layout and Formatting
- APA Title Page Format
- APA Running Head
- APA Headings and Subheadings
- APA In-Text Citations
- APA Reference Page
- Common APA Citation Examples
- APA Format Mistakes to Avoid
- FAQ
What Is APA Format?
APA stands for the American Psychological Association. They created this citation style to standardize academic writing in the social sciences. The current version is APA 7th edition, released in 2019.
Why does APA format matter?
- It gives your paper a professional, credible appearance
- It helps readers find your sources
- It protects you from plagiarism accusations
- It's required by most social science journals and professors
APA format covers three main areas:
- Paper formatting — margins, fonts, spacing, headings
- In-text citations — how to credit sources within your paper
- Reference list — the full citation at the end of your paper
Let's break down each one.
APA Paper Layout and Formatting
Before you write a single word, set up your document correctly. Here are the APA 7th edition requirements:
Page Setup
| Element | Requirement | |---------|-------------| | Margins | 1 inch on all sides | | Font | 12 pt Times New Roman, 11 pt Arial, or 11 pt Calibri | | Line spacing | Double-spaced throughout | | Paragraph indent | 0.5 inch (first line of each paragraph) | | Page numbers | Top right corner, starting from the title page | | Alignment | Left-aligned (not justified) |
Quick Setup in Microsoft Word
- Go to Layout → Margins → Select "Normal" (1 inch)
- Go to Home → Font → Select Times New Roman, 12 pt
- Go to Home → Line Spacing → Select 2.0
- Go to Home → Paragraph → Set Special → First Line → 0.5"
- Go to Insert → Page Number → Top of Page → Plain Number 3
Quick Setup in Google Docs
- Go to File → Page setup → Set all margins to 1"
- Go to Format → Line & paragraph spacing → Double
- Use the ruler to set a 0.5" first-line indent
- Go to Insert → Page numbers → Top right
APA Title Page Format
Your title page is the first thing readers see. APA 7th edition has different requirements for student papers and professional papers.
Student Paper Title Page
For most college assignments, you'll use the student paper format:
Centered on the page:
- Paper title (bold, title case)
- Your name
- Department and university name
- Course number and name
- Instructor name
- Assignment due date
- Page number in top right corner
Example:
1
The Impact of Social Media on Academic Performance
Jane Smith
Department of Psychology, State University
PSY 301: Research Methods
Dr. Michael Johnson
February 14, 2026
Professional Paper Title Page
For journal submissions and professional work:
- Running head (shortened title, all caps) in the header
- Paper title (bold)
- Author name(s)
- Author affiliation(s)
- Author note (optional)
APA Running Head
Good news for students: APA 7th edition no longer requires a running head for student papers unless your instructor specifically asks for one.
For professional papers:
- Place the running head in the page header
- Use all capital letters
- Maximum 50 characters (including spaces)
- Flush left
Example:
SOCIAL MEDIA AND ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE 1
APA Headings and Subheadings
APA uses five levels of headings to organize your paper. Most student papers only need levels 1-3.
Level 1 (Main Sections)
Centered, Bold, Title Case
Level 2 (Subsections)
Flush Left, Bold, Title Case
Level 3 (Sub-subsections)
Flush Left, Bold Italic, Title Case
Level 4
Indented, Bold, Title Case, Ending With a Period. Text continues on the same line.
Level 5
Indented, Bold Italic, Title Case, Ending With a Period. Text continues on the same line.
Example in practice:
Method
Participants
We recruited 150 undergraduate students from State University.
Demographics. Participants ranged in age from 18 to 24 (M = 20.3,
SD = 1.2). The sample was 62% female and 38% male.
APA In-Text Citations
Every time you use information from a source, you need an in-text citation. APA uses the author-date system.
Basic Format
(Author's Last Name, Year)
Example:
Research shows that students who use social media during class score lower on tests (Johnson, 2024).
Author Mentioned in the Sentence
When you include the author's name in your sentence, only put the year in parentheses:
According to Johnson (2024), students who use social media during class score lower on tests.
Direct Quotes
For direct quotes, include the page number:
Johnson (2024) found that "students who checked social media during lectures scored 15% lower on comprehension tests" (p. 42).
Multiple Authors
| Number of Authors | In-Text Citation | |-------------------|------------------| | 1 author | (Smith, 2024) | | 2 authors | (Smith & Jones, 2024) | | 3+ authors | (Smith et al., 2024) |
Note: APA 7th edition simplified this—you use "et al." for three or more authors from the first citation.
No Author
Use the title (in italics for standalone works, in quotes for articles):
The study revealed significant results (Research Report, 2024).
Multiple Sources
Separate with semicolons, alphabetically:
Several studies support this finding (Brown, 2023; Johnson, 2024; Smith, 2022).
APA Reference Page
Your reference page lists all sources you cited in your paper. It starts on a new page after your conclusion.
Reference Page Rules
- Title "References" centered, bold, at the top
- Double-spaced throughout
- Hanging indent (first line flush left, subsequent lines indented 0.5")
- Alphabetical order by author's last name
- Include DOI or URL when available
Basic Reference Format
Author, A. A. (Year). Title of work. Publisher. DOI or URL
Common APA Citation Examples
Here are the most common source types you'll need to cite:
Journal Article (with DOI)
Anderson, M., & Jiang, J. (2018). Teens, social media & technology 2018. Pew Research Center, 31(2), 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1177/0894439318814190
Journal Article (without DOI)
Williams, R. (2023). Student engagement in online learning. Journal of Higher Education, 45(3), 112–128.
Book
Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2018). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (5th ed.). SAGE Publications.
Chapter in an Edited Book
Johnson, L. (2022). Citation practices in student writing. In M. Brown & S. Davis (Eds.), Academic writing handbook (pp. 45–67). Academic Press.
Website
World Health Organization. (2024, January 15). Mental health of adolescents. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/adolescent-mental-health
YouTube Video
TED. (2023, March 10). How to write a great research paper [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=example
Webpage on a News Website
Roberts, S. (2024, February 1). The rise of AI in education. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/01/education/ai-education.html
APA Format Mistakes to Avoid
These are the most common APA errors that cost students points:
1. Missing Hanging Indent
Every reference needs a hanging indent. The first line is flush left; all other lines are indented 0.5 inches.
Wrong:
Smith, J. (2024). How to format papers correctly. Academic Press.
Right:
Smith, J. (2024). How to format papers correctly.
Academic Press.
2. Incorrect Author Format
Use last name, first initial only. Don't include full first names.
Wrong: Smith, John
Right: Smith, J.
3. Forgetting the Period After the DOI
The DOI comes at the end of the reference and does not end with a period.
Wrong: https://doi.org/10.1000/example.
Right: https://doi.org/10.1000/example
4. Not Italicizing Titles Correctly
- Book and journal titles: Italicized
- Article and chapter titles: Not italicized
5. Using "Retrieved from" Before URLs
APA 7th edition removed "Retrieved from" unless you need to include a retrieval date (for content that changes over time).
Wrong: Retrieved from https://example.com
Right: https://example.com
6. Incorrect Capitalization
- Reference list titles: Sentence case (only capitalize first word and proper nouns)
- In-text and paper headings: Title Case
7. Missing Page Numbers for Direct Quotes
Every direct quote needs a page number (p. 42) or paragraph number (para. 3) for sources without pages.
FAQ
What's the difference between APA 6th and 7th edition?
APA 7th edition (current) made several changes:
- No running head required for student papers
- Use "et al." for 3+ authors from the first citation
- Include up to 20 authors in references (was 7)
- No "Retrieved from" before URLs
- Bold the title on the title page
How do I cite a source with no date?
Use "n.d." (no date) in place of the year:
Smith, J. (n.d.). Title of the work. Publisher.
Do I need to cite common knowledge?
No. Facts that are widely known don't need citations. For example, "Water freezes at 32°F" doesn't need a source. But when in doubt, cite it.
How do I cite the same author multiple times in one paragraph?
Include the year in the first citation. For subsequent citations in the same paragraph, you can omit the year if it's clear you're referring to the same source.
Can I use online citation generators?
Citation generators can help, but they often make mistakes. Always double-check generated citations against APA guidelines. Better yet, use a tool like GenPaper that's specifically designed to create accurate citations.
Key Takeaways
- APA format has three main components: paper formatting, in-text citations, and references
- Use 1-inch margins, 12 pt Times New Roman, and double spacing
- In-text citations follow the author-date format: (Author, Year)
- References use hanging indents and are alphabetized by author
- Always include DOIs when available
- When in doubt, check the official APA Manual or use a reliable citation tool
Formatting your paper correctly in APA style takes practice, but once you learn the basics, it becomes second nature. The key is consistency—pick a style and stick with it throughout your paper.
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