Narrative citation: (Year)
.... ( , 2018).
In the United States Supreme Court case, (2018) ...
Name v. Name (Year)
(Name v. Name, Year).
The case ... (2019).
In , ... (2019).
(Name of Act, Year)
Name of Act (Year)
Today's healthcare system ... (Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, 2010).
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act ... (2010)
Name v. Name, Volume U.S. Page (Year). URL
Florida v. Georgia, 138 U.S. 2502 (2018).
Decisions are published in the .
Reference: Name v. Name, Volume F. [or F.2d, F.3d, ...] Page (Court Year). URL
Blue Martini Kendall, LLC v. Miami Dade County, Florida, 816 F.11d 1343 (11th Circ. 2016). https:...
Decisions are published in the .
Reference: Name v. Name, Volume F. Supp. Page (Court Year). URL
Name v. Name, Volume Reporter Page (Court Year). URL
Lee Memorial Health System v. Progressive Select Insurance Company 17 FL So. 2d. 1993, (2019). https://www.floridasupremecourt.org/content/
Name of Act, Title Source § Section Number (Year). URL
Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, 42 U.S.C. § 18001 (2010). https://uscode.house.gov/PACA
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American Psychological Association (APA) style is commonly used for citing references in student papers in science, medical, public health, health sciences and nursing as well as the social science.
The purpose of documentation is to:
This guide is based on the APA Manual (7th ed.) that was published in 2019.
What is a DOI? A DOI ( digital object identifier ) is a unique alphanumeric string assigned by a registration agency (the International DOI Foundation) to identify content and provide a persistent link to its location on the internet.
NOTE: It is regarded as the most important part of the citation because it will accurately direct users to the specific article.
Think of it as a "digital fingerprint" or an article's DNA!
The rules for DOIs have been updated in the 7th edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association. They should be included as URLs, rather than just the alphanumeric string.
Correct:
Incorrect:
We would like to thank the Himmelfarb Heath Sciences Library at George Washington University for letting UWF Libraries reuse and remix their guide on APA Citation Style.
Published on November 6, 2020 by Raimo Streefkerk . Revised on September 5, 2024.
The 7th edition of the APA Publication Manual provides guidelines for clear communication , citing sources , and formatting documents. This article focuses on paper formatting.
Throughout your paper, you need to apply the following APA format guidelines:
Our APA formatting experts can help you to format your paper according to APA guidelines. They can help you with:
How to set up apa format (with template), apa alphabetization guidelines, apa format template [free download], page header, headings and subheadings, reference page, tables and figures, frequently asked questions about apa format.
The AI-powered APA Citation Checker points out every error, tells you exactly what’s wrong, and explains how to fix it. Say goodbye to losing marks on your assignment!
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References are ordered alphabetically by the first author’s last name. If the author is unknown, order the reference entry by the first meaningful word of the title (ignoring articles: “the”, “a”, or “an”).
Why set up APA format from scratch if you can download Scribbr’s template for free?
Student papers and professional papers have slightly different guidelines regarding the title page, abstract, and running head. Our template is available in Word and Google Docs format for both versions.
In an APA Style paper, every page has a page header. For student papers, the page header usually consists of just a page number in the page’s top-right corner. For professional papers intended for publication, it also includes a running head .
A running head is simply the paper’s title in all capital letters. It is left-aligned and can be up to 50 characters in length. Longer titles are abbreviated .
APA headings have five possible levels. Heading level 1 is used for main sections such as “ Methods ” or “ Results ”. Heading levels 2 to 5 are used for subheadings. Each heading level is formatted differently.
Want to know how many heading levels you should use, when to use which heading level, and how to set up heading styles in Word or Google Docs? Then check out our in-depth article on APA headings .
The title page is the first page of an APA Style paper. There are different guidelines for student and professional papers.
Both versions include the paper title and author’s name and affiliation. The student version includes the course number and name, instructor name, and due date of the assignment. The professional version includes an author note and running head .
For more information on writing a striking title, crediting multiple authors (with different affiliations), and writing the author note, check out our in-depth article on the APA title page .
The abstract is a 150–250 word summary of your paper. An abstract is usually required in professional papers, but it’s rare to include one in student papers (except for longer texts like theses and dissertations).
The abstract is placed on a separate page after the title page . At the top of the page, write the section label “Abstract” (bold and centered). The contents of the abstract appear directly under the label. Unlike regular paragraphs, the first line is not indented. Abstracts are usually written as a single paragraph without headings or blank lines.
Directly below the abstract, you may list three to five relevant keywords . On a new line, write the label “Keywords:” (italicized and indented), followed by the keywords in lowercase letters, separated by commas.
APA Style does not provide guidelines for formatting the table of contents . It’s also not a required paper element in either professional or student papers. If your instructor wants you to include a table of contents, it’s best to follow the general guidelines.
Place the table of contents on a separate page between the abstract and introduction. Write the section label “Contents” at the top (bold and centered), press “Enter” once, and list the important headings with corresponding page numbers.
The APA reference page is placed after the main body of your paper but before any appendices . Here you list all sources that you’ve cited in your paper (through APA in-text citations ). APA provides guidelines for formatting the references as well as the page itself.
Play around with the Scribbr Citation Example Generator below to learn about the APA reference format of the most common source types or generate APA citations for free with Scribbr’s APA Citation Generator .
Write the section label “References” at the top of a new page (bold and centered). Place the reference entries directly under the label in alphabetical order.
Finally, apply a hanging indent , meaning the first line of each reference is left-aligned, and all subsequent lines are indented 0.5 inches.
Tables and figures are presented in a similar format. They’re preceded by a number and title and followed by explanatory notes (if necessary).
Use bold styling for the word “Table” or “Figure” and the number, and place the title on a separate line directly below it (in italics and title case). Try to keep tables clean; don’t use any vertical lines, use as few horizontal lines as possible, and keep row and column labels concise.
Keep the design of figures as simple as possible. Include labels and a legend if needed, and only use color when necessary (not to make it look more appealing).
Check out our in-depth article about table and figure notes to learn when to use notes and how to format them.
The easiest way to set up APA format in Word is to download Scribbr’s free APA format template for student papers or professional papers.
Alternatively, you can watch Scribbr’s 5-minute step-by-step tutorial or check out our APA format guide with examples.
APA Style papers should be written in a font that is legible and widely accessible. For example:
The same font and font size is used throughout the document, including the running head , page numbers, headings , and the reference page . Text in footnotes and figure images may be smaller and use single line spacing.
You need an APA in-text citation and reference entry . Each source type has its own format; for example, a webpage citation is different from a book citation .
Use Scribbr’s free APA Citation Generator to generate flawless citations in seconds or take a look at our APA citation examples .
Yes, page numbers are included on all pages, including the title page , table of contents , and reference page . Page numbers should be right-aligned in the page header.
To insert page numbers in Microsoft Word or Google Docs, click ‘Insert’ and then ‘Page number’.
APA format is widely used by professionals, researchers, and students in the social and behavioral sciences, including fields like education, psychology, and business.
Be sure to check the guidelines of your university or the journal you want to be published in to double-check which style you should be using.
If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.
Streefkerk, R. (2024, September 05). APA Formatting and Citation (7th Ed.) | Generator, Template, Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved September 26, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/apa-style/format/
Other students also liked, apa title page (7th edition) | template for students & professionals, creating apa reference entries, beginner's guide to apa in-text citation, scribbr apa citation checker.
An innovative new tool that checks your APA citations with AI software. Say goodbye to inaccurate citations!
Full citation formatting for common publication types are listed below. For a full list of publication types see Publication Manual for the American Psychological Association , 7th edition, located in Course Reserves in the library.
Citation | |
---|---|
Format | Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Copyright Year). (x ed.). Publisher. https://doi.org/xxxx Note: Include URL/DOI if present. Make sure the link is active. |
Example | Buikema, R., Buyse, A., & Robben, A. (2019). . Taylor & Francis. |
Citation | |
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Format | Last name, First initial. Nation/Community. Treaty Territory if applicable. Where they live if applicable. Topic/subject of communication if applicable. personal communication. Month Date, Year. |
Example | Cardinal, D. Goodfish Lake Cree Nation. Treaty 6. Lives in Edmonton. Oral teaching. personal communication. April 4, 2004. |
Citation | |
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Format | Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Year). Title of article. (issue), page range. https://doi.org/xxxx Note: Include URL/DOI if present. Make sure the link is active. |
Example | Chen, M. (2019). Hate was not a winning ticket. (1), 70-72. |
Citation | |
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Format | Note: Make sure the link is active. |
Example | . |
Citation | |
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Format | Note: Make sure the link is active. |
Example |
How to create a reference when information is missing.
You may come across references missing elements of the traditional citation. Use this table to create the reference.
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|
|
|
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Nothing--all elements present | Provide author, date, title, and source of the work. | Author, (Date). Title. Source | (Author, year) Author (year) |
Author | Provide the title, date and source. | Title. (Date). Source. | (Title, year) Title (year) |
Date | Provide the author, write “n.d.” for “no date,” and then provide the title and source. | Author. (n.d.). Title. Source. | (Author, n.d.) Author (n.d.) |
Title | Provide the author anddate, describe the work in square brackets, and then provide the source. | Author. (Date). [Description of work]. Source. | (Author, year) Author (year) |
Author and date | Provide the title, write “n.d.” for “no date,” and then provide the source. | Title. (n.d.) Source. | (Title, n.d.) Title (n.d.) |
Author and title | Describe the work in square brackets, write “n.d.” for “no date,” and then provide the source. | [Description of work]. (Date). Source. | ([Description of work], year) [Description of work] (year) |
Date and title | Provide the author, write “n.d.” for “no date,” and then provide the source. | Author. (n.d.). [Description of work]. Source. | (Author, n.d.) Author (n.d.) |
Author, date, and title | Describe the work in square brackets, write “n.d.” for “no date,”and then provide the source. | [Description of work]. (n.d.). Source. | ([Description of work], n.d.) [Description of wrok] (n.d.) |
Source | Cite as a personal communication or find another work to cite. | No reference list entry | (C.C. communicator, personal communication, month day, year) |
The format of the in-text citation varies based on the number of authors. See table below for examples.
|
|
|
---|---|---|
One author | (Totura, 2019) | Totura (2019) |
Two authors | (Bandelay & Herrera, 2020) | Bandelay and Herrera (2020) |
Three or more authors | (Ligier et al., 2020) | Ligier et al. (2020) |
Group authors with abbreviation First citation* Subsequence citations | (Center for Disease Control [CDC], 2020) (CDC, 2020) | Center for Disease Control (CDC, 2020) CDC (2020) |
Group author without abbreviation | (University of Rochester, 2020) | University of Rochester (2020) |
*Define the abbreviation for a group author once in the text, using either the parenthetical or narrative format. Thereafter, use the abbreviation for all mentions of the group in the text.
The use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and large language models (such as ChatGPT) in academic work is currently under discussion. LWTech does not have a campus-wide policy on the use of AI. Instead, instructors have their own policies for each class. Before using AI in any assignment, check your syllabus or ask your instructor about their policy. Violating your instructor's policy on the use of AI may be considered an act of academic dishonesty, to be treated similarly to plagiarism or cheating.
Because some instructors permit the use of AI in class assignments, the Library does offer guidance on how to cite AI sources according to different style guides. Visit the LWTech AI Citation Quick Guide (on Canvas) to learn how to cite AI in APA style.
Rules and explanations are taken from:.
American Psychological Association. (2020). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.).
Find more rules and source forms for reference list and in-text citations at the APA Guide at Purdue OWL .
Version 4.2 (02/26/21) webpage edition by Greg Bem, Sue Wozniak, and Katherine Kelley.
This page provides guidance on citing reviews of books (see example 1), films (see example 2), TV shows, and other entertainment.
In General:
General Format
Citing Articles
Journal Articles with One or Two Authors Journal Articles with Three to 20 Authors Journal Articles with 21 or More Authors Magazine Articles Newspaper Articles Reviews
IMAGES
VIDEO
COMMENTS
Writing a Literature Review. A literature review is a document or section of a document that collects key sources on a topic and discusses those sources in conversation with each other (also called synthesis). The lit review is an important genre in many disciplines, not just literature (i.e., the study of works of literature such as novels and ...
APA Style Citation Guide 7th Edition. APA Guidance. APA 7th Style Manual; APA 7th Resources, Formats & Examples. Books and eBooks ; Journals ; Newspapers ; Films, YouTube & More ; Websites ; ... Also known as 'narrative literature review'. " Key takeaways from the Psi Chi webinar So You Need to Write a Literature Review via APA Style.org.
These sample papers demonstrate APA Style formatting standards for different student paper types. Students may write the same types of papers as professional authors (e.g., quantitative studies, literature reviews) or other types of papers for course assignments (e.g., reaction or response papers, annotated bibliographies, discussion posts), dissertations, and theses.
Examples of literature reviews. Step 1 - Search for relevant literature. Step 2 - Evaluate and select sources. Step 3 - Identify themes, debates, and gaps. Step 4 - Outline your literature review's structure. Step 5 - Write your literature review.
Literature Review. Literature review provides a narrative summary and evaluation of the findings or theories within a literature base. The literature base may include qualitative, quantitative, and/or mixed methods research. Literature reviews capture trends in the literature. When writing a literature review, here are some things to consider ...
This page is designed to assist you in writing an annotated bibliography
The following links provide samples of professional-paper formatting in APA's 7th edition style. The first is from APA's web site; the second is from Purdue OWL's web site. The formatting of these professional papers is a bit more involved than that of the student sample papers.
AP 7th Edition Headings. You'll want to use headings to structure your lit review. The APA 7th Additions specifies five levels of headings, in descending levels of emphasis (i. e. level 1 headings are the most important and level 5 headings the least). The number of headings you use will depend on the length and complexity of your paper, but in ...
This guide provides the rules for the APA 7th Edition Reference style and its application across a range of source material, including print, online, audio/visual, images and graphs, social media and personal communication. Each source has its own page within the guide, with in-text citation and reference listing examples.
Literature Review: A Self-Guided Tutorial for NUR 288. For NUR 288 Library Research for the QI Project. Home; Getting Started. Literature Reviews: A Recap ; Peer-Review ; ... Watch the APA 7th Edition Overview 00:03:02 . Source: American Psychological Association. (2020).
This video walks students through a short literature review that has been updated in APA 7th edition.
Commented [A7]: A literature review includes a References page in APA format that includes a reference for every source cited in the literature review. preventing readmissions. Journal of Healthcare Financial Management, 65(12), 1-6.
Crafting an APA 7th edition literature review involves several key steps. Here is an approach: Introduction and Context. Search Strategy. Arrange Your Review: Group studies by themes or concepts. Critical Evaluation: Assess each study's strengths and weaknesses; Synthesize Findings, which outline common trends, patterns, and gaps within the ...
Basic guidelines for formatting the reference list at the end of a standard APA research paper Author/Authors Rules for handling works by a single author or multiple authors that apply to all APA-style references in your reference list, regardless of the type of work (book, article, electronic resource, etc.)
Call Number: BF76.7 .P83 2020. ISBN: 9781433832161. Publication Date: 2019-10-01. One copy available for check-out. Another copy is on reserve at the library's reference desk. Feel free to contact us with your questions. The American Psychological Association (APA) updated its style manual in the fall of 2019.
Organizing Your Literature Review. An APA style paper is organized in the author-date style. This means you cite the author's name and year of publication within the text with an in-text citation. You also include the page number, if appropriate. You then include the full information of that source in a reference list at the end of your paper.
This guide contains examples of common types of APA Style references. Section numbers indicate where to find the examples in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.). More information on references and reference examples are in Chapters 9 and 10 of the Publication Manual as well as the Concise Guide to APA ...
IND5937: Special Topics: Literature Review; APA 7th Edition; Search this Guide Search. IND5937: Special Topics: Literature Review. ... APA 7th Edition: Set up an APA Format Paper in 6 Minutes | Scribbr << Previous: RefWorks; Next: Need Help >> Last Updated: Aug 16, 2024 5:59 PM;
This guide is based on the APA Manual (7th ed.) that was published in 2019. Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association by American Psychological Association. Call Number: BF76.7 .P83 2020. ISBN: 9781433832154. Publication Date: 2019-10-01. "The Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, Seventh Edition is ...
Keywords Format. More information on how to write and format an abstract and keywords can be found in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.) Sections 2.9 to 2.10 and in the Concise Guide to APA Style (7th ed.) Section 1.10. SOURCE: American Psychological Association. (2020).
Throughout your paper, you need to apply the following APA format guidelines: Set page margins to 1 inch on all sides. Double-space all text, including headings. Indent the first line of every paragraph 0.5 inches. Use an accessible font (e.g., Times New Roman 12pt., Arial 11pt., or Georgia 11pt.). Include a page number on every page.
Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.). Additional APA resource: Find more rules and source forms for reference list and in-text citations at the APA Guide at Purdue OWL. Quick Guide Version. Version 4.2 (02/26/21) webpage edition by Greg Bem, Sue Wozniak, and Katherine Kelley.
ISBN: 9781433832161. Publication Date: 2019-10-01. The Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, Seventh Edition is the official source for APA Style. This book is in PRINT only. However, students may request book pages using InterLibrary Loan. APA Citation Style 7th edition Quick Reference. APA Citation Style 7th Ed.
Section 10.7. This page provides guidance on citing reviews of books (see example 1), films (see example 2), TV shows, and other entertainment. In General: The reference format for a review should be the same as the format for the type of content appearing in that source. Add information about the item being reviewed in square brackets after ...