APA Referencing Guide

Align the text of an APA Style paper to the left margin. Leave the right margin uneven. Indent the first line of each paragraph in the body of your assignment.

Figure 2

Text Alignment

Note. From Student and Paper Setup Guide (p. 6), by the American Psychological Association, 2020b, (https://apastyle.apa.org/instructional-aids/student-paper-setup-guide.pdf). Copyright 2022 by the American Psychological Association.

For more information on alignment please visit the APA style website (APA, 2022g). 

Headings identify the content within sections of a paper.

• Make your headings descriptive and concise.
• Use only the number of headings necessary to differentiate distinct sections in your paper; short student papers may not require any headings.
• Level 1 headings are used for distinct sections, while additional levels are used for sub-sections within sections (see below).

Figure 3

Headings Format

Note. From Headings, by the American Psychological Association, 2022d, (https://apastyle.apa.org/style-grammar-guidelines/paper-format/headings). Copyright 2022 by the American Psychological Association.

For more information on headings please visit the APA style website (APA, 2022d) or learn how to create headings with Microsoft Word (Microsoft, n.d.-a).

In general, double-space all parts of an APA Style paper, including: headings, section labels, paragraphs of text, block quotes, table/figure numbers/notes, and reference list. Do not add extra space before or after paragraphs.

Figure 4

Editing Line Spacing

Note. From Double-Space the Lines in a Document, by Microsoft., n.d.-d, (https://bit.ly/3GRcExu). Copyright 2022 by Microsoft. 

Exceptions:

• Title page- see Title page tab for formatting advice.
• Tables- The table body (cells) may be single-spaced, one-and-a-half-spaced, or double-spaced, depending on which is the most effective layout for the information. Double-space the table number, title, and notes.
• Figures- Words within the image part of a figure may be single-spaced, one-and-a-half-spaced, or double-spaced, depending on which is the most effective layout for the information. Double-space the figure number, title, and notes.

For information on line spacing in Microsoft Word, see this example (Microsoft, n.d.-d).

• Use the page-numbering function of your word-processing program to insert page numbers.
• Insert page numbers in the top right corner. The page number should show on all pages.
• The title page carries page number 1.

Figure 5

Page Number Formatting

Note. From Title Page Setup, by the American Psychological Association, 2022k, (https://apastyle.apa.org/style-grammar-guidelines/paper-format/title-page). Copyright 2022 by the American Psychological Association.

In general, use words to express numbers zero through nine.

there were five nurses on duty

the study had three conditions

students were in the third, sixth, eighth, 10th, and 12th grades

There are some exceptions, such as numbers that begin a sentence, title, or heading (when possible, reword the sentence to avoid beginning with a number)
 

Fifty percent of the students received the intervention, and the other 50% were part of a control condition.

Twenty people enrolled in the class, but 15 dropped out.

See all exceptions here (APA, 2022f).

In general, use numerals to express numbers 10 and above.

there were 15 psychologists at the clinic

the study had 40 participants

students were in the third, sixth, eighth, 10th, and 12th grades

There are some exceptions, such as percentiles and quartiles

5th percentile, the 95th percentile the 3rd quartile

See all exceptions here (APA, 2022e).
 

A variety of fonts are permitted in APA Style papers. Font options include the following:

• sans serif fonts (recommended for reading online) such as 11-point Calibri, 11-point Arial, or 10-point Lucida Sans Unicode
• serif fonts (recommended for reading in print) such as 12-point Times New Roman, 11-point Georgia, or normal (10-point) Computer Modern

While not an APA rule, it is strongly suggested that all assessments are submitted with black text on a white/plain paper background. This form of formatting is not only associated with professional standard but is also accessible to those with visual impairments.

See the Tables and Figures tab for additional font options within any tables or figures in your paper.

For more information, please see the APA style website (APA, 2022c).

When to use Italics in a paper:

• First use of key terms or phrases, often accompanied by a definition: Mindfulness is defined as “the act of noticing new things, a process that promotes flexible responding to the demands of the environment” (Pagnini et al., 2016, p. 91).

• First use of words from another language when readers may not be familiar with them:

Botanical names: The latin name for lavender is lavandula
Latin terms: The term tolle totum means to treat the whole person.

• Figure/Table Titles, and the word Note, when a note is included below the Figure/Table

Figure 1
Ying Yang Symbol
[Insert Figure/Table here]
Note.
 

When to use italics in your reference list:
 

Titles of books, reports, webpages, and other stand-alone works:

Hinrichsen, G. (2019). Assessment and treatment of older adults: A guide for mental health professionals. American Psychological Association.

Titles of periodicals and periodical volume numbers (but not the comma between them):

American Journal of Nursing, 119(9), 47–53.
 

For more examples on when and when not to use italics, please see the APA style website (APA, 2022k).

Use 1-inch margins on every side of the page for an APA Style paper.

For instructions on changing margins, please visit the Microsoft Word website (Microsoft, n.d.-b).

Tables and Figures contain a Table/Figure Number, Title, Body (or image) and Note (optional if you created the table/figure yourself).

Figure 6

Table Elements

Note. From Student Paper Setup Guide (p. 5), by the American Psychological Association, 2020b, (https://apastyle.apa.org/instructional-aids/student-paper-setup-guide.pdf). Copyright 2022 by the American Psychological Association.

Notes are only optional when no copyright attribution is required. If you did not create the table yourself, you will need to acknowledge the source in the note, and in the reference list. See example tables and figures in the Reference Example box above. 

Figure 7

Table Line Spacing

Note. From Student Paper Setup Guide (p. 10), by the American Psychological Association, 2020b, (https://apastyle.apa.org/instructional-aids/student-paper-setup-guide.pdf). Copyright 2022 by the American Psychological Association.

Figure 8

Figure Font

Note. From Student Paper Setup Guide (p. 12), by the American Psychological Association, 2020b, (https://apastyle.apa.org/instructional-aids/student-paper-setup-guide.pdf). Copyright 2022 by the American Psychological Association.

For mor information please see the APA Style website (APA, 2021b).

You can embed tables and figures in the body of the paper, or at the end of the paper in an Appendix. Check your assignment outline for any specific instructions. See detailed examples in our Library FAQ

The appendix label appears at the top of a new page, bold and centered. 
 

If you only have one item in the appendix (see Appendix):

Appendix 
Appendix Title Here (describe the contents)

Normal text left-aligned, double-spaced and include a page number in the top right corner. If consists of only a single table or figure, the appendix label and title takes the place of the table or figure number and title.

If you have more than one appendix, label each appendix with A, B, C etc. on a new page in the order they are mentioned (See Appendix A).

Appendix A

Appendix Title Here (describe the contents)

When you have multiple tables/figures in a single appendix (most likely because they have similar content), then label each one with a number after the appendix letter (See Figure B1).

Appendix B
Appendix Title Here (describe the contents)

Figure B1
Descriptive Title

Figure B2
Descriptive Title

For more information on your appendix, please see Appendices.

The reference list label  "References" appears at the top of a new page, bold and centered.

References are in alphabetical order and double-spaced with a 0.5" hanging indent.
 

Figure 9

Reference List Formatting


Note. From Student Paper Setup Guide (p. 6), by the American Psychological Association, 2020b, (https://apastyle.apa.org/instructional-aids/student-paper-setup-guide.pdf). Copyright 2022 by the American Psychological Association.

Figure 10

Reference List Font

Note. From Student Paper Setup Guide (p. 18), by the American Psychological Association, 2020b, (https://apastyle.apa.org/instructional-aids/student-paper-setup-guide.pdf). Copyright 2022 by the American Psychological Association.

See the Line Spacing tab for instructions on how to double space in Microsoft Word.

To see instructions on how to create a hanging indent please see the Microsoft website (Microsoft, n.d.-c).

Sample APA 7 papers can be a great way to see correct in-text citations, layout, formatting recommendations, and reference list examples. 

Figure 11

Sample Student Paper

Note. From Student Sample Paper with Annotations (p. 1), by the American Psychological Association, n.d.-b, (https://apastyle.apa.org/style-grammar-guidelines/paper-format/student-annotated.pdf). Copyright 2022 by the American Psychological Association.

We recommend the student sample paper with annotations available on the APA style website (APA, 2022j).