Skip to main content
How can we help you today?
< All Topics

APA Formatting & Citation (7th Edition)

Posted
Updated
ByLibrary

How to Use This Guide

Use this guide when you need to format an academic paper, create an APA 7 in-text citation, build a reference-list entry, or check a common source type. It is adapted for VTI students across programmes.

Instructor requirements come first. APA 7 is the default reference point, but follow your instructor, course outline, or assignment brief where it specifies a different font, structure, title-page requirement, source rule, or submission format.

For official explanations and additional examples, consult the APA Style guidelines and Purdue OWL APA introduction.

APA 7 at a Glance

  • Author-date system: Identify the author or group author and publication year in the text.
  • In-text citations: Cite a source whenever you quote, paraphrase, summarise, use data, or rely on a distinctive idea.
  • Reference list: Give full publication details for every source cited in the paper.
  • Match both parts: Every in-text citation should have a corresponding reference entry, and every reference entry should be cited in the paper unless the assignment asks for a broader bibliography.
  • Formatting basics: Use a readable approved font, consistent spacing, page numbers, clear headings, and a properly formatted reference list.

Paper Formatting Basics

These are common student-paper settings. Check the assignment because instructors and programmes may specify exceptions.

  • Margins: Use 1-inch (2.54 cm) margins on all sides unless instructed otherwise.
  • Font: Use one readable APA-accepted font consistently, such as 12-point Times New Roman, 11-point Arial or Calibri, or 11-point Georgia. Follow the instructor’s specified font if different.
  • Spacing: Double-space the paper, including the title page, headings, quotations, and reference list unless the assignment says otherwise.
  • Page numbers: Place page numbers in the upper-right header, beginning with page 1. Student papers normally do not need a running head unless requested.
  • Title page: Include the paper title, author, institutional affiliation, course information, instructor, and due date when required by the student-paper format or assignment.
  • Headings: Use APA heading levels consistently to show the hierarchy of sections. Do not number headings unless the assignment or discipline requires it.
  • Paragraphs: Indent the first line of a regular paragraph by 0.5 inch. Do not add extra blank lines between paragraphs.

For visual examples, see the APA paper-format guidance, APA sample papers, and the VTI APA 7th Edition Word Template.

In-Text Citations

APA citations can be parenthetical or narrative. Put the citation close to the borrowed idea so the reader can identify the source.

  • One author: Parenthetical: (Nguyen, 2023). Narrative: Nguyen (2023).
  • Two authors: Parenthetical: (Jones & Lee, 2021). Narrative: Jones and Lee (2021).
  • Three or more authors: (Martins et al., 2022) from the first citation onward, unless a special ambiguity rule applies.
  • Organization or group author: First citation: (World Health Organization [WHO], 2023). Later citations: (WHO, 2023), when the abbreviation is useful and clear.
  • No author: Use the first words of the title and the year. Use quotation marks for an article or webpage title: (“Caribbean ICT Report,” 2020). Italicise a book or report title instead.
  • Direct quotation with page: (Field, 2005, p. 14) or (Field, 2005, pp. 14-15).
  • No page numbers: Use a paragraph number, section heading, or another locator where appropriate, such as (Jones, 2022, para. 4) or (Jones, 2022, Discussion section).

See the APA in-text citation guidance and basic citation principles for additional cases.

Reference List Basics

The reference list gives enough information for a reader to locate each cited source.

  • Heading: Start a new page titled References, centred and bold.
  • Alphabetical order: Arrange entries by the surname of the first author or by title when no author is listed.
  • Hanging indent: Double-space entries and use a 0.5-inch hanging indent so the first line begins at the margin and later lines are indented.
  • Author, date, title, source: Most entries follow this sequence, with the exact elements depending on the source type.
  • Capitalisation: Use sentence case for article, book, report, webpage, and chapter titles. Use title case and italics for journal titles and volume numbers.
  • DOIs and URLs: Present a DOI as a clickable https://doi.org/... link. Use a public URL when it helps the reader retrieve the source; do not paste a library database login URL. Do not add a period after a DOI or URL.
  • Consistency: Check that spelling, dates, italics, author order, and punctuation are consistent across entries.

For author elements, reference order, and variations, consult the APA reference-list guidance and APA reference examples.

Common Source Types

Use these as patterns, not as substitutes for checking the source record. Replace the placeholders with the actual author, date, title, source, and locator.

Journal Article With DOI

Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (2023). Title of article. Journal Name, 12(2), 1-15. https://doi.org/xxxxx

Use the DOI even when you accessed the article through a library database.

Journal Article Without DOI

Author, A. A. (2023). Title of article. Journal Name, 12(2), 1-15. https://www.example.org/article

Include a URL only when it leads to a publicly retrievable article. Do not include a database name or a temporary library-session URL.

Book

Author, A. A. (2023). Title of book: Subtitle. Publisher.

For a later edition, include it after the title: Title of book (2nd ed.). Publisher. A DOI or public URL may be added when available.

Chapter in an Edited Book

Chapter Author, A. A. (2023). Title of chapter. In E. E. Editor (Ed.), Title of book (pp. 20-35). Publisher. https://doi.org/xxxxx

For more than one editor, use (Eds.). Include the book editor because the chapter and book have different authors.

Webpage

Author, A. A. (2023, May 10). Title of webpage. Website Name. https://www.example.org/page

If the organization is both author and site name, omit the repeated site name: Organization Name. (2023). Title of webpage. https://www.example.org/page. Add a retrieval date only for content designed to change over time.

Government or Organization Report

Organization Name. (2023). Title of report. Publisher or Organization. https://www.example.org/report

Omit the publisher when it is the same as the author. Treat a public PDF as a report; the file format does not require a separate [PDF] label.

Online Report or PDF

Author, A. A. (2023). Title of report. Organization or Publisher. https://www.example.org/report.pdf

Use the report title and source organization. Include a stable public URL when available.

Dataset

Author or Organization. (2023). Title of dataset (Version 1.0) [Data set]. Publisher. https://doi.org/xxxxx

Include the version when one is supplied and use the dataset label in square brackets.

YouTube or Other Online Video

Author or Channel Name. (2023, May 10). Title of video [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxxxx

Use the account that posted the video as the author and the full date when available.

Image or Photograph

Creator, A. A. (2023). Title of image [Photograph]. Museum or Website. https://www.example.org/image

For an image reproduced in your paper, also follow the assignment and rights requirements and identify the original source in the caption or surrounding text as appropriate.

Thesis or Dissertation

Author, A. A. (2023). Title of thesis [Master's thesis, Institution Name]. Repository. https://www.example.org/thesis

Use [Doctoral dissertation, Institution Name] for a doctoral work and include the repository or public URL.

See the APA reference examples by source type when your source does not fit a simple pattern.

Citing AI Tools

Follow your instructor’s and institution’s policy before using generative AI. Do not treat AI output as a substitute for scholarly evidence, and do not assume that an AI-generated citation or quotation is accurate.

  • Document AI use transparently when your assignment permits it, including the tool, date, purpose, and the part of the work it supported.
  • Verify every factual claim, quotation, citation, and reference against the original source.
  • Use your own judgement and analysis; do not submit unverified AI-generated text as if it were your research.
  • Consult current APA Style guidance and your assignment policy when a specific AI citation is required.

Common APA Mistakes

  • Missing matches: An in-text citation has no reference entry, or a reference is never cited.
  • Raw URLs: A pasted URL is not a complete APA reference.
  • Inconsistent capitalisation: Article, book, report, chapter, and webpage titles usually use sentence case; journal titles use title case.
  • Missing dates or authors: Check the source record before using “n.d.” or a title in place of an author.
  • Incorrect et al. use: In APA 7, use the first author plus et al. for three or more authors in in-text citations from the first citation, subject to ambiguity exceptions.
  • Unnecessary secondary citations: Locate and cite the original work when possible; use “as cited in” only when the original is genuinely unavailable.
  • Unchecked generators: Citation tools can misread authors, dates, capitalization, italics, editions, and URLs.

Citation Generators: Use With Care

Tools such as MyBib, ZoteroBib, Citation Machine, and Scribbr can save time, but they do not replace APA knowledge. Compare each result with the source and the official APA examples before submitting.

Academic & Writing Support

For official examples, consult the APA reference examples and the APA citation guidance.

Posted
Updated
ByLibrary
Table of Contents