Every student has been there. You spend hours writing an excellent essay, then lose marks because a reference is formatted incorrectly or an in-text citation is missing. Mastering the APA 7 Citation Guide is one of the most powerful investments you can make in your academic career. This comprehensive guide will walk you through Read More
Visit the URL and place your order with us. Fill basic details of your research paper, set the deadlines and submit the form.
Chat with our experts to get the best quote. Make the payment via online banking, debit/credit cards or through paypal. Recieve an order confirmation number.
Sit back and relax. Your well written, properly referenced research paper will be mailed to your inbox, before deadline. Download the paper. Revise and Submit.
Every student has been there. You spend hours writing an excellent essay, then lose marks because a reference is formatted incorrectly or an in-text citation is missing. Mastering the APA 7 Citation Guide is one of the most powerful investments you can make in your academic career. This comprehensive guide will walk you through everything you need to know about APA 7th Edition referencing from formatting your title page to citing AI tools correctly.
Whether you are a nursing student, a psychology major, a PhD candidate, or an international student navigating English academic writing for the first time, this guide is written for you. It is practical, beginner-friendly, and packed with real examples.
By the end of this APA 7 referencing guide, you will know exactly how to format every type of source, write perfect in-text citations, build a flawless reference list, and avoid the most common citation mistakes that cost students marks.
APA stands for the American Psychological Association. The organisation first published its style guide in 1929 to provide researchers with a consistent way to communicate their findings. Today, APA style is used in over 100 countries and across dozens of academic disciplines.
The 7th Edition of the APA Publication Manual was released in October 2019. It replaced the 6th Edition and introduced significant updates to make academic writing clearer, more inclusive, and more relevant to the digital age.
APA 7 is the standard referencing format for:
| Feature | APA 6th Edition | APA 7th Edition |
| Running head | Required for all papers | Only for professional/published papers |
| Author limit (et al.) | 6 or more authors = et al. | 3 or more authors = et al. |
| DOI format | doi:10.xxxx/xxx | https://doi.org/10.xxxx/xxx |
| Font options | Times New Roman only | Multiple fonts accepted (see formatting) |
| Student title page | Same as professional | Separate simplified student format |
| Publisher location | Required | No longer required |
| Singular ‘they’ | Not mentioned | Accepted as gender-neutral pronoun |
| In-text: 3 authors | All three named first time | et al. from first citation |
Most universities now require APA 7. If your institution has not confirmed which edition to use, always ask your lecturer or check your assignment brief.
Before you write a single word, your document must be formatted correctly. Poor formatting affects readability and can result in mark deductions, even if your content is excellent.
APA 7 accepts any of the following fonts. Choose one and use it consistently throughout your entire paper:
| Font | Sizes Accepted |
| Times New Roman | 12pt |
| Calibri | 11pt |
| Arial | 11pt |
| Lucida Sans Unicode | 10pt |
| Georgia | 11pt |
| Computer Modern | 10pt |
| Element | APA 7 Requirement |
| Margins | 1 inch (2.54 cm) on all sides |
| Line spacing | Double-spaced throughout |
| Paragraph indent | 0.5 inch (1.27 cm) first line indent |
| Page numbers | Top right corner, starting from page 1 |
| Alignment | Left-aligned (not justified) |
| Running head | Professional papers only not required for students |
Your title page must include the following, all centred and double-spaced:
| Example Student Title Page:
Blood Sugar Management in Type 2 Diabetes: A Review of Dietary Interventions
Sarah J. Thompson Department of Nursing, University of Melbourne NUR3201: Evidence-Based Practice Professor David Chen 15 March 2026 |
| Level | Format | Example |
| Level 1 | Bold, Centred, Title Case | Methodology |
| Level 2 | Bold, Left-Aligned, Title Case | Data Collection Methods |
| Level 3 | Bold, Italic, Left-Aligned, Title Case | Interview Procedures |
| Level 4 | Bold, Indented, Title Case, Period. | Participant Recruitment. |
| Level 5 | Bold, Italic, Indented, Title Case, Period. | Sampling Criteria. |
An in-text citation is a brief reference that appears within the body of your paper. It tells the reader exactly where a piece of information came from. APA 7 uses an author-date system.
| Type | Format and Example |
| Parenthetical citation | Information is cited in brackets after the quote or paraphrase: (Smith, 2023, p. 45) |
| Narrative citation | The author’s name appears naturally in the sentence: Smith (2023) argued that… |
| SINGLE AUTHOR
Parenthetical: (Johnson, 2022) Narrative: Johnson (2022) found that…
TWO AUTHORS Parenthetical: (Williams & Brown, 2021) Narrative: Williams and Brown (2021) suggested… Note: Use ‘&’ in brackets; use ‘and’ in narrative form.
THREE OR MORE AUTHORS Parenthetical: (Garcia et al., 2020) Narrative: Garcia et al. (2020) demonstrated… Note: In APA 7, use et al. from the first citation.
ORGANISATION AS AUTHOR First citation: (World Health Organization [WHO], 2023) Subsequent citations: (WHO, 2023)
NO AUTHOR Use the first few words of the title in title case with quotation marks: (“Blood Sugar Guidelines,” 2022)
NO DATE Use n.d. in place of the year: (National Institute of Health, n.d.)
SECONDARY SOURCE (citing a source you found in another source) Smith (as cited in Jones, 2023) argued that… Note: Only list Jones in your reference list.
PERSONAL COMMUNICATION (interviews, emails, phone calls) (A. Taylor, personal communication, January 14, 2026) Note: Personal communications do NOT appear in the reference list.
MULTIPLE CITATIONS IN ONE BRACKET Order alphabetically, separated by semicolons: (Garcia et al., 2020; Smith, 2022; Williams & Brown, 2021) |
Short quotes (fewer than 40 words): Include in the body of your text within double quotation marks. Always include the page number or paragraph number.
| Smith (2023) noted that “blood glucose regulation is central to metabolic health” (p. 14). |
Block quotes (40 words or more): Start on a new line, indented 0.5 inch from the left margin. Do not use quotation marks. The citation goes after the final punctuation mark.
Your reference list appears at the end of your paper on a new page titled “References” (bold, centred). It includes full details of every source you cited in your paper — and only those sources.
| Source Has a DOI? | What to Include |
| Yes | Include the DOI as a full URL: https://doi.org/10.xxxx |
| No DOI — found in database | No URL needed. Most databases are subscription-based. |
| No DOI — found on a website | Include the full URL |
| Website content changes over time | Include the URL and retrieval date |
Use this reference table to find the correct APA 7 citation format for any source type. Examples are ready to adapt for your own assignments.
| Book (single author) |
| Reference: Smith, J. A. (2022). The science of nutrition. Health Press.
In-text: Smith (2022) |
| Book (two authors) |
| Reference: Garcia, M., & Lee, P. (2021). Nursing fundamentals (3rd ed.). Elsevier.
In-text: Garcia & Lee (2021) |
| eBook |
| Reference: Brown, K. (2023). Diabetes management [Kindle version]. Amazon.
In-text: Brown (2023) |
| Edited book chapter |
| Reference: Jones, R. (2020). Diet and disease. In L. Taylor (Ed.), Metabolic health (pp. 23–45). Springer.
In-text: Jones (2020) |
| Journal article with DOI |
| Reference: Williams, S., & Park, J. (2022). Insulin resistance in adults. Journal of Endocrinology, 45(3), 112–128. https://doi.org/10.1000/xyz123
In-text: Williams & Park (2022) |
| Journal article — no DOI |
| Reference: Chen, A. (2021). Sleep and blood glucose. Nursing Research, 14(2), 88–99.
In-text: Chen (2021) |
| Website |
| Reference: National Health Service. (2023, July 4). Type 2 diabetes overview. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/type-2-diabetes/
In-text: National Health Service (2023) |
| Government report |
| Reference: Department of Health. (2022). National diabetes report 2022. https://www.gov.uk/diabetes-report
In-text: Department of Health (2022) |
| Newspaper article (online) |
| Reference: Roberts, P. (2023, March 12). Rising rates of obesity in the UK. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com
In-text: Roberts (2023) |
| Magazine article |
| Reference: Taylor, L. (2022, June). Managing stress for better health. Health Magazine, 18(6), 44–47.
In-text: Taylor (2022) |
| YouTube video |
| Reference: SciShow. (2022, October 3). How insulin works [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/abc123
In-text: SciShow (2022) |
| Podcast episode |
| Reference: Smith, J. (Host). (2023, January 10). Understanding metabolism (No. 14) [Audio podcast episode]. In Health Talks. PodcastOne.
In-text: John (2023) |
| Conference paper |
| Reference: Patel, R. (2023, September 5–8). AI in clinical nursing [Paper presentation]. International Nursing Conference, Sydney, Australia.
In-text: Patel (2023) |
| Doctoral dissertation |
| Reference: Thompson, A. (2021). Stress and cortisol in nursing students [Doctoral dissertation, University of London]. ProQuest.
In-text: Thompson (2021) |
| Master’s thesis |
| Reference: Yusuf, B. (2022). Dietary interventions in T2D [Master’s thesis, University of Cape Town].
In-text: Yusuf (2022) |
| Lecture notes / slides |
| Reference: Chen, D. (2023). Week 4: Pharmacology lecture slides [PowerPoint slides]. University Moodle.
In-text: Chen (2023) |
| Online PDF |
| Reference: World Health Organization. (2022). Global diabetes report [PDF]. https://www.who.int/diabetes-report.pdf
In-text: World Health Organization (2022) |
| Blog post |
| Reference: Nguyen, T. (2023, February 28). 10 foods that spike blood sugar. VitaHive Health. https://vitahive-health.blogspot.com
In-text: Nguyen (2023) |
| Dictionary |
| Reference: Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). Glycaemia. In Merriam-Webster.com dictionary. Retrieved March 1, 2026, from https://www.merriam-webster.com
In-text: Merriam-Webster (n.d.) |
| Wikipedia |
| Reference: Wikipedia contributors. (2024, February 18). Insulin. In Wikipedia. Retrieved March 1, 2026, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insulin
In-text: Wikipedia contributors (2024) |
| Social media post (X/Twitter) |
| Reference: WHO [@WHO]. (2023, March 14). Diabetes affects over 400 million people worldwide [Post]. X. https://twitter.com/WHO
In-text: WHO (2023) |
| Personal interview |
| Reference: A. Taylor, personal communication, January 14, 2026. [NOT listed in references]
In-text: (A. Taylor, personal communication, Jan. 14, 2026) |
| Reference: D. Smith, personal communication, February 2, 2026. [NOT listed in references]
In-text: (D. Smith, personal communication, Feb. 2, 2026) |
| Annual report |
| Reference: Pfizer Inc. (2022). 2022 annual report. https://www.pfizer.com/annual-report-2022
In-text: Pfizer Inc. (2022) |
| Legal case |
| Reference: Brown v. Board of Education, 347 U.S. 483 (1954).
In-text: Brown v. Board of Education (1954) |
| Act of parliament (UK) |
| Reference: Health and Social Care Act 2012 (UK).
In-text: Health and Social Care Act (2012) |
The rise of AI writing tools has created new challenges for academic referencing. The APA updated its guidance in 2023 to address how students and researchers should cite AI-generated content.
| Important Note
Most universities prohibit the use of AI tools for assessed academic writing without explicit permission. Always check your institution’s academic integrity policy before using or citing AI-generated content. |
The APA treats AI tools like software. The basic format is:
| Author/Organisation. (Year). Name of AI tool (version if available) [Description]. URL |
| ChatGPT (OpenAI):
OpenAI. (2024). ChatGPT (March 2024 version) [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com
Claude AI (Anthropic): Anthropic. (2024). Claude (claude-3-sonnet-20240229) [Large language model]. https://www.anthropic.com
Google Gemini: Google. (2024). Gemini [Large language model]. https://gemini.google.com
Microsoft Copilot: Microsoft. (2024). Microsoft Copilot [Large language model]. https://copilot.microsoft.com |
Tables and figures must be formatted consistently in APA 7. Each has a number, a title, and optional notes.
| Element | Rule |
| Numbering | Table 1, Table 2 (plain text, not bold) above the title |
| Title | Bold, italicised, title case — on the line below the number |
| Body | Use clear column headers; left-align text in cells |
| Note | Begin with the word Note. in italics, then explain abbreviations or sources |
| Table 1
Blood Glucose Levels by Age Group
[table content here]
Note. Data from Department of Health (2022). mmol/L = millimoles per litre. |
| Element | Rule |
| Numbering | Figure 1, Figure 2 — bold, below the figure |
| Title | Italics, title case — on the same line after the figure number |
| Caption | Brief description for context |
| Note | Same format as table notes — placed below the caption |
| Figure 1
Insulin Sensitivity Across Age Groups
[image here]
Note. Adapted from Smith (2022). This figure illustrates the decline in insulin sensitivity with age. |
Even experienced writers make APA errors. Here are the most frequent mistakes — and how to fix them.
| Common Mistake | How to Fix It |
| Capitalising every word in an article title | Use sentence case for titles in the reference list: only capitalise the first word, proper nouns, and the word after a colon |
| Missing DOI or wrong DOI format | Always include DOI as full URL: https://doi.org/10.xxxx |
| Using ‘et al.’ for two authors | Only use et al. for three or more authors in APA 7 |
| Not using a hanging indent | Set a 0.5-inch hanging indent on all reference entries |
| Putting page numbers in wrong place | For journal articles: include page range in reference (e.g., 45–67). For direct quotes: add p. 45 in in-text citation |
| Wrong quotation mark format | APA uses double quotation marks for short quotes in the text |
| Listing sources not cited in paper | Your reference list should only include sources you cited |
| Mixing APA 6 and APA 7 rules | Stick to one edition — most universities now require APA 7 |
| Not italicising journal names | Journal names and book titles must be italicised in the reference list |
| Incorrectly citing multiple authors | Three or more authors: use et al. from the first citation in APA 7 |
| Adding publisher location for books | APA 7 no longer requires publisher location remove it |
| Using ‘Retrieved from’ for stable sources | Only use ‘Retrieved [date] from’ when content changes (e.g., Wikipedia) |
These 20 practical tips will help you produce perfect APA references every time.
Several tools can help you generate and manage APA 7 references. Each has strengths and limitations.
| Tool | Best For | Limitations |
| Zotero | Free browser-based reference manager; great for larger research projects; syncs across devices | Requires setup and a browser extension |
| Mendeley | PDF annotation and reference management; popular in medical fields | Limited free storage; Elsevier-owned |
| EndNote | Advanced research projects; integrates with Microsoft Word | Expensive — usually provided by universities |
| MyBib | Quick citations; simple interface; no account required; APA 7 support | No reference manager; one-at-a-time entry |
| Scribbr | APA 7 citation generator and checker; also offers plagiarism checking | Paid plans for full access |
| Citation Machine | Quick and easy for multiple formats including APA 7 | Accuracy varies — always double-check output |
| Pro Tip
No citation tool is 100% accurate. Always verify the output against the official APA 7 Publication Manual or the APA Style website. Errors in automatically generated citations are your responsibility. |
Different disciplines use different citation styles. Here is a quick comparison to help you understand which one your assignment requires.
| Feature | APA 7 | MLA 9 | Chicago 17 |
| Primary disciplines | Social sciences, nursing, psychology, education | Humanities, literature, arts | History, law, some humanities |
| In-text citation | Author, year: (Smith, 2023) | Author, page: (Smith 45) | Footnotes or (Smith 2023, 45) |
| Reference page title | References | Works Cited | Bibliography or References |
| Journal article | Title in sentence case; journal in italics | Title in quotes; journal in italics | Title in quotes; journal in italics |
| Book title | Italics, sentence case | Italics, title case | Italics, title case |
| Author format | Last, F. M. | Last, First | Last, First |
| Date placement | After author: (2023) | At end of entry | After publisher |
| DOI/URL | https://doi.org/xxx | Web address only | URL or DOI |
Always check your assignment brief carefully. Using MLA when your university requires APA 7 or vice versa will result in significant mark deductions.
What is APA 7?
APA 7 refers to the 7th Edition of the American Psychological Association’s Publication Manual, released in 2019. It provides rules for formatting academic papers, citing sources, and organising reference lists. It is used widely in social sciences, health, nursing, and education.
How do I cite a website in APA 7?
Author Surname, Initials. (Year, Month Day). Page title. Website Name. URL Example: World Health Organization. (2023, May 14). Diabetes overview. https://www.who.int/diabetes
How do I cite ChatGPT in APA 7?
OpenAI. (2024). ChatGPT (March 2024 version) [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com In-text: (OpenAI, 2024)
How do I cite three or more authors in APA 7?
Use et al. from the very first citation: (Garcia et al., 2022). In APA 6, you listed all authors the first time; in APA 7, you use et al. immediately.
How do I cite a source with no author?
Move the title to the author position. Use quotation marks for article titles and italics for book titles. Example: (“Blood Sugar Guidelines,” 2022)
What is a hanging indent in APA 7?
A hanging indent means the first line of a reference starts at the left margin, and all following lines of the same reference are indented 0.5 inch. You can set this in Microsoft Word under Paragraph > Indentation > Special > Hanging.
Do all references need a DOI in APA 7?
Include a DOI whenever one is available. If there is no DOI, include the URL for online sources. If you found the source in a subscription database and there is no DOI, no URL is needed.
How do I format page numbers in APA 7?
Insert page numbers in the top right corner of every page, starting from the title page (page 1). In Word, use Insert > Header & Footer > Page Number > Top of Page > Plain Number 3.
What font should I use for APA 7?
APA 7 accepts several fonts: 12pt Times New Roman, 11pt Calibri, 11pt Arial, 11pt Georgia, 10pt Lucida Sans Unicode, or 10pt Computer Modern. Choose one and use it consistently throughout.
Can I still use APA 6?
Most universities have transitioned to APA 7. Always check your assignment brief. If your institution still accepts APA 6, use it consistently — never mix the two editions.
What is the difference between a reference list and a bibliography?
APA uses a reference list, which contains only sources you cited in the paper. A bibliography (used in some other styles) includes all sources consulted, whether cited or not.
How do I cite a book chapter in APA 7?
Chapter Author, A. A. (Year). Chapter title. In E. E. Editor (Ed.), Book title (pp. xx–xx). Publisher. Example: Jones, R. (2020). Dietary interventions. In L. Taylor (Ed.), Metabolic health (pp. 23–45). Springer.
Do I need a running head as a student?
No. In APA 7, running heads are only required for manuscripts being submitted for publication. Student papers only need the page number in the top right corner.
How do I cite a lecture or class notes?
Lecturer Surname, Initials. (Year). Lecture title [PowerPoint slides / Word document]. Platform. URL Example: Chen, D. (2023). Week 4: Pharmacology [PowerPoint slides]. University Moodle. https://moodle.university.edu
What is the APA 7 format for a journal article without a page number?
Some online-only articles use article numbers instead of page ranges. Use the article number in place of the page range: e.g., Article e12345 or 112–128.
| Need Help Formatting Your APA Assignments?
Professional academic writing support tailored for students. |
| Getting APA referencing right takes practice and sometimes, you need expert guidance to make sure your assignment is formatted perfectly before submission.
Our academic support team works with students at every level, from undergraduate essays to doctoral dissertations. Whether you need help with APA formatting, reference checking, proofreading, or full assignment support, we are here to help. We can support you with: • Essays and research papers (all levels) • Nursing assignments and clinical case studies • Literature reviews and systematic reviews • Capstone projects and dissertations • Thesis writing and proofreading • APA 7 formatting and reference list checking • Plagiarism review and academic integrity support
Contact our academic support team today and get the help you need to submit with confidence. |
Looking to master other areas of academic writing? Explore these related resources:
Mastering APA 7 citation format is not just about following rules it is about demonstrating academic integrity, supporting your arguments with credible sources, and showing your lecturers that you take scholarly communication seriously.
Use this APA 7 Citation Guide as your go-to reference throughout your studies. Bookmark it, share it with classmates, and come back to it every time you start a new assignment.
Remember: even the smallest formatting error in a citation can distract a marker from your otherwise excellent content. Take time to format your references carefully it is always worth the effort.
Good luck with your studies. You have got this.
Evan John