APA 7 Formatting Basics for Researchers

The American Psychological Association’s Publication Manual (7th ed.) is used across many disciplines. Getting the basics right helps your manuscript look professional and avoids unnecessary revision rounds.

In-text citations

For a single author, use (Author, year) or Author (year). For two authors, use "and" in narrative and "&" in parentheses. For three or more, cite the first author plus "et al." from the first mention. Include page or paragraph numbers for direct quotes.

Reference list

Start on a new page; title it "References." Entries are double-spaced and use a hanging indent. Order alphabetically by author. Journal articles: Author(s). (year). Title of article. Journal Name, volume(issue), page range. https://doi.org/xxx. Include DOIs when available.

Document formatting

Use 1-inch margins, a clear serif or sans-serif font (e.g. 12 pt), and double spacing. Include a title page, abstract (if required), and main body. Headings use level 1 (centered, bold), level 2 (left-aligned, bold), and so on.

Common pitfalls

Mixing citation styles, missing DOIs, or inconsistent formatting can delay acceptance. When in doubt, check the manual or the journal’s author guide. For editing and formatting support, our publishing and preparation services can help. Contact us to learn more.