APA 6 APA 7

General formatting  12 pt Times New Same

guidelines Roman
 Double line spacing
 1 inch (2.54 cm)
margins

Running head  Left aligned No need for running head in

 Capitalized student’s title page
 Maximum 50 But added in professional title
characters (not page with same specifications
including the words as in APA 6
“running head:”)

Paper title Use an informative, striking Write an informative, striking

title that summarizes the main title that summarizes the topic
idea of your paper. of your paper.

 Apply title case  Use title case

(capitalize the first capitalization
letter of each word, (capitalize the first
except small words letter of each word,
such as articles and except small words
short prepositions) such as articles and
 Keep it shorter than short prepositions).
12 words  Try to keep the title
 Don’t use focused and use
abbreviation or relevant keywords. No
contractions prescribed limit for
 Place the title in the length
center of the page  Place the title three or
four lines down from
the top of the paper.
 Center align and bold
it.

Author  The names of the  Write the author’s

authors are written in name under the paper
full (first name, initial title (leave a blank
of middle name(s), line in between).
last name).  Give their full names
 Include the names of (first name, middle
all authors in order of initial(s) and last
 contribution. name)
 Don’t include titles  Include the names of
(Dr., Prof.) or degrees all authors in order of
(PhD, MSc). contribution
 Don’t include titles
(Dr., Prof.) or degrees
(Ph.D., MSc).
Multiple authors on the title John T. Taylor  If there are more than
page and George two authors, separate
Two authors,
Kotler their names with a
one
University of comma. Only write
affiliation
California, “and” before the last
Berkeley author, like this:

John T. Taylor, George

John T. Taylor, Kotler, Dennis G. Parker and
George Kotler Laura Johnson
Three and Dennis G.
authors, one Parker  Use superscript
affiliation University of numbers on the author
California, line to indicate which
Berkeley institution they’re
affiliated with. Don’t
use superscript
John T. Taylor
numbers if all authors
University of
are affiliated with the
Two authors, California,
same institution (and
two Berkeley
department).
affiliations Laura Johnson
e.g. John T. Taylor1,
Harvard
George Kotler2,
University
Dennis G. Parker1 and
Laura Johnson3
1
John T. Taylor Department of
and George Psychology, Harvard
Kotler University
2
Three authors, University of Department of
two California, Economics, Princeton
affiliations Berkeley University
3
Laura Johnson Department of
Harvard Mathematics,
University Stanford University
Page no Top Right side Same
Title page
Examples:
APA 7

APA 6
 Abstract
APA 6 APA 7
 Include the running 1. Insert a running head
head aligned to the (for a professional
left at the top of the paper—not needed for
page a student paper) and
 On the first line, write page number.
the heading 2. Set page margins to 1
“Abstract” (centered inch (2.54 cm).
 and without any 3. Write “Abstract”
formatting) (bold and centered) at
 Do not indent any part the top of the page.
of the text 4. Place the contents of
 Double space the text your abstract on the
 Use Times New next line.
Roman font in 12 pt a. Do not indent
 Set one-inch (or 2.54 the first line.
cm) margins b. Double-space
 If you include a the text.
“keywords” section at c. Use a legible
the end of the abstract, font like
indent the first line Times New
and italicize the word Roman (12
“Keywords” while pt.).
leaving the keywords d. Limit the
themselves without length to 250
any formatting words.
5. List 3–5 keywords
directly below the
content.
a. Indent the first
line 0.5 inches.
b. Write the label
“Keywords:”
(italicized).
c. Write
keywords in
lowercase
letters.
d. Separate
keywords with
commas.
e. Do not use a
period after
the keywords.

Abstract Abstract

What is the problem? Outline What is the problem? Outline

the objective, problem the objective, problem

statement, research questions statement, research questions

and hypotheses. What has and hypotheses. What has

been done? Explain your been done? Explain your

method. What did you method. What did you

discover? Summarize the key discover? Summarize the key

findings and conclusions. findings and conclusions.

What do the findings mean? What do the findings mean?

Summarize the discussion Summarize the discussion

and recommendations. What and recommendations. What

is the problem? Outline the is the problem? Outline the

objective, problem statement, objective, problem statement,

research questions and research questions and

hypotheses. What has been hypotheses. What has been

done? Explain your method. done? Explain your method.

What did you discover? What did you discover?

Summarize the key findings Summarize the key findings

and conclusions. What do the and conclusions. What do the

findings mean? Summarize findings mean? Summarize

the discussion and the discussion and

recommendations. recommendations.

Summarize the key findings Summarize the key findings

and conclusions. What do the and conclusions. What do the

findings mean? Summarize findings mean? Summarize

 the discussion and the discussion and

recommendations. recommendations.

Keywords: example Keywords: example

keyword, example keyword, keyword, example keyword,
example keyword example keyword

Headings
APA 6 heading format
Heading 1 Centered, Bold, Title Case Capitalization*
Heading 2 Left-Aligned, Bold, Title Case Capitalization*
Indented, bold, sentence case capitalization,** a final period. The body
Heading 3
text begins immediately after the period.
Indented, bold, italics, sentence case capitalization,** a final period. The
Heading 4
body text begins immediately after the period.
Indented, italics, sentence case capitalization,** a final period. The body
Heading 5
text begins immediately after the point.
* Capitalize the first word of the title and all major words (including words that have four or more letters). Example:
The Effects of Autism on Listening Skills.
** Capitalize the first word of the title and proper nouns (just as you would capitalize a sentence). An example:
Teenagers with autism in the United States.

APA 7 heading format

 APA 6 APA 7
Using heading levels Heading 1: Use heading 1 for Heading level 1 is used for
the main elements of your main sections like
paper, such as the “methods,” “Methods”, “Results”, and
“results,” “conclusion” and “Discussion”. There is no
“discussion” sections. “Introduction” heading at the
beginning of your paper
Heading 2: Use heading 2 for because the first paragraphs
the subsections underneath are understood to be
heading 1. For example, introductory.
under “methods,” include
sections describing the Heading level 2 is used for
“participant selection,” subsections under level 1. For
“experiment design’ and example, under “Methods”
“procedure.” (level 1) you may have
subsections for “Sampling
Heading 3: The heading 2 Method” and “Data Analysis”
subsections (e.g. (level 2). This continues all
“procedure”) can be split up the way down to heading
further into subsections such level 5.
as “data collection” and “data
processing.” Use heading 3
for these subsections.

Heading 4 and 5: Depending

on your paper, you can also
 use heading 4 and 5 for
subsections that fall
underneath heading 3 and 4,
respectively.

Examples
APA 7:
 APA 6 Example:

The Effects of Smartphones on the Attention in Classrooms

Method

This research aims to gain insight into the relationship between smartphones and
students’ attention in classrooms. This chapter further discusses the research method, the
sampling method and the data analysis procedure.

Research Method

In addition to an extensive literature review, 40 interviews were conducted for this study.
The goal of conducting interviews was to find out how students looked at the use of smartphones
in the classroom.

Sampling Method

A non-probability sample was used to gather participants for this research. The driving
factors behind this decision were cost and convenience.

Procedure. Participants were given an introductory text prior to the survey. In this
introductory text, the participants were informed that all answers would be processed
anonymously.

Participant recruitment. Students who participated in this study were recruited through
posts on the school’s Facebook page. As an incentive, students who participated were granted an
exemption for writing an essay.

Methods

APA 6 APA 7
 The main heading of Same
“Methods” should be
centered, boldfaced,
and capitalized.
 Subheadings within
this section are left-
aligned, boldfaced,
and in title case. You
can also add lower
level headings within
 these subsections, as
long as they follow
APA heading style.

Font Times New Roman 12 Calibri 11, Arial 11, Lucida

Sans Unicode 10, Georgia 11,
and Times New Roman 12

Example:

Ethics approval was obtained before we began recruiting participants. Current first-
generation college students were invited to participate. The study was advertised through general
emails sent to university-wide mailing lists, social media posts, and flyers across campus.
Participants were self-selected and compensated $10 for their time in the hour-long study.

Results

Tables APA 6 APA 7

 Table number (in  Table number in bold
plain text) above the above the table.
table.  Brief title, in italics
 Brief title (in italics and title case, below
and title case) below the table number.
the table number.  No vertical lines.
 Use no vertical lines  Horizontal lines only
and as few horizontal where necessary for
lines as possible. clarity.
 Notes below the table  Clear, concise labels
when necessary. for column and row
headings.
 Numbers consistently
formatted (e.g. with
the same number of
decimal places).
 Any relevant notes
below the table.
Table number and title  Tables are numbered  Tables are numbered
in the order they are in the order they are
referred to in your referred to in your
text. text.
 The title should  The title should
clearly and clearly and
straightforwardly straightforwardly
describe the table’s describe the table’s
content content
 The table number
appears on its own  The table or figure
line, in plain text, number appears on its
followed by the table own line, in bold,
title on the following followed by the title
line, in italics and title on the following line,
case. in italics and title
case.

Example Table 4 Table 4

Literacy Rates in European Literacy Rates in European
Countries Countries
Table body Do not use vertical lines, and Same
use only as many horizontal
lines as are necessary for
clarity.
Fugures  Labels and legends  Figure number in bold
within the image in above the figure.
the same font and size  Brief title, in italics
as the main text. and title case, under
 Figure number below the figure number.
the image, in italics  If necessary, clear
and followed by a labels and legends
period. integrated into the
 Figure caption on the image.
same line, in plain text  Any relevant notes
and followed by a below the figure.
period.  Keep the design of
 Keep the design of figures as simple as
figures as simple as possible. Use colors
possible. Use colors only where necessary,
only where necessary, not just to make the
not just to make the image look more
image look more appealing
appealing  For text within the
 For labels and image itself, APA
legends, use the same recommends using a
font and font size as in sans serif font (e.g.
your main text. Arial) with a size
between 8 and 14
points.

Where to place tables and You have two options for the You have two options for the
figures placement of tables and placement of tables and
figures in APA Style: figures in APA Style:

 Option 1: Place tables  Option 1: Place tables

and figures and figures
throughout your text, throughout your text,
close to the parts of shortly after the parts
the text that refer to of the text that refer to
them. them.
 Option 2: Place them  Option 2: Place them
all together at the end all together at the end
of your text (after the of your text (after the
reference list) to avoid reference list) to avoid
breaking up the text. breaking up the text.

Table notes
General Notes They are preceded by the word Same
 ‘Note’ in italics, followed by a
period. They include any
explanations that apply to the
table as a whole and
acknowledgements if the table
was adapted from another
source, and they end with
definitions of any abbreviations
used:

Note. In this research,

respondents were asked to
self-assess their satisfaction.
Adapted from Example Book,
by J. Smith, 2014, p. 234.
Copyright 2016 by Oxford
University Press. SL =
Satisfaction level.
Specific notes Specific notes are those that Same
refer to specific points in the
table. Superscript letters (a, b,
c …) appear at the relevant
points in the table and at the
start of each note to indicate
what they refer to. They are
used when it’s necessary to
comment on a specific data
point or term in the table:

a n = 350. b Five respondents

failed to complete this part of
the survey.
Probability notes Probability notes give p Same
values for the data in the
table. They correspond to
asterisks (and/or other
symbols) in the table:

* p < .05. ** p < .01.

Examples:
APA 6
APA 7
 In text citation
APA 6 APA 7
The in-text citation can be Same
placed in Parenthesis or
naturally integrated into a
sentence.
 There is a correlation
between social media usage
and anxiety symptoms in
teenagers (Parker, 2019).
 Parker (2019) found a
correlation between social
media usage and anxiety
symptoms in teenagers.

No Author If the author is unknown, cite Use the source title

the first few words of the E.g. (Source Title, 2020)
reference list entry instead
(usually the title). Enclose the
title in double quotation
marks when citing an article,
web page or book chapter.
Italicize the title of
periodicals, books, reports
and brochures.
E.g. (“U.S. Flood Risk Could
Be Worse Than We
Thought,” 2015)
No date For sources without a year of Write “n.d.” for “no date”
publication, use “n.d.” (no E.g. (Harris, n.d.)
date) instead: (Johnson, n.d.).
No page no Include a chapter or Use an alternative locator or
paragraph number instead. omit the page number.
(Johnson, 2019, Chapter 3) E.g. (Harris, 2020, 03:46) or
(Harris, 2020)

With multiple authors

APA 6
First in-text
Author type Subsequent in-text citations
citation
No author (“Title of the (“Title of the Work,” 2018)
 First in-text
Author type Subsequent in-text citations
citation
Work,” 2018)
1 author (Taylor, 2018) (Taylor, 2018)
(Taylor &
2 authors (Taylor & Kotler, 2018)
Kotler, 2018)
(Taylor,
Kotler,
3 – 5 authors (Taylor et al., 2018)
Johnson, &
Parker, 2018)
(Taylor et al.,
6+ authors (Taylor et al., 2018)
2018)
(Centers for
Disease
Organization (identified through abbreviation) Control and (CDC, 2018)
Prevention
[CDC], 2018)
Organization (no abbreviation) (Apple, 2018) (Apple, 2018)

APA 7
Author type Parenthetical Narrative
One author (Harris, 2020) Harris (2020)
Two authors (Harris & Cook, 2020) Harris and Cook (2020)
Three or more authors (Harris et al., 2020) Harris et al. (2020)
Group authors (Scribbr, 2020) Scribbr (2020)
Abbreviated group author
(Centers for Disease Control Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention [CDC], 2020) and Prevention (CDC, 2020)
 First citation
 Subsequent citations
(CDC, 2020) CDC (2020)