APA 7 Citation Format: Complete Guide with Examples (7th Edition)
Everything you need to cite sources in APA 7th edition — in-text citations, reference list rules, and real examples for every common source type.
APA 7th edition (published 2020) is the current standard for social sciences, education, nursing, and related fields. Whether you're citing a website, a journal article, or a YouTube video, this guide covers the exact format with copy-ready examples.
What Changed in APA 7 vs APA 6
Most institutions now require APA 7. The biggest practical changes for students:
| Rule | APA 6 | APA 7 |
|---|---|---|
| In-text for 3+ authors | Smith et al. (only from 6th author) | Smith et al. (from 3rd author onward) |
| Running head | Required on every page | Not required for student papers |
| DOI display | doi:10.1234/... | https://doi.org/10.1234/... |
| Publisher location | City, State: Publisher | Publisher only (no location) |
| Journal volume/issue | Volume(Issue) | Volume(Issue) — same, but issue in regular type |
| Inclusive language | No guidance | Detailed bias-free language guidelines added |
In-Text Citations
APA uses an author-date system. Every in-text citation includes the author's last name and year of publication. Page numbers are required for direct quotes and recommended for paraphrases.
1 Author
Paraphrase
(Smith, 2023)Direct Quote
(Smith, 2023, p. 45)2 Authors
Paraphrase
(García & Lee, 2022)In narrative
García and Lee (2022) found that...3 or More Authors
Parenthetical
(Johnson et al., 2021)In narrative
Johnson et al. (2021) argued...Organization as Author
First citation
(World Health Organization [WHO], 2022)Subsequent citations
(WHO, 2022)Reference List Rules
- •Title: "References" centered, in bold, at the top of the page
- •Hanging indent: First line flush left, all subsequent lines indented 0.5 inches
- •Alphabetical order: Sort by first author's last name
- •Sentence case: Only capitalize the first word of a title and proper nouns (books, articles)
- •Italics: Italicize book titles, journal names, and journal volume numbers
- •DOI: Include as https://doi.org/... format when available. No period after URL.
- •Double spacing: The entire reference list should be double-spaced
How to Cite: Examples by Source Type
Website
In-Text Citation
(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2023)References Entry
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2023, November 1). Understanding COVID-19. https://www.cdc.gov/covid19Note: Include access date only if content is likely to change. Omit if page is archival.
Book
In-Text Citation
(Brown, 2021, p. 112)References Entry
Brown, C. (2021). Daring greatly: How the courage to be vulnerable transforms the way we live, love, parent, and lead. Gotham Books.Note: No publisher location. Sentence case for title. Include p. for direct quotes.
Journal Article
In-Text Citation
(García & Lee, 2022)References Entry
García, M., & Lee, S. (2022). Social media and adolescent mental health: A meta-analysis. Journal of Youth Studies, 25(3), 410–428. https://doi.org/10.1080/13676261.2021.1234567Note: Italicize journal name and volume number. Issue number in parentheses, not italicized.
YouTube Video
In-Text Citation
(TED, 2023)References Entry
TED. (2023, January 15). The power of vulnerability [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCvmsMzlF7oNote: Use channel name as author. Include [Video] descriptor. Full URL required.
Skip the Formatting — Generate It Free
Enter your source details and get a perfectly formatted APA 7 citation instantly.
FAQ: Common APA 7 Situations
No author — how do I cite it?
Move the title to the author position. In-text: use a shortened title in quotation marks — ("Understanding Risk," 2022). In References: start the entry with the title.
No date — what do I put?
Use (n.d.) in place of the year — both in-text (Smith, n.d.) and in the reference list (Smith, J. (n.d.). Title...).
No page number — how do I cite a quote?
For ebooks or online articles without page numbers, use paragraph number (para. 3), heading name, or timestamp for video. Example: (Smith, 2022, para. 5).
How many authors do I list in the reference list?
List up to 20 authors. For 21 or more, list the first 19, add an ellipsis (...), then the final author's name.