APA 7th Edition: The Most Common Formatting and Citation Mistakes

Category: Formatting & Referencing  |  Read Time: 12 Mins

1. Introduction: The Formatting Trap

You have conducted brilliant research, synthesized complex theories, and written a Distinction-worthy essay. Yet, when you receive your final grade, you are shocked to see a 65%. The feedback is littered with comments like: "Incorrect use of et al.", "Missing hanging indent," and "Improper title page formatting."

Welcome to the frustrating world of academic formatting. In many university rubrics (especially in Psychology, Nursing, Business, and Education), formatting and referencing account for 10% to 20% of your total grade. That is the difference between a Pass and a Distinction.

The American Psychological Association (APA) released their 7th Edition in late 2019, introducing several student-friendly changes. However, many students (and even some professors!) still mix up the old 6th edition rules with the new 7th edition rules. In this comprehensive, beginner-friendly guide, we will walk you through the exact step-by-step setup of an APA 7 paper, showcase real examples, and highlight the most common mistakes you must avoid to protect your grades.

2. Step-by-Step Explanation: Setting Up Your APA 7 Document

Before you type a single word of your essay, you need to set up the "canvas." APA 7 is highly prescriptive about how your document should look. Do this immediately when you open Microsoft Word or Google Docs.

Step 1: Margins, Fonts, and Spacing

• Margins: Set all margins to exactly 1 inch (2.54 cm) on all sides (top, bottom, left, and right).
• Spacing: The entire document, including the title page, quotes, and reference list, must be double-spaced. Do not add extra spaces between paragraphs.
• Fonts: APA 7 is much more flexible than APA 6. You are no longer restricted to Times New Roman. Acceptable fonts include 11-point Calibri, 11-point Arial, 10-point Lucida Sans Unicode, 12-point Times New Roman, or 11-point Georgia. Pick one and use it consistently.

Step 2: The Student Title Page

APA 7 created a specific title page format just for students (different from professional researchers). It must include:

1. Page Number: In the top right corner, starting with "1". (Note: The words "Running head" are NO LONGER required for student papers in APA 7!).
2. Paper Title: Centered, bolded, and positioned 3 to 4 lines down from the top margin. Capitalize major words (Title Case).
3. Author Name(s): Your full name, centered, one double-spaced line below the title.
4. Affiliation: The name of your department and university (e.g., Department of Nursing, University of Sydney).
5. Course Number and Name: (e.g., NURS 101: Introduction to Clinical Practice).
6. Instructor Name: Your professor or tutor's name.
7. Due Date: Written in your region's standard format (e.g., October 24, 2024).

Step 3: Heading Levels

APA uses specific heading levels to organize content. Do not just make text bold randomly. Use Word's "Styles" pane to set these up:

• Level 1: Centered, Bold, Title Case (Use for main sections like "Method" or "Conclusion").
• Level 2: Flush Left, Bold, Title Case (Use for sub-sections).
• Level 3: Flush Left, Bold Italic, Title Case.

3. Real Examples Students Can Understand

Let's look at exactly how to format the two most crucial elements of APA 7: the in-text citation and the reference list entry.

4. The Top 5 Common Mistakes Students Make

Avoid these frequent errors that markers instantly spot and penalize:

1. Using "et al." Incorrectly: In APA 6, you had to list up to 5 authors the first time you cited a paper. In APA 7, this has changed! If a paper has 3 or more authors, you use "et al." from the very first citation.
   Correct: (Johnson et al., 2024). Note that the period only goes after "al", not "et".
2. Capitalization in the Reference List: This confuses almost everyone. For the title of a book, article, or webpage, use Sentence case (only capitalize the first letter of the first word, proper nouns, and the first word after a colon). However, the title of the Journal itself must be in Title Case.
   Example: 'The psychology of learning' (Article title) vs. 'Journal of Educational Psychology' (Journal title).
3. Writing "Retrieved from" Before URLs: In APA 6, you had to write "Retrieved from http..." before a website link. APA 7 removed this rule. Now, simply paste the DOI or URL directly after the publisher's name. Only include a retrieval date if the website content is designed to change frequently (like a Wikipedia page or a live dashboard).
4. Forgetting the Hanging Indent: Your reference list should not look like standard paragraphs. You must apply a hanging indent. In Word, highlight your references, right-click > Paragraph > Indentation > Special > Hanging (0.5 inches).
5. Including Publisher Locations for Books: In older versions of APA, you had to include the city and state of the publisher (e.g., New York, NY: Pearson). In APA 7, the publisher location is no longer required. Just write the publisher's name (e.g., Pearson.).

5. Practical Tips for University Assignments

• Create a "Master Template": Open a blank Word Document, set up your margins, double-spacing, title page, and a blank "References" page with hanging indents applied. Save this file as `APA_Template.docx`. Every time you get a new assignment, open this file and "Save As." You will never have to format from scratch again.
• Check Your Sources' DOIs: A DOI (Digital Object Identifier) is a unique, permanent link to an academic article. In APA 7, DOIs should always be formatted as active hyperlinks starting with `https://doi.org/`. Do not just write `DOI: 10.1037...`.
• Do Not Rely Blindly on Generators: Tools like MyBib and standard Word citation managers are great, but they often struggle with capitalization rules. They might output an article title in Title Case when it should be Sentence case. Always proofread generator outputs manually.

6. Useful Academic Tools for APA Formatting

Work smarter, not harder. Use these verified tools to manage your APA formatting:

• Purdue OWL (Online Writing Lab): The absolute gold standard for formatting guides. If you don't know how to cite a weird source (like a YouTube video or a podcast), Purdue OWL has the exact APA 7 formula for it.
• APA Style Blog: The official blog run by the creators of APA. If you have a highly specific question, you will likely find the official ruling here.
• Zotero / Mendeley: These free reference managers are essential. Ensure you have the "APA 7th Edition" style selected in the software settings, and it will automatically generate your reference list and in-text citations as you type.

7. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Do I need an abstract for an APA 7 student paper?

Generally, no. APA 7 explicitly states that student papers do not require an abstract unless specifically requested by your instructor. Only professional/published papers require them by default.

2. What is a "Running head" and do I need one?

A running head is a shortened version of your paper's title that appears in the top margin of every page. Under APA 7 rules, student papers no longer require a running head—only the page number is needed in the top right corner.

3. How do I cite a source if it has no author?

If there is no author, use the title of the work in place of the author in your in-text citation. If it's an article or web page, put it in quotation marks (e.g., "Climate Change Impact," 2024). If it's a book or report, italicize it.

4. What if I can't find a publication date?

If a source genuinely has no date, use the abbreviation "n.d." (standing for "no date") in parentheses. Example: (Smith, n.d.). Be cautious: sources without dates are often less reliable.

5. Are reference lists supposed to be double-spaced?

Yes. The entire APA 7 document must be double-spaced, including the Reference list. Do not add extra blank lines between reference entries; just let the double spacing handle the gaps.