1. In-text citations (author–date)

In APA 7, you cite in the sentence by author and year.

• One author: (Smith, 2020) or Smith (2020) found that…
• Two authors: (Smith & Jones, 2020) — use & in parentheses.
• Three or more authors: (Smith et al., 2020) — use “et al.” from the first citation.
• Page number for a quote: (Smith, 2020, p. 15) or Smith (2020) stated that “…” (p. 15).

If the author is named in the sentence, put only the year in parentheses: Smith (2020) argued that…

2. Reference list basics

Start a new page titled References. Entries are alphabetized by author surname. Use a hanging indent (first line flush left, rest indented). Every source cited in the text must appear in the reference list, and vice versa.

3. Common reference formats (APA 7)

Book: Author, A. A. (Year). Title of work. Publisher.

Journal article: Author, A. A. (Year). Title of article. Journal Name, Volume(Issue), page range. https://doi.org/xxxxx (or URL if no DOI).

Webpage: Author or Organization. (Year). Title of page. Site name. URL.

No author: Use the title (or short title in quotes) in the in-text citation and start the reference entry with the title.

For more examples and edge cases, consult the official APA manual or your instructor. Our editing and proofreading services can check your citations and reference list.

4. Tips to avoid plagiarism

Cite whenever you use someone else’s idea, data, or words. Paraphrase in your own words and still cite the source. For direct quotes, use quotation marks and include the page number. We deliver plagiarism-free work and can format your paper in APA; use our order form.

In the order form specify APA 7 (or APA 6 if required), add your topic, length, and deadline. We apply in-text citations and a correct reference list. Use our order form or contact us.