This complete 7th edition Master APA Guide is designed for University Students. Learn the rules, reference list examples, and how to cite sources in the APA 7th version.

One of the first academic difficulties that students encounter when they enroll in university is referencing. One important component of academic success at university is referencing, which may not have been as strict in school. One of the most widely used citation formats worldwide is APA referencing.

It provides university students with thorough instruction on all aspects of APA referencing. Its history, the change from APA 6th to APA 7th edition, and how to cite books, journals, websites, dissertations, presentations, and other materials will all be covered. Additionally, we’ll go over some of the most typical mistakes, commonly asked queries, and advice to help you become an expert in APA style.

Looking for guidance on improving your academic writing overall? Explore our Essay Writing Guide for Students to boost your skills.

APA referencing can be explained as a referencing system developed by American psychological association and is commonly used in academic writing. It is a systematic method of how students can recognize the ideas, theories or discoveries of other scholars.

It is especially common in courses about:

• Psychology
• Nursing
• Education
• Business and Management
• Social Sciences

Writing in APA properly shows academic honesty and you will not plagiarize- an extremely serious crime in universities.

Students and researchers have been using the APA 6th edition (published in 2009) to refer to when writing their academic papers over many years. Nevertheless, with increase in technology and inclusivity in teaching practice, in 2019, the APA 7th edition was published.

The revision was to simplify reference formatting, increase flexibility and conform to the general practice in academia. In the case of university students, it will result in an easier process of writing, a reduced number of formatting headaches, and increased focus on accessibility.

APA 6^th edition: In case of more than 6 authors in a source, then students would use the term et al. after mentioning the first author.

APA 7^th edition: It is now possible to have up to 20 authors before the et al. is used.

Research articles may include many co-authors, in particular, in the sciences and social sciences. This modification will guarantee that more people will be credited, and thus equal listing will be achieved.

APA 6^th edition: The references need to include the city and state in which the publisher is located. Examples: London, UK: Academic Press.

APA 7^th edition: Publisher location is now unnecessary

In the case of worldwide digital publishing, location is no longer considered. Such update makes references easier and lessens redundancies.

APA 6^th edition: DOIs and URLs were often written in plain text, sometimes formatted inconsistently.

APA 7^th edition: Both are now presented as active hyperlinks (e.g., https://doi.org/10.3126/tulssaa.v12i1.77260)

Clickable links make it easier for readers to access your sources instantly, which enhances transparency and supports better academic research.

APA 6^th edition: Times New Roman (12 pt.) was the rule except when students wanted to use Arial or Cambrinus.

APA 7^th edition: Gives various options such as Times New Roman (12 pt.), Arial (11 pt.), Calibri (11 pt.) or Georgia (11 pt.).

It provides students and institutions with the choice of font to use that enhances readability and accessibility, particularly in digital submissions.

APA 6^th edition: The use of inclusive language is less in focus.

APA 7^th edition: Highly emphasizes the use of the gender-neutral terms like they in place of he/she, and the use of biased and outdated language.

This shows the increasing significance of inclusivity in academic writing, which makes sure that all individuals and groups are represented equally.

The official version of the APA is now the APA 7th edition, which is used in most universities. The essay, dissertation, and thesis may lose marks due to the use of the outdated rules of the APA 6th edition.

To remain competitive and professional students should always present their academic work with the latest edition.

Need hands-on guidance? See our Dissertation Reading Service (Dissertation Guide link) to receive customised assistance with the implementation of APA 7th edition referencing to your work.

APA referencing has two essential parts:

In-Text Citations – appear in the body of your essay.

Reference List – comes at the end of your assignment, dissertation, or thesis.

Here’s a breakdown of how to cite different sources.

In-text citation:

(Simon, 2020)

Reference list:

Simon, J. (2020). Academic writing made simple. Academic Press.

In-text citation:
(Flodén, 2025)

Reference list:

Flodén, J. (2025). Grading exams using large language models: A comparison between human and AI grading of exams in higher education using ChatGPT. British educational research journal, 51(1), 201-224. https://doi.org:10.1002/berj.4069

In-text citation:
(University of Oxford, 2025)

Reference list:
University of Oxford. (2025, May 15). Study tips for academic success. https://www.ox.ac.uk/students/academic/guidance/skills

In-text citation:
(Trotman, 2025)

Reference list:

Trotman, A. J. (2025). The Role of Schools in Identifying and Supporting Children and Families Experiencing Parental Alcohol Misuse (Doctoral dissertation, University of Manchester).

In-text citation:
(Roberts, 2021)

Reference list:
Roberts, K. (2021). Introduction to psychology [PowerPoint slides]. University of Leeds. https://myleedsportal.leeds.ac.uk/signin-landing/

In-text citation:
(Johnson, 2020)

Reference list:
Johnson, R. (2020, July 10). The future of higher education. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/education/series/future-of-education

In-text citation:
(TEDx, 2019)

Reference list:
TEDx. (2019, April 3). How to build self-confidence [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivNNgdCsY7o

Those italics should always be checked twice (book and journal titles should be italicized).

Reference list entries should be made by hanging indentation.

Make punctuations consistent.

Arrange your list of references in order of author of first publication.

Referencing tools are used and the output proofread.

No italics on titles.

Confusion between APA and the Harvard or MLA.

Incorrect use of “et al.”.

Missing DOIs or URLs.

Violation of the order of referencing.

By not committing such errors, you can increase your marks.

Compared to the earlier versions, the APA 7th edition is reader-friendly to the students. It decreases a formatting strain and is more concerned with clarity. That is why a lot of universities in the UK currently suggest APA 7th.