Research Article

APA Reference Page: Rules, Format, and Real Examples (2026)

Learn how to format an APA reference page in APA 7th edition. Covers hanging indent, alphabetical order, spacing, and worked examples for the most common source types.

An APA reference page starts on a new page labeled 'References' in bold and centered. Entries are double-spaced, alphabetized by author, and use a hanging indent. Include only sources cited in the text, and use the DOI in https://doi.org format whenever available.

If the title page gets your paper started, the APA reference page is where formatting mistakes pile up. One missing DOI, one bad indent, or one wrong author order is usually enough to make the whole page look off.

This guide gives you the rules that matter, plus working examples you can copy and adapt.

The APA reference page is the list of full source details for everything you cited in your paper.

It: appears at the end of the paper starts on a new page uses the heading References includes only works cited in the text

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between an APA reference page and a bibliography?
An APA reference page lists only the sources you cited in your paper. A bibliography may include sources you consulted but did not cite.
Is the heading References bold in APA 7?
Yes. The heading 'References' is centered and bold in APA 7.
Do APA references use alphabetical order?
Yes. Entries are alphabetized by the first author's last name, or by title if there is no author.
What is a hanging indent in APA?
A hanging indent means the first line is flush left and every following line is indented 0.5 inches. Every APA reference entry uses it.

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