APA 6 And APA 7 | Fix Citations Fast

You’ve got a paper to submit, and the rubric is picky. One teacher wants the older book rules. Another wants the newer online-first style. If you mix the two, you can lose points even when your research is solid.

This article breaks down what changes between the 6th and 7th editions, what stays the same, and how to switch formats without redoing your whole draft. You’ll get clear patterns you can copy, plus a quick check at the end so your paper looks clean.

APA 6 And APA 7 Differences That Change Your Paper

The biggest friction comes from three places: paper setup (title page and running head), in-text citations (how many author names show), and reference entries (DOIs, URLs, and publisher details). Once you lock those down, the rest feels familiar.

Topic	APA 6	APA 7
Running head	Often used on student papers	Student papers skip it unless your teacher asks
Title page	Single model for most papers	Student and professional layouts differ
In-text, 3+ authors	First citation lists several authors, then et al.	Use first author + et al. from the first citation
Reference list author limit	Up to 7 authors, then et al.	Up to 20 authors before an ellipsis
DOI format	Often shown with a “doi:” label	Shown as a full DOI link that starts with https://doi.org/
Publisher location	City and state/country included	Location removed; publisher name only
Font choices	Mostly Times New Roman 12	Several fonts allowed if they’re readable
Web pages	URL with “Retrieved from” common	Cleaner URL format; retrieval dates only in special cases
Student voice	Less direct guidance on bias-free terms	More guidance on inclusive, precise language

Before you change a single comma, check your assignment sheet. Many courses still label the edition in the instructions. Journals and departments also publish house rules. Match the rule-set you’re graded on, then format every source in that same edition.

How To Tell Which APA Edition You Need

When a teacher says “APA format,” it can mean two different things: paper layout rules and citation rules. Ask yourself what the grader will see first. If the title page is wrong, they’ll spot it in ten seconds.

Clues Hidden In The Assignment

• Look for “6th” or “7th” in the rubric, LMS page, or sample PDF.
• Check whether a running head is shown on the sample title page.
• Check whether the reference examples show DOI links that start with https://doi.org/.

When You Can’t Find A Clear Answer

Pick one edition and stick to it. If your class is using modern sample papers, go with the newer rules. If your teacher handed out an older template that shows a running head and “Retrieved from,” the older edition may match the grading key.

Paper Format Rules You’ll Notice Right Away

Most students worry about citations, then get tripped up by the front matter. Fix these early and you’ll feel calmer while you write.

Title Page Layout

In the newer rules, student papers use a student title page format. It includes the title, your name, your school, course details, instructor name, and due date. Professional papers use a different title page with extra elements for publication. The APA Style title page setup page lays out the required parts.

Running Head Rules

Older student templates often include a running head on every page. Newer student papers usually skip it unless your instructor requests it. That single change is a fast way to spot which format a class expects.

Fonts, Spacing, And Margins

Both editions keep the same core look: double spacing, one-inch margins, and a readable font size. The newer edition allows more font options, which helps if you write on a device that doesn’t ship with Times New Roman. Keep alignment simple, and avoid decorative fonts that distract readers too.

Headings

The heading levels stay familiar. What matters is consistency. Don’t switch styles mid-paper. If Level 2 headings are bold and flush left, keep that pattern every time you use Level 2.

In-Text Citation Rules That Trip People Up

APA is an author–date system. In-text citations act like a breadcrumb trail that points to a full entry in your reference list.

One Author And Two Authors

Both editions use the same core pattern: (LastName, Year). With two authors, include both names every time: (LastName & LastName, Year).

Three Or More Authors

This is one of the cleanest differences. In APA 6, a work with three to five authors lists all authors the first time, then shortens to the first author plus et al. later. In APA 7, you use the first author plus et al. from the first citation.

APA 6 first citation: (Kernis, Cornell, Sun, Berry, & Harlow, 1993)
APA 6 later: (Kernis et al., 1993)
APA 7 every time: (Kernis et al., 1993)

Group Authors And Abbreviations

If an organization is the author, spell it out the first time. If you plan to use an abbreviation, put it in brackets the first time you cite it, then use the short form in later citations. Keep the abbreviation stable so the reader never wonders what it stands for.

Direct Quotes

Quotes use the same core move in both editions: add a page number (or paragraph number for web pages). Place the punctuation after the closing parenthesis for a parenthetical citation, and keep the quote exact.

Reference List Rules That Change The Most

Your reference list is where APA 6 and APA 7 split in obvious ways. The newer edition fits online sources better, so it cleans up URLs, DOIs, and publisher fields.

DOIs And URLs

In older references, DOIs often appear with a “doi:” label. In the newer format, the DOI is shown as a link that begins with https://doi.org/. The DOIs and URLs guidance page spells out when to include each one and how to format them.

Publisher Location Disappears

Book references in APA 6 often include a city and state or country. APA 7 drops the location and keeps only the publisher name. That change makes book references shorter and easier to scan.

More Authors In The Reference Entry

APA 6 lists up to seven authors in a reference entry, then uses et al. APA 7 lists up to twenty authors before an ellipsis and the final author. If you use citation tools, this is where many settings go wrong.

Web Pages And Reports

Web sources can look messy. Use the page title, the site name when it’s different from the author, and a direct URL. Add a retrieval date only when the content is designed to change over time, like a dashboard that updates daily.

Common Source Types With Clean Patterns

Most student reference lists repeat the same source types: journal articles, books, chapters, web pages, and videos. Use patterns. Once you learn one, you can slot in new details without guessing.

Journal Article With DOI

LastName, A. A., & LastName, B. B. (Year). Title of article. Title of Journal, volume(issue), page–page. https://doi.org/xxxxx

Book

LastName, A. A. (Year). Title of book: Subtitle. Publisher.

Chapter In An Edited Book

LastName, A. A. (Year). Title of chapter. In A. A. Editor & B. B. Editor (Eds.), Title of book (pp. xx–xx). Publisher.

Web Page

Author, A. A. (Year, Month Day). Title of page. Site Name. URL

YouTube Video

AccountName. (Year, Month Day). Title of video [Video]. YouTube. URL

Switching From APA 6 To APA 7 Without Rewriting Your Draft

If you wrote your paper in APA 6 and later learned the class wants the newer rules, don’t panic. You can convert most papers in a short pass if you work in the right order.

Step 1: Fix The Title Page And Header

Update the title page layout first. Then fix page numbers, running head rules, and any header text. Once the front page looks right, the rest feels less stressful.

Step 2: Update In-Text Citations With 3+ Authors

Search your document for commas inside citations. Many long author lists appear only because of the older first-citation rule. Convert them to first author plus et al. and keep the year the same.

Step 3: Convert DOI And URL Formatting

Search for “doi:” and convert it to a DOI link format. Then remove “Retrieved from” where it shows up in reference entries that don’t need a retrieval date.

Step 4: Remove Publisher Locations

For books and chapters, delete the city and region field. Keep the publisher name. Don’t touch the italicized title or the year.

Step 5: Recheck Author Lists In The Reference List

If a reference has many authors, make sure your list matches the newer author limit rule. Fix one entry, then copy that pattern for similar sources.

Step 6: Set A Hanging Indent In Word Or Docs

A reference list looks off when every line starts at the same margin. Use a hanging indent so the first line is flush left and the rest of the entry tucks in. In Microsoft Word, select the reference list, open Paragraph settings, then set Special to Hanging at 0.5 inches. In Google Docs, use Format > Align & indent > Indentation options, then set Special indent to Hanging.

Late-Stage Cleanup Checklist

This checklist helps you catch the small stuff that makes a paper feel polished. Run it once after you finish your final edit.

Check	What To Do	Where It Shows Up
Student running head	Remove it unless the instructor requests it	Page header
DOI format	Use a DOI link that begins with https://doi.org/	Journal article references
Publisher location	Delete city and region	Book and chapter references
3+ authors in text	Use first author + et al. from the first citation	In-text citations
20-author rule	List up to 20 authors, then ellipsis, then final author	Reference list
Retrieval dates	Add only when the content changes over time	Web sources
Title capitalization	Use sentence case for titles, title case for journals	Reference entries
Hanging indent	Use a hanging indent for each reference entry	Reference list layout

Last Check Before You Submit

Read your first page like a grader. Title page layout, header, and spacing should match the edition you’re using. Then skim your reference list for two signals: DOI links that look like links, and book entries that don’t list a city.

Once those pieces match, your paper won’t look stitched together. That’s the payoff. You can spend your energy on the argument and evidence, not the commas. If you still feel unsure, compare one of your references against an official example, then mirror that format across the list. That final pass is often enough to make apa 6 and apa 7 stop feeling like a trap.