In APA style, a “Works Cited” page is presented as a “References” page that lists every source cited in your paper in a strict author–date format.
Students often search for examples of a works cited page in apa when a teacher asks for APA formatting. That phrasing usually comes from MLA habits, where “Works Cited” is the standard label. In APA style, the final page of your paper is not called “Works Cited.” The correct heading is References, and the layout follows a clear set of rules that apply across essays, lab reports, and research projects.
This guide walks through how an APA reference page works, shows full-page layouts, and gives several citation models for common source types. By the end, you should be able to write a clean APA reference list from scratch and quickly check whether sample pages you find online match current APA guidelines.
Why APA Uses A References Page, Not Works Cited
APA style grew out of psychology and social science publishing, where writers constantly name authors and years in the text. To support that author–date system, every paper ends with a list that mirrors those in-text citations. That list carries the heading References, centered and bold, on a separate page after the main text.
In MLA style, the list of sources is called “Works Cited” because it focuses on works that appear in parenthetical citations, usually by author and page. In APA, the term “References” fits better because the list supports a broader range of content: journal articles, datasets, reports, webpages, preprints, and more. The heading label signals that these entries are formatted as full references, ready for readers who want to trace your sources.
Many instructors know that students will search the web using MLA language, so assignment sheets sometimes mix terms. A prompt might say, “Create a Works Cited or References page in APA.” When you see that, treat “Works Cited” as shorthand and still label the page References in the finished paper.
The good news is that the structure stays the same from one APA paper to the next. Whether you are preparing a short reflection or a long thesis, the reference page uses the same margin, spacing, and indentation rules. Once you understand those rules, every sample page you create feels familiar, no matter the topic.
Core Rules For An APA Reference Page
Before looking at full-page layouts, it helps to know the building blocks that every APA reference page shares. The official style manual and the online APA guidance both describe a consistent format for the title, spacing, order, and punctuation of entries.
Here are the core layout rules used across APA “References” pages:
- Start the reference list on a new page after the main text, with the title References centered and bold.
- Double-space the entire page, including the title and every reference entry.
- Use a hanging indent for each entry: the first line is flush left, and later lines are indented by 0.5 inches.
- List entries in alphabetical order by the first author’s last name.
- Match every in-text citation with a reference entry, and do not add sources you did not cite.
- Follow the author–date–title–source pattern for each reference, adjusting the details based on the type of source.
The table below shows how those rules play out across common source types. It gives a short template and a sample entry for each one so you can compare layouts side by side.
| Source Type | Basic Template | Sample Entry |
|---|---|---|
| Journal article | Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Year). Title of article. Title of Journal, volume(issue), page–page. https://doi.org/xxxxx | Rivera, L. J. (2024). Reading habits in first-year students. Journal of Academic Skills, 18(2), 55–68. https://doi.org/10.1234/jas.2024.18.2.55 |
| Book | Author, A. A. (Year). Title of book. Publisher. | Chen, P. (2022). Strategies for academic success. Campus Press. |
| Chapter in edited book | Author, A. A. (Year). Title of chapter. In E. E. Editor (Ed.), Title of book (pp. xx–xx). Publisher. | Harris, T. M. (2021). Peer mentoring in college. In N. Garcia (Ed.), Student support in higher education (pp. 101–119). North Shore Press. |
| Webpage | Author, A. A. (Year, Month Day). Title of page. Site Name. URL | Lopez, R. (2023, March 4). Building stronger study routines. Study Skills Hub. https://www.studyskillshub.org/study-routines |
| Report | Organization Name. (Year). Title of report (Report No. xxx). Publisher. URL | National Literacy Council. (2020). Reading habits in secondary schools (Report No. 45). National Literacy Council. https://www.nlc.gov/reports/45 |
| YouTube video | Author, A. A. [Channel Name]. (Year, Month Day). Title of video [Video]. YouTube. URL | Lee, J. [StudyWithJas]. (2022, July 10). How to take Cornell notes [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxxx |
| Online newspaper article | Author, A. A. (Year, Month Day). Title of article. Title of Newspaper. URL | Martin, S. (2023, May 12). Local schools extend library hours. The Daily Chronicle. https://www.dailychronicle.com/library-hours |
These templates match the structure set out in the official APA reference list guidance and in widely used teaching resources such as Purdue OWL. When you read examples online, you can compare each entry to these patterns to see whether the punctuation, italics, and order of elements line up with current APA rules.
Examples Of A Works Cited Page In APA Style
The phrase “Examples Of A Works Cited Page In APA” usually refers to the final “References” page of a student assignment. The layout stays steady across disciplines: same margins as the rest of the paper, running head or page number in the header if your teacher asks for it, and the title References centered at the top of the page.
To make this concrete, this section gives two sample reference pages. The first models a short undergraduate essay with a mix of books, journal articles, and websites. The second shows a longer research project that relies heavily on journal articles and reports.
Short Student Essay Reference Page Example
Picture a three-page essay on study skills. The student cites four sources in the text. The final page might look like this (with hanging indents applied):
References
Chen, P. (2022). Strategies for academic success. Campus Press.
Lopez, R. (2023, March 4). Building stronger study routines. Study Skills Hub. https://www.studyskillshub.org/study-routines
Rivera, L. J. (2024). Reading habits in first-year students. Journal of Academic Skills, 18(2), 55–68. https://doi.org/10.1234/jas.2024.18.2.55
StudyWithJas. (2022, July 10). How to take Cornell notes [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxxx
This sample reference page shows several small but important layout signals: the entries are alphabetical by author, every entry ends with a period unless the URL already ends with punctuation that would be duplicated, and titles follow sentence case rules (only the first word and proper nouns are capitalized).
Longer Research Project Reference Page Example
Now imagine a ten-page research paper on reading habits among secondary school students. The writer cites eight sources. The “References” page might include entries such as these:
References
Anders, G. (2019). Homework load and reading motivation. Journal of Educational Research, 92(4), 201–218. https://doi.org/10.2345/jer.2019.92.4.201
Brown, K. S., & Patel, A. R. (2020). Screen time and adolescent reading. Learning and Media, 11(3), 77–93. https://doi.org/10.5678/lam.2020.113.77
Chan, D. (2021). School libraries and independent reading. Education Today, 33(1), 15–29.
National Literacy Council. (2020). Reading habits in secondary schools (Report No. 45). National Literacy Council. https://www.nlc.gov/reports/45
Nguyen, H. T. (2022). Parental support and teen reading. International Journal of Youth Studies, 7(1), 33–50. https://doi.org/10.9012/ijys.2022.7.1.33
Smith, R. (2018). Audiobooks in the classroom. Teaching English Review, 25(2), 40–52.
Turner, J. L., & Ross, M. (2023). Online reading platforms in high school. Digital Learning Quarterly, 9(1), 5–19. https://doi.org/10.6789/dlq.2023.9.1.5
Williams, A. (2019). Reading clubs and peer influence. Journal of School Engagement, 14(2), 88–102.
Even with more references, the same layout rules apply: alphabetize by the first author’s last name, keep double spacing throughout, and use a hanging indent for every entry. Long titles wrap to the next line under the hanging indent so the left margin always lines up neatly.
Students often copy sample pages from tutors or classmates when they need examples of a works cited page in apa. These two layouts give a safer starting point because they mirror the structure in the official APA guidance and current university library guides.
Reference List Layouts For A Works Cited Page In APA
Layout issues tend to cause the most lost marks on an APA assignment. The citation details might be correct, yet spacing or indentation can still drift from the style called for in the course rubric. This section gathers the layout choices that teachers notice most.
Start with the title. Place the word References at the top of a fresh page, centered and bold, with the same font and size used in the rest of the paper. Do not add extra styling such as underline or quotation marks. Leave one blank double-spaced line between the title and the first entry.
Next, check your paragraph settings. Use double spacing throughout, including any blank line between entries. The simplest method is to highlight the entire reference list and set the spacing to double with no extra space before or after paragraphs. Then apply a hanging indent of 0.5 inches so that the first line of each entry starts at the left margin while the second and later lines move to the right.
Margins and alignment match the main body of the paper: 1-inch margins on all sides and left alignment for the text. Do not justify the text. Left alignment keeps the spacing between words steady and makes it easier for readers to scan author names down the left edge.
Finally, pay attention to consistent punctuation. Periods, commas, and italics follow predictable patterns for each source type. Once you know the template for a journal article, you can apply it again without guessing where to place the volume number, issue number, or page range.
Formatting Examples Of A Works Cited Page In APA
To pull everything together, it helps to see formatting choices laid out in one place. The table below shows common layout decisions for a “References” page that answers an assignment asking for Examples Of A Works Cited Page In APA. You can read across each row as a mini-check of your own work.
| Feature | Correct APA Formatting | Common Problem |
|---|---|---|
| Page title | Centered, bold, title “References” only | Using “Works Cited” or extra text in the heading |
| Order of entries | Alphabetical by first author’s last name | Ordered by appearance in the paper or by source type |
| Spacing | Double-spaced throughout, no extra gaps | Mixed single and double spacing or extra blank lines |
| Indentation | Hanging indent of 0.5 inches on every entry | First-line indents or no indent at all |
| Font and size | Same legible font used in the paper body | Switching fonts or sizes on the reference page |
| URLs and DOIs | Live links, no underlining, standard font style | Manual underlining or broken links |
| Entry completeness | Author, year, title, and source present | Missing dates, titles, or publishers |
When you are unsure about a detail, the safest approach is to check an example on a trusted site. The official APA Style resource provides clear samples of reference list entries and page layouts, and many university libraries host updated guides based on APA 7th edition.
Common APA Reference Page Mistakes To Avoid
Even careful writers lose marks on the reference page because a few habits keep creeping back in. Watching for these issues while you write saves time during last-minute edits.
Using The Wrong Page Title
The first common mistake is copying MLA language directly into an APA paper. A heading like “Works Cited In APA Format” mixes systems and confuses readers who know APA rules. Always use the single word References as the page title. You can still talk about “works cited” in class or in assignment sheets, but the page heading itself needs the standard label.
Missing Or Extra Sources
Every in-text citation must match a reference entry, and every entry must appear in the text at least once. Extra sources in the reference list raise questions about whether you copied an old list or borrowed part of it from a friend. Missing sources raise questions about whether you borrowed ideas without proper attribution.
A quick check near the end of the writing process helps: go through your paper, list each source you mention, and tick it off on your reference page. Then scan the reference page and make sure you see each one in the body of the paper.
Inconsistent Formatting Across Entries
Most APA reference pages fall down on consistency rather than knowledge. A student might know that journal titles are italicized and article titles are not, yet still type one entry in title case and another in sentence case. Or a student might add a period after some DOIs but not others.
The fix is to handle one source type at a time. Format all the journal articles in a group and compare them line by line. Then move on to books, reports, and webpages. When you apply the same template to every entry of the same type, patterns stand out and stray punctuation becomes easier to spot.
Copying Old Or Incomplete Examples
The seventh edition of the APA manual updated several details, such as always including issue numbers for journals and treating DOIs as URLs. Many older handouts and sample pages still reflect earlier rules. Copying those layouts without checking them against current guidance can lead to small yet repeated errors across the page.
When you search for Examples Of A Works Cited Page In APA online, check that your source clearly says it uses APA 7th edition. University library guides and the APA Style site itself mark this in their titles or introductions. If a handout uses APA 6 language or lists a different year for the manual, treat it as a historical reference rather than a current model.
Quick Checklist For Your APA References Page
Before you submit any assignment that needs APA formatting, give your reference page a short, careful review. This checklist gathers the main points from the sections above so you can move through them in order.
- The page starts on a new sheet with the centered, bold title References.
- All entries are double-spaced, with no extra blank lines between items.
- Every entry uses a hanging indent of 0.5 inches.
- Author names are in the format “Last name, Initial.,” and entries are alphabetized by last name.
- Years appear in parentheses right after author names, followed by a period.
- Titles follow sentence case: only the first word of the title, the first word after a colon, and proper nouns are capitalized.
- Journal titles, book titles, and report titles that stand alone are italicized where APA rules call for italics.
- Every in-text citation has a matching entry, and every entry appears in the text at least once.
- DOIs and URLs are live, not underlined manually, and do not have extra punctuation after them.
Once these points are in place, your reference page will look close to the sample layouts in this guide. Whether your teacher uses MLA language and asks for Examples Of A Works Cited Page In APA or speaks only about “References,” you will have a page that fits the current style rules and supports your academic writing clearly.