APA 7 frequently asked questions with short answers
Quick answer
These are the briefest answers to common APA 7 questions: 1-inch margins, double spacing, a 0.5-inch indent, a page number at the top right and author-date citations. Each answer in the table links to its full guide, where the rule is explained with examples.
What are the shortest answers?
| Question | Answer | Guide |
|---|---|---|
| What margins? | 1 inch on all sides | Margins |
| What line spacing? | Double, no space between paragraphs | Line spacing |
| How big is the indent? | 0.5 inch on the first line | Indentation |
| What font? | Times New Roman 12, Calibri 11, Arial 11 and others | Font |
| Where does the page number go? | Top right | Page numbers |
| What is on the title page? | Title, author, school, course, instructor, date | Title page |
| When do I use quotation marks? | Direct quotes under 40 words | Direct quotes |
| How do I cite several authors? | Two: both. Three or more: first and "et al." | Multiple authors |
| How do I cite a website? | Author, date, title, site, link | Website |
| How do I cite ChatGPT? | OpenAI as author, version, label | AI |
| Which edition applies? | The 7th | Current edition |
Cannot find your question?
Use the site search or browse the glossary. For a school-specific requirement, see APA Style by institution.
Checklist
- Read the full guide for the topic
- Checked your school's requirements
Frequently asked questions
What are the margins in APA?
One inch on all four sides of the page, including the title page and the reference list. It is the Normal setting in Word and Google Docs, so you usually only need to confirm it is selected.
What font does APA 7 use?
A permitted one: Times New Roman 12 pt, Calibri 11 pt, Arial 11 pt, Georgia 11 pt or Lucida Sans Unicode 10 pt. Pick one and use it for the whole paper unless your school requires a specific font.
How do you cite a website?
In the text, with author and year: (Rivera, 2024). In the reference list, write the author, the date, the page title in italics, the site name and the full link, in that order, then check it.