APA Reference Page Example – Format & Template
See a complete APA 7th edition reference page example with proper formatting. Includes hanging indent, alphabetization, spacing, and correctly formatted entries for books, journals, and websites.
An APA reference page (called "References") is a formatted list of every source you cited in your paper. APA 7th edition has specific formatting requirements for the reference page itself, as well as for each entry type. Here's a complete example with the correct formatting applied.
APA Reference Page Format Rules
The APA References page must: (1) Start on a new page after the conclusion of the paper; (2) Be titled "References" in bold, centered at the top—not "Bibliography" or "Works Cited"; (3) Be double-spaced throughout with no extra space between entries; (4) Use a hanging indent—first line flush left, subsequent lines indented 0.5 inches; (5) Be alphabetized by the author's last name (or by title if no author); (6) Include all and only sources cited in the paper text.
APA Reference Page: Complete Example
References Brown, K. L., & Davis, M. R. (2022). Academic integrity in the age of AI. Journal of Higher Education, 93(4), 567–589. https://doi.org/10.1080/jhighered.2022.93.4.567 Jones, T. (2023). Research methods for social scientists (2nd ed.). Cambridge University Press. National Institutes of Health. (2023, January). Research reproducibility guidelines. https://www.nih.gov/reproducibility-guidelines Smith, A. B. (2021). Citation practices among doctoral students [Doctoral dissertation, Stanford University]. ProQuest Dissertations & Theses. Williams, C. (2023, April 3). Five strategies for better academic writing. The Writing Center Blog. https://writingcenter.example.edu/blog/five-strategies
How to Format Hanging Indents in Word and Google Docs
In Microsoft Word: Select all reference entries > Paragraph > Indentation > Special: Hanging > By: 0.5". In Google Docs: Format > Align & indent > Indentation options > Special indent: Hanging > 0.5 inches. Alternatively, use Akowe to export your reference list—it automatically applies the correct hanging indent formatting when you export to Word or Google Docs, so you never need to manually adjust paragraph settings.
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