The Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, Seventh Edition is the official source for APA Style.

With millions of copies sold worldwide in multiple languages, it is the style manual of choice for writers, researchers, editors, students, and educators in the social and behavioral sciences, natural sciences, nursing, communications, education, business, engineering, and other fields.

Known for its authoritative, easy-to-use reference and citation system, the Publication Manual also offers guidance on choosing the headings, tables, figures, language, and tone that will result in powerful, concise, and elegant scholarly communication. It guides users through the scholarly writing process — from the ethics of authorship to reporting research through publication.

The seventh edition is an indispensable resource for students and professionals to achieve excellence in writing and make an impact with their work.

Table of Contents

1. Scholarly Writing and Publishing Principles

Types of Articles and Papers

Ethical, Legal, and Professional Standards in Publishing

Ensuring the Accuracy of Scientific Findings

Protecting the Rights and Welfare of Research Participants and Subjects

Protecting Intellectual Property Rights

2. Paper Elements and Format

Required Elements

Paper Elements

Format

Organization

Sample Papers

3. Journal Article Reporting Standards

Overview of Reporting Standards

Common Reporting Standards Across Research Designs

Reporting Standards for Quantitative Research

Reporting Standards for Qualitative Research

Reporting Standards for Mixed Methods Research

4. Writing Style and Grammar

Effective Scholarly Writing

Continuity and Flow

Conciseness and Clarity

Grammar and Usage

Verbs

Pronouns

Sentence Construction

Strategies to Improve Your Writing

5. Bias-Free Language Guidelines

General Guidelines for Reducing Bias

Reducing Bias by Topic

6. Mechanics of Style

Punctuation

Spelling

Capitalization

Italics

Abbreviations

Numbers

Statistical and Mathematical Copy

Presentation of Equations

Lists

7. Tables and Figures

General Guidelines for Tables and Figures

Tables

Sample Tables

Figures

Sample Figures

8. Works Credited in the Text

General Guidelines for Citation

Works Requiring Special Approaches to Citation

In-Text Citations

Paraphrases and Quotations

9. Reference List

Reference Categories

Principles of Reference List Entries

Reference Elements

Author

Date

Title

Source

Reference Variations

Reference List Format and Order

10. Reference Examples

Author Variations

Date Variations

Title Variations

Source Variations

Textual Works

Data Sets, Software, and Tests

Audiovisual Media

Online Media

11. Legal References

General Guidelines for Legal References

Legal Reference Examples

12. Publication Process

Preparing for Publication

Understanding the Editorial Publication Process

Manuscript Preparation

Copyright and Permission Guidelines

During and After Publication