What Are the Key Changes in APA Style 7th Edition?

APA Style 7th edition replaced the 6th edition in October 2019, and the changes that affect most writers fall into four areas: in-text citations, the reference list, paper formatting, and inclusive language. If you are writing a student paper, submitting a manuscript, or updating a style guide, the 7th edition is the version to follow — the official site at apastyle.apa.org is the authority for the current rules. The summary below covers the differences from the 6th edition that come up most often.

In-Text Citations

The 7th edition simplified how sources are credited in the body of a paper.

• Three or more authors: Use "et al." from the first citation onward. The 6th edition required listing all authors the first time a work with three to five authors was cited, then shortening to "et al." afterward. That first-citation rule is gone.
• Multiple works in one parenthesis: List them alphabetically, separated by semicolons, as before — but the 7th edition clarifies ordering rules for works by the same author.
• Page numbers for quotations: Still required for direct quotations, and now recommended for paraphrased passages that refer to a specific location.

Example of the shortened form:

(Smith et al., 2020)

Reference List

The reference list saw several structural changes that reduce guesswork.

The removal of publisher location is the change writers notice first, because it shortens almost every book entry.

Paper Formatting

Formatting rules changed in ways that affect the title page and headings.

• Student and professional papers: The 7th edition separates the two. Student papers use a simpler title page (title, author, affiliation, course, instructor, due date) and do not require a running head.
• Running head: Required only for professional manuscripts, and it no longer includes the words "Running head:" before the shortened title.
• Fonts: The 6th edition specified Times New Roman 12 pt. The 7th edition accepts several options, including Calibri 11, Arial 11, Lucida Sans Unicode 10, Times New Roman 12, and Georgia 11.
• Headings: Level 3 headings are now flush left, bold, and title case, rather than indented.

Bias-Free and Inclusive Language

This is the newest substantive addition. The 7th edition includes a dedicated chapter on bias-free language, with guidance for writing about age, disability, gender, racial and ethnic identity, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic status.

Key principles:

• Be specific. Use the terms a group uses for itself rather than broad labels.
• Use person-first or identity-first language according to the preference of the group being described — for example, "people with disabilities" or "autistic person," depending on context and community preference.
• Avoid gendered generics such as "he" for an unknown person; use "they" or rephrase.
• Describe at the appropriate level of specificity rather than defaulting to a dominant group as the norm.

The site maintains a running set of style guidelines and a blog that addresses new questions as they arise, so the inclusive-language guidance continues to be updated.

What Did Not Change

• The basic structure of an APA paper (title page, abstract, body, references) remains.
• The author–date citation system is unchanged.
• The requirement to alphabetize the reference list by author surname is unchanged.

Where to Verify a Specific Rule

Because the 7th edition is the current standard, any rule you find online that references the 6th edition should be treated as outdated. The official site publishes the popular style guidelines, the full bias-free language guidance, and a monthly newsletter that announces clarifications. If you are working from a template or a journal's instructions, check whether it specifies 7th edition before applying the changes above — some publications still accept 6th edition submissions.