APA 7th Literature Review Example: Format, Citations, and Annotated Sample

New to the underlying writing task? Start with how to write a literature review before applying the APA formatting layer. For source-finding and citation workflows, see the APA citation guide.

What makes a strong APA 7 literature review?

APA 7 governs presentation and source documentation. It does not determine whether a literature review is analytically strong. A high-quality academic review needs both accurate APA mechanics and credible synthesis.

The first three dimensions include APA-specific mechanics. The last two are broader academic-writing principles rather than rules created by APA.

Annotated APA 7 literature review paragraph

The illustrative paragraph below uses research on mindfulness-based programs for children and adolescents. The bracketed labels explain each sentence’s role and should not appear in a submitted paper.

[Paragraph claim] Evidence on mindfulness-based programs for young people suggests small benefits for some outcomes, but the size and persistence of those benefits depend on the comparison condition and follow-up period. [Narrative citation plus study scope] Dunning et al. (2019) synthesized 33 randomized controlled trials involving 3,666 participants and reported small effects across several cognitive, behavioral, and mental-health outcomes. [Numerical evidence with qualification] Across all included trials, statistically significant effects ranged from d = 0.16 to d = 0.30; when the analysis was restricted to active-control studies, significant benefits were limited to mindfulness, depression, and anxiety or stress (Dunning et al., 2019). [Updated evidence] A later meta-analysis expanded the evidence base to 66 randomized controlled trials and found small improvements over passive controls for several outcomes, whereas comparisons with active controls produced smaller and more limited effects (Dunning et al., 2022). [Counterweight and limitation] The updated review also found no significant positive effects in studies reporting follow-up outcomes, leading the authors to characterize the overall evidence as low quality and inconclusive (Dunning et al., 2022). [Precise gap] These findings leave an important question unresolved: which intervention features, participant groups, and comparison conditions are associated with durable benefits rather than short-term changes?

Why this paragraph works

1. It begins with a claim that can be evaluated rather than a source-by-source list.

2. It uses a narrative citation when the authors and study are the sentence’s focus.

3. It uses parenthetical citations when the evidence supports a claim already expressed in the sentence.

4. It reports numerical findings with the study design and relevant limitations.

5. It compares an earlier review with an updated evidence base.

6. It ends with a bounded research gap instead of a generic call for “more research.”

Do not copy the paragraph into your own paper. Use its logic—claim, evidence, comparison, limitation, and gap—with sources you have read and verified.

Citation notes from the example

Reference list matching the paragraph

The entries below correspond to real publications used in the example. Verify every reference against the version you consulted before submitting your own work.

Dunning, D. L., Griffiths, K., Kuyken, W., Crane, C., Foulkes, L., Parker, J., & Dalgleish, T. (2019). Research review: The effects of mindfulness-based interventions on cognition and mental health in children and adolescents—A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 60(3), 244–258. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpp.12980

Dunning, D., Tudor, K., Radley, L., Dalrymple, N., Funk, J., Vainre, M., Ford, T., Montero-Marin, J., Kuyken, W., & Dalgleish, T. (2022). Do mindfulness-based programmes improve the cognitive skills, behaviour and mental health of children and adolescents? An updated meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. BMJ Mental Health, 25(3), 135–142. https://doi.org/10.1136/ebmental-2022-300464

APA 7 reference rules demonstrated

• Apply a 0.5-inch (1.27 cm) hanging indent to each reference entry.

• Double-space the reference list unless the governing instructions explicitly require otherwise.

• Italicize the journal title and volume number, but not the issue number or page range.

• Present a DOI as a live

  https://doi.org/

  URL.

• Use an ampersand before the final author in a parenthetical citation and reference entry.

• List every author for works with up to 20 authors. For 21 or more authors, list the first 19, insert an ellipsis without an ampersand, and add the final author.

APA 7 in-text citation rules at a glance

For works with three or more authors, APA 7 uses “et al.” from the first in-text citation onward. The reference list follows a different rule and normally includes all authors up to 20.

APA 7 literature review format

The exact structure depends on whether the literature review is a standalone assignment, a dissertation chapter, or part of a journal manuscript. A common structure is:

1. Title page:

   Follow the student-paper or professional-paper requirements that apply to the document.

2. Abstract, if required:

   Many class papers do not require one; confirm the assignment.

3. Introduction:

   Define the topic, scope, purpose, and organizing logic.

4. Thematic or methodological sections:

   Use descriptive headings to compare evidence.

5. Research gap or unresolved issue:

   Identify what the reviewed evidence cannot yet establish.

6. Conclusion:

   Synthesize the overall answer and implications without introducing unsupported claims.

7. References:

   Include every source cited in the paper and no uncited entries.

APA does not require every literature review to use the heading “Literature Review,” nor does it prescribe one universal set of thematic headings. Choose headings that reflect the actual organization of your review.

Where APA is commonly used

These are common patterns, not universal rules. Use the format specified by your department, instructor, graduate school, conference, or journal.

Common problems to correct

• Mechanical attribution:

  Every sentence starts with “According to…” rather than building a connected argument.

• Citation monotony:

  Parenthetical citations are used even when a narrative citation would make the source relationship clearer.

• Incorrect reference heading:

  APA uses “References,” not “Works Cited” or “Bibliography,” for the cited-source list.

• Legacy DOI presentation:

  DOI labels such as

  doi:

  are retained instead of the current

  https://doi.org/

  form.

• Citation-reference mismatch:

  An in-text citation has no reference entry, or a reference entry is never cited.

• Unsupported precision:

  A statistic, quotation, or page number is reproduced without checking the original source.

• Generic gap statement:

  The review ends with “more research is needed” without identifying what remains unresolved.

A vague gap is an academic-quality problem, not an APA formatting violation.

APA literature review revision checklist

1. Choose narrative or parenthetical citations according to sentence emphasis; APA sets no required percentage for either form.

2. Check that each synthesis sentence accurately represents all sources cited with it.

3. Report effect sizes or other statistics only when they are relevant, available, and verified in the source.

4. Match every in-text citation to one reference-list entry and every reference entry to a citation.

5. Verify author names, dates, titles, journal details, DOI links, quotations, and locators.

6. Use headings to show the review’s real themes rather than forcing unnecessary levels.

7. Separate source findings from your interpretation.

8. Preserve disagreement, uncertainty, and methodological limitations.

9. End with a specific, evidence-based gap or implication.

10. Check the final document against the current instructions governing your assignment or submission.

What changed from APA 6 to APA 7?

Do not use this table as a substitute for current official guidance or local requirements.

APA versus Harvard referencing

Both use author–date citations, but they are not interchangeable. APA is a defined style covering document presentation, headings, tables, figures, language, citations, and references. “Harvard” describes a family of author–date systems whose details vary among universities and publishers.

Always use the Harvard guide supplied by the institution if Harvard referencing is required.

How Acade can support the workflow

Acade can help you search for relevant literature, organize notes and evidence, develop a thematic outline, and work on citation-supported academic writing. Give Acade your research question, inclusion boundaries, required APA edition, and verified source set before asking it to help build a synthesis plan.

AI output is not a verified reference list. Check every author, year, title, DOI, quotation, statistic, and source-supported claim against the original publication. You remain responsible for interpretation, originality, compliance, and submission.

Tell Acade your topic, evidence boundaries, and APA requirements, then ask it to help organize the next literature-review task.

Frequently asked questions

Does APA 7 require a running head for student papers?

No, not for a standard APA 7 student paper. Student papers still use page numbers. Professional papers generally include a running head, and an instructor or institution may impose additional requirements.

When should I use “et al.” in APA 7?

For an in-text citation to a work with three or more authors, use the first author’s surname followed by “et al.” from the first citation onward. Do not apply that shortcut to the reference list, which includes up to 20 authors.

How do I cite a source with no individual author?

Use the organization as the group author when an organization is responsible for the work. If neither a person nor an organization is identified as author, move the title into the author position and follow the APA rule for that source type.

Do all APA literature reviews need an abstract?

No. An abstract depends on the document type and governing instructions. Many student assignments do not require one, while journal manuscripts and professional papers often do.

Is a literature review heading required?

Not automatically. The paper title functions as the opening heading in many APA papers. A dissertation chapter, standalone review, or journal manuscript may use a literature-review heading if the document structure requires it.

Can I copy the annotated paragraph into my paper?

No. It is a model of citation mechanics and synthesis structure. Use your own research question, sources, analysis, and wording.

Can a citation generator guarantee APA accuracy?

No. Citation tools can accelerate formatting, but incomplete metadata, the wrong source type, or a misidentified version can produce errors. Verify the result against the source and current APA guidance.

Verify before publishing or submitting

This page is an educational guide, not an official APA publication. Confirm current rules using APA Style and apply the instructions of your institution, instructor, graduate school, or target journal.