How to Write a Literature Review in APA Style: Complete APA 7th Edition Citation & Referencing Guide

1. Why Proper APA Citation Makes or Breaks Your Literature Review

Many students treat APA citation as a tedious formatting task. In reality, correct referencing is the foundational backbone of a credible literature review. Understanding its core value is essential when learning how to write a literature review in apa style.

1.1 Safeguard Your Academic Integrity

Citation is formal academic credit for other scholars’ intellectual work. Improper or missing citations lead to plagiarism accusations, which can result in grade failures, thesis rejection, or permanent academic disciplinary records. Even unintentional paraphrasing without attribution counts as academic misconduct.

1.2 Build Your Research Credibility

A literature review with consistent, accurate APA citations demonstrates that you have thoroughly reviewed credible literature, understood field consensus and debates, and grounded your analysis in existing empirical and theoretical research. Reviewers and supervisors judge academic writing quality heavily based on citation standardization.

1.3 Enable Source Traceability

The core purpose of how to cite literature review content correctly is to create a transparent academic pathway. Readers, reviewers, and future researchers can locate, verify, and expand on the sources you analyze in your review.

1.4 Follow Disciplinary Universal Standards

APA 7th Edition is the latest official ISO-aligned standard for social science academic writing. It updates key rules from APA 6th, including DOI formatting, author quantity limits, and redundant metadata removal. Mastering these updates ensures your literature review meets modern journal and dissertation requirements.

2. APA 7th Edition In-Text Citations: Complete Rules \& Examples

When learning how to cite in literature review, in-text citation is the most frequently used and error-prone section. APA 7th adopts a strict author-date system for all literature review content, with clear distinctions for different scenarios.

2.1 Core Author-Date System: Two Citation Types

All APA in-text citations fall into two categories, which you will alternate throughout your literature review to avoid repetitive sentence structure.

• Narrative Citation: Integrate the author name into your sentence; place the year in parentheses. Example: Smith (2022) argued that early childhood education interventions significantly improve long-term academic performance.

• Parenthetical Citation: Place the author surname and year in parentheses at the end of the claim. Example: Early childhood interventions positively predict adolescent academic achievement (Smith, 2022).

2.2 Citation Rules by Number of Authors

Author quantity rules are the most commonly confused part of how to reference a literature review in APA style.

• Single Author: Always use surname + year Narrative: Jones (2021) Parenthetical: (Jones, 2021)

• Two Authors: Always list both authors (no et al.) Narrative: Lee and Wang (2023) Parenthetical: (Lee \& Wang, 2023)

• Three or More Authors: Use et al. for all citations (first and subsequent) Narrative: Carter et al. (2020) Parenthetical: (Carter et al., 2020)

• Same Author, Multiple Works (Same Year): Distinguish with lowercase letters (Zhang, 2020a, 2020b)

• Same Author, Multiple Works (Different Years): Order chronologically (Brown, 2018, 2022)

2.3 Direct Quotation vs. Paraphrasing Rules

Literature reviews prioritize paraphrasing; direct quotes are only for authoritative definitions, classic findings, or unique phrasings.

• Short Direct Quote (Under 40 Words): Double quotation marks + page number Example: “Environmental factors account for nearly 60% of early behavioral development differences” (Smith, 2022, p. 18).

• Long Block Quote (40+ Words): Independent paragraph, 0.5-inch indent, no quotation marks, include page number. Rule: Introduce the quote with a complete sentence, then present the block quote as standalone content.

• Paraphrasing: No quotation marks, but mandatory author-year citation. Page numbers are optional but recommended for complex theories. Key Rule: Paraphrasing requires full sentence restructuring, not synonym replacement.

2.4 Special Source Citation Scenarios

• No Author: Use the first 2–3 words of the article/ book title + year Parenthetical: (“Digital Learning Trends,” 2023)

• No Publication Date: Replace year with n.d. (no date) (Thompson, n.d.)

• Secondary Citation (Indirect Source): Cite the secondary author you accessed Example: Original study conducted by Adams (2019), cited in later research (as cited in Miller, 2021) Pro Tip: Avoid secondary citations whenever possible; locate the original source for academic rigor.

2.5 Citing Multiple Sources in One Sentence

When summarizing multiple studies in your literature review, order sources alphabetically by first author surname, separated by semicolons.

Example: Multiple studies confirm positive correlations between mentorship and student retention (Clark, 2020; Davis, 2022; Wilson, 2023).

2.6 Citation Density Rules for Literature Reviews

• Every paragraph with external claims requires at least one citation.

• For paragraphs centered on one source, cite once at the end of the final sentence.

• For paragraphs integrating multiple sources, cite after each distinct finding.

• Avoid: Over-citing repetitive sources or under-citing unoriginal theoretical content.

Pro Tip: Consistent citation density is the fastest way to improve your literature review’s academic polish while following APA 7th standards.

3. APA 7th Citation Templates for Common Literature Review Sources

Literature reviews integrate diverse source types. Below are standardized in-text citation + reference list templates for the most frequently used sources when learning how to write a literature review in apa style.

3.1 Journal Articles (Most Common Source)

Single Author In-Text: (Smith, 2022)

Reference Template (With DOI): Smith, J. D. (2022). Title of journal article in sentence case. Title of Journal, 15(3), 45–62. https://doi.org/10.1234/example.2022.153

Reference Template (No DOI): Smith, J. D. (2022). Title of journal article in sentence case. Title of Journal, 15(3), 45–62.

3.2 Full Books & Edited Book Chapters

Book In-Text: (Lee, 2021)

Full Book Reference: Lee, S. M. (2021). Title of book in title case (2nd ed.). Publisher Name.

Book Chapter Reference: Carter, R. T. (2020). Chapter title in sentence case. In A. G. Brown (Ed.), Book title (pp. 78–95). Publisher Name. https://doi.org/10.5678/book.chapter

3.3 Theses & Dissertations

In-Text: (Wang, 2023)

Reference Template: Wang, H. (2023). Title of master’s/PhD dissertation (Master’s thesis/Doctoral dissertation). University Name. https://doi.org/10.9876/thesis.2023

3.4 Conference Proceedings \& Papers

In-Text: (Garcia et al., 2022)

Reference Template: Garcia, M., Torres, L., \& Chen, K. (2022). Paper title in sentence case. In Proceedings of the Conference Name (pp. 112–118). Conference Publisher. https://doi.org/10.3456/conference.2022

3.5 Websites \& Online Resources

Author \& Date Available: (Taylor, 2023)

No Author: (“Website Article Title,” 2023)

Reference Template: Taylor, P. (2023). Online article title in sentence case. Website Name. https://www.fullurl.com

4. How to Build a Perfect APA 7th Reference List

The reference list is the formal counterpart to your in-text citations and a core part of how to reference a literature review correctly. Follow these mandatory APA 7th formatting rules.

4.1 Core Formatting Rules

• Start on a new standalone page after your literature review conclusion.

• Center and bold the page title: References (no quotation marks, no italics).

• Apply 0.5-inch hanging indent for every entry.

• Double-space the entire reference list (no extra spaces between entries).

• Order all entries alphabetically by the first author’s surname.

4.2 Critical APA 7th Styling Rules

• Sentence Case: Article, chapter, and webpage titles (only first word, proper nouns capitalized).

• Title Case \& Italics: Journal names, book titles, and conference proceeding titles.

• DOI Format: All DOIs must be formatted as full URLs: https://doi.org/xxxx (no “doi:” prefix).

• Author Limit: List up to 20 authors fully; for 21+ authors, list first 19, add ellipsis, then final author.

4.3 Key APA 7th vs. APA 6th Updates

• Removed publisher city/state from book references.

• Standardized all DOIs to hyperlink URL format.

• Eliminated “Retrieved from” phrasing for stable online sources.

• Removed access date requirements for static academic sources (only required for frequently updated webpages).

5. Copy-Paste APA Reference Templates for 10 Common Source Types

Use these ready-to-use templates to instantly format your reference list while writing your APA-style literature review.

Template Box: Replace placeholder text with your source details for instant APA compliance.

1. Single-Author Journal Article (With DOI) Author Last, First Initial. (Year). Article title in sentence case. Journal Name, Volume(Issue), Page range. https://doi.org/xxx

2. Two-Author Journal Article Author Last, First Initial., \& Second Author Last, First Initial. (Year). Article title. Journal Name, Volume(Issue), Pages. https://doi.org/xxx

3. 20+ Author Journal Article Author1 Last, F. I., Author2 Last, F. I., Author3 Last, F. I., ... Final Author Last, F. I. (Year). Article title. Journal Name, Volume(Issue), Pages. https://doi.org/xxx

4. No-DOI Journal Article Author Last, F. I. (Year). Article title. Journal Name, Volume(Issue), Pages.

5. Single-Author Full Book Author Last, F. I. (Year). Book title in title case (Edition). Publisher Name.

6. Edited Book Chapter Chapter Author Last, F. I. (Year). Chapter title. In Editor Initial. Last (Ed.), Book title (pp. Page range). Publisher. https://doi.org/xxx

7. Master’s Thesis Author Last, F. I. (Year). Thesis title (Master’s thesis). University Name. https://doi.org/xxx

8. Conference Paper Author Last, F. I., \& Coauthor Last, F. I. (Year). Paper title. InConference Proceedings Name (pp. Pages). Publisher. https://doi.org/xxx

9. Authoritative Website Author Last, F. I. (Year). Webpage title. Site Name. Full URL

10. Government Report Organization Name. (Year). Report title. Publisher. Full URL

6. Citation Management Tools: Automate \& Optimize APA Formatting

Manual APA formatting is time-consuming and error-prone. Reliable citation tools streamline how to cite a literature review and build perfect reference lists automatically.

6.1 Top Recommended Tools

• Zotero: Free, open-source, fully supports APA 7th, integrates with Word/Google Docs.

• EndNote: Industry-standard for graduate theses and journal publications.

• Mendeley: Combines literature management and automatic citation generation.

6.2 Critical Tool Usage Rule

Common Mistake: Never trust auto-generated citations blindly. Tools frequently miss DOI prefixes, misformat author names, or mix up sentence/title case. Always manually verify every entry.

Best practice: Build your citation library during literature screening, not after drafting, to avoid missing sources and mismatched in-text citations and references.

7. Academic Integrity: Avoid Plagiarism in APA Literature Reviews

Mastering how to cite in literature review is ultimately about protecting academic integrity. Most accidental plagiarism stems from incorrect paraphrasing and incomplete attribution.

7.1 Three Types of Plagiarism to Avoid

• Direct Plagiarism: Copying text without quotation marks and citations.

• Mosaic Plagiarism: Rearranging synonyms or sentence structure without attribution (most common in literature reviews).

• Self-Plagiarism: Reusing your own previously published content without citation.

7.2 Paraphrasing Gold Rule

Bad Paraphrasing: Minor word swaps, identical sentence structure (still plagiarism).

Good Paraphrasing: Full structural restructuring, original expression, and mandatory APA in-text citation.

7.3 Optimal Citation Ratio

Literature reviews should be 90% paraphrased content and 10% direct quotes. Reserve direct quotes only for authoritative definitions, landmark findings, and irreplaceable academic phrasing.

8. 12 Most Common APA Citation Mistakes \& Fixes

These frequent errors cause most thesis and journal paper revisions. Fix them to perfect your APA-style literature review.

1. Mismatched In-Text Citations \& References Error: Citing a source in-text without listing it in references (or vice versa). Fix: Cross-verify all citations before submission; delete unused reference entries.

2. Incorrect Et Al. Usage Error: Using full author lists for 3+ authors. Fix: Apply et al. for all 3+ author citations in APA 7th.

3. Wrong DOI Format Error: Using incomplete DOI prefixes or missing https://. Fix: Standardize all DOIs to full URL format.

4. Missing Page Numbers for Direct Quotes Error: Quoting content without page/paragraph numbers. Fix: Attach page numbers for all verbatim citations.

5. Confused Sentence/Title Case Error: Italicizing article titles or capitalizing every word. Fix: Strictly follow sentence case for articles, title case for journals/books.

6. Unordered Multi-Source Citations Error: Listing sources randomly in one parenthesis. Fix: Alphabetize all multi-source citations by author surname.

7. Incorrect Author Order Error: Rearranging co-author names. Fix: Preserve the original publication author sequence.

8. No Hanging Indent on References Error: Left-aligning all reference lines. Fix: Apply 0.5-inch hanging indent for every entry.

9. Blindly Using Auto-Generated Citations Error: Submitting tool-generated content without manual checks. Fix: Verify author spelling, year, DOI, and capitalization for every source.

10. Undefined No-Author/No-Date Sources Error: Omitting citations for anonymous web sources. Fix: Use title fragments and n.d. per APA 7th rules.

11. Confusing Citation vs. Reference Error: Using the terms interchangeably. Fix: In-text = citation; end list = reference entry.

12. Incorrect Year Sequencing Error: Randomly ordering same-author multi-year sources. Fix: Sort chronologically (oldest to newest).

9. FAQ: Solve All APA Literature Review Citation Questions

Q1: What is the difference between a citation and a reference in APA?

A: An in-text citation is the brief author-year marker within your literature review body. A reference is the full detailed source entry on the final reference page.

Q2: Do I need page numbers for every APA citation?

A: Page numbers are mandatory for direct quotes and recommended for paraphrased complex theories. They are optional for general field trend summaries.

Q3: How do I cite a source with no author in APA 7th?

A: Use the first 2–3 key words of the source title in quotation marks plus the publication year.

Q4: How do I cite multiple authors in APA 7th?

A: 2 authors = list both; 3+ authors = use et al. for all in-text citations.

Q5: What is an APA secondary source citation?

A: A secondary source cites content you find in a third-party paper. Format: (as cited in Secondary Author, Year). Always prioritize original sources.

Q6: Should I include DOIs for all journal articles?

A: Yes. APA 7th requires DOIs for all academic articles with available digital identifiers to ensure permanent source traceability.

Q7: How do I set hanging indents in Word?

A: Select reference entries → Paragraph settings → Special Indent → Hanging → 0.5 inches.

Q8: Can I cite a citation from another paper?

A: Only if the original source is inaccessible. Use secondary citation format and locate the original source whenever possible.

Q9: How many citations should a literature review paragraph have?

A: At least one citation per paragraph; 2–4 citations for paragraphs synthesizing multiple studies.

Q10: Do I need to cite every sentence?

A: No. Cite once per distinct external claim. Consecutive sentences based on the same source only require one citation at the end of the paragraph.

Q11: APA vs. MLA referencing: What is the key difference?

A: APA uses author-date; MLA uses author-page. APA prioritizes publication year for academic timeliness, ideal for literature reviews.

Q12: How do I cite a source with no date in APA?

A: Replace the year with n.d. (no date): (Smith, n.d.).

Q13: Can I use AI tools as an APA source?

A: Most universities prohibit citing general AI tools. Follow your institutional guidelines and document AI usage separately if required.

Q14: How do I verify my APA references are correct?

A: Cross-check against official APA 7th manuals, verify DOI formatting, confirm author capitalization, and match in-text citations with reference entries.

Q15: Should APA reference lists be double-spaced?

A: Yes. Full double-spacing is mandatory for all reference list content in APA 7th Edition.

10. From Guide to Action: Perfect Your APA Citations with Acade

You have now mastered the complete rules for how to write a literature review in apa style, including in-text citation formatting, reference list construction, and plagiarism avoidance. However, manually verifying every citation entry, fixing format errors, and matching in-text sources with reference lists remains extremely time-consuming for student writers.

Acade, the professional AI academic writing platform for undergraduate and master’s students, simplifies APA-style literature review writing and citation management with targeted academic tools:

• Standard APA Citation Generation: Automatically generate compliant APA 7th Edition in-text citations and reference entries for all common literature types, eliminating manual formatting errors.

• Citation Matching \& Verification: Check for mismatched in-text citations and reference list entries, missing DOIs, and incorrect author formatting to fix common APA mistakes in one click.

• Academic Integrity Optimization: Help you refine paraphrasing logic, optimize citation density, and avoid accidental plagiarism while retaining your original academic ideas.

Acade serves as your academic collaborator rather than a replacement. You retain full control over your paper’s core arguments, content, and final submission.

Start with Acade for free to streamline your APA citation workflow and polish your literature review to full academic standards.

Related Literature Review Guides

• Apply these citation rules while following the general literature review workflow.

• Keep citation format separate from the review’s thematic and paragraph structure.

• Build a credible evidence set with the research-article search and selection guide.