Common APA Errors

1. Incorrect Title Page Formatting – Not following APA 7 guidelines for student or professional title pages (e.g., incorrect title placement, missing author note in professional papers).
2. Improper Running Head – The running head is only required for professional papers and should not include “Running head:” before the title.
3. Incorrect Margins and Spacing – APA 7 requires 1-inch margins on all sides and double-spacing throughout, including references.
4. Improper Use of Fonts – APA 7 allows multiple fonts (e.g., Times New Roman 12 pt., Arial 11 pt.), but inconsistencies within the document can be an issue.
5. Incorrect Paragraph Indentation – The first line of each paragraph should be indented 0.5 inches using the Tab key (not spaces).

In-Text Citation Errors

1. Incorrect Placement of Periods in Citations – The period should be placed after the parenthetical citation (e.g., This is an example (Smith, 2020).)
2. Overuse of Direct Quotes – APA prefers paraphrasing over direct quotes, with direct quotes only used when necessary.
3. Lack of Page Numbers for Direct Quotes – When citing a direct quote, you must include the page number (e.g., Smith, 2020, p. 25). If the source has no pages, use paragraph numbers or section headings.
4. Misuse of et al. – In APA 7, for works with three or more authors, use et al. after the first citation (e.g., Smith et al., 2020).
5. Missing or Inconsistent Citation – Every source in the References list must be cited in the text, and all in-text citations must have a corresponding reference.

1. Incorrect Hanging Indentation – Each reference should use a hanging indent (the first line flush left, subsequent lines indented 0.5 inches).
2. Improper Capitalization in Titles – In APA 7, only the first word, proper nouns, and the first word after a colon or dash are capitalized in article and book titles (e.g., The psychology of learning: A new approach).
3. Incorrect DOI or URL Formatting – DOIs should be formatted as https://doi.org/xxxx (not "DOI: xxxx"). URLs should be hyperlinked but not underlined or followed by a period.
4. Missing Publisher in Book References – The publisher name is required for books but should not be italicized or followed by a period.
5. Incorrect Journal Article Citation Format – In APA 7, the journal name and volume number are italicized, but the issue number is not italicized (e.g., Journal of Psychology, 12(3), 45-67.).

Grammar & Writing Style Errors

1. Use of Ampersand (&) in Narrative Citations – In narrative citations, use "and" instead of "&" (e.g., "Smith and Jones (2020) stated…" instead of "Smith & Jones (2020) stated…").
2. Misuse of First-Person Pronouns – APA 7 allows first-person pronouns (I, we) in scholarly writing when referring to one's research, but overuse or lack of clarity can be an issue.
3. Unclear Bias-Free Language – APA 7 emphasizes bias-free language, meaning writers should avoid outdated terms and be precise (e.g., “people with disabilities” instead of “the disabled”).
4. Inconsistent Verb Tense – Use past tense or present perfect when discussing past research (e.g., "Smith (2020) found" or "Researchers have discovered").
5. Overuse of Passive Voice – Active voice is preferred for clarity (e.g., “The researchers conducted a study” instead of “A study was conducted by the researchers”).