Featured snippet: In APA 7, cite an under-review work as “[Manuscript submitted for publication]” after the title, with author, year, and title.
Staring at a reference list and seeing “under review” can raise eyebrows. Editors want clarity. Readers want a clean trail. APA 7 makes this simple once you know the exact labels and where to place them.
What “Under Review” Means And Why It Matters
“Under review” signals that a journal has the manuscript and peer review is underway. It is not accepted, so it is not “in press.” Your reference must reflect that status and avoid hinting at a final outlet. That keeps expectations honest and helps others locate the latest public version, if one exists.
APA Status Labels At A Glance
Use this quick map of the common statuses you’ll meet and how APA 7 treats each one.
| Status | Reference Entry Template | In-Text Example |
|---|---|---|
| In preparation | Author, A. A. (Year). Title of manuscript [Manuscript in preparation]. | (Author, Year) |
| Submitted / under review | Author, A. A. (Year). Title of manuscript [Manuscript submitted for publication]. | (Author, Year) |
| Preprint online | Author, A. A. (Year). Title of preprint [Preprint]. Repository Name. https://doi.org/xxxxx | (Author, Year) |
| Accepted | Author, A. A. (in press). Title of article. Journal Title. | (Author, in press) |
How To Cite An Under Review Paper In APA 7
Build The Reference Line
Follow the standard four parts—author, date, title, and source—and use a bracketed status after the title:
Template: Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Year). Title of manuscript [Manuscript submitted for publication].
Example: Rahman, T., & Singh, R. (2024). Parental leave, stress, and infant sleep [Manuscript submitted for publication].
Pick The Right Year
Use the year of the version you read. If you worked with an April 2024 draft, the date is 2024 even if review continues into 2025.
Skip The Journal Name
Do not list the journal you submitted to. The venue can change, and listing it suggests acceptance. Leave it out until the work is in press.
Write The In-Text Citation
Use the usual author–date format. Narrative: Rahman and Singh (2024). Parenthetical: (Rahman & Singh, 2024). If the work later moves to in press, update the in-text year to “in press.”
When A Preprint Exists
If the same study is posted to a repository like OSF, SocArXiv, arXiv, or PsyArXiv, cite the preprint instead. That helps readers find the public version. Include the repository name and the DOI or URL and add the bracketed word “Preprint.”
Template: Author, A. A. (Year). Title of preprint [Preprint]. Repository Name. https://doi.org/xxxxx
Example: Akter, N., & Mooney, J. (2023). Teacher burnout across districts [Preprint]. OSF. https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/xxxx
Under Review Vs. In Press
Under review means the journal is considering the paper. In press means the journal has accepted it. For in press, replace the year with “in press” and include the journal title. Page numbers arrive after online publication.
Edge Cases You’ll Meet
Multiple Versions Floating Around
Always cite the version you used. If you used a repository preprint, cite the preprint. If you read a private draft from the author, use the under-review format. Mixing signals confuses readers.
New Author Order During Review
Use the author order shown on the draft you read. If authors later reorder, you can update during your own final checks.
Group Authors And Long Lists
For seven or more authors, list up to twenty in the reference list. In-text, use the first author plus “et al.” after the first citation if you have three or more authors.
Step-By-Step: From Draft To Reference
- Scan the title page for authors and the latest year.
- Copy the exact title in sentence case.
- Add the bracketed status after the title: [Manuscript submitted for publication].
- Omit the journal name.
- Check whether a preprint exists; if yes, switch to the preprint format.
- Write the in-text form you will use.
- Before you submit, check again for acceptance; if accepted, switch to in press.
Formatting Details That Prevent Headaches
Title Case And Italics
Use sentence case for the manuscript title and italicize it. Capitalize only the first word, proper nouns, and the first word after a colon.
Brackets, Not Parentheses
Place the status in square brackets right after the title. Keep the bracketed phrase in plain text, not italics.
Department Or Institution Lines
You can add a department and institution after the bracketed status if the draft is a university research report. Keep that plain text as well.
Examples You Can Reuse
Single-Author, Under Review
Alam, S. (2025). Microcredit and household risk [Manuscript submitted for publication].
Three Authors, Under Review
Hossain, R., Chen, L., & Patel, K. (2024). Community health workers and vaccine uptake [Manuscript submitted for publication].
Preprint Instead Of Under Review
Martinez, P., & Roy, D. (2022). Neighborhood greenspace and mood [Preprint]. PsyArXiv. https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/abcd1
Common Mistakes And Quick Fixes
| Mistake | Why It’s A Problem | Do This Instead |
|---|---|---|
| Naming the target journal | Suggests acceptance and can later be wrong | Leave the journal out until in press |
| Leaving off the status | Readers can’t tell whether a draft, preprint, or accepted article | Add a clear bracketed status |
| Using “in press” for under review | Misstates where the paper stands | Use the under-review format until acceptance |
| Citing under review when a preprint exists | Hides a public source and DOI | Cite the preprint with the repository name and DOI |
| Updating the in-text but not the list | Breaks the trail for readers | Update both places before you submit your own work |
Link Out To Authoritative Rules
For the building blocks of any reference—author, date, title, source—see the APA elements guide. For the public, citable version of a not-yet-published paper, APA preprint guidance shows full examples with DOIs.
Mini Checklist Before You Hit Submit
- Status is bracketed and plain text.
- No journal is named for under review.
- Year matches the draft you read.
- Preprint cited if a repository version exists.
- In-text form matches the reference list.
Why This Care Helps Your Reader
Clear labels tell people exactly what you saw and where they can find it next. That builds trust in your citations and keeps your work tidy when a manuscript moves from draft to preprint to acceptance.
Choosing Between Two Legit Options
Sometimes you have both a private draft and a public preprint. Pick the source people can reach. That usually means the preprint. Use the under-review format only when no public copy exists or when the draft and the preprint differ in a way that matters for your point.
In-Text Patterns You Might Need
Multiple Works Together
Alphabetize inside one set of parentheses: (Alam, 2025; Hossain et al., 2024; Rahman & Singh, 2024). Use semicolons between items.
Same Author And Year
Add letters to the year in both places: (Rahman, 2024a; Rahman, 2024b). Those letters reflect your reference list order.
Long Author Lists
For three or more authors, in-text becomes first author plus “et al.” After the first citation, keep “et al.” each time.
Switching Formats When Status Changes
Track status during your own writing. If a citation flips from under review to preprint or in press, update both the in-text and the reference line. That quick sweep prevents dead ends for readers who try to follow links.
Worked Transformations
Under Review → In Press
Before: Das, P., & Chowdhury, M. (2024). Rice prices and remittances [Manuscript submitted for publication].
After: Das, P., & Chowdhury, M. (in press). Rice prices and remittances. Journal of Development Studies.
Under Review → Preprint
Before: Li, Y. (2023). Autism screening in rural clinics [Manuscript submitted for publication].
After: Li, Y. (2023). Autism screening in rural clinics [Preprint]. PsyArXiv. https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/efgh2
Quick Style Reminders
- Use an ampersand “&” between the final two authors inside the reference list.
- Put a period after the bracketed status.
- Do not italicize the bracketed status or the repository name.
- Prefer DOIs for preprints when available.
- Use “n.d.” only when no year appears on the draft.
Template Bank You Can Copy
Nguyen, T., Ali, Z., Johansson, P., & Banerjee, A. (2025). Cash incentives and hospital readmissions [Manuscript submitted for publication].
Names, Dates, And Versions
Write names exactly as they appear on the draft: include middle initials, hyphens, and suffixes such as Jr. or III. For group authors, spell the full organization. If the draft shows a consortium or team name after individuals, include it as part of the author element.
Use the year shown on the exact version you consulted. Many teams circulate several drafts during review. If your argument depends on a feature unique to a specific version, note that detail in your prose: “Based on the April 2024 draft…” The reference still carries the year only. For preprints, the repository page may list versions; cite the version with the DOI or the stable link you used.
For non-English titles, provide the original title and, if helpful, add an English translation in square brackets right after it. Place the status phrase after the title and before any department or institution line.
Clear status labels keep readers oriented and make your scholarship easier to verify and reuse later on. Cite clearly to avoid confusion.