Write your APA literature review with 1-inch margins, double spacing, readable fonts, title page, clear headings, author–date citations, and a hanging-indent reference list.
Before we jump into sections, get your page layout and text rules set. That way, every line that follows lands in the right place.
APA literature review setup at a glance
| Element | What to set | Quick tip |
|---|---|---|
| Margins | 1 inch on all sides | Don’t change inside the document |
| Line spacing | Double throughout | Keep it on for block quotes too |
| Font | 11 pt Calibri or Arial; 12 pt Times New Roman; 11 pt Georgia; 10 pt Lucida Sans Unicode | Pick one and stick with it |
| Paragraphs | First line indent 0.5 inch | Use the ruler, not tabs |
| Page numbers | Top right, starting on title page | Add to the header once |
| Running head | Not needed for student papers; required for professional papers | If used, all caps, ≤ 50 characters |
| Title case | Headings and paper title in title case | Sentence case for reference titles |
Core APA setup for a literature review
Start with the file. Set margins to 1 inch. Turn on double spacing across the document, including headings and the reference list. Choose a readable font from the list above and set the size. Add a page number in the header, top right. Turn on automatic first-line indents at 0.5 inch. These choices keep spacing and breaks consistent from start to finish.
Title page
Center the title in bold, three to four lines from the top. Use title case. Add your name on the next line, then your institution. On separate lines, list course number and name, instructor, and due date. Student papers don’t need a running head. Professional papers do; add it flush left in the header in all caps with a brief form of the title. Keep the page number at the right edge.
Abstract (if assigned)
Short projects often skip an abstract. If your instructor asks for one, place an “Abstract” label at the top, centered and bold. Write one clear paragraph, 150–250 words. No indent. State the topic, the scope of the search, how sources were grouped, and the main pattern you saw.
Headings
Headings guide the reader through your review. Level 1 is bold, centered, and in title case. Level 2 is bold, flush left. Level 3 is bold italic, flush left. Level 4 is bold, indented, ends with a period, and the text starts on the same line. Level 5 matches level 4 but in bold italic. Use only the levels you need. Keep sections balanced; don’t skip from a level 1 to a level 3 in the same branch.
Paragraph style
Keep paragraphs short and focused. State the controlling idea early, then synthesize the sources tied to that idea. Use present tense for general claims from sources and past tense for specific findings. Close each paragraph by tying back to your review question so the thread stays tight.
Numbers, lists, and tone
Use words for one through nine and numerals for 10 and above, unless a rule calls for numerals (dates, times, units). If a list helps, keep it parallel. Short lists read well in a sentence; longer ones fit cleanly as lettered lists. Write in a direct, neutral voice. Avoid loaded terms. Let citations carry the claims.
Citing sources in APA literature reviews
APA uses the author–date system. Place the author and year in the sentence or in parentheses. For two authors, use both names every time. For three or more, cite the first author’s name plus “et al.” from the first citation. Group authors can appear spelled out at first, then by abbreviation.
Common in-text patterns
- Paraphrase with a narrative cue: Smith (2022) reported gains in reading fluency.
- Paraphrase in parentheses: Gains in reading fluency appeared (Smith, 2022).
- Two authors: Smith and Lee (2021) found no change… or …no change (Smith & Lee, 2021).
- Three or more authors: Chen et al. (2020)… or …(Chen et al., 2020).
- Direct quote under 40 words: “quote” (Garcia, 2019, p. 17).
- Block quote 40+ words: start a new paragraph, indent 0.5 inch, double-space, no quotation marks, and add the citation after the period.
- Secondary source: If you read a source that quotes another, cite the source you read: (as cited in Patel, 2023). Use the original only if you read it.
Reference list formatting
Start the list on a new page with a bold, centered “References” label. Double-space everything. Use a hanging indent of 0.5 inch. Alphabetize by the first author’s last name. Keep author names as last name plus initials. List up to 20 authors. If a work has more than 20, write the first 19, then an ellipsis, then the final author. Use sentence case for article and chapter titles. Use title case and italics for journal names and book titles. Include DOIs in URL form when present. Use URLs for works w…
Formatting a literature review in APA style: common fixes
Page layout drift
Direct formatting fights your settings. Use styles in Word or Google Docs for Normal text, Heading 1, and Heading 2. Update the style definitions once and the whole file stays in line.
Inconsistent headings
If a level appears once, it should appear for each peer section. For a review, level 1 headings often match your grouping logic, such as “Trends by Method,” “Trends by Population,” or “Trends by Outcome.”
Overlong paragraphs
Readers scan. Break long blocks by topic. One idea per paragraph keeps your narrative crisp.
Quote overload
Most reviews can paraphrase nearly everything. Quote only when wording carries a specific meaning you can’t change or when your review points to the wording itself.
Taking an APA literature review from draft to polished
Start with your review question and a plan for grouping sources. Common choices are historical order, method, theoretical lens, or outcome. Pick one, then stick with it across level 1 headings. Within each section, move from general patterns to standout studies, then back to the thread that links the section to your question.
Add an abstract only if asked. Many course papers move straight from the title page to the opening paragraph. If you include an abstract, keep it lean and factual. Limit adjectives. State scope and pattern.
Build a notes chart as you read. Track citation, method, sample, main result, and a one-line takeaway. When you write, that chart turns into topic sentences and synthesis lines, not a list of summaries.
Weave in variety. Use narrative and parenthetical citations. Switch between singular and plural verbs to match the subject. Add transitions that show contrast or extension in words.
Check the small stuff. One space after period. Punctuation inside quotation marks for short quotes. Ampersand in parenthetical citations; “and” in the sentence. Italics only where APA calls for them.
Ethics and balance
Summarize sources fairly. Name study limits where they matter to your thread. Avoid loaded verbs when characterizing work you disagree with; stick to the data claim.
Proofing pass
Last, run a pass that checks headings, spacing, and reference list order. Then match each in-text citation to a reference entry and each reference entry to an in-text citation. Fix any strays before you submit. Run a spellcheck, then read the file aloud; slow reading catches spacing slips, missing punctuation, stray capitals, and mismatched years between the text and the reference list. Fix typos too.
Sample outline options
Many reviews borrow a simple pattern that readers already know. Pick a layout that fits your question and keep the labels steady across the file.
Option A — By theme
- Level 1: Vocabulary instruction
- Level 2: Direct instruction
- Level 2: Morphology teaching
- Level 2: Word learning strategies
- Level 1: Fluency practice
- Level 2: Partner reading
- Level 2: Performance reading
- Level 2: Timed drills
Option B — By method
- Level 1: Randomized studies
- Level 2: Classroom settings
- Level 2: Clinic settings
- Level 1: Correlational studies
- Level 2: Cross-sectional
- Level 2: Longitudinal
Formatting steps in Word or Google Docs
1) Margins. Set to 1 inch on all sides. In Word: Layout → Margins → Normal. In Docs: File → Page setup → Margins.
2) Font. Pick one from the allowed list and set the size. Avoid mixing fonts.
3) Spacing. Set line spacing to double. Turn on “Add space after paragraph: 0” so there’s no extra white space between paragraphs.
4) Indent. Set first-line indent to 0.5 inch in the paragraph settings or the ruler.
5) Page numbers. Insert a page number in the header at the top right. Keep it on every page.
6) Styles. Define Heading 1 and Heading 2 to match APA headings. Then apply styles, not manual bolding, for consistent levels.
7) Reference list. Create a “References” page break. Turn on hanging indent at 0.5 inch. Keep double spacing.
Reference templates quick view
| Source type | In-text template | Reference core |
|---|---|---|
| Journal article with a DOI | (Author, Year) | Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Year). Title of article. Journal Title, volume(issue), pages. https://doi.org/xxxxx |
| Journal article without a DOI, web version | (Author, Year) | Author, A. A. (Year). Title of article. Journal Title, volume(issue), pages. URL |
| Book | (Author, Year) | Author, A. A. (Year). Title of book. Publisher. |
| Chapter in an edited book | (Author, Year) | Author, A. A. (Year). Title of chapter. In E. E. Editor (Ed.), Title of book (pp. xx–xx). Publisher. |
| Report | (Group, Year) | Group Name. (Year). Title of report (Report No. xxx). Publisher. URL |
Common citation edge cases
Same author and year twice? Add “a” and “b” after the year in both the in-text citations and the reference entries, and sort the entries by title.
Two works in one parenthetical cite? Order them alphabetically by author and separate with semicolons: (Adams, 2021; Rohe, 2019).
No author? Use the title in the citation and start the reference entry with the title.
Group author with a known short name? Spell it out the first time with the abbreviation in brackets. Later cites can use the short form.
Personal communications (emails, interviews, class slides)? Cite in the text only with the date; do not add to the reference list.
Linking rules you can trust
Place DOIs in URL form (https://doi.org/xxxxx). Use a URL when a work has no DOI and is publicly available. Skip retrieval dates unless the content is designed to change, such as a wiki or a live dataset. When a database record has no DOI and the source is not openly available, end the entry after the page range or publisher.
Compliance cross-check
Use one space after periods. Keep consistent verb tense inside a paragraph. Spell out acronyms at first use, then use the short form. Keep numbers and symbols from running into the text by adding a space on each side. Proof names carefully; name accuracy helps your reader find sources.
Scan figure labels, table notes, and footnotes for case, italics, and punctuation; those spots often hide spacing slips or stray capitalization from pasted text earlier.
Submission-ready checklist
- Title page fields filled and in the right order.
- Page numbers present on all pages.
- Heading levels consistent across sections.
- Paragraphs indented 0.5 inch.
- All text double-spaced.
- Every in-text cite has a matching entry.
- Every entry has at least author, year, title, and source.
- DOIs and URLs in live link form where required.
- Reference list uses hanging indents and the right case rules.
- Spelling and punctuation checked line by line.