The 7 Changes in APA 7th Edition That Still Trip Up Graduate Students
You learned APA formatting years ago. You've written dozens of papers. So why do APA 7 changes keep catching you off guard?
If you're still formatting running heads on student papers, using the old DOI format, or listing all authors on first citation, you're working with outdated rules. According to a study published in the Journal of European Psychology Students, 86% of papers had running head problems—and that was before APA 7th edition simplified the rules for student papers. The rules changed in October 2019, and 84% of papers still contain in-text citation errors that trace back to old habits.
One frustrated student on Reddit called APA "a format so incomprehensible and arbitrary." But here's the thing: once you know what changed, these fixes are straightforward. Let's walk through the seven APA 7 changes that trip up experienced writers.
1. Running Heads Are Gone (For Students)
This is the biggest APA 7th edition change—and the most common mistake we still see.
The old rule: Every paper needed a running head—that shortened title in the header, formatted in ALL CAPS, labeled "Running head:" on page one.
What changed: Student papers no longer require running heads. Only professional papers being submitted for publication need them. And when you do include one, it's no longer labeled "Running head:" on the first page.
Why this trips people up: Templates from before 2019 still include the running head by default. If you're using an old template, you're adding unnecessary formatting that signals you haven't updated your APA knowledge.
The fix: For student papers, remove the running head entirely. Your header should contain only the page number, flush right.
2. Title Pages Got a Complete Redesign
Your APA 7th edition title page looks different now—and it's often the first thing reviewers check.
The old rule: Title page included your title, name, and institutional affiliation.
What changed: Student papers now require course information—course number and name, instructor name, and assignment due date. The layout and spacing also changed.
Why this trips people up: Your title page is the first impression. An outdated format signals immediately that you may not have followed current guidelines throughout.
The fix: For student papers, include (centered, double-spaced):
- Paper title (bold)
- Your name
- Department and institution
- Course number and name
- Instructor name
- Assignment due date
3. You Have Font Options Now
The old rule: Times New Roman, 12-point. Period.
What changed: APA 7th edition allows multiple fonts: 12-point Times New Roman, 11-point Calibri, 11-point Arial, 10-point Lucida Sans Unicode, or 11-point Georgia.
Why this trips people up: Some students switch fonts without realizing size requirements vary by typeface. Others mix fonts within the document.
The fix: Pick one approved font and use it consistently throughout—headings, body text, and references.
4. DOI Format Changed Completely
This one shows up in almost every reference list. See our complete guide to DOI formatting mistakes.
The old format: doi:10.xxxx/xxxxx
The new format: https://doi.org/10.xxxx/xxxxx
Why this trips people up: If you have 40 references with the old DOI format, you have 40 formatting errors in one section. Your professor sees them immediately.
The fix: Format every DOI as a complete https:// URL. No more doi: prefix.
5. The "Et Al." Rule Simplified
The old rule: First citation of 3-5 authors listed all names. Subsequent citations used "et al." Works with 6+ authors used "et al." from first citation.
What changed: Any work with three or more authors uses "et al." from the very first citation. No more counting.
Why this trips people up: If you wrote papers under the old rules, the 3-5 author exception is muscle memory. With 84% of papers containing in-text citation errors, this is clearly a common stumble.
The fix: Three or more authors = "et al." Always. (Smith et al., 2023) every single time.
6. Heading Formatting Was Refined
The old rule: Five heading levels with specific formatting.
What changed: Levels 3, 4, and 5 were updated. Level 3 is now flush left, bold italic, Title Case.
The fix:
- Level 1: Centered, Bold, Title Case
- Level 2: Flush Left, Bold, Title Case
- Level 3: Flush Left, Bold Italic, Title Case
- Level 4: Indented, Bold, Title Case, period. Text continues.
- Level 5: Indented, Bold Italic, Title Case, period. Text continues.
7. Reference List Spacing Clarified
The old rule: Many were taught single-spacing within entries, double-spacing between.
What changed: APA 7th edition clarifies: double-space everything in your reference list—within and between entries.
The fix: Double-space your entire reference list, just like the rest of your paper.
The Pattern Professors See
These errors cluster together. Writers who learned APA before 2019 typically make several simultaneously. An outdated running head, old DOI format, and incorrect citation in the first few pages tells your professor everything about how current your APA knowledge is.
The good news: once you know what changed, these are straightforward fixes.
Stop Guessing, Start Formatting
StyleMyPaper automatically detects which APA rules you're following and flags anything that doesn't match 7th edition requirements—running heads, DOI styles, heading levels, and more. Upload your document and see exactly what needs fixing.
Your research deserves formatting that matches its quality.