Literature Review APA Format: Complete 7th Edition Guide With Examples

A literature review in APA format follows the same paper formatting and citation rules as any other APA Style paper, but the section structure, signal phrasing, and reference list conventions matter even more here because the entire purpose of the review is to synthesize sources accurately. This guide covers everything required by APA 7th edition: paper formatting, headings, in-text citations, signal phrases, reference list rules, and a complete worked example of an APA literature review paragraph with annotations.

If you're still working out what to write, start with our guide on how to write a literature review. For sample passages across multiple disciplines, see our companion article with five annotated literature review examples.

APA 7th Edition Paper Formatting for Literature Reviews

A literature review formatted in APA Style follows the same paper-level requirements as any other APA paper. The current edition is APA 7, published in 2019, and most universities and journals have transitioned to it.

• Margins. 1 inch on all sides.
• Font. APA 7 accepts several fonts: Times New Roman 12pt, Calibri 11pt, Arial 11pt, Lucida Sans Unicode 10pt, Georgia 11pt, or Computer Modern 10pt. Pick one and use it consistently throughout.
• Line spacing. Double-spaced throughout, including the reference list. No extra spacing between paragraphs.
• Paragraph indentation. 0.5 inch on the first line of each paragraph.
• Page numbers. Top-right header, on every page including the title page.
• Running head. Required only on professional papers, not on student papers under APA 7. The running head appears in the top-left header in all uppercase letters, 50 characters or fewer.

Student papers and professional papers also differ on the title page. For the full title page rules, see our guide on the APA Style title page.

APA Heading Levels for a Literature Review

APA 7 uses five heading levels. A literature review chapter or standalone literature review paper typically uses three: the section title, major thematic sections, and subsections within each theme. Use only as many levels as the structure of the review actually requires.

For a literature review chapter in a dissertation, "Literature Review" would typically be the Level 1 heading at the top of the chapter. Major thematic sections would use Level 2. Subsections within each theme would use Level 3. Level 4 and 5 headings are rarely needed in a literature review.

Do not number the headings. APA 7 does not use numbered headings unless a journal or program specifically requires them.

In-Text Citations in an APA Literature Review

Literature reviews are citation-dense by design. Strong reviews integrate multiple sources within each paragraph, and APA in-text citations are how you do this. Two formats are available: parenthetical and narrative.

Parenthetical Citations

In a parenthetical citation, the author surname and year appear in parentheses at the end of the clause or sentence. Use this format when the source is supporting evidence rather than the focus of the sentence.

Reading interventions have shown consistent positive effects on word reading accuracy (Wanzek et al., 2018).

Narrative Citations

In a narrative citation, the author surname appears in the sentence itself with the year in parentheses immediately after. Use this format when the author or the study itself is the focus of the sentence.

Wanzek et al. (2018) found that comprehension effects diminished when interventions were implemented for shorter durations.

Multiple Sources in One Citation

When multiple sources support the same claim, list them alphabetically by first author surname, separated by semicolons. This is common in literature reviews because synthesis often involves grouping studies that found similar results.

Phonics-based interventions show consistent effects on word reading (Galuschka et al., 2014; National Reading Panel, 2000; Wanzek et al., 2018).

Multiple Authors

• One author: (Smith, 2020)
• Two authors: (Smith and Jones, 2020) in narrative; (Smith & Jones, 2020) in parenthetical. Always cite both authors every time.
• Three or more authors: (Smith et al., 2020) from the first citation onward.
• Group authors: Spell out the full name on first citation with the abbreviation, then use the abbreviation thereafter. Example: (American Psychological Association [APA], 2020), then (APA, 2020).

For the full set of et al. rules including edge cases, see our guide on how to use et al. in APA.

Signal Phrases and Reporting Verbs

A signal phrase introduces a source into the sentence. Strong literature reviews use varied reporting verbs that signal the writer's interpretation of the source. APA writing convention is to use past tense or present perfect tense for reporting research findings.

Common reporting verbs in APA literature reviews include:

• Neutral reporting: reported, found, observed, examined, investigated, measured
• Argumentative reporting: argued, contended, claimed, proposed, suggested, posited
• Evaluative reporting: demonstrated, showed, confirmed, challenged, questioned, refuted

Choose reporting verbs deliberately. "Smith found" makes a different claim than "Smith argued" or "Smith demonstrated." Reviewers and committees notice this kind of precision, and it's one of the markers that separates a graduate-level literature review from an undergraduate summary.

Worked Example: An APA Literature Review Paragraph

Below is a sample paragraph from an APA-formatted literature review on workplace burnout in early-career nurses. The paragraph demonstrates parenthetical and narrative citations, multi-source synthesis, varied reporting verbs, and an evaluative claim.

What this passage does well in APA format.

• Citation density. Six sources cited in a single paragraph, all integrated into the synthesis rather than listed one after the other.
• Mixed citation formats. Three narrative citations (Maslach and Leiter, Mealer et al., and the implied focus of the closing) and three parenthetical citations grouped to support specific claims.
• Varied reporting verbs. "argued," "reported," "demonstrated," and "extended" are deliberately chosen to signal the writer's interpretation of each source.
• Multiple sources for a single claim. "Studies of nurses in their first three years of practice have reported burnout rates above 40 percent (Rudman et al., 2014; Van Bogaert et al., 2017)" groups two sources alphabetically by first author surname, separated by a semicolon.
• Evaluative closing. "What remains less clear is whether..." names a specific gap and positions the proposed study without abandoning APA's neutral academic register.

APA Reference List Rules for a Literature Review

The reference list appears on a new page after the body of the literature review with the title "References" centered and bold at the top. Every in-text citation must have a corresponding reference list entry, and every reference list entry must be cited at least once in the body of the review.

• Alphabetical order. By first author surname, then by year for the same author.
• Hanging indent. The first line is flush left; subsequent lines are indented 0.5 inch.
• Double-spaced. No extra spacing between entries.
• Author names. Surname first, then initials. Include all authors up to 20. For 21 or more authors, list the first 19, three ellipses, then the final author.
• Title capitalization. Sentence case for article and book titles. Title case for journal titles.
• Italicization. Journal titles and journal volume numbers are italicized. Book titles are italicized. Article titles are not italicized.
• DOIs and URLs. Include the DOI if available, formatted as a hyperlink: https://doi.org/10.xxxx/xxxxx. Do not add a period at the end of a DOI or URL.

Sample reference list entries in APA 7 format:

For a fuller treatment of APA reference list rules across source types, see our APA citation guide and our basic guide to APA Style citation.

Common APA Mistakes in Literature Reviews

These are the errors that come up most often in literature review chapters and journal article literature review sections submitted for editing. Most are avoidable with a careful proofreading pass.

• Mixing parenthetical and narrative citation in the same clause. "Smith (2020) found X (Smith, 2020)" is redundant. Choose one format per claim.
• Using "and" in parenthetical citations. Use the ampersand inside parentheses: (Smith & Jones, 2020). Use "and" only in narrative citations.
• Inconsistent et al. application. Use et al. from the first citation when there are three or more authors. Do not list all authors in the first citation and then switch.
• Capitalizing article titles in title case. Article and book titles in the reference list use sentence case: only the first word, the first word after a colon, and proper nouns are capitalized.
• Italicizing the wrong element. Journal title and volume number are italicized. Issue number, article title, and page numbers are not.
• Period after a DOI or URL. Do not add one. Some readers will copy the URL including the period, which breaks the link.
• Missing reference list entries. Every in-text citation must have a matching entry. Run a check before submitting: list every author-year combination in the body of the review and confirm each appears in the reference list.
• Reference list entries without in-text citations. Unlike a bibliography, the APA reference list contains only sources actually cited in the paper. Remove anything you read but did not cite.

Why Researchers Choose Editor World for APA Literature Review Editing

Literature reviews are one of the most commonly edited document types at Editor World. Clients submit chapter drafts, full dissertation literature reviews, journal article literature review sections, and standalone systematic and narrative reviews. Editors review for APA format compliance alongside the broader synthesis quality, citation consistency, and language clarity.

• 100% human editing, no AI at any stage. Every edit is performed by a native English-speaking editor from the USA, UK, or Canada.
• 15 years of experience. Editor World was founded in 2010 by Patti Fisher, PhD, a professor of consumer economics, and has edited more than 100 million words for over 8,000 clients across 65+ countries.
• Editors average 15 years of professional experience. Many hold advanced degrees and edit regularly within their own disciplines.
• Recommended by Boston University Economics Department. The department lists Editor World as a recommended editing resource for its graduate students.
• Choose your editor. Clients browse editor profiles, review credentials and ratings, and select the editor who best fits the document.
• BBB A+ accredited since 2010. 5.0 / 5 on Google Reviews and Facebook Reviews, with a 4.9 / 5 average editor rating.

FAQs About APA Format Literature Reviews

About Editor World: APA Editing for Literature Reviews

Editor World helps academic writers move through the research, writing, and publishing process more easily by providing fast, affordable editing and proofreading services. All editors on the Editor World team are native English speakers from the USA, UK, or Canada who have passed a stringent editing test. Academic editors are available 24/7, 365 days a year. For literature review work specifically, our academic editing services, dissertation editing services, and journal article editing services are the most commonly requested. Our prices are transparent and among the lowest in the industry. Editor World is BBB A+ accredited since 2010 and is woman-founded by Patti Fisher, PhD.

Content reviewed by the Editor World editorial team. Editor World has edited more than 100 million words for 8,000+ clients in 65+ countries since 2010. BBB A+ accredited. 5.0 / 5 Google Reviews. Recommended by the Boston University Economics Department. 100% human editing, no AI at any stage.