Reference Page Do’s and Don’ts: APA 7 Reference List for Your Dissertation
5 min read In this guide
The essential do’s and don’ts for an APA 7 reference list in a thesis or dissertation, with correctly formatted examples of the most common source types and a final checklist.
Why the reference list matters
The reference list lets readers find and verify every source you used. It is also one of the first places committee members and editors look to judge your attention to detail. A single missing or inaccurate reference can raise questions about academic integrity. Unless your field requires another style, follow APA 7 (American Psychological Association [APA], 2020).
Formatting basics
- Start the list on a new page, with the label References centered and bold at the top.
- Double-space all entries, unless your university template says otherwise.
- Use a 0.5-inch hanging indent.
- List entries in alphabetical order by the first author’s surname.
- Present DOIs as hyperlinks: https://doi.org/xxxxx.
Do’s
| Do | Why |
|---|---|
| Match every in-text citation to a reference, and every reference to a citation | APA requires a one-to-one match. Personal communications are the exception: they appear only in the text. |
| Check that names, years and spelling match exactly between text and list | Mismatches are the most common error committees find |
| Include a DOI whenever one exists | DOIs give a permanent link to the source |
| Use sentence case for article and book titles, and title case for journal names | APA style: “Effects of mentoring on retention” vs. Journal of Nursing Management |
| Italicize book titles, journal names and journal volume numbers | For example, Nursing Outlook, 71(2), 45–53 |
| List up to 20 authors; for 21 or more, list the first 19, an ellipsis (…), then the final author | APA 7 rule |
| Use a reference manager such as Zotero, EndNote or Mendeley, and check its output by hand | Managers save time but often get capitalization, missing DOIs and source types wrong |
| Cite the original source whenever possible | Secondary citations should be rare |
Don’ts
| Don’t | Instead |
|---|---|
| Include sources you read but did not cite | The reference list is not a bibliography; list only cited works |
| Number or bullet the references | Alphabetize with hanging indents |
| Add database names or “Retrieved from” for journal articles | Use the DOI; database information is generally not needed |
| Write “et al.” in the reference list | Use “et al.” only for in-text citations of works with three or more authors; list the authors in full in the reference list |
| Use “&” in running text | Use “and” in narrative citations (“Smith and Lee (2022)”) and “&” in parenthetical citations and references |
| Cite unverified references from AI tools or other papers | Locate and read every source yourself, because AI tools can generate references that do not exist |
| Leave the list until the last week | Add each reference as you cite it, and check it then |
Common reference examples (APA 7)
Journal article: Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Year). Title of article in sentence case. Journal Name, Volume(Issue), page–page. https://doi.org/xxxx
Book: Author, A. A. (Year). Title of book in sentence case (ed.). Publisher.
Chapter in an edited book: Author, A. A. (Year). Title of chapter. In E. E. Editor (Ed.), Title of book (pp. xx–xx). Publisher.
Government report: Agency Name. (Year). Title of report (Report No. xxx). URL
Dissertation from a database: Author, A. A. (Year). Title of dissertation [Doctoral dissertation, University Name]. Database Name.
Webpage: Author or Organization. (Year, Month Day). Title of page. Site Name. URL
A real example:
Page, M. J., McKenzie, J. E., Bossuyt, P. M., Boutron, I., Hoffmann, T. C., Mulrow, C. D., Shamseer, L., Tetzlaff, J. M., Akl, E. A., Brennan, S. E., Chou, R., Glanville, J., Grimshaw, J. M., Hróbjartsson, A., Lalu, M. M., Li, T., Loder, E. W., Mayo-Wilson, E., McDonald, S., … Moher, D. (2021). The PRISMA 2020 statement: An updated guideline for reporting systematic reviews. BMJ, 372, n71. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.n71
This entry shows the 21-plus author rule: the first 19 authors, an ellipsis, then the final author.
Final reference list checklist
- ☐ Every in-text citation has a matching reference, and vice versa
- ☐ Author names, spelling and years match exactly
- ☐ Alphabetical order, hanging indent, double spacing
- ☐ Sentence case for titles; italics in the right places
- ☐ DOIs included and formatted as https://doi.org/…
- ☐ Every source verified; nothing cited that you have not read
- ☐ Currency requirements met (most sources from the last 5 years, plus seminal works)
Conclusion
A clean, accurate reference list reflects careful scholarship and protects your academic integrity. Build it as you write, check it against your citations, and verify every entry. For choosing what goes into it, see What are high-quality resources for a thesis paper?
Doctoral Writing series
- Series introduction
- How to Introduce Your Doctoral Thesis: Writing a Strong Dissertation Introduction (Chapter 1)
- Formatting Your Dissertation: APA 7 Rules, Section Order and Checklist
- Table of Contents in a Dissertation: What It Is and How to Create One
- What Is an Academic Voice? A Guide for Doctoral Writers
- Should I Write My Dissertation in Passive or Active Voice?
- General Paragraph Structure in Thesis Writing: The MEAL Plan
- Long Versus Short Sentences When Writing Your Dissertation
- Best Ways to Create Transitions Between Ideas in Your Dissertation
- Analyzing vs. Synthesizing Ideas: Key Differences for Doctoral Writing
- Reference Page Do's and Don'ts: APA 7 Reference List for Your Dissertation (you are here)
- What Are High-Quality Resources for a Thesis Paper?
- How to Balance Scholarly Voice with Citing Research
- Common Writing Challenges Doctoral Students Struggle With (and How to Overcome Them)
References
American Psychological Association. (2020). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.). https://doi.org/10.1037/0000165-000
