APA 7 format guide for universities in Honduras

Heading hierarchy

APA 7 defines 5 levels of headings. Most student papers only need the first 3.

Level	Format	Example
Level 1	Centered, bold, Title Case	Theoretical Framework
Level 2	Left-aligned, bold, Title Case	Research Background
Level 3	Left-aligned, bold, italic, Title Case	National Studies
Level 4	Indented, bold, Title Case, ending with a period. Text follows on the same line	Martinez's study (2020). The author found that...
Level 5	Indented, bold, italic, Title Case, ending with a period. Text follows on the same line	Key findings. The results indicated...

Important rules:

• Do not number headings (unless your university requires it)
• Do not change the font or font size to differentiate levels
• Differentiation is achieved through position, bold, and italic formatting
• The "References" heading uses Level 1 (centered, bold)

In-text citations: complete rules

In-text citations are the heart of APA. There are specific rules based on the number of authors and the type of citation.

By number of authors

Authors	First in-text citation	Subsequent citations
1 author	(Martinez, 2023)	(Martinez, 2023)
2 authors	(Martinez & Lopez, 2023)	(Martinez & Lopez, 2023)
3 or more authors	(Martinez et al., 2023)	(Martinez et al., 2023)
Organization (long name)	(World Health Organization [WHO], 2023)	(WHO, 2023)
Organization (short name)	(UNAH, 2024)	(UNAH, 2024)

Major change from APA 6: In APA 6, with 3, 4, or 5 authors, you had to list them all the first time. In APA 7, with 3 or more authors, use "et al." from the very first citation. This is one of the most common mistakes.

Parenthetical vs narrative citations

Parenthetical citation (the author appears inside the parentheses):

• Several studies have confirmed this finding (Martinez, 2023).

Narrative citation (the author is part of the sentence):

• Martinez (2023) confirmed that the finding is consistent.

Short direct quote (under 40 words)

Integrated within the paragraph, in double quotation marks, with page number:

Martinez (2023) states that "remittances represent the primary engine of the rural Honduran economy" (p. 45).

Or in parenthetical format:

A recent study concludes that "remittances represent the primary engine of the rural Honduran economy" (Martinez, 2023, p. 45).

Long direct quote (40 or more words)

Presented as a freestanding block:

• No quotation marks
• Indented 1.27 cm (0.5 in) for the entire block
• Double-spaced
• The citation with page number goes at the end, after the period

Sources without page numbers

For digital sources without page numbers, use alternatives:

• Paragraph number: (Martinez, 2023, para. 4)
• Heading name: (Martinez, 2023, "Results" section)
• For videos or podcasts: (Martinez, 2023, 2:15)

Secondary sources

When you cite an author who was cited by another author (you could not access the original source):

• Lopez (as cited in Martinez, 2023) found that...

Note: Secondary sources should be used sparingly. Always try to access the original source.

Reference list: examples by source type

The reference list appears at the end of the document, on a new page, with the heading "References" centered and bold (Level 1). Use a hanging indent: first line flush left, subsequent lines indented 1.27 cm (0.5 in).

Complete book

Martinez, R. (2023). Social research methodology. University Press.

Book with edition

Lopez, A. (2022). Applied statistics (3rd ed.). McGraw-Hill.

Edited book chapter

Hernandez, J. (2023). Poverty and inequality in Central America. In R. Martinez (Ed.), Contemporary Central American economics (pp. 45-78). University Press.

Journal article with DOI

Martinez, R., & Lopez, A. (2023). Impact of remittances on the rural economy. Central American Economics Review, 15(2), 34-52. https://doi.org/10.1000/example

Journal article without DOI

Hernandez, J. (2022). Higher education in Honduras. Paradigma, 28(1), 15-30. https://www.example.com/article

Web page with author

Martinez, R. (2024, January 15). Guide for graduate students. Site Name. https://www.example.com/guide

Institutional web page (organization as author)

Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Honduras. (2024). Research regulations. https://www.unah.edu.hn/regulations

Thesis or dissertation in a repository

Lopez, A. (2023). Factors affecting university dropout in Honduras [Master's thesis, Universidad Tecnologica de Honduras]. UTH Repository. https://www.example.com/thesis

YouTube video

Martinez, R. [Channel Name]. (2023, March 10). Video title [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=example

Law or decree (Honduras)

Congreso Nacional de Honduras. (2012). Fundamental Education Law (Decree No. 262-2011). La Gaceta, Official Journal of the Republic of Honduras.

Source with no date

If the source has no publication date, use (n.d.) — which stands for "no date":

Martinez, R. (n.d.). Document title. https://www.example.com

Tables and figures formatting

Tables

Tables in APA 7 follow a standard format:

1. Table number: In bold, above the table. Example: Table 1
2. Table title: In italics, below the number. Example: Sample Distribution by Gender and Age
3. Table body: Only horizontal lines (do not use vertical lines or full cell borders)
4. Table note: Below the table, beginning with "Note." in italics

Figures

Figures (graphs, images, diagrams) follow a similar format:

1. Figure number: In bold. Example: Figure 1
2. Figure title: In italics, below the number
3. Image or graphic
4. Figure note: Below, beginning with "Note." in italics

Important rule: Every table and figure must be mentioned in the text (Table 1, Figure 1) and serve a clear purpose. Do not include decorative tables or figures.

Five frequent formatting mistakes

1. Not including the DOI when it's available — If a source has a DOI, including it is mandatory. Many students omit it because they do not know where to find it.

2. Using "et al." from the first citation with 2 authors — "Et al." only applies with 3 or more authors. With 2 authors, both must always be listed.

3. Citing sources that aren't in the references (or vice versa) — There must be exact correspondence. Every in-text citation must have an entry in the reference list, and every reference must be cited in the text.

4. Incorrect hanging indent in the reference list — This is a highly visible formatting error. The first line is flush left, and subsequent lines are indented 1.27 cm (0.5 in).

5. Mixing formats — APA in some citations and another style in others. This frequently happens when copying references from different sources without checking the format.

A systematic review can detect these issues. We can compare them with APA 7 and with the guide you provide. Get a quote for your review.

Key differences between APA 6 and APA 7

Many students (and some advisors) still use APA 6 rules without realizing it. These are the most important differences:

Aspect	APA 6	APA 7
"Et al."	With 3-5 authors: full list the first time	With 3+ authors: "et al." from the first citation
"Retrieved from"	Required before URLs	No longer used (except for content that may change)
Font	Only Times New Roman 12pt	Multiple options: TNR 12pt, Calibri 11pt, Arial 11pt, Georgia 11pt
Running head	Required: "Running head: TITLE"	Optional for student papers. Without "Running head:" prefix
DOI format	doi:10.xxxx	https://doi.org/10.xxxx
Student title page	Not differentiated	Simplified format for students
Singular "they"	Not accepted	Accepted as a singular pronoun
Publisher location	City, State/Country: Publisher	Publisher only (location removed)
Level 3 heading	No bold	Bold + italic
Authors in references	Up to 7, then "..."	Up to 20, then "..."

The "et al." difference causes the most problems. If your advisor tells you to list all authors the first time (with 3-5 authors), they are using APA 6. Ask explicitly which edition applies.

Tools that can help

• Mendeley or Zotero for managing references — They automatically generate citations and reference lists
• Google Scholar for exporting citations in APA format — Search for the article, click "Cite" and select APA
• Purdue OWL as a quick online reference — The most comprehensive free resource on APA 7
• APA Style Blog — The official APA website with answers to frequently asked questions
• Microsoft Word — The "References" menu can insert citations, but the format is not always perfect

These tools help, but they're not foolproof. Reference managers make mistakes with Spanish-language sources and institutional formats. Always verify each reference manually before submitting.

Quick checklist before submitting

Before you hand in your document, check these items:

• Margins of 2.54 cm (1 inch) on all sides
• Double spacing throughout the document (no extra spacing between paragraphs)
• First-line indent on every paragraph (1.27 cm / 0.5 in)
• Page numbers in the top right corner
• Title page with all elements required by your university
• Headings in the correct format for their level
• Every in-text citation has a corresponding entry in "References"
• Every entry in "References" is cited in the text
• Hanging indent in the reference list
• DOI included for all sources that have one
• "Et al." used correctly (only with 3+ authors)
• Tables and figures numbered and referenced in the text
• No "Retrieved from" before URLs (unless the content may change)

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The truth about APA format

It seems straightforward until your advisor sends back the document with 30 comments. It's not that it's hard — it's tedious and requires attention to dozens of details that add up quickly. The problem is that every detail matters, and a seemingly minor error (a misplaced comma, an incorrect indent) multiplies across every reference in your document.

Format review identifies inconsistencies and documents changes. You retain control of the content, and the institution makes the final decision on the submission.

Get a quote for your format review →