What Is APA?

APA (American Psychological Association) Style is a standardized system for formatting academic papers and citing sources widely used in the social sciences. Founded almost a century ago, the association published its first style guide in 1929 to bring consistency to scientific writing. It is now in its 7th edition.

APA Obscura: There's a Citation in This Quotation

If you find the perfect quotation for your research paper, but there's a citation inside the quoted work, don't fret. You can still include the quotation in your paper by following a couple of simple guidelines.

From the PERRLA Newsletter: Something Big is Coming & Two Updates You'll Love Right Now

Check out the latest announcements and updates from the March 2026 newsletter, including Tags in PERRLA Online, an upgrade to PERRLA's Google Chrome Extension, and details on a new Institutional Affiliate Program.

How Can Academic Citation Tools Simplify APA Formatting?

APA citation generators offer multiple benefits for students working on research papers. Quality tools help students save time by automating the citation process, allowing them to focus on content rather than formatting. These tools also reduce the risk of errors by ensuring adherence to the latest APA guidelines.

Feature Spotlight: Citing Multiple Works with PERRLA

In APA 7, when multiple authors make similar points you'd like to reference in your paper, you'll need to combine their citations into a single set of parentheses. Let's take a look at how to properly format such a 'merged' citation both manually and with PERRLA.

PERRLA Partnership: A Proven Platform for Student Success

PERRLA helps our partner institutions improve student APA accuracy, emphasize good writing practices, and reduce grading time. But don't just take our word for it; check out what representatives from Stephen F. Austin University's DeWitt School of Nursing had to say after a recent PERRLA pilot program.

APA 101: Turning Research into References

A good reference list shows you have grounded your research paper in credible, established evidence. By consistently gathering reliable sources and formatting them correctly, you can produce a clean, verifiable reference list. While everyone’s research style is different, you may find this simple workflow to be helpful.

APA Obscura: Don't Get 'Personal' on Your Reference Page

Sources like personal interviews, text messages, or unrecorded classroom lectures can be viable, even if your reader is unable to view them. These types of sources are called "personal communications," and even though they won't appear on your reference page, they still need to be cited in your paper.

Feature Spotlight: Get the Most from PERRLA with the ‘All Types’ Tab

PERRLA doesn't just handle the "big three" reference types (books, journal articles, and webpages). With the 'All Types' tab, you can use PERRLA to easily create perfectly formatted references for every reference type.

APA 101: Let’s Build a Reference Page

Start a new page titled References (centered, bold), double-space and alphabetize entries, and use a 0.5″ hanging indent – or let PERRLA build it automatically.

From the PERRLA Newsletter: Google Docs & Upcoming Features

Check out the latest announcements and updates from the February 2026 newsletter.

APA Obscura: Your Introduction Needs No Introduction

APA 7 doesn’t require an Introduction heading – the paper’s first paragraphs are assumed to be introductory. On page 2 of a student paper, repeat the title (bold, centered, Title Case), press Return once, and begin the body; if an instructor explicitly requests an Introduction heading, always follow their directions.

APA 101: Formatting the Body of Your Paper

The body of an APA 7 student research paper is where your ideas, evidence, and arguments come together, and correct formatting helps readers focus on your content. This post walks through the key APA requirements for the body of a paper, including page numbering, repeating the title on page two, paragraph formatting, spacing, and the optional use of headings.

Numbers Can Be Imaginary. Your References? Not So Much

PERRLA never fabricates references: we pull data from authoritative ISBN/DOI databases and page metadata, our tool won’t invent sources, and we provide features to help demonstrate a student’s authorship and preserve academic integrity.

APA 101: Start right with a Proper Title Page

Your APA 7 title page is your paper’s first impression — this quick guide shows exactly what to include and how to format it, and PERRLA can build it automatically.

Import .bib Files to PERRLA – Bring your library and research notes with you

Import .bib files from Zotero, Mendeley, EndNote, and other tools into PERRLA to convert references and research notes into accurate APA, MLA, or Turabian citations in seconds.

APA Obscura: Even Emoji Have to Play by the Rules

Emojis are valid in APA 7 references – include the emoji itself when possible, or if you can’t, write the emoji’s name in square brackets (e.g., [grinning face emoji]) – and PERRLA will automatically format social-media references to follow these rules.

APA 101: Setting up your Student Research Paper

A great research paper starts with a great idea, but turning that idea into a successful student research paper begins with a correctly formatted document – this first APA 101 installment explains the difference between APA student and professional papers and reminds students to follow their instructor’s requirements first.

APA Obscura: That’s a Lot of Authors

APA 7’s rules for works with large author lists: include all authors in references up to 20, but for 21 or more list the first 19, an ellipsis, and the final author; in-text citations still use et al.

Organizing Your Thoughts Before Final Papers are Due

Beat end-of-semester stress by outlining your research paper. Learn how to structure your introduction, body, and conclusion, place evidence, and use PERRLA to streamline the writing process.

We're Making a Change to Renewal Pricing

We need to update our renewal pricing – active subscriptions will keep their current rate as long as they remain active, but expired accounts that renew after Jan 15, 2026 will pay current pricing.

Exciting Progress on Our Google Docs Add-On: A PERRLA Update

PERRLA’s development team is ~75% complete on the Google Docs Add-On, prioritizing core capabilities and a rearchitected reference engine to guarantee identical citation and formatting behavior across platforms. We're targeting an early-2026 release with incremental updates through the year to reach full feature parity.

Consider the Source – Why AI Outputs Need Vetting in Academic Research

AI-generated text can fabricate information and even pollute future models, so researchers must vet sources carefully and prioritize academic integrity when using or citing LLMs.

How PERRLA Supports Academic Integrity (without replacing the work)

PERRLA supports integrity-friendly workflows without replacing the intellectual work students must do.

Academic Tone & Voice – Sound Smart without Sounding like a Robot

Academic tone is about clarity, precision, and evidence – not sounding robotic.

Fall Dev Update: Google Docs is on the Way!

PERRLA’s Fall development priorities with a focus on the first-phase Google Docs integration.

Beginner's Guide to APA Citations

If you're new to APA Style, learning how to cite your sources can feel overwhelming – but it doesn't have to be.

Prove Your Paper is Yours: Using PERRLA’s Version History

And So It Goes...

What's New: Summer Feature Roundup

The Quick Guide to Formatting a Works Cited Page in MLA 9

How to Structure a College Paper (without Falling Apart)

How to Cite ChatGPT (and other Generative AI Tools) in APA Style

Why Professors Shouldn’t Be Teaching APA in Class

How to Paraphrase like a Pro and Avoid Plagiarism

A Quick Guide to Formatting the References Page in APA 7 Style