References Page

The Title Page, the body of the paper, and the References Page are the three required parts of any paper in the APA format. Now that we’ve covered the first two, let’s finish things up by setting up the References Page.

As you write, anytime you use facts, ideas, or language from a source, you’ll need to cite it in the body of your paper. Then, at the end of the paper, you’ll include a full list of all the sources you used. Think of it as a directory that helps your reader find the original material behind your work.

Setting up the References Page is pretty straightforward.

First, it should always start on a new page after the body of your paper. To do this, insert a page break instead of pressing the Enter or Return key a bunch of times. Inserting a proper page break makes sure the formatting stays clean and consistent.

At the top of the page, you’ll have the same header as the rest of the paper – just the page number, top right.

On the first line, type the word References, bolded and center-aligned. Use the same font and size as the rest of your paper.

On the next line, you’ll begin listing your references in alphabetical order. That’s an APA requirement.

We’ll go over how to format different types of references in detail later. For now, we’re just setting up the page structure.

When it comes to your References Page, there's one important detail you don't want to miss:
Your references should use double-spacing, just like the rest of the paper. But instead of indenting the first line of each reference, we do the opposite – this is called a hanging indent. That means the first line stays flush left, and all other lines in the same reference are indented ½ inch.

It may be tempting to do this manually with the Tab key, but don’t – it’ll just cause problems later. Every word processor has a setting for hanging indents, and it’s worth setting it up correctly from the start.

If you’re using PERRLA, the good news is we take care of all of this for you – from the page breaks to the hanging indents and keeping your references in alphabetical order. You just enter your reference information, and we’ll handle the formatting automatically.

Now, take a moment to celebrate – you’ve officially set up all the required parts of your APA paper: the Title Page, Body, and References Page.

Quick checklist

▢ Page break before the References page

▢ References heading is bold and centered

▢ Double spacing throughout

▢ Alphabetical order applied correctly

▢ Hanging indent of 0.5″ on every entry

▢ DOIs/URLs active, with no period at the end

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Let PERRLA Handle your Formatting

PERRLA builds and maintains the References page automatically – new entries appear in correct order with double spacing and hanging indents. DOIs and URLs format correctly with a single click.