Most students who’ve written a few APA papers feel like they have a decent handle on the basics. And most of those students are still making at least one of the five mistakes below – often without realizing it.
These are errors that show up in paper after paper, semester after semester. Here’s what they are, why they happen, and how to fix them.
Mistake #1: Placing the period before the citation
Most students put the period at the end of the sentence, then add the citation. It feels natural, but it’s wrong.
In APA 7, the parenthetical citation comes before the period, not after it. The period closes the sentence, which means it comes last.
Wrong:
Sasquatch sightings have been reported across multiple continents. (Meldrum, 2006)
Correct:
Sasquatch sightings have been reported across multiple continents (Meldrum, 2006).
The exception? Block quotes. When a quotation is formatted as a block quote, the citation comes after the final punctuation. But for standard in-text citations, the period always comes last.
Mistake #2: Direct quotes without a page number
Students know that direct quotes need a citation. What they often miss is that the citation for a direct quote needs more than just the author and year – it also needs a locator to help the reader find the exact passage.
For most sources, that locator is a page number. For sources without page numbers – websites, videos, podcasts – APA 7 asks you to use whatever location information is available: a paragraph number, a section heading, or a timestamp.
Wrong:
Meldrum (2006) argued that “the dermal ridges cannot be attributed to any known primate.”
Correct:
Meldrum (2006) argued that “the dermal ridges cannot be attributed to any known primate” (p. 112).
If the source has no page numbers, and no other locator is available, the author and year alone are acceptable – APA doesn’t require you to invent a locator when none exists.
Mistake #3: Long quotes that should be block quotes
Here’s one most students don’t catch until their professor marks it: in APA 7, any direct quotation of 40 words or more must be formatted as a block quote – not enclosed in quotation marks and run into the paragraph as usual.
A block quote is indented 0.5 inches from the left margin, double-spaced like the rest of the paper, and has no quotation marks. The citation follows the final punctuation of the quoted passage rather than coming before the period.
The 40-word threshold is exact. Count the words. If the quotation is 40 words or longer, it’s a block quote. Fewer than 40, it stays inline with quotation marks.
This one is important beyond simple formatting. A long quoted passage presented inline – with quotation marks and no indentation – reads as a deliberate formatting choice when it’s actually an error. It signals to the reader that something is off, even if they can’t immediately identify what.
Mistake #4: Et al. punctuation errors
Et al. is an abbreviation of the Latin et alli, meaning “and others.” Because it’s an abbreviation, “al.” always ends with a period – and that period is one of the most commonly dropped punctuation marks in APA papers.
The other common error: a comma before et al.. There is no comma between the author’s name and et al.. The format is the author’s last name followed directly by et al. with no comma between them.
Wrong:
(Meldrum, et al, 2006)
Correct:
(Meldrum et al., 2006)
Also worth noting: in APA 7, et al. is used for works with three or more authors in every in-text citation, including the first, unless doing so would create ambiguity.
Mistake #5: Title case in the reference list
APA 7 uses sentence case for titles in the reference list, which means only the first word of the title, the first word after a colon, and proper nouns are capitalized. Everything else is lowercase, regardless of how the title appears on the original source.
This trips up students who are used to MLA or Chicago, both of which use title case. It also trips up students who copy-paste titles directly from databases or article pages, where titles are often displayed in title case.
Wrong (title case):
Meldrum, J. (2006). Sasquatch: Legend Meets Science. Forge Books.
Correct (sentence case)
Meldrum, J. (2006). Sasquatch: Legend meets science. Forge Books.
Note that ‘Sasquatch’ is capitalized because it is the first word of the title. ‘Legend’ is also capitalized because it is the first word after the colon; “meets” and “science” remain lowercase.
One more nuance: this rule applies to the titles of books, reports, and webpages. Journal names are still written in title case in APA references.
Let PERRLA catch these before you submit your paper
All five of these mistakes are ones students have made confidently and submitted without catching – because they look fine on the page until you know what to look for.
In PERRLA Online, the I’m Finished button now automatically scans your paper for errors before you export it. It checks for all five of the mistakes above – period placement before citations, quotes missing locators, long quotes that need block formatting, et al. punctuation, and reference title casing – along with 10 other common issues, including contractions in academic prose, double spaces, and uncited direct quotes.
The I’m Finished checks are currently available in PERRLA Online. Try PERRLA free for 7 days – no credit card required.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does the citation go in an APA sentence?
Before the period. The parenthetical citation comes at the end of the sentence, immediately before the closing period: … found no significant difference (Smith, 2022). The only exception is block quotes, where the citation follows the final punctuation of the quoted passage.
Do direct quotes need a page number in APA 7?
Yes, when a page number is available. APA 7 requires a locator for direct quotations, usually a page number. If the source has no page numbers, use whatever location information is available, such as a paragraph number, section heading, or timestamp. If the source has no usable locator at all, an author-and-year citation may be sufficient.
How long does a quote have to be to need block formatting in APA 7?
Forty words or more. Count the words in the quotation. At 40 words, it becomes a block quote: indented 0.5 inches, double-spaced, with no quotation marks. The citation follows the final punctuation.
Is there a comma before et al. in APA?
No. The correct format is the author’s last name followed directly by et al., with no comma: (Meldrum et al., 2006). The period after “al.” is required because it is an abbreviation. In APA 7, et al. is used for works with three or more authors in every in-text citation, including the first, unless doing so would create ambiguity.
Should reference list titles be in title case or sentence case in APA?
Sentence case. For most reference-list titles, capitalize the first word of the title, the first word after a colon or other punctuation that introduces a subtitle, and proper nouns. Journal titles are the exception: they remain in title case.