APA 7th edition was introduced in 2019 but many UK and Australian universities only adopted it fully in 2021–2022. If your institution specifies APA, it almost certainly means APA 7th — and the differences from APA 6th are significant enough to cost marks if you're using outdated formatting guides.
Change 1: Running Heads Are Gone (for Most Papers)
In APA 6th, every paper required a running head on every page. In APA 7th, running heads are only required for manuscripts submitted for journal publication. Student papers — including MBA dissertations and coursework — do NOT need running heads. Remove them if you've been adding them.
Change 2: The Author Limit Has Changed
In APA 6th, you listed up to six authors, then used ellipsis for more. In APA 7th, you list up to 20 authors before using an ellipsis. For in-text citations: (Author et al., Year) still applies from the first citation onward when there are three or more authors (changed from APA 6th which had a different rule for the first citation).
Change 3: DOI Format
APA 7th uses the URL-style DOI format: https://doi.org/10.xxxx/xxxxx — not the older "doi:" label format. Always write the full https://doi.org/ URL. For articles without a DOI, include the direct URL to the article or journal homepage.
Change 4: Publisher Location Is Dropped
APA 6th required the publisher's city and country: London: Routledge. APA 7th omits this entirely. Book reference format: Author, A. A. (Year). Title of work. Publisher Name. (No city, no country.)
Change 5: Bias-Free Language Requirements
APA 7th includes expanded guidance on bias-free language. Key changes relevant to MBA students: use "participants" not "subjects"; use specific demographic terms (e.g., "women" not "females" as a noun); use person-first language for disabilities unless the individual or community prefers identity-first language. This affects how you write your methodology and discussion sections.
Change 6: Student Paper Title Page
Student papers now have a simplified title page: title, author name, department and university, course name, instructor, and due date. No running head, no author note. Professional papers have a different format — confirm with your university which format to use.
Frequently Missed
- Headings: APA 7th Level 1 is now centred and bold (not centred and UPPERCASE)
- Tables and figures: all are labelled and titled in bold, number appears in italics
- Et al.: used from the first citation when there are 3 or more authors