A Clear Guide to APA Footnotes Format

Let's clear up one of the most common points of confusion in APA style. If you've written papers in other formats like Chicago, you're used to putting citations in footnotes. In APA, that's a major mistake.

So, what are they for? Think of APA footnotes as the "director's commentary" for your paper. They aren't for your main citations. Instead, they’re used sparingly for asides that add extra flavor or context without cluttering up your main argument.

The Two Core Functions of APA Footnotes

Your primary tool for citing sources in APA will always be parenthetical in-text citations, like (Smith, 2023), which point the reader to your full reference list. Footnotes only have two specific jobs, and understanding them is the key to getting your formatting right.

According to the 7th edition of the APA Publication Manual, these are the only two approved uses:

• Supplemental Information: This is for a brief, interesting detour. You might use a footnote to define a technical term, offer a counter-argument that isn't central to your point, or provide an extra example that would otherwise bog down the paragraph.
• Copyright Permissions: This one is a legal requirement. If you reproduce a long quotation (over 500 words), a table, or a figure from a copyrighted source, you must use a footnote. This note formally acknowledges the original creator and confirms you have permission to use their work.

If the information is essential for your reader to understand your point, it belongs in the main text. If it's just helpful or interesting context, a footnote is the perfect place for it.

APA Footnotes vs. In-Text Citations: A Quick Guide

Deciding between a standard in-text citation and a footnote can feel tricky, but it's usually straightforward. This table breaks down common scenarios to help you make the right call instantly.

Scenario	Use Footnote?	Use In-Text Citation?	Explanation
Paraphrasing an author's idea	No	Yes	Standard paraphrasing always requires a standard (Author, Year) in-text citation.
Directly quoting a source	No	Yes	All direct quotes must be followed by an in-text citation that includes a page number.
Defining a technical term for clarity	Yes	No	This is a classic use-case for a supplemental footnote to avoid disrupting the paragraph's flow.
Reproducing a copyrighted chart	Yes	No	Copyright attribution is a mandatory function of APA footnotes.
Adding an interesting but non-essential fact	Yes	No	Perfect for a supplemental footnote. If the fact were essential, it would go in the text.
Listing a source in the reference list	No	Yes	Every in-text citation must correspond to an entry in the reference list. Footnotes do not.

Ultimately, this comparison highlights the different roles these two elements play. In-text citations are about attribution and evidence, while footnotes are about elaboration and legal compliance.

When to Choose a Footnote

The decision to use a footnote boils down to one simple question: "Is this information essential to my main argument?"

If the answer is no, but you still believe the detail adds value for a curious reader, you've found the perfect candidate for a footnote.

Imagine you mention the "Stanford marshmallow experiment" in your paper. Instead of derailing your paragraph to explain the entire study's methodology and history, you could add a footnote. That footnote can provide that background for anyone unfamiliar with the study, keeping your main argument sharp while still enriching the paper with deeper context.

Footnotes are a tool for precision. They let you cater to multiple levels of reader interest without sacrificing the clarity of your core message. They are not, however, a replacement for proper in-text citations.

The Two Types of Footnotes in APA Style

While APA style generally favors in-text citations, knowing how to properly use footnotes is a hallmark of a polished academic writer. Think of them as special tools in your writing kit. The Publication Manual gives us two distinct types, each designed for a very specific job.

Getting this distinction right is the first step. One type is for adding interesting asides, while the other is a non-negotiable legal requirement. Mixing them up can clutter your paper or, worse, create issues with academic integrity.

Content Footnotes: Providing Supplemental Information

This is the footnote you’re most likely to use. Content footnotes are your way of offering supplemental details that enrich your main text but aren't strictly necessary to understand your argument. If you tried to cram this extra info into your main paragraphs, it would just interrupt the flow and distract your reader.

A content footnote is the perfect spot for things like:

• Briefly explaining a related concept.
• Defining a technical term that only some of your readers might know.
• Giving another quick example to drive your point home.
• Acknowledging a counterargument without getting sidetracked.

For instance, you might write, "The experiment used a double-blind methodology to prevent bias.¹" That tiny superscript number leads the reader to a note at the bottom of the page explaining what a double-blind study is. This keeps the narrative moving for readers who are already familiar with the term. It’s a simple, elegant way to keep your writing clean and focused while still offering a path for those who want to dig deeper.

Key Takeaway: Use content footnotes for "nice-to-know" details, not "need-to-know" information. If the information is critical to your argument, it belongs in the main text, not tucked away at the bottom of the page.

Footnote rules have evolved quite a bit since the first APA manual appeared back in 1929. The 7th edition, released in 2019, makes the guidelines crystal clear. All footnotes must be numbered one after the other with superscript numbers. You can place them either at the bottom of the relevant page or collect them on a separate page after your reference list. To keep things looking consistent, the first line of every note is indented half an inch, just like a regular paragraph. For a deeper dive into these rules, you can explore this detailed guide on the history and rules of APA footnotes.

Copyright Footnotes: Acknowledging Sources

The second type, the copyright footnote, isn't about style—it's about your legal and ethical duties as a writer. You absolutely must use a copyright footnote anytime you reproduce a significant chunk of someone else's copyrighted material.

This is not optional. It’s how you avoid plagiarism and show respect for intellectual property. According to the APA manual, a copyright footnote is required when you include:

• A long quotation (usually over 500 words, but check publisher guidelines).
• A table or figure you've copied or adapted from another source.
• A test, scale, or survey instrument created by someone else.

The format for a copyright footnote is much more rigid than for a content note. It must start with "From..." or "Adapted from..." and include the work's title, author, publication year, and source information (like the publisher or journal). It wraps up with the copyright year and the name of the copyright holder, often followed by "Reprinted with permission."

For example, a note for a table you've reproduced might look like this: ¹From The Social Brain (p. 45), by A. Johnson, 2021, New York, NY: Academic Press. Copyright 2021 by Academic Press. This precise format ensures you give full, proper credit, protecting both you and the original creator.

Getting the APA Footnote Format Right

Knowing when to use a footnote is half the battle. The other half is getting the technical details of the APA footnote format just right. While these rules might seem a bit nitpicky, they’re crucial for creating a polished, professional paper that screams credibility.

Nailing the format shows your reader you’re a careful, detail-oriented researcher. The good news? The rules are actually pretty simple once you break them down. Let's walk through it, piece by piece: the superscript number in your text, where the footnote actually lives on the page, and how to style the note itself for perfect APA 7th edition compliance.

Numbering and In-Text Placement

The first thing your reader sees is a tiny, elevated number in your main text—the superscript number. Think of it as a little signpost pointing to extra information.

• Numbering: Footnotes must be numbered consecutively throughout your entire paper, starting with ¹. Don't restart the numbering on each new page.
• Placement: The superscript number should pop up right after the word or sentence it relates to. Crucially, it always comes after any punctuation, like a period or comma.

For example: “The team’s initial findings were inconclusive, which prompted a second phase of research.¹” The number ¹ sits right after the period, signaling that the note will expand on that complete thought.

Footnote Location on the Page

Once you've dropped the superscript into your text, you have to decide where the actual footnote will go. The APA 7th edition gives you two choices, but one is far more common and reader-friendly.

1. Bottom of the Page: This is the standard, preferred method. The footnote appears at the bottom of the very same page as its corresponding number. This lets readers quickly glance down, get the extra info, and jump right back into your argument without losing their place.
2. Separate Footnotes Page: You could also collect all your footnotes on a dedicated page at the very end of your paper. This page should be titled "Footnotes" (centered, no bold) and placed immediately after your reference list.

While both are technically correct, placing notes at the bottom of the page is almost always the better choice for your reader. It keeps the context and the comment connected.

Pro Tip: Let your word processor do the heavy lifting for you. Both Microsoft Word and Google Docs have fantastic built-in footnote tools that automatically handle the numbering and placement, which saves a ton of time and prevents silly manual errors.

Formatting the Footnote Text

Alright, now for the main event: the footnote text itself. Whether it’s at the bottom of the page or on a separate sheet, the note has its own set of formatting rules. Think of it as a mini-paragraph with its own style guide.

Here are the key requirements:

• Matching Number: Each footnote must start with its number (e.g., ¹) followed by a space. This number should be regular-sized, not in superscript.
• Indentation: The first line of every footnote needs to be indented 0.5 inches from the left margin—just like a normal paragraph in the body of your paper.
• Spacing and Font: The footnote text should use the same font and size as your main text (like 12-point Times New Roman). It also needs to be double-spaced to keep things consistent with the rest of your document.

These rules ensure that even your side comments maintain the clean, organized look expected in an APA paper. The formatting for sources within a footnote can be complex, especially for unusual types. For specialized guidance, you can learn more about how to cite a poem and integrate it properly.

APA Footnote Formatting Checklist

To make sure you've covered all your bases, here’s a quick summary of the essential formatting rules for APA 7th edition footnotes. Use this table as a final check before you submit your work.

Formatting Element	Requirement	Notes
In-Text Marker	Superscript number (e.g., ¹)	Place immediately after punctuation.
Numbering	Consecutive throughout the paper	Start with 1 and do not restart on new pages.
Location	Bottom of the page or on a separate page	Bottom-of-page is strongly preferred for readability.
Footnote Number	Normal font size, followed by a space	Do not use superscript in the note itself.
Indentation	First line indented 0.5 inches	Subsequent lines are flush with the left margin.
Font	Same font and size as the main text	Typically 12-point Times New Roman or another approved font.
Spacing	Double-spaced	Maintains consistency with the rest of the paper.

By sticking to these guidelines, you ensure your footnotes do exactly what they're supposed to: provide helpful, unobtrusive context without disrupting the clean, professional structure of your APA-style paper.

How to Insert Footnotes in Word and Google Docs

Knowing the rules for apa footnotes format is one thing, but actually putting them into your paper is where the rubber meets the road. Thankfully, you don't have to do it by hand. Both Microsoft Word and Google Docs have built-in tools that handle nearly all the heavy lifting, saving you from the headache of manual numbering and placement.

Learning to use these features is a massive time-saver. Instead of constantly checking if your numbers are in the right order or if the note is perfectly placed at the bottom of the page, you can just focus on your writing. Let's walk through how it works on each platform.

Adding Footnotes in Microsoft Word

Microsoft Word makes inserting and managing footnotes incredibly simple. The software is designed to automate all the tedious formatting, ensuring your document stays perfectly aligned with APA 7th edition guidelines.

Here’s the process—it’s quick and easy:

1. Position Your Cursor: Click your mouse exactly where you want the little superscript number to appear. This should be right after the word or phrase, and always after any punctuation like a period or comma.
2. Navigate to the References Tab: Look at the main menu ribbon at the top of the Word window. Click on the "References" tab to pull up all the citation and notation tools.
3. Click 'Insert Footnote': In the "Footnotes" section of the ribbon, you'll see a button labeled "Insert Footnote." Just click it.

The moment you click, Word does two things automatically. It drops the correct, sequential superscript number into your text and instantly moves your cursor to a new footnote area at the bottom of the page. You can type your note right there, and Word formats it with the matching number.

The best part? This system is dynamic. If you add, delete, or move footnotes later on, Word automatically reorders all the numbers for you. No more manual updates.

Adding Footnotes in Google Docs

Google Docs provides a similarly smooth and efficient way to handle footnotes, which is a big reason it's so popular for academic and collaborative work. The interface is clean and intuitive, letting you add extra info without breaking your writing flow.

The platform’s streamlined design keeps essential functions, like footnotes, just a click away in the main menu.

Here are the simple steps to get it done in Google Docs:

1. Place the Cursor: Same as in Word, position your cursor exactly where you need the footnote marker, immediately following the text and any punctuation.
2. Go to the 'Insert' Menu: At the top of the screen, click on the "Insert" menu to open a dropdown list of options.
3. Select 'Footnote': From that menu, just click "Footnote." For those who love shortcuts, you can also use Ctrl+Alt+F on Windows or Cmd+Option+F on a Mac.

Key Insight: Both Word and Google Docs automatically handle the most error-prone parts of footnote formatting: sequential numbering and placement at the bottom of the page. This frees you to concentrate on the content of the note itself.

Google Docs will pop the superscript number into your text and jump your cursor down to the new footnote at the bottom of the page, ready for you to start typing. If you ever need to change it, just click on the footnote text to edit.

Final Formatting Adjustments

While these programs automate most of the work, you might need to make a couple of quick tweaks to be 100% compliant with the APA 7th edition. After you've inserted your footnote, do a quick spot-check on these two items:

• Indentation: The very first line of your footnote text needs to be indented by 0.5 inches. Most of the time, Word and Google Docs do this by default, but it never hurts to double-check.
• Double-Spacing: According to APA 7 rules, your entire paper—including the footnotes—should be double-spaced. You may need to highlight your footnote text and manually change the line spacing setting to "Double."

By letting your word processor do the automated work and then performing these quick manual checks, you can feel confident that every part of your apa footnotes format is spot on.

Common Footnote Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Mastering the APA footnotes format isn't just about knowing the rules—it's about sidestepping the common traps that even experienced writers fall into. A tiny mistake can throw off the professional look of your entire paper.

Think of this section as your final proofreading checklist. Running through these points before you submit can help you catch and fix those small issues that make a big difference, ensuring your work is polished and fully compliant with APA 7th edition guidelines.

Using Footnotes for Regular Citations

This is, without a doubt, the number one mistake. Writers who are used to other citation styles (like Chicago) often slip into using footnotes to cite every single source. In APA style, this is a major error.

For any source you quote or paraphrase, APA requires standard parenthetical in-text citations, like (Smith, 2023). Footnotes are reserved only for adding supplemental information or for copyright permissions. Using them for regular citations will make your paper non-compliant and confuse readers who expect standard APA formatting.

Forgetting to Number Consecutively

Another frequent slip-up is restarting the footnote numbers on each new page. APA style is clear: your footnotes must be numbered consecutively throughout the entire document. You start with ¹ and continue in sequence all the way to the end.

Luckily, word processors like Microsoft Word and Google Docs handle this for you automatically. The real mistake happens when you try to number them manually, which almost guarantees errors if you add, move, or delete a footnote later. Always trust the software's built-in feature to keep the numbering straight.

Incorrect In-Text Placement

Where you place the superscript number matters more than you might think. A common error is putting the number before the punctuation mark it follows.

The rule is simple: The footnote number must always appear after any punctuation mark, such as a period, comma, or quotation mark.

Here's how that looks in practice:

• Incorrect: The study¹ confirmed the hypothesis.
• Correct: The study confirmed the hypothesis.¹

This tiny detail has a surprisingly big impact on readability and professional formatting. Getting this right is a quick fix that instantly elevates your paper's appearance and is a key part of learning how to improve academic writing.

Overusing Footnotes

While footnotes are a helpful tool, they should be used with restraint. The whole point of APA style is clear, direct communication. Bombarding your pages with footnotes can distract the reader from your main argument, making your text feel choppy and hard to follow.

Before you add a footnote, ask yourself a simple question: "Is this information truly supplemental, or is it important enough to be in the main text?" If it's a minor aside that isn't critical, a footnote is fine. But if you find yourself adding a footnote to every paragraph, you're probably overdoing it and should rethink how to weave that information more smoothly into your writing.

Frequently Asked Questions About APA Footnotes

Even with clear rules, a few tricky questions always seem to pop up when you're in the middle of formatting. This section is here to tackle the most common head-scratchers with quick, straightforward answers, so you can get back to writing.

Can I Use Footnotes Instead of a Reference List?

Absolutely not. This is one of the most critical rules to remember in APA style. Footnotes are only for adding extra information or copyright notices; they never replace your in-text citations or the reference list at the end of your paper.

Think of it this way: the reference list is your paper’s official bibliography. Every single source you cite in your text must have a full entry there. Footnotes and reference lists serve completely separate purposes.

How Should I Format a Long Footnote?

When a footnote spills over into multiple lines, the formatting is simple. The very first line of every footnote needs a 0.5-inch indent, just like a new paragraph.

Every line after that should be flush with the left margin, with no indentation at all. And don't forget to keep the entire footnote double-spaced to match the rest of your document.

Key Reminder: Your word processor's footnote tool is great at handling the numbering, but it often defaults to single spacing. You'll likely need to manually change the line spacing to double-spaced to be fully APA-compliant.

Do I Restart Numbering on Each Page?

Nope. In APA, your footnote numbering needs to be continuous throughout the entire document. You’ll start with footnote ¹ and keep going sequentially all the way to the end. Never restart the count on a new page or for a new chapter.

Where Does a Footnotes Page Go?

While most people put footnotes at the bottom of the relevant page, you can opt to put them all on a separate page. If you go this route, the page has a very specific spot: it comes after your reference list but before any appendices.

Just give it the centered title "Footnotes" at the top. That said, putting them at the bottom of each page is far more common and generally easier for your readers to follow.