APA 7 Literature Review Example and Free Template
By Dr. Patricia N., DNP, PhD in Nursing Science. Reviewed by Dr. Sarah L.. 2026-06-10.
Key takeaways
- APA 7 literature reviews are organized by theme, never article by article
- Student papers need no running head and no heading labeled Introduction
- Use et al. from the very first citation for three or more authors
- Every theme should close with a limitation, contradiction, or gap sentence
- Format DOIs as https://doi.org/ links with hanging-indent references
The short answer
An APA 7 literature review uses a title page, running head only if your university requires one, 1-inch margins, double spacing, an 11pt or 12pt readable font, Level 1 to Level 3 headings for thematic sections, author-date in-text citations, and a hanging-indent reference list. The body is organized by theme, not by article.
The single biggest difference between a passing and a failing literature review is synthesis. A passing review says: three studies found X, but each measured it differently, which explains the contradictory effect sizes. A failing review says: Smith found X. Jones found Y. Lee found Z.
APA 7 literature review structure at a glance
Title page (student version): title, your name, department and institution, course, instructor, due date. No running head required for student papers unless your program asks for it.
Introduction: the problem, why it matters now, the scope of your search, and your organizing logic. Do not label this section Introduction in APA 7; the paper title at the top of page 2 serves that role.
Thematic body sections: Level 1 headings (bold, centered) for major themes, Level 2 (bold, flush left) for sub-themes, Level 3 (bold italic, flush left) for finer distinctions.
Synthesis and gap statement: what the field agrees on, what it disputes, and the specific gap your study addresses.
References: alphabetical, hanging indent of 0.5 inches, DOIs as https links.
Full APA 7 literature review example (annotated)
Below is a real-structure excerpt from an education leadership review. Annotations in brackets explain the move each sentence makes.
Teacher Retention and Transformational Leadership
[Level 1 heading, bold and centered.]
Teacher attrition in urban districts remains the most expensive staffing problem in American public education, with annual replacement costs estimated at $8.5 billion (Carver-Thomas & Darling-Hammond, 2019). [Opens with the magnitude of the problem and one authoritative citation, not a dictionary definition.] Research over the past decade has converged on school leadership as the strongest modifiable predictor of retention, yet the mechanism remains contested. [Names the consensus and the dispute in one sentence, which is the core synthesis move.]
Leadership Behaviors and Intent to Stay
[Level 2 heading, bold and flush left.]
Studies using the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire consistently report moderate positive associations between idealized influence and teacher intent to stay (Kim & Lopez, 2021; Nguyen, 2022; Patel et al., 2023). [Groups three studies by their shared finding and shared instrument, which is synthesis rather than summary.] Effect sizes vary widely, however, from r = .21 in Nguyen's rural sample to r = .67 in Patel's urban sample, a spread that Patel et al. attributed to baseline principal turnover rather than to leadership style itself. [Explains the contradiction instead of merely reporting it.]
Two design limitations recur across this literature. First, all three studies measured intent to stay rather than observed retention, and intent explains only 34% of variance in actual departure (Nguyen, 2022). [Critiques the measurement, not the authors.] Second, none modeled principal tenure as a covariate, leaving the direction of the relationship open. [Sets up the gap the dissertation will fill.]
Together, these findings suggest that leadership behavior matters for retention, but that the field has not yet isolated which behaviors matter once school-level stability is controlled. The present study addresses this gap by pairing MLQ scores with three years of district personnel records. [Closes the theme with a synthesis sentence plus an explicit gap-to-study link.]
Copy-paste APA 7 template
Title of Your Literature Review
Your Full Name
Department, University Name
COURSE 000: Course Title
Instructor Name
Due Date
[Page break]
Title of Your Literature Review
[Opening paragraph: problem, scale, why now. 3 to 5 sentences with 2 to 4 citations.]
[Second paragraph: scope of the review. Databases searched, date range, inclusion and exclusion criteria, number of studies retained.]
[Third paragraph: your organizing logic. State the themes in the order the reader will meet them.]
Theme One [Level 1]
[Synthesis paragraph grouping studies by finding.]
Sub-theme [Level 2]
[Synthesis paragraph. End with a critique of the shared limitation.]
Theme Two [Level 1]
[Same pattern.]
Synthesis and Research Gap [Level 1]
[What the field agrees on. What it disputes. The precise gap. One sentence connecting the gap to your research questions.]
References
[Hanging indent, alphabetical, DOIs as full https links.]
APA 7 formatting rules people get wrong
Headings never use the word Introduction in APA 7 student papers. The paper title at the top of page 2 is the introduction heading.
Three or more authors use et al. from the first citation onward in APA 7. There is no longer a spelled-out first citation.
DOIs are formatted as https://doi.org/10.xxxx/xxxxx with no retrieved from and no trailing period issues.
Level 3 headings are bold italic, flush left, with the text starting on the next line. Level 4 and 5 run into the paragraph.
Tables and figures each get a number, a bold italic title, and a note below if needed. Do not embed the caption inside the image.
How to check your review before you submit
Run this five-point self-check. Every paragraph should group at least two sources. Every theme should end with a limitation or contradiction. Every citation in the body should appear in the references and vice versa. Every heading level should be used in order without skipping. Every claim of a gap should be traceable to a specific limitation you already named.
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FAQ
How long should an APA 7 literature review be?
A standalone course review is typically 3,000 to 6,000 words. A dissertation Chapter 2 in a US doctoral program usually runs 8,000 to 15,000 words and covers 60 to 120 sources.
Do I need a running head in an APA 7 literature review?
Student papers do not require a running head in APA 7. Professional manuscripts do. Check your program handbook, because many US graduate schools still require one on dissertations.
How many sources does a literature review need?
Course reviews commonly cite 20 to 40 sources. Dissertation literature reviews usually cite 60 to 120, with the majority published in the last five to seven years.
Can I use subheadings in an APA 7 literature review?
Yes. Use Level 1 headings for major themes and Level 2 or 3 for sub-themes. Never skip a level, and use at least two subheadings whenever you introduce a level.