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There is no separate “APA discussion board format” in the Publication Manual. Discussion posts are usually written in the paper conventions of APA 7th edition (2020) and, when you cite a classmate or a source, in the same author-date system. What your post looks like on the screen (title, headings, length, whether a reference list is expected) is set by your course and instructor. This guide gives a usable template, a filled example with clearly fictional content, and a checklist of the elements to confirm. Edition checked: APA 7th (2020), as of 2026-10.
What APA specifies and what your course sets
The official APA student paper setup guide (updated October 8, 2025) describes a full student paper. It does not describe a discussion post, and the official APA reference examples PDF (last updated March 3, 2026) contains no discussion-board example. So the format splits into three layers:
| Layer | What it covers | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Author-date citation and reference entries | (Author, year) in text; “et al.” from the first citation for three or more authors; quotation of 40 or more words as a block; DOIs written as https://doi.org/ links | Official APA guides (what’s-new guide, in-text citation checklist, reference guide) |
| Paper conventions you may borrow | 1 in. margins, double spacing, 0.5 in. first-line indent, left-aligned text, headings in the APA levels, no running head in a student paper | Official APA student paper setup guide |
| Citing a post in an online community | Author, exact date, post title, a bracketed description of the form, community name, link | Publication Manual 7th ed., p. 347, as summarized by university library guides |
| Everything about the post itself | Whether to include a title, headings or a reference list; length; due dates; how many replies; whether formatting survives pasting into the learning management system | Your instructor and course shell. APA states that instructor guidelines supersede APA’s own. |
One institution’s published rule shows how far course rules can go: Liberty University’s Online Writing Center says discussion posts follow paper formatting except that there is no title page or pagination, and that the reference list falls immediately under the body of the post, not on a separate page (page undated; checked 2026-10-29). Treat that as one school’s rule, not APA’s, and follow your own syllabus when it differs.
Discussion post template (APA 7th)
Use this skeleton when your course asks for an APA-style post. Delete any part your instructor does not want.
[Optional post title, as the course requires] [Opening paragraph: answer the prompt directly in 2-3 sentences and state your position.] [Body paragraph: one point, supported by a source. Paraphrase with (Author, year), or quote with (Author, year, p. #).] [Body paragraph: a second point, an example, or a response to a classmate.] [Closing sentence or question that invites replies.] References Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Year). Title of the article. Journal Name, volume(issue), pages. https://doi.org/xxxxx
- Paragraphs: in APA paper style the first line of each paragraph is indented 0.5 in. and text is left-aligned.
- Headings: short posts rarely need them. If your instructor asks for sections, use APA levels: Level 1 is centered, bold, Title Case; Level 2 is flush left, bold, Title Case; Level 3 is flush left, bold italic, Title Case. Avoid a single subsection under a heading.
- Reference list: include one only for sources you cited, and only when the course expects it.
Filled example (fictional)
Everything below is invented for demonstration: the prompt, the post, the author names and the source do not exist. Replace each part with your own material.
Prompt: “Should universities require data management plans for every funded project? Support your answer with one source.”
Data Management Plans Should Be Required Universities should require a data management plan for every funded project because a plan forces researchers to decide how data will be stored and shared before collection begins. Okafor et al. (2023) found that projects with a plan at the proposal stage reported fewer problems locating their own data at project close. A requirement also gives research offices a consistent point at which to offer help. The same study notes that "plans were most useful when reviewed again at mid-project" (Okafor et al., 2023, p. 14), which suggests the requirement should include a scheduled review rather than a one-time upload. My question for the group: would a lighter plan for small projects keep the benefit without the paperwork? References Okafor, N., Lindqvist, S., & Reyes, M. (2023). Planning ahead: Data management plans and data recovery. Journal of Example Studies, 12(3), 45-60. https://doi.org/10.0000/example.123
What the example demonstrates: the post answers the prompt in its first sentence; every cited claim has an author-date citation; the one quotation (under 40 words) is in double quotation marks with a page number; the reference entry follows the journal-article pattern in the APA reference guide, with the DOI written as a https://doi.org/ link. Note that the in-text form is “Okafor et al.” even though the source has three authors, because APA 7th uses “et al.” from the first citation for three or more authors.
How to cite a classmate’s discussion post
When you quote or paraphrase a peer’s post, you are citing an online-community post. Two university library guides that summarize the Publication Manual (7th ed., p. 347) agree on the element order: author, exact date posted, post title, a bracketed description of the form, the community or site name, and the link.
Author, A. (Year, Month Day). Title of the post [Discussion post]. Name of course site or forum. URL Rivera, J. (2026, October 12). Why data plans need a mid-project review [Discussion post]. Example University Course Forum. https://example.edu/course/forum/123
(The entry above is fictional.) Details to check before you rely on it:
- Date: include the exact date of the post when it is available (SUNY Jefferson library guide, page last updated May 8, 2026).
- Title: use the post’s own title; for an untitled informal post, the first up to 20 words of the post serve as the title (same guide, citing p. 293).
- Bracket label: it describes the form of the item. Guides use wording such as “Discussion post” or “Online forum post” (Frederick Community College library FAQ, updated February 28, 2024); use the label your instructor prefers.
- Italics: both the SUNY Jefferson guide and the Frederick Community College FAQ italicize the post title. The bracket label wording is the part worth checking with your instructor.
- Learning management system content: for content from a learning management system, include the name of the site and the login URL (SUNY Jefferson guide).
In the text, cite the peer like any other author: (Rivera, 2026). If a source has no author, see the related guide on citing in APA when there is no author.
Required-elements checklist
Confirm each item against your assignment instructions first; APA does not require any of them for a discussion post as such.
- The post answers the prompt in its first two or three sentences.
- Every paraphrase or quotation has an author-date citation: (Author, year), or Author (year) when the author is in your sentence.
- Every direct quotation adds a page number: (Author, year, p. 20). Quotations of 40 words or more use block format (0.5 in. indent, no quotation marks); under 40 words, double quotation marks.
- Sources with three or more authors use “et al.” from the first citation. See in-text citations with multiple authors in APA.
- Every in-text citation has a matching entry in a reference list, if the course expects one. For entry details, see the APA reference page format and the APA hanging indent.
- DOIs are written as https://doi.org/ links, with no “DOI:” label.
- Replies to classmates cite the classmate’s post if you quote or paraphrase it.
- Formatting you chose (indents, headings, spacing) survived pasting into the course editor; check the preview before posting.
Headings, length and tone
APA publishes no word count for discussion posts. Length, the number of required replies, and whether a title or headings are expected all come from the assignment. Where the course says to follow APA, use the author-date citation and reference conventions above, and ask your instructor whether paper-level items such as a title page or page numbers apply to a post. For those conventions in full papers, see APA page numbers and the APA cover page.
Frequently asked questions
Is there an official APA discussion board format?
No. The official APA reference examples PDF (updated March 3, 2026) has no discussion-board example, and the student paper setup guide describes full papers. Your course and instructor set the post layout, and APA states that instructor guidelines supersede its own.
Does a discussion post need a title page or page numbers?
Only if your course says so. Liberty University’s Online Writing Center, for one, says its discussion posts have no title page or pagination and put the reference list immediately under the post body.
How do I cite a classmate’s post in APA?
Use the online-community pattern: author, exact posting date, post title, a bracketed description such as [Discussion post], the site or forum name, and the link. Cite it in text as (Author, year).
How long should a discussion post be?
APA gives no word count for discussion posts. The assignment sets the length.
Sources
All sources below were checked on the dates given.
- APA Style, Student Paper Setup Guide, https://apastyle.apa.org/instructional-aids/student-paper-setup-guide.pdf (updated October 8, 2025; checked 2026-10-28).
- APA Style, Reference Examples, https://apastyle.apa.org/instructional-aids/reference-examples.pdf (updated March 3, 2026; checked 2026-10-28), and Reference Guide, https://apastyle.apa.org/instructional-aids/reference-guide.pdf (updated March 23, 2026).
- APA Style, Guide to What’s New in the 7th Edition and In-Text Citation Checklist (official PDFs on apastyle.apa.org, checked 2026-10-28).
- SUNY Jefferson library, APA 7 guide, https://sunyjefferson.libguides.com/apa7 (page last updated May 8, 2026; checked 2026-10-29).
- Frederick Community College library, https://answers.frederick.edu/citations/faq/404316 (updated February 28, 2024; checked 2026-10-29).
- Liberty University Online Writing Center, https://www.liberty.edu/academics/graduate/writing/index.cfm?PID=11960 (undated; checked 2026-10-29).
