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An APA hanging indent means the first line of each reference list entry starts at the left margin and every following line is indented 0.5 inch. In Word or Google Docs you set it once in the paragraph settings (Special: Hanging, By: 0.5″) instead of pressing Tab or the space bar. It applies to the reference list only, not to in-text citations or to ordinary body paragraphs.
The format
Every entry on the reference list follows the same layout: the first line is flush with the left margin and any line that wraps beneath it is pushed in by 0.5 inch. Two university library guides state the measurement: the Western Technical College library guide (“APA 7 – Hanging indent”) says reference list entries should have a hanging indent of 0.5 inches, and the Monroe University library guide (“APA – References Page”) instructs Word users to set Special to Hanging, By 0.5″.
Set it in Word
- Select the reference list entries (select all of them to format the list at once).
- On the Home tab, open the Paragraph settings launcher.
- Under Indents and Spacing, set Special to Hanging.
- Set By to 0.5″ and click OK.
Set it in Google Docs
- Select the entries.
- Choose Align & indent, then Indentation options.
- Under Special indent, choose Hanging and enter 0.5.
- Apply the change.
The rest of the reference page
The Monroe guide lists the layout that goes with the hanging indent: the title “References” is centered and bold at the top of the page, entries are double-spaced like the rest of the paper, and they are in alphabetical order (by the author’s last name by default). The APA student paper setup guide (apastyle.apa.org) agrees on the page-level points: the reference list starts on a new page and the entire paper, including the reference list, is double-spaced.
Examples
The entries below are fictitious examples written to show the layout. The author names, titles and publishers are invented and do not point to real works. The patterns follow the worked examples in the APA reference guide and reference examples PDFs.
Journal article with a DOI
Smith, J., & Lee, K. (2023). Effects of sample size on bias. Journal of Example Studies, 12(3), 45–60. https://doi.org/10.0000/example.123
Book
Smith, J., & Lee, K. (2024). Writing for review boards (2nd ed.). Example Press.
Chapter in an edited book
Smith, J. (2021). Sampling basics. In R. Doe & P. Roe (Eds.), Field methods handbook (pp. 11–26). Example Press.
Doctoral dissertation from a database
Smith, J. (2018). Study of examples (Publication No. 00000000) [Doctoral dissertation, Example University]. ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global.
For other source types see the guide to citing a YouTube video in APA format.
Three different 0.5-inch indents in one APA paper
A single APA paper contains three separate indents that are all 0.5 inch, and they are easy to mix up. Each one is set differently and applies to a different part of the paper.
| Where | Indent type | What moves |
|---|---|---|
| Reference list entries | Hanging indent, 0.5 in. (Western Technical College and Monroe University library guides) | Every line after the first line of each entry |
| Body paragraphs | First-line indent, 0.5 in. (APA student paper setup guide) | Only the first line of each paragraph |
| Block quotations of 40 words or more | Left indent, 0.5 in. from the left margin, double-spaced, no quotation marks (APA in-text citation checklist) | The whole quoted paragraph |
In-text citation version
The hanging indent does not apply to in-text citations. In-text citations sit inside a sentence and have no layout of their own. They use the author-date form: (Smith & Lee, 2023) in parentheses, or Smith and Lee (2023) in narrative form, with a comma between author and year in the parenthetical form. For a work with three or more authors, APA 7 uses the first author’s surname plus “et al.” from the first citation: (Smith et al., 2019). A direct quotation adds the page, as in (Smith & Lee, 2023, p. 20).
The reference list entry is where the layout matters. Each in-text citation must lead the reader to an entry whose first word is the same author surname and the list is alphabetical. The broader layout of a full paper is covered in the guide to writing a research paper in APA style.
Common errors
- Indenting the first line instead of the wrapped lines. A first-line indent is the body-paragraph setting. The reference list needs the opposite: first line flush left, later lines indented.
- Using a different value than 0.5 inch. The library guides both give 0.5 inch for APA reference entries; check that By shows 0.5″ after you choose Hanging.
- Formatting only some entries. The Word and Google Docs steps work on whatever is selected. Select the whole list so every entry matches.
- Single-spacing the reference list. The APA student paper setup guide double-spaces the entire paper, including the reference list, and the Monroe guide says the entries should be double-spaced like the rest of the essay.
Style-guide edition
This page follows the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 7th edition (2020), as of October 2026. The APA reference guide and reference examples PDFs on apastyle.apa.org, last updated in March 2026, are still labelled 7th edition. The 0.5-inch measurement for the hanging indent is taken from the two library guides named in Sources. Your instructor, department or journal can set different requirements, and the APA student paper setup guide notes that instructors’ guidelines take precedence.
For theses and manuscripts
A thesis or dissertation usually has one reference list, often long, so the setting matters more than in a short paper. Apply the hanging indent to the whole list in one step rather than entry by entry, and apply it again if you paste in new entries from a reference manager, since pasted text can bring its own paragraph formatting. If a university thesis template or a journal’s instructions for authors specify the reference layout, follow those: they override the general APA layout. For the equivalent in other styles see the MLA works cited format guide, and for a funder-facing document see research proposal APA format. The general page-setup picture is in research paper format.
FAQ
How many inches is an APA hanging indent?
It is 0.5 inch. The Western Technical College library guide states that reference list entries should have a hanging indent of 0.5 inches, and the Monroe University guide sets Hanging, By 0.5″ in its Word and Google Docs steps.
How do I do a hanging indent in Word?
Select the entries, then Home, Paragraph settings launcher, Indents and Spacing, Special: Hanging, By: 0.5″ (steps above).
How do I do a hanging indent in Google Docs?
Select the entries, then Align & indent, Indentation options, Special indent: Hanging, 0.5 (steps above).
Does the hanging indent apply to the in-text citation?
No. It applies to the reference list only. In-text citations stay inside the sentence in the (Author, Year) form.
Do MLA and Chicago also use a hanging indent?
The Southern New Hampshire University library FAQ states that APA 7th, MLA 9th and Chicago 18th require hanging indentation for the reference list, without giving a measurement. For MLA details see the MLA works cited format guide.
Does a block quotation use a hanging indent?
No. A block quotation of 40 words or more is indented 0.5 inch from the left margin as a whole; it is not a hanging indent.
Sources
- Western Technical College Library, “APA 7 – Hanging indent”, https://westerntc.libguides.com/APA7/hangingindent (page shows last updated Oct 6, 2026; read 2026-10-29).
- Monroe University Libraries, “APA – References Page”, https://monroeuniversity.libguides.com/apa/ReferencesPage (page shows last updated Oct 8, 2026; read 2026-10-29).
- Southern New Hampshire University Library, FAQ on hanging indentation, https://libanswers.snhu.edu/faq/102115 (updated Aug 25, 2026; read 2026-10-29).
- American Psychological Association, Student Paper Setup Guide (7th edition), https://apastyle.apa.org/instructional-aids/student-paper-setup-guide.pdf (last updated October 8, 2025; read 2026-10-28).
- American Psychological Association, In-Text Citation Checklist (7th edition), https://apastyle.apa.org/instructional-aids/in-text-citation-checklist.pdf (read 2026-10-28).
- American Psychological Association, Reference Guide and Reference Examples (7th edition), https://apastyle.apa.org/instructional-aids/reference-guide.pdf and https://apastyle.apa.org/instructional-aids/reference-examples.pdf (last updated March 2026; read 2026-10-28).
