APA line spacing: double spacing and the exceptions
Quick answer
APA 7 line spacing is double (2.0) for the whole paper: title page, body, block quotes and reference list. Do not add extra space before or after paragraphs. Text in tables and figures may use single, 1.5 or double spacing, whichever reads best.
What is the line spacing in APA 7?
Double, or 2.0. It applies to the title page, abstract, body text, block quotes and the reference list. No blank lines are added between paragraphs.
Where can spacing change?
| Element | Spacing |
|---|---|
| Body text | Double |
| Block quotes | Double |
| Reference list | Double |
| Table and figure content | Single, 1.5 or double |
| Footnotes | May be single |
When in doubt, use double spacing.
How do I set it in Word?
- Select all text (Home, Select, Select All).
- Open Paragraph on the Home tab.
- Choose Double for line spacing.
- Enter 0 pt for spacing Before and After.
Step 4 is the one people forget. Without it, Word adds space after every paragraph even if the line spacing is double.
What is the difference between line spacing and paragraph spacing?
Line spacing is the distance between lines inside a paragraph. Paragraph spacing is the gap between one paragraph and the next. APA wants double line spacing and zero paragraph spacing.
Why does APA use double spacing?
Double spacing leaves room between lines so a reader can mark, annotate or correct on paper. It is a habit from scientific journals that carried over to student papers. APA applies it to the whole document and allows exceptions only where double spacing gets in the way, such as tables and notes.
How do I tell Double from 2.0 in Word?
Word offers a few similar options, and it helps to know the difference.
| Option | What it does | Fine for APA? |
|---|---|---|
| Double | Leaves a full blank line between lines | Yes |
| Multiple, 2.0 | Behaves like Double in most cases | Yes |
| Exactly, 24 pt | Fixes the distance in points | Only if it matches your font size |
| 1.5 lines | One and a half lines | No, except in tables |
"Exactly" can clip large letters or leave too much space if you change fonts. "Double" avoids both problems.
Which elements are double-spaced?
- Body text, paragraph by paragraph.
- Headings at every level.
- The title page, line by line.
- Block quotes.
- The whole reference list, entry by entry.
- The abstract, if the paper has one.
- Appendices that contain running text.
Which elements can use different spacing?
Text inside tables and figures may be single, 1.5 or double spaced, whichever reads best. Footnotes may be single-spaced. Code blocks and equations have their own rules. Do not use this freedom to fit more text into fewer pages: the goal is readability.
How do I stop Word from adding paragraph spacing?
Recent Word templates add 8 points after each paragraph, and sometimes 10 points before headings. To remove it:
- Select all text.
- Open Home, Paragraph.
- Enter 0 pt for Before and After.
- Clear "Don't add space between paragraphs of the same style" if it is checked.
- If you use styles, modify the Normal and Heading styles so they carry those values.
Another option is to switch the style set to "No Spacing" on the Design tab and then apply double spacing.
How do I do it in Google Docs?
Go to Format, Line & paragraph spacing, and choose Double. Then open Custom spacing and enter 0 for space before and after paragraphs. To make it the default for new documents, open Format, Paragraph styles, Options, and save the changes as default styles.
Which mistakes are common?
- Pressing Enter twice instead of setting line spacing. It creates empty lines that drift when the text changes.
- Double-spacing the body but leaving references single-spaced. APA wants double spacing in the reference list too.
- Leaving extra space before a heading. A heading does not get a blank line above or below.
- Changing spacing to reach a page count. If the instructor asks for 10 pages, write what you need in the right format.
- Pasting text with its own spacing. Select the pasted text and apply the document's format again.
How do I check the whole document?
Select all text and open Paragraph. If the line spacing box is empty, the values are mixed. Apply Double again and check tables and text boxes, which sometimes keep older formatting.
What should I do before submitting?
Scroll through the final file and look for pages that seem too dense or too loose. A dense page usually means single spacing crept in from pasted text; a loose page usually means a stray blank line or an extra page break. Fix each one at the source, then export to PDF and check the result again, because layout can shift when the file is converted.
Checklist
- Double spacing throughout
- Spacing before and after set to 0 pt
- References and block quotes also double-spaced
- Tables and figures readable
Frequently asked questions
How do I set double spacing in Word for APA?
Select all the text, open Paragraph on the Home tab, choose Double under Line spacing, and set Before and After to 0 pt. The last step matters because Word adds 8 pt after paragraphs by default.
Is there a space between paragraphs in APA?
No. Paragraphs are marked by the first-line indent, not by a blank line. Set spacing before and after paragraphs to 0 pt in your word processor, because Word adds space after paragraphs by default.
Is APA 1.5 or 2 line spacing?
Double spacing (2.0) is the rule for the text. The 1.5 option appears only for table and figure content, where APA lets you choose single, 1.5 or double to keep the display readable.