How to Format DOI in APA Style (APA 7th Edition Update)

The American Psychological Association (APA) introduced the 7th edition of the APA Publication Manual in October 2019. This edition replaced the previous one, the 6th edition of the manual. Since then, several things have changed. The latest edition also updated the formatting of digital object identifiers (DOI) in APA Style. This article addresses when to include DOIs and uniform resource locators (URLs) in APA Style references.

29.11.2020

How to Format DOI in APA Style (APA 7th Edition Update)

APA Style

APA is the official style of documentation of academic sources used by the American Psychological Association (APA). It is considered one of the most commonly used styles in the academic field. It is especially used for citing sources within the field of social and behavioral sciences.

7th Edition of the APA Manual

The American Psychological Association (APA) introduced the 7th edition of the APA Publication Manual in October 2019.  This edition replaced the previous one, the 6th edition of the manual. Since then, several things have changed. The latest edition also updated the formatting of digital object identifiers (DOI) in APA Style. This article addresses when to include DOIs and uniform resource locators (URLs) in APA Style references.

What is A Digital Object Identifier (DOI)?

A DOI is a string of numbers, letters, and symbols that are used to identify a work or document and link to it on the web. The aim of a DOI is to help readers locate a document from the author’s citation. It is a unique number, and it will always refer to that article. Even if a web address (URL) changes, the DOI will never change.

What is A Uniform Resource Locator (URL)?

A URL is a short form for a uniform resource locator. A URL for a website is the location of a specific website, page, or file on the Internet. Theoretically, each valid URL points to a unique resource such as an HTML page, a CSS document, or an image.  According to Mozilla, ‘‘with hypertext and HTTP, URL is considered one of the key concepts of the Web. It is the mechanism used by browsers to retrieve any published resource on the web.’’ 

Where to Find the DOI?

In most recently published articles, the DOI information is printed with the article itself. When the DOI cannot be found in the article, check Crossref.org to find the information. Crossref aims to make research outputs easy to find, cite, link, assess, and reuse. One of Crossref services is to register DOIs, and researchers should follow their guidelines for the display of DOIs.

The company summarizes its aims to rally the community; tag and share metadata; run an open infrastructure; play with technology; and make tools and services—all help put scholarly content in context.

Format DOI in APA Style (APA 7th Edition Update)

DOIs are Formatted the Same as URLs in the 7th Edition of the APA Manual

Most journal articles and books have a Digital Object Identifier (DOI) assigned to them. This unique identifier is stable (it does not change over time) and makes retrieving a source easier for readers.

In the 6th edition of the APA Manual, DOIs are formatted according to the initial recommendations from Crossref. The 6th edition of the APA Manual requires the following format: doi:10.0000/3mp7y-537. Effective 2017, Crossref has updated its DOI display guidelines in part to ensure security (with HTTPS).

  • With the APA Manual 7th edition, DOIs are formatted the same as URLs.

  • DOIs are formatted as hyperlinks.

  • To make your DOI hyperlinked, you should add the https://doi.org/ before the actual DOI, the number starting with 10. 

  • You need to use the https://doi.org/ beginning rather than older versions, such as http://dx.doi.org/

APA 6th edition

doi:10.0000/3mp7y-537

APA7th edition

https://doi.org/10.0000/3mp7y-537

If you need help, then contact us!

Best Edit & Proof expert editors aim to provide your manuscripts with proper scholarly and academic tone and style. They will significantly improve the chances of having your research manuscript accepted for publishing. They provide subject-area proofreading and editing services in several fields categorized under various disciplines. With our extensive knowledge and expertise, we will help you find the right tone and style for your manuscript.

If you need our subject-area editors to format your manuscripts, giving you the fundamental rules for formatting your manuscripts as described in your guidelines, such as APA, MLA, or Chicago/Turabian styles, then contact us. At Best Edit & Proof, our proofreaders and editors edit every type of academic paper. We have a user-friendly website and a simplified ordering process. 

If you would like our subject-area editors and language experts to work on your project for the improvement of its academic tone and style, then please visit the order page. It is easy! It takes only a few minutes to submit your paper and complete the process. Click here to see how it works.

DOI in APA Style (APA 7th Edition Update)

We have flat-rate pricing based on our type of service (editing or proofreading), word count, and turnaround time. Enter your word count or copy and paste your document into our pricing calculator to get an instant quote.

24/7 customer support | Live support

If you need support for editing and proofreading services, contact us. You can also e-mail us or use the 24/7 live chat module to get direct support. We have a 24/7 active live chat mode to offer you direct support along with qualified editors to refine and furbish your manuscript. Alternatively, you can text us through our WhatsApp business line.

Stay tuned for updated information about editing and proofreading services!

Follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn,  Facebook, Instagram, and Medium.

For more information about the citation styles and APA style, read the following articles: 

For more posts, click here.

This article discusses how to format the DOI according to the 7th edition of the APA Manual Publication. To give you an opportunity to practice your proofreading, we have left a few spelling, punctuation, or grammatical errors in the text. See if you can spot them! If you spot the errors correctly, you will be entitled to a 10% discount.

They Also Read

Academic Writing Academic Publishing
Top 5 Free Online Journal and Research Databases for Academics
29.11.2020

Research databases are the foundation of any dissertation or research paper. Scanning through previous findings and research is a key factor while compiling your research proposal or a thesis. Here we discuss the top 5 free online journal and research databases for academics.

Continue Reading
Academic Writing Academic Publishing
How to Choose the Right Research Design
29.11.2020

There are various types of research designs that researchers can opt for. However, to opt for the right design, you first need to know the differences. Also, do not forget that the type of design depends on various variables from your research. Therefore, understanding these variables is of importance. If you are new to academic work or are just here to refresh your memory, this article has just the right content for you. Today, we will focus on the different types of research designs.

Continue Reading
Academic Writing
Types of Academic Writing: Language Features | Purposes
29.11.2020

For every academic scholar, whether a high school student or a doctoral candidate, understanding the different types of academic writing and knowing when and how to implement them is crucial. Academic writing is broadly classified into 4 distinct categories: analytical, descriptive, persuasive, and critical writing. Each of these categories has certain defining features and different purposes; however, an academic document can feature the usage of more than one of these types in conjunction.

Continue Reading
Academic Writing
5 Common Research Writing Mistakes: Tips to Avoid Them
29.11.2020

Writing a research paper involves scrutinizing a plethora of research material to bring forth plausible conclusions. However, no matter the degree of impeccability and thoroughness of the research, successfully transmuting it into words takes a grave amount of practice and endurance. Thus, it is not uncommon to see amateur and even veteran scholarly writers commit research writing mistakes in their papers now and then. Following the narrative, this article will describe 5 research writing mistakes that frequently blemish the works of academic writers. It will also shed some much-needed light on the tips to amend and avoid these mistakes.

Continue Reading
Academic Writing
Business Writing vs Academic Writing: Four Primary Differences
29.11.2020

Some might say that the only difference between academic and business writing is the fact that the former is practiced by scholars while the latter by professionals. However, when perused closely, one can discern some stark as well as nuanced demarcation between the two. For individuals, such as college graduates, who need to occasionally shift between academic writing and business writing, knowing these differences can help them format their respective documents appropriately.

Continue Reading
Academic Writing Job & Research Application
How to Write an Effective Cover Letter for a Resume: 10 Effective Tips
29.11.2020

There are several naive job seekers who waste their valuable time and energy designing their resumes instead of writing an eye-catching cover letter. It is too often people looking for a job neglect the importance of a cover letter. This article shows you 10 tips to write a persuasive cover letter for a resume and presents a short guide that will help you draft an impeccable cover letter for a resume.

Continue Reading
Academic Writing Dissertation & Thesis Researching Statistics
How to Determine Variability in a Dataset
29.11.2020

The central tendency, mean, median, and mode depict where most data points concentrate, while variability illustrates how far they are. It is exceedingly crucial because the amount of variability demonstrates the generalization one can make from the sample to the population. Low variability is desirable because it implies that predicting information about the population using sample data is well-justified. Contrarily, high variability illustrates decreased consistency, making data predictions harder.

Continue Reading