Clear, Practical Examples of How to Format Footnotes in APA Style

Let’s skip the theory and go straight to what you probably typed into Google: examples of how to format footnotes in APA style that you can copy and adjust.

Imagine you’re writing this sentence in an APA paper:

Many participants reported higher stress levels when using social media late at night.¹

At the bottom of the page, the matching footnote could look like this:

1 Additional survey items are available from the author upon request.

That’s the basic pattern: a superscript number in the text, and a numbered note at the bottom of the same page, double-spaced, in the same font as the rest of your paper.

Now let’s build out more examples of how to format footnotes in APA style, step by step.

Common APA Footnote Types (With Real Examples)

APA (7th edition) recognizes two main kinds of footnotes: content footnotes and copyright/permissions footnotes. Here are real-world style examples of each.

1. Content footnote explaining extra detail

You use this when a side comment or clarification would interrupt the flow of your paragraph.

In-text:

The study was conducted over three academic terms² at a large public university.

Footnote at the bottom of the page:

2 The terms included Fall 2023, Spring 2024, and Summer 2024, each lasting approximately 15 weeks.

This is a clean example of how to format footnotes in APA style when you want to clarify timing, definitions, or context without clogging up your main sentence.

2. Content footnote for a definition

In-text:

We defined heavy social media use³ as more than 3 hours per day on any platform.

Footnote:

3 Time spent on messaging apps (e.g., WhatsApp, Messenger) was included in this total.

Here, the footnote provides a precise definition without breaking the rhythm of your paragraph.

3. Footnote for additional data or materials

In-text:

A full list of survey items is available online.⁴

Footnote:

4 The complete survey instrument and scoring instructions are available in the online supplemental materials at the journal website.

If you’re posting materials online (for example, in an institutional repository or OSF), you could include a URL:

4 The complete survey instrument is available at https://osf.io/xxxx/.

(The APA Publication Manual encourages stable, persistent links when you share data or materials.)

4. Footnote for a copyright or permissions statement

This type shows up a lot when you reproduce a test, scale, or figure.

In-text, under a table or figure caption:

Figure 1

Self-Compassion Scale Scores by Age Group⁵

Footnote (usually directly under the figure, not at the bottom of the page):

5 Adapted from “The Self-Compassion Scale,” by K. Neff, 2003, Self and Identity, 2(3), p. 225. Copyright 2003 by Kristin Neff. Adapted with permission.

This is one of the best examples of how to format footnotes in APA style for copyright: you credit the source, mention adaptation, and note that you obtained permission.

5. Footnote for a translation or explanation of a non-English term

In-text:

Participants reported higher levels of tristeza⁶ following exam periods.

Footnote:

6 Tristeza is a Spanish term that roughly translates to “sadness,” but in this context also includes feelings of discouragement and disappointment.

This keeps your text readable while still giving a nuanced explanation.

6. Footnote for a methodological caveat

In-text:

The sample included 214 undergraduate students from a single institution.⁷

Footnote:

7 Because the sample was drawn from one large Midwestern university, the findings may not generalize to students at community colleges or smaller private institutions.

This is a neat example of how to format footnotes in APA style when you want to acknowledge a limitation without derailing your main argument.

7. Footnote for a brief legal or ethical note

In-text:

All procedures were approved by the university’s Institutional Review Board (IRB).⁸

Footnote:

8 The study protocol was approved by the [University Name] IRB (Protocol #2024-117). Participants provided informed consent before taking part in the study.

This kind of note is common in psychology, education, and health-related research.

How to Place and Format Footnote Numbers in APA

Now that you’ve seen several examples of how to format footnotes in APA style, let’s talk about the tiny superscript numbers that make it all work.

APA has a few clear expectations:

• The footnote number in the text appears as a superscript.
• It comes after any punctuation, except a dash.
• It goes after closing quotation marks.

So you would write:

This pattern has been described as “academic burnout."⁹

not:

This pattern has been described as “academic burnout⁹.”

At the bottom of the page:

9 The phrase “academic burnout” is used here to refer to emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced sense of accomplishment.

APA also recommends using Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3…) and numbering footnotes consecutively throughout the paper.

Layout and Spacing: Making APA Footnotes Look Professional

Even the best examples of how to format footnotes in APA style will look off if the layout is sloppy. Here’s what APA 7th edition expects for the actual note at the bottom of the page:

• Same font as the rest of your paper (usually 12-point Times New Roman or 11-point Calibri).
• Double-spaced, like the body text.
• Indent the first line of the note like a normal paragraph.
• Align the superscript number at the start of the note, followed by a space, then the text.

So a page with two notes might look like this:

1 Additional demographic details are available from the corresponding author.

2 This analysis excluded participants who did not complete the posttest.

If you’re using Word, Google Docs, or similar, use the built-in Insert Footnote feature. It will handle numbering and placement for you.

When APA Wants You to Use Footnotes (and When It Doesn’t)

Here’s the twist: APA is actually pretty conservative about footnotes. According to the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 7th edition and the APA Style website, footnotes should be used sparingly.

Good times to use them:

• To add a short, helpful clarification.
• To note additional data, materials, or a methodological caveat.
• To provide a copyright or permissions statement under a table or figure.

Bad times to use them:

• To avoid citing sources properly (that belongs in the text and reference list).
• To dump long tangents or mini-essays at the bottom of the page.
• To add material that most readers need to understand your argument.

If the information is important for your main point, keep it in the body. If it’s helpful but extra, a footnote might be perfect.

For current guidance straight from the source, check the official APA Style site: https://apastyle.apa.org

Updated 2024–2025 Practices: Digital, Online, and Classroom Trends

In 2024–2025, more students are writing for online or hybrid contexts, and that slightly shifts how footnotes get used:

• Many journals and online platforms convert traditional footnotes into endnotes or hyperlinked notes. The basic APA formatting stays the same, but the platform decides where the notes appear.
• In learning management systems (Canvas, Blackboard, etc.), instructors sometimes prefer inline explanations instead of footnotes because they display better on phones.

Still, if your professor says “Use APA, including footnotes,” they almost always mean the style you’re seeing in these examples of how to format footnotes in APA style: superscript numbers in the text, matching numbers at the bottom of the page, and clear, concise notes.

If you’re writing in psychology, nursing, education, or public health, you might also see footnotes in published APA-style articles, especially for:

• Permissions for tests, scales, or clinical tools.
• Clarifications about diagnostic criteria (for example, referencing DSM-5-TR).
• Notes about data availability or preregistration.

For health and clinical research, organizations like the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also publish guidance on ethical reporting and transparency, which often intersects with how you document permissions and data access. You can browse NIH’s guidance at https://www.nih.gov and CDC’s research resources at https://www.cdc.gov.

Comparing Footnotes and In-Text Citations in APA

A common beginner mistake is trying to use footnotes instead of in-text citations. In APA, that’s not how it works.

APA’s default is:

• In-text citations for every source you quote, paraphrase, or refer to.
• A reference list at the end of your paper.
• Footnotes only for extra commentary or permissions, not as a replacement for citations.

For example, this is correct APA style:

Recent research suggests that sleep quality is strongly associated with academic performance (Walker, 2017).

If you wanted to add an extra note, you might write:

Recent research suggests that sleep quality is strongly associated with academic performance (Walker, 2017).¹⁰

Footnote:

10 Walker (2017) provides a detailed overview of sleep and learning in Chapter 6, with a particular focus on adolescents.

The citation stays in the text; the footnote just adds color.

If you want a refresher on in-text citations and references, many university writing centers have excellent APA guides. For instance, Harvard’s Writing Center and various U.S. universities offer up-to-date APA tutorials; you can explore Harvard’s resources at https://writingcenter.fas.harvard.edu.

Putting It All Together: A Short Paragraph With Multiple APA Footnotes

Here’s a mini-paragraph that pulls together several examples of how to format footnotes in APA style so you can see them working in context.

The study examined the relationship between late-night screen use and perceived stress among college students at a large public university in the Midwest.¹¹ Participants completed an online survey that included standardized measures of stress, sleep quality, and social media engagement, as well as several open-ended questions.¹² Although the sample was relatively diverse in terms of race and gender, it did not include nontraditional students over the age of 30.¹³ A modified version of the Perceived Stress Scale was used with permission from the original author.¹⁴

Footnotes at the bottom of the same page:

11 Data were collected between October 2023 and March 2024.

12 The full survey, including open-ended items, is available in the supplemental materials.

13 Nontraditional students were excluded because the original research question focused on traditional-age undergraduates.

14 Adapted from the Perceived Stress Scale by S. Cohen. Used with permission.

This cluster gives you four different, realistic examples of how to format footnotes in APA style that you can easily adapt to your own work.

FAQ: Short Answers and More Examples of APA Footnotes

How many footnotes can I use in an APA paper?
APA doesn’t set a hard limit, but the manual advises using footnotes sparingly. If every page is crowded with notes, you’re probably pushing too much information out of the main text.

Can you give an example of a very short APA footnote?
Yes. In-text: “All participants received a small incentive.¹⁵” Footnote: “15 Participants received a $10 digital gift card.” That’s a clean, one-sentence example of how to format footnotes in APA style for incentives.

Do I need footnotes for every table and figure in APA?
No. You only use footnotes under tables and figures when you need to explain abbreviations, show probability levels (like p < .05), or provide a copyright or permissions statement. Otherwise, the table or figure can stand on its own.

Are APA footnotes different in student papers vs. professional manuscripts?
The basic formatting is the same. The main difference is that professional manuscripts are more likely to include copyright and permissions footnotes for tests, scales, and images. Student papers usually use footnotes for brief clarifications or extra details.

Can I put references only in footnotes, like in Chicago style?
No. APA expects in-text citations and a reference list. Footnotes are for commentary or permissions, not for replacing the citation system.

If you keep these patterns and examples of how to format footnotes in APA style nearby while you write, you’ll be able to add clarifications, caveats, and permissions without stressing over every little superscript number. Treat the examples as templates, adjust the wording to fit your project, and you’ll be in solid APA territory.