You have run the analysis. Now you need to write it up, and APA style has strict, slightly fussy rules about how statistics appear in text and tables. This guide collects the formatting rules and copy-ready templates for the most common tests, based on the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (7th edition).
Every tool on FreeStatisticalTools.com produces APA-formatted tables and a suggested results sentence, so you can use these templates to check and adapt that output.
In this guide
General formatting rules
Symbols
- Italicize statistical symbols that are Latin letters: M, SD, t, F, p, r, n, N, df, b, SE, d.
- Don't italicize Greek letters (α, β, η², χ²) or abbreviations that are not variables (CI, AVE, CFI, RMSEA).
- Use N for the total sample and n for a subsample.
Numbers and decimals
- Report most statistics to two decimal places (M = 3.47, t = 2.31).
- No leading zero for values that cannot exceed 1: p = .032, r = .45, α = .82, η² = .13.
- Use a leading zero for values that can exceed 1: d = 0.56, b = 0.42, SD = 0.91.
- Report exact p-values to two or three decimals (p = .032). For very small values, write p < .001, never p = .000.
Confidence intervals
Give the level the first time and use square brackets: 95% CI [0.21, 0.49]. Later in the same paragraph you can write just [0.21, 0.49].
Degrees of freedom
Put them in parentheses after the symbol: t(58), F(2, 57), χ²(1, N = 120).
Templates by test
Replace the bracketed parts with your own values.
Descriptive statistics
Participants (N = 214; 61% female) were aged 18 to 34 years (M = 22.6, SD = 3.1).
Independent samples t-test
The intervention group (M = 74.6, SD = 9.8) scored higher than the control group (M = 68.9, SD = 10.4), t(60) = 2.22, p = .030, 95% CI [0.6, 10.8], d = 0.56.
Full guide: independent samples t-test · Tool: t-test calculator
Paired t-test
Anxiety scores decreased from before (M = 42.3, SD = 8.1) to after the programme (M = 37.9, SD = 7.6), t(39) = 3.85, p < .001, dz = 0.61.
Tool: paired t-test calculator
One-way ANOVA
Scores differed across teaching methods, F(2, 57) = 4.32, p = .018, η² = .13. Tukey post hoc tests showed that the problem-based group scored higher than the lecture group (p = .016).
Full guide: one-way ANOVA · Tool: ANOVA calculator
Chi-square test of independence
There was a significant association between age group and recommendation, χ²(2, N = 300) = 20.68, p < .001, Cramér's V = .26.
Full guide: chi-square test · Tool: chi-square calculator
Correlation
Study time was positively correlated with exam scores, r(148) = .42, p < .001, 95% CI [.28, .54].
The degrees of freedom for a correlation are N − 2. Tool: correlation calculator
Multiple regression
The model explained 41% of the variance in exam scores, F(3, 146) = 33.82, p < .001, R² = .41. Study hours (β = .39, p < .001) and prior GPA (β = .29, p < .001) were significant predictors.
Full guide: interpreting multiple regression
Logistic regression
Higher BMI was associated with higher odds of diabetes, OR = 1.12, 95% CI [1.07, 1.18], p < .001.
Full guide: logistic regression and odds ratios
Mann-Whitney U test
Ratings were higher in the chat group (Mdn = 5.5) than in the email group (Mdn = 4.5), U = 108, z = 2.15, p = .032, r = .35.
Full guide: Mann-Whitney U test
Mediation
The indirect effect of training on performance through self-efficacy was significant, ab = 0.15, 95% bootstrap CI [0.09, 0.21] (5,000 resamples).
Full guide: mediation with bootstrapping
Moderation
Social support moderated the effect of workload on burnout, b = −0.15, SE = 0.05, p = .003, ΔR² = .02.
Full guide: moderation and simple slopes
Reliability
The five-item engagement scale showed good internal consistency (α = .84, ω = .85).
Full guide: Cronbach's alpha
CFA and SEM fit
The measurement model fit the data well, χ²(164) = 312.45, p < .001, CFI = .962, TLI = .956, RMSEA = .055, 90% CI [.046, .064], SRMR = .041.
Explainer: model fit indices · Tool: CB-SEM Studio
APA tables: a checklist
- Table number in bold above the table (Table 1), with the title on the next line in italic title case.
- Horizontal lines only: above and below the column headings and at the bottom. No vertical lines.
- Same number of decimals within a column.
- Note below the table explaining abbreviations and significance markers (for example, *p < .05, **p < .01).
- Refer to every table in the text ("as shown in Table 2").
The tools export tables in this format, ready to paste into Word or Google Docs.
Don't forget to cite your software
APA style asks you to cite software that was used for the analysis. For tools on FreeStatisticalTools.com, each tool page has an APA and BibTeX citation, for example:
Frequently asked questions
How do you write a p-value in APA 7?
Report the exact value to two or three decimals without a leading zero, such as p = .032. For values below .001, write p < .001. Italicize the p.
Do you put a zero before the decimal in APA?
Only for statistics that can be greater than 1, such as means, SDs, t values and Cohen's d. Leave out the zero for values that cannot exceed 1, such as p-values, correlations and Cronbach's alpha.
How many decimal places should I use in APA?
Two decimal places for most statistics. P-values can have two or three; report very small ones as p < .001.
Should I italicize statistical symbols?
Italicize Latin-letter symbols such as M, SD, t, F, p, r and n. Do not italicize Greek letters (α, β, χ², η²) or abbreviations such as CI and RMSEA.