Footnotes are not mandatory according to APA 7th edition. However, you are able to use them if you need to provide additional information, content notes, or copyright attribution. 

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Inserting Footnotes 

When you insert a footnote number, it will appear as a superscript, meaning it will appear above the text. The footnotes will be automatically numbered consecutively throughout your document. Do not repeat the same footnotes. If you want to refer to a previous footnote, write “see Footnote 1,” for example, in the text or in parentheses.

  • Click on the end of the sentence or clause where you want to put the footnote number.
  • If the text ends with a dash, the footnote should come before the dash.
  • Click on the “References” tab.
  • Click on “Insert Footnote.”
screenshot of how to insert footnotes in ms word

Examples

  • Footnote number at the end of sentence: 

Photojournalism emerged during the early 20th century and began with Life magazine, founded by Henry Luce. The first issue was November 23, 1936, and its circulation rose to two million subscribers and readers in less than three years.1

  • Footnote number before a dash: 

The purpose of photojournalism is to convey the truth and depict objective reality. A photojournalist focuses on highlighting and emphasizing the image’s circumstances and situations—2something that is sometimes difficult to capture. 

  • Footnote at the end of the page:

When you insert the number in the text, it will also appear under a line at the bottom of the page. Write the information after the footnote number. The information should be single spaced.

Example

______________

1For more information on the life of Henry Luce, see Baughman, J. L. (2001). Henry R. Luce and the rise of the American news \media.  Johns Hopkins University Press. 

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Footnotes at the End of the Paper

Instead of putting footnotes at the end of each page, you can put them at the end of the paper. The footnotes should be after the reference page. 

  • The title “Footnotes” should be entered and bold.
  • The footnotes should be double-spaced.
  • List the footnotes in the order that they appear in the text. 
  • Indent the first line of each footnote. 

Example

Footnotes

            1For more information on the life of Henry Luce, see Baughman, J. L. (2001). Henry R. Luce and the rise of the American news \media.  Johns Hopkins University Press. 

            2 Photojournalists have taken advantage of new technology, such as social networks, to obtain stories. See Fuchs, C. (2021). Social media: A critical introduction. Sage.

Copyright Footnotes

You may want to use copyright sources; you will need to have permission from the copyright owner to include them in your paper. 

Copyright Footnote for a Journal

1 From or Adapted from “Title of Article,” by Author(s) first name(s) – initial(s), Year, Title of Journal, Volume (Issue – if available), p. xx. (URL- if available). Reprinted with permission or Adapted with permission.

Example

1From “How the iPad Changed my Life,” by R. J. Taylor and M. A. Schimmel, 2012, ​Educational Technology, ​5, p. 24. Reprinted with permission.

Copyright Footnote for a Book

2From or Adapted from Title of Book (edition or volume information, p. xxx), by Author(s) – first name(s) – initial(s). Year, Publisher. (URL – if available). Reprinted with permission or Adapted with permission.

Example

2Adapted from ​Intercultural Competence in Practice​ (p. 71), by B. Snyder and L. A. Crown. 2013, Sage Publications. Adapted with permission.

Copyright Footnote for a Website

3From or Adapted from “Title of Web Document,” by Author(s) – first name initial(s), Year, Website Name (If the author is the website group, then do not provide the website name.) (URL). Reprinted with permission or Adapted with permission.

3From “What is natural: Updated Food Labeling Modernization Act,” by Elaine Watson, 2021, Food Navigator-USA (https://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/Article/2021/08/05/What-is-natural-Updated-Food-Labeling-Modernization-Act-wades-into-one-of-the-most-contentious-issues-in-food-marketing?utm_source=copyright&utm_medium=OnSite&utm_campaign=copyright). Reprinted with permission.

Note: For additional information, refer to sections 2.12-2.18 in the APA manual, 7th edition.