7th Edition
Numbers and Statistics Guide
Numbers
see Publication Manual Sections 6.32–6.35 for guidelines on using numerals vs. words
• Use numerals (1, 2, 3, etc.) for the following: • Use words (zero, one, two, three, etc.) for the
following:
° numbers 10 and above; see exceptions in the next
section ° numbers zero through nine (e.g., five members);
numbers used in statistics (e.g., 2.45, 3 times see exceptions in the previous section
°
as many, 2 x 2 design) ° numbers beginning a sentence, heading, or title
numbers used with units of measurement (e.g., Sixty participants volunteered for)
°
(e.g., 7-mg dose, 3-in. increments) ° common fractions (e.g., one half, one fifth,
times (e.g.,1 hr 34 min), ages (e.g., 2 years old), and a two-thirds majority)
°
dates (e.g., March 6) ° universally accepted phrases (e.g., Twelve
scores and points on a scale (e.g., score of 6, Apostles, Five Pillars of Islam)
°
5-point Likert scale) • Combine numerals and words to express back-to-
° exact sums of money (e.g., $10 in compensation) back numerical modifiers (e.g., ten 7-point scales, 2
two-way interactions).
° numbers used as numerals (e.g., the numeral 4 on
the chart) • Commas in numbers
° numbers denoting a place in a numbered series ° Use commas between groups of three digits in
(e.g., Grade 6, Items 2 and 3, Row 4) most figures of 1,000 or more.
° parts of books (e.g., Chapter 1) ° Do not use commas in page numbers, binary
table and figure numbers (e.g., Figure 1, digits, serial numbers, degrees of temperature,
°
Table 2) degrees of freedom, and acoustic frequencies
above 1000.
• Plurals of numbers
° Add “s” or “es” (without an apostrophe) to form
plural numerals or words (e.g., fours, sixes, 1950s,
Ms, ps).
° Do not make symbols or measurement
abbreviations plural (e.g., 3 cm, not 3 cms).
Decimals Statistics
see Publication Manual Section 6.36 for guidelines on see Publication Manual Sections 6.40–6.45 for
decimal places guidelines on reporting statistics
• Put a zero before the decimal point when • Do not repeat statistics in both the text and a
a number is less than 1 but the statistic table or figure.
can exceed 1. • In tables and figures, report exact p values (e.g.,
• Do not use a zero before a decimal when the p = .015), unless p is < .001 (instead write as
statistic cannot be greater than 1 (proportion, “<.001”).
correlation, level of statistical significance). • Put a space before and after a mathematical
• In general: operator (e.g., minus, plus, greater than, less than).
For a negative value, put a space only before the
° Report means and standard deviations for data
minus sign, not after it (e.g., –8.25).
measured on integer scales (e.g., surveys and
questionnaires) to one decimal. • Use the symbol or abbreviation for statistics with
Report other means and standard deviations a mathematical operator (e.g., M = 7.7).
°
and correlations, proportions, and inferential • Use the term, not the symbol, for statistics
statistics (t, F, chi-square) to two decimals. in the text (e.g., “the means were”).
° Report exact p values to two or • Use italics for letters used as statistical symbols
three decimals (e.g., p = .006, p = .03). or algebraic variables (e.g., contained 587 t-test
° However, report p values less than .001 p values; R2 = .12)
as “p < .001.” • However, use standard (nonitalic) type for Greek
• Keep in mind that these are general guidelines letters. See Publication Manual Table 6.5 for
and that the most important consideration when specific examples.
deciding the number of decimal places to use in • Do not define symbols or abbreviations that
reporting results is the following: Round as much represent statistics (e.g., M, SD, F, t, df, p, N, n,
as possible while considering prospective use OR) and abbreviations or symbols composed of
and statistical precision. See Publication Manual Greek letters. See Table 6.5.
Section 6.36 for additional guidelines.
• Define other abbreviations (e.g., AIC, ANOVA,
BIC, CFA, CI, NFI, RMSEA, SEM). See Table 6.5.
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American Psychological Association. (2024). APA Style
Last Updated September 11, 2024 numbers and statistics guide. [Link]
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More information on APA Style can be found in the Publication Manual of the
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Style (7th ed.). providing the inspiration for this content.