APA REPORTING GUIDE
How to report ANOVA results in APA style
An APA-style ANOVA report gives the F statistic with both degrees of freedom, the exact p value, an effect size, and the group means and standard deviations, followed by post hoc comparisons if the result is significant.Explore research statistics & data analysis →FORMULA OR CORE IDEA
F(df between, df within) = F value, p = .XXX, η² = .XXWORKED EXAMPLE
A one-way ANOVA showed a significant effect of teaching method on exam scores, F(2, 57) = 6.42, p = .003, η² = .18. Tukey post hoc tests indicated that the flipped-classroom group (M = 78.4, SD = 8.1) scored higher than the lecture group (M = 69.2, SD = 9.6), p = .002. The online group (M = 73.5, SD = 8.8) did not differ from either group (ps > .10).QUICK REFERENCE
APA ANOVA templates
Replace the bracketed parts with your own values.| Situation | Template | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Significant one-way ANOVA | F(2, 57) = 6.42, p = .003, η² = .18 | Follow with post hoc tests |
| Non-significant one-way ANOVA | F(2, 57) = 1.12, p = .334, η² = .04 | Still report the effect size |
| Welch's ANOVA (unequal variances) | Welch's F(2, 35.6) = 5.10, p = .011 | Denominator df is usually non-integer |
| Repeated-measures ANOVA | F(2, 58) = 9.84, p < .001, partial η² = .25 | Mention a Greenhouse-Geisser correction if sphericity is violated |
| Two-way ANOVA interaction | F(1, 76) = 4.37, p = .040, partial η² = .05 | Report each main effect and the interaction |
| Kruskal-Wallis (non-parametric) | H(2) = 8.21, p = .016 | Report medians instead of means |
STEP BY STEP
Name the test and the variables
Say which ANOVA you ran (one-way, two-way, repeated-measures), the independent variable (the groups), and the dependent variable (the outcome).
Report F with both degrees of freedom
Write F(between, within): between-groups df = k − 1 and within-groups df = N − k. With 3 groups and 60 participants that is F(2, 57).
Give the exact p value
Use p = .003 rather than p < .05. Only write p < .001 when the value is smaller than .001. Drop the leading zero because p cannot exceed 1.
Add an effect size
Report η² (eta squared) or partial η² for factorial designs. Rough guide: .01 small, .06 medium, .14 large (Cohen, 1988).
Describe the groups
Give the mean (M) and standard deviation (SD) for every group, in the text or in a table, so readers can see the direction of the difference.
Follow a significant result with post hoc tests
Name the post hoc test (Tukey HSD, Bonferroni, Games-Howell if variances are unequal) and report which pairs differ and their p values.
COMMON QUESTIONS
Frequently asked questions
Do I italicise F and p?
Yes. In APA 7, statistical symbols such as F, p, M, SD, and t are italicised. Greek letters such as η are not italicised.
How do I report ANOVA results in a table?
Use one table with columns for the source (between groups, within groups, total), SS, df, MS, F, p, and η². Put the descriptive statistics (n, M, SD per group) in a separate table or an extra row above.
Should I report F as F(2, 57) or F(2,57)?
APA uses a comma followed by a space between the two degrees of freedom: F(2, 57).
What if the ANOVA is not significant?
Report it the same way with the exact p value and effect size, state that the groups did not differ significantly, and do not run post hoc tests.