Easy Guide for APA In-Text Citations

As a student or a research writer, you may have to work with the APA style. It is the most common citation style that is used throughout the social sciences. 

Citations ensure that your ideas are backed by reputable sources while giving credit to the original authors. So, how do we write proper citations in APA?

In this guide, we will walk you through the rules of APA in-text citations and make it simple for you. Whether you're new to APA format or just need a refresher, we've got you covered.

So let’s dive in!

APA In-text Citations 7th Edition: The Fundamentals

APA style uses the author-date citation system. That is, the source is referred to by its author and the year of publication. 

The in-text citation appears within the body wherever the source is quoted or paraphrased. These short citations guide the reader to its reference list entry, where complete information about the source is provided. Citations are essential in an academic paper to avoid plagiarism.

Here are the basics you need to know:

• Location of In-text Citations:

The citations must be included whenever a source is used. It may be within the body of the text, tables, figures, or whenever you refer to a specific source. 

• Author-Date Format

The author's last name and the publication year are essential in an APA citation. They are enclosed within parentheses (parenthetical citation) or mentioned appropriately within the sentence (narrative citation). 

• Including Every Cited Work in the Reference List

Every work cited in the paper must have a corresponding entry in the reference list, and vice versa. This ensures that readers can easily locate the full publication details of any cited source.

Let's go in-depth into each of these parts.

When Should You Use In-Text Citations?

Understanding when to use in-text citations is essential for maintaining academic integrity. Citations should be placed immediately after the sourced material.

Let's explore the situations in which you should use in-text citations.

When You Quote Directly

Whenever you include a word-for-word quotation from a source, you should use an in-text citation to attribute it to the original author. The citation should include the author's last name, publication year, and the page number (if available) where the quote can be found.

When You Paraphrase or Summarize

When you rephrase or summarize ideas, concepts, or findings from a source, you must acknowledge the original author. Even though you are using your own words, the ideas belong to someone else, and an in-text citation is necessary.

When You Reference Specific Information

Whenever you refer to specific data, statistics, or facts from a particular source, you should provide an in-text citation. This allows readers to verify the information and explore the source further. You can present these facts or data either in text form or make tables and figures.

How to Use In-text Citations 

In APA style, there are two primary ways to incorporate in-text citations: parenthetical citations and narrative citations. Both methods effectively attribute credit to the original sources, but they differ slightly in how they present the source. 

Let's explore how to use these two types of in-text citations.

Parenthetical Citations

Parenthetical citations involve placing the necessary citation information within parentheses at the end of a sentence or paragraph immediately after the cited material. 

Here are some APA in-text citation examples:

• One Author

When a work has a single author, provide the author's last name and the publication year.

• Two Authors

When a work has two authors, list both authors' last names with an 'and' symbol (&) between them and include the publication year.

• Three or More Authors

When a work has three or more authors, use the first author's last name followed by "et al." (meaning "and others") and the publication year.

• Group or Organization as the Author

When the author is a group or organization, use the full name or acronym of the group in the citation.

• Multiple Sources by the Same Author and Year

Differentiate between multiple sources by the same author and year by adding lowercase letters (a, b, c, etc.) after the publication year in the in-text citation.

• No Author

For sources with no individual author or an anonymous author, use the first few words of the title in the in-text citation. Italicize the title and use quotation marks for articles, chapters, or web pages.

• No Date

If the publication date is not available, use "n.d." (meaning "no date") in the in-text citation.

• Include Page Numbers (if applicable):

When quoting directly from a source or referring to specific information on a particular page, include the page number in the in-text citation. Place the page number after the publication year, separated by a comma. 

Narrative Citations

Narrative citations offer an alternative way to incorporate in-text citations, providing a more fluid approach to attributing sources within your writing. Unlike parenthetical citations, narrative citations integrate the author's name into the sentence, followed by the publication year in parentheses.

Let's explore the rules and examples of APA in-text citation format for narrative citations.

• One Author

When the work has a single author, use the author's last name as part of the sentence and include the publication year in parentheses.

• Two Authors

For works with two authors, mention both authors' last names as part of the narrative, followed by the publication year in parentheses.

• Three or More Authors

When a work has three or more authors, include the first author's last name followed by "et al." (meaning "and others"), along with the publication year in parentheses.

• Group or Organization as the Author

Use the full name or acronym of the group as part of the sentence, followed by the publication year in parentheses. 

• Multiple Sources by the Same Author and Year

Differentiate between multiple sources by the same author and year by adding lowercase letters (a, b, c, etc.) after the publication year in the narrative citation.

• No Author

For sources with no individual author or an anonymous author, use the first few words of the title in the narrative citation. Italicize the title and use quotation marks for articles, chapters, or webpages, followed by the publication year in parentheses.

• No Date

If the publication date is not available, mention "n.d." (meaning "no date") after the author's name in the narrative citation.

• Including Page Numbers

When quoting directly from a source or referring to specific information on a particular page, include the page number after the publication year in the narrative citation.

• Use Signal Phrases and Reporting Verbs

Signal phrases and reporting verbs can be employed to introduce in-text citations smoothly. Signal phrases indicate that you are referencing a source while reporting verbs attribute actions or ideas to specific authors.

Reference List

The reference list in APA provides a comprehensive list of all the sources you cited in your research. The list comes at the end of your paper, and it allows others to access and validate the information you used in your writing. 

The reference list follows specific formatting guidelines in APA style. Let's delve into the details of creating a well-formatted reference list. 

Basic Format

This is the basic APA format for a reference list:

• The reference list begins on a new page, separate from the main body of your paper.
• The title "References" appears at the center-top of the page.
• All the sources cited or referenced in the paper are listed in alphabetical order by the authors' last names. If there is no author, use the title of the source as the first element.
• Use hanging indent.

Formatting Different Types of Sources

An entry in the reference list presents necessary information about the sources. However, each entry is formatted differently based on its type. 

Here is how you format your entries in the reference list.

• Books

Format: 

Author(s) Last name, Initials. (Publication Year). Title of Book. Publisher Name.

Example: 

Smith, J. A. (2021). The Science of Psychology: Exploring the Human Mind. Academic Press.

• Journal Articles

Format: 

Author(s) Last name, Initials. (Publication Year). Title of Article. Title of Journal, Volume Number(Issue Number), Page Range. DOI or URL

Example: 

Johnson, K. L., & Brown, S. M. (2019). Understanding Cognitive Processes. Journal of Cognitive Psychology, 25(3), 123-145. doi:10.1080/12345678.2019.1234567

• Webpages

Format: 

Author(s) Last name, Initials. (Publication Year). Title of Webpage. Website Name. URL

Example: 

World Health Organization. (2022). Global Health Report. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/globalhealthreport

• Online Journal Articles with DOI

Format:

Author(s) Last name, Initials. (Publication Year). Title of Article. Title of Journal, Volume Number(Issue Number), Page Range. DOI

Example: 

Miller, R. T., Lee, P. Q., & Smith, A. B. (2020). New Advances in Neuroscience. Neuroscience Journal, 10(2), 78-92. doi:10.1080/09876543.2020.09876

• Online Journal Articles without DOI

Format: 

Author(s) Last name, Initials. (Publication Year). Title of Article. Title of Journal, Volume Number(Issue Number), Page Range. URL

Example: 

Brown, S. M., & Johnson, K. L. (2018). Advances in Biomedical Research. Biomedical Journal, 5(1), 45-60. Retrieved from https://www.biomedicaljournal.com/article123

• Edited Books or Anthologies

Format: 

Editor(s) Last name, Initials (Ed(s).). (Publication Year). Title of Book. Publisher Name.

Example: 

Anderson, L. S., & Jackson, M. J. (Eds.). (2019). Advances in Social Psychology. Academic Press.

Here is an example of a correctly formatted APA reference page:

Here's a video you can watch about in-text citations:

To Sum Up,

You need to learn the rules of APA in-text citations if you want to uphold scholarly integrity. The fundamental principles of the APA style, such as the author-date citations, play a pivotal role in enhancing the credibility of academic writing. 

Having read this guide, you can now use both parenthetical and narrative citations effectively. You can seamlessly integrate external sources into your work while maintaining clarity and coherence.

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