Citations
Table of Contents
What are In-Text Citations?
When referring to a quote or paraphrasing text from an author’s work, make sure to include in-text citations to indicate the source of quoted or paraphrased text and avoid plagiarism. By doing so, you will be directing readers to the full citation and acknowledging the author’s original contribution.
Remember: even if you don't mean to plagiarize, it is your responsibility to give credit where it is due. Take some extra time to ensure that you haven't (accidentally) copied from another author.
There are two variations of in-text citations: parenthetical and narrative citation
Parenthetical Citation
In a parenthetical citation, the author and date appear in parentheses at the end of a sentence. Include the author’s surname and the publication year.
Narrative Citation
In a narrative citation, the author’s name appears in a running text and the date is included following the author’s name.
Direct Quotations
This is a quotation where you are directly copying word for word from another author. Direct quotations are used to further explain your idea or add greater support or meaning to your writing.
If available, add page numbers when directly quoting from a resource and apply the following rules:
Add "p." for a single page.
Add "pp." for multiple pages.
Add "para." for the paragraph number (if page numbers are not available).
Parenthetical Example
Narrative Example
Paraphrasing
These are quotes that are summarized in your own words. Paraphrasing allows writers to blend multiple sources and further support their papers. It isn't required to add a page or paragraph number, however, if you'd like to direct readers to the specific source, you may include it in your citation.
Parenthetical Example
Narrative Example
Block Quotations
These are quotations of 40 words or more. They are formatted in a block of text, rather than blended within the text itself.
Indirect Quotes
These are quotes cited from another resource outside of the original source you are using. It is recommended to avoid citing indirect quotes in writing; however, if applied, locate the original source of the quote and include "as cited in [author's surname]" followed by the year of publication.
Parenthetical Example
Narrative Example
Author/Authors In-Text Citation
Based on the resource or number of authors, there are variations in formatting an in-text citation. Review the chart and video below to compare the different standards of in-text citations.
Basic APA 7 Guidelines |In-Text Citation
In-Text Citation and Reference Chart
Citation Chart updated.pdfReference List
The purpose of a reference list is for readers to locate sources cited in your paper. The reference list appears at the end of your paper from a new page titled “References” in bold, aligned in the center, and double-spaced. Every source cited in your paper must be included on this page. Here are the basic guidelines for formatting your reference list:
Basic APA 7 Guidelines|References
Double-space the entire page without adding extra space between each reference.
Each reference should include a hanging indentation. All subsequent lines after the first line of each reference should be indented one-half inch from the left margin.
Each reference should be listed alphabetically by the first letter of the first author’s last name.
Include the initials of the first and/or middle name of the cited author. Only the last name should be fully written out.
The order of the author’s name should be inverted. Begin with their full last name followed by a comma, then the initials of their first name, followed by a period, then the initials of their middle name, ending with a period.
For example, John Adam Smith will appear as “Smith, J. A.”
If there are multiple sources cited by the same author, list the references in chronological order meaning from the earliest to the most recent.
The first letter of the source's title should be capitalized as well as the first letter of the first word that follows after a colon or a dash. The rest of the title should remain in lower case letters. Apply these guidelines to books, chapters, articles, reports, and web pages.
Basic Rules for Journal Articles
These guidelines apply to articles found in an academic journal. The title of the article and the title of the academic journal are formatted differently.
To avoid any confusion, let’s break down the rules:
The academic journal title should be italicized whereas the article title isn't italicized or underlined.
Any punctuation or capitalization used in the title of the academic journal should remain as is and left untouched.
All major words in an academic journal must be capitalized, and that includes the subtitles and proper nouns of the title. On the other hand, articles will follow the same title guidelines applied to books, chapters, articles, reports, and web pages.
Include the volume of the academic journals in italics.
Add the issue of the academic journal and page range of the article which are both left and non-italic.
The DOI, or Digital Object Identifier, should be presented as a link.