In-text citations in APA Style
In-text citations in APA Style
- If you use something second hand, you must make it clear. The following examples are intended to clarify this point:
- Some fact (Smith, as cited in Jones, 1982): You are citing an author indirectly as you don’t have the exact source of the author. Instead, you are citing the author in another source written by another author.
- Note that in this example, only the Jones reference would be placed in the reference section.
- While using (et al.), you should use a plural verb.
- Numerous ways to formally cite a reference in the text:
- Some fact (last name, year)
- Last name (year) noted that…
- In <year>, <last name> reported that…
- The first time the reference is cited in the text, spell out all of the authors’ last names. For example, Miller, Rosellini, and Seligman (1975) suggested that…
- With articles that have three or more authors, use the Latin abbreviation et al., for “and others” when the reference is cited a second or (third) time. E.g., Miller et al. (1975) suggested that…
- Verbs of Citations:
- Argue – note – propose – maintain – say – mention – put forward – state – declare – add – stipulate – conclude – report.
- If the citation is in parentheses and you need to use the word “and”, use the ampersand “&” instead. If the citation is not in parentheses, you must use the word “and”. E.g., (Estes & Skinner, 1940) have suggested that…
- Estes and Skinner (1940) have suggested that…
- Multiple citations in parentheses are placed alphabetically and are separated by a semicolon and a space:
- Some fact (Carlson, 1972; Moon, 1968; Partin, 1980).
- Specifically, articles with one or two authors include all names in every in-text citation; articles with three, four, or five authors include all names in the first in-text citation but are abbreviated to the first author name plus et al. upon subsequent citations; and articles with six or more authors are abbreviated to the first author name plus et al. for all in-text citations.
