What is an in-text citation?
An in-text citation is a very important part of writing a paper or essay. You must always give credit when credit is due in order to avoid plagiarism. An in-text citation is used so readers know which source you used when providing specific information in your assignment or writing.
Basic Format:
(Author's Last Name or Organization, Year).
Example (1 author): Seasons change but the temperature is not longer as expected because of the ozone layer (Dane, 2003).
Example (2 authors): Time takes place in a bottle at 360 degree weather, then explodes (Carrol & Brodie, 2006).
Example (3 or more authors): Time takes place in a bottle at 360 degree weather, then explodes (Carrol et al., 2006).
Example (when you include the author's name in the text): Interestingly enough, Dane refers to explosives as a dangerous source (p. 223).
Example (group): (American Library Association [ALA], 2019) Please note that this example applies only to this citation's first use in the work. After you have spelled it out once, you may use the acronym alone in subsequent in-text citations. All citations of this source in the work after the first one above: (ALA, 2019).
Short quotations
If you are directly quoting from a work, you will need to include the author, year of publication, and page number for the reference. Include quotation marks.
Examples:
If the author's name is included in your text, use the example below:
Example: According to Gump (2011), "life is absolutely like a box of chocolates" (p. 199).
If the author’s name is not included in the text of the sentence, refer to the example below.
Example: He stated, "life is absolutely like a box of chocolates" (Gump, 2011, p. 199).
Example: He stated, "life is absolutely like a box of chocolates" (Gump, 2011, p. 199), and his friend was deep in thought.
Long or block quotations
Place direct quotations that are 40 words or longer in a free-standing block of text and exclude quotation marks. Start the quotation on a new line, indented 1/2 inch from the left margin. Maintain double-spacing throughout. The parenthetical citation should come after the closing punctuation mark.
Example:
In 2011, a gentleman sat down next to me while I was waiting for the bus. As I was sitting there, he was telling me a little bit about his life. He handed me a book to read, and there was a passage written by Thomas Geaner that I will never forget:
Life may be a bit challenging at times, but you cannot let the light inside you burn out. There is no mountain or
obstacle that you cannot overcome. You must enjoy your life and the people around you. Without people, you would
only be left alone with your thoughts. (p. 428)
After a block quotation revert back to regular APA formatting.