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  • Parenthetical Citation | APA, MLA & Chicago Examples

Parenthetical Citation | APA, MLA & Chicago Examples

Published on May 9, 2022 by Eoghan Ryan . Revised on August 23, 2022.

A parenthetical citation gives credit in parentheses to a source that you’re quoting or paraphrasing . It contains information such as the author’s name, the publication date, and the page number(s) if relevant.

Parenthetical citations are used in many citation styles, including MLA , APA , and Chicago .

Parenthetical citations should be placed at the end of the sentence or clause that contains the cited material, and they must always correspond to a full entry in your reference list.

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Table of contents

Parenthetical citations in mla, parenthetical citations in apa, parenthetical citations in chicago, frequently asked questions about parenthetical citations.

MLA in-text citations are described as author-page citations. This means that the parentheses contain the author’s last name and a page number or page range.

When a source has two authors , include both names and put “and” between them. For sources with more than two authors , include only the first author’s name, followed by “ et al. ”

Cite page numbers using a page range if you are citing multiple consecutive pages. If the pages are not consecutive, include all relevant page numbers, separated by commas.

Scribbr Citation Checker New

The AI-powered Citation Checker helps you avoid common mistakes such as:

  • Missing commas and periods
  • Incorrect usage of “et al.”
  • Ampersands (&) in narrative citations
  • Missing reference entries

parenthetical citation how to

APA in-text citations   are described as author-date citations. This means that parenthetical citations should contain the author’s last name , the publication date , and, if applicable, a page number or page range. These elements should be separated by commas.

When a source has two authors , include both names and separate them using an ampersand (&). When a source has more than two authors , include only the first author’s name, followed by “et al.”

When citing specific pages, write “p.” before a single page number and “pp.” before a page range or series of nonconsecutive pages.

Narrative vs. parenthetical

APA also makes a distinction between parenthetical and narrative citations . You can use a mixture of the two in your text.

In a narrative citation, the author’s name appears as part of your sentence, introducing the cited information with a signal phrase. Only the publication date (and page numbers if included) appears in parentheses.

Both parenthetical and narrative citations are automatically generated when you cite a source using Scribbr’s Citation Generator .

Chicago author-date style (not to be confused with Chicago notes and bibliography ) uses author-date citations.

These are parenthetical citations containing the author’s last name , the publication date , and, if applicable, a page number or page range. Include a comma after the year, but not after the author’s name.

When a source has two or three authors , include each of their names in your in-text citation. For more than four authors , include the name of the first author only, followed by “et al.”

A parenthetical citation gives credit in parentheses to a source that you’re quoting or paraphrasing . It provides relevant information such as the author’s name, the publication date, and the page number(s) cited.

How you use parenthetical citations will depend on your chosen citation style . It will also depend on the type of source you are citing and the number of authors.

In a parenthetical citation in MLA style , include the author’s last name and the relevant page number or range in parentheses .

For example: (Eliot 21)

APA Style distinguishes between parenthetical and narrative citations.

In parenthetical citations , you include all relevant source information in parentheses at the end of the sentence or clause: “Parts of the human body reflect the principles of tensegrity (Levin, 2002).”

In narrative citations , you include the author’s name in the text itself, followed by the publication date in parentheses: “Levin (2002) argues that parts of the human body reflect the principles of tensegrity.”

A parenthetical citation in Chicago author-date style includes the author’s last name, the publication date, and, if applicable, the relevant page number or page range in parentheses . Include a comma after the year, but not after the author’s name.

For example: (Swan 2003, 6)

To automatically generate accurate Chicago references, you can use Scribbr’s free Chicago reference generator .

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.

Ryan, E. (2022, August 23). Parenthetical Citation | APA, MLA & Chicago Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved February 22, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/citing-sources/parenthetical-citation/

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  • Document Format

Introduction to Parenthetical Citations

Formatting the parenthetical citation, sample parenthetical citations.

  • Reference Entries

The function of a parenthetical citation--also known as an in-text citation--is twofold: (1) it unambiguously directs readers to a source listed on the works cited page, and (2) it provides the specific location within the source of the information being cited. In an effort to disrupt reading as little as possible, parenthetical citations are often but not always placed at the end of a sentence.

A typical in-text citation has two components. The first component mirrors the start of a source's entry on the works cited page. It allows readers to move from an in-text citation to a corresponding reference entry, where the source's publication information resides. The first component is usually the author's last name; t he second is usually a page number.

parenthetical citation how to

The parenthetical citation in the example above indicates that the quotation comes from page 202 of a work by Cicero. B ecause the first component of a parenthetical citation corresponds to a reference entry, r eaders can easily locate the publication information for the source. In this case, readers will locate Cicero's name in the alphabetical list of works cited at the end of the paper.

Textual integration : Keep in mind that there is always some interplay between the text of a sentence and and its parenthetical citation. Specifically, if an author is mentioned in the body of a sentence, his or her name does not need to be repeated in a parenthetical citation, for it is already clear from what source the borrowed material originates. The examples below show three different ways that an author's name might be integrated into the body of a sentence. Note that p age numbers are still indicated in parenthesis . 

Rhetoric without philosophy, according to Cicero, is but "an empty and ridiculous swirl of verbiage" (202).

In  De Oratore , Cicero says that rhetoric--when not joined by philosophy--is "an empty and ridiculous swirl of verbiage" (202).

Cicero argues that the art of rhetoric, unless reunited with the discipline of philosophy, provides little more than "an empty and ridiculous swirl of verbiage" (202).

Textual flow : Most  parenthetical citations appear at the end of a sentence. Such placement is ideal because it does not substantially disrupt the flow of reading. Such placement is not always possible, however, without abandoning the precision of a citation. In the following example, two different ideas from two different pages are cited within the same sentence. A single parenthetical citation at the end of the sentence would not be sufficient here, as it would not be absolutely clear which information came from which page.  In  these types of   situations ,  MLA guidelines dictate that parenthetical citations be placed at natural pauses in the sentence and as close to the cited material as possible.  The solution here is to place a parenthetical citation after each idea or point. The citations are not only close to the cited material but also appear at natural pauses (e.g., at a comma, at a period).

In  Gorgias , Plato accuses the sophists of practicing a form of verbal manipulation, one which deliberatively deceives the audiences (69), in an attempt to secure personal advantage (75).

​ Not every source has a single author and numbered pages. Accordingly, not every source can be cited in the exact manner outlined above. The following section will provide sample parenthetical citations for the types of sources that researchers are likely to encounter.

One author : A source by a single author lists the author's surname and the page number(s) of the cited material.

(Cicero 202)          (Quintilian 353-54)

Two or more authors : If a source has two authors, each author's surname is listed in the parenthetical citation, joined by the coordinating conjunction "and." If a source has three or more authors, only the first author's surname is listed, followed by "et al ."  (the abbreviation for  et alia,  Latin for "and others"). Because it is a common Latin abbreviation, "et al." should not be italicized.

(Bizzell and Herzberg 33)            (Losh et al. 7-10)

Multiple authors with same last name : If a writer uses two or more sources by authors with the same surname, parenthetical citations must include the first initials of said authors.

(K. Burke 245-46)          (E. Burke 22)

Multiple works by the same author : If two or more works by the author are used, parenthetical citations must also include a title or shortened title of the work. Note that titles of articles are in quotes and those of books are italicized.

(Richards, "Learning" 251)          (Richards,  Philosophy  3-5)          (Richards, Practical Criticism  174)

Corporate authors : Parenthetical citations for corporate authors simply list the corporation's name. If the corporation has an especially long name, it is acceptable to use the first few words of the name or to use abbreviations.

(Pew Research Center 3-5)          (Washington Institute 12)          (NORML 2)

Government authors : When a government agency is the author, a parenthetical citation will include the name of the government and the name of the agency that produced the work.

(United States, Department of Education 82)          (United States, Center for Disease Control 10)

Works with no author : If a work is not attributed to an author, the parenthetical citation will still list the first element of the works cited entry. Instead of an author, the first element is typically the title of the work. If the title is long, use only the first few words of the title.

( Beowulf  16; XIV)          ("Good Riddance" 16A)

Works of prose with multiple editions : Popular and oft-studied literary works are frequently available in multiple editions. To assist readers in locating cited material, it is customary to include division numbers. Divisions can be books, chapters, sections, etc. For prose works, division numbers are provided in addition to page numbers, which are listed first. The two are separated by a semicolon.

(Vonnegut 109-10; ch. 5)          (Plato, Republic  94-95; 398a)          ( Beowulf  16; XIV)

Works of poetry : For verse, division and/or line numbers replace page numbers. Divisions can be books, chapters, sections, etc.  For a long verse work with multiple divisions, give the division number and line, separated by a period. For shorter verse works, give only line numbers. NB: When citing divisions and lines, the first parenthetical citation for a source should include the name or abbreviation of the division and the word "line" or "lines," separated by a comma. Thus establishing the use of divisions and lines for that source , subsequent citations will only include referenced line numbers. 

(Dickinson, line 6)           (Dickinson 11-12)           (Homer, bk. 9, lines 366-67)          (Homer 9.366)

Works of drama : Parenthetical citations for dramatic works are built the same way as the previous two categories. If the drama is written in prose, it follows the guidelines for works of prose with multiple editions. If the drama is in written in verse, it follows the guideline for poetry.

(McDonagh 84; scene 9)          (Shakespeare, Macbeth  5.11.28-30)

Scriptural works : Parenthetical citations for sacred works use divisions and lines in lieu of page numbers. For the Bible, specifically, give the abbreviated name of the book being cited, followed by appropriate chapter and line number, separated by a period. To establish the use of a specific translation or version of the text, the first reference of the source--and only the first--should echo the first element of its works cited entry.

( New English Bible , Gen. 1.27)          (Gen. 2.22-23) 

Paragraph numbers : If a source has numbered paragraphs, they may be used to identify the location of cited material. Numbered paragraphs are sometimes present when page numbers are not, especially in online sources. Do not count and label paragraphs yourself; only use paragraph numbers when the source explicitly provides them. Writers signify that they are using paragraph numbers with the abbreviation "par." or "pars."

(Center for Academic Integrity, par. 9)          (Straw, pars. 9-10)

No page numbers : When a source has no page numbers--or other such numbers or divisions that identify textual location--simply provide the name of the author.

(Robinson)          (Stefaniak)

Time-based media : Audio and video recordings are cited by time or time range. Use HH:MM:SS format to indicate hour(s), minute(s), and second(s) into the recording.

(Clapton 00:02:32)          (Harrison 00:03:05-22)          (Scorsese 01:22:00-23:15)

Indirect citation :  When a writer is quoting a quotation from another source, he or she should mention the name of the primary author in the body of the text but provide citation information for the secondary source parenthetically. Precede the secondary source with "qtd. in" to indicate that the quote is provided secondhand. 

Léonard Misonne explains the concept: "Light glorifies everything. It transorms and ennobles the most commonplace and ordinary subjects. The object is nothing: light is everything" (qtd. in Sussman 19).

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APA Style 7th Edition

Citation Basics

Citing Quoted Material

Quoting a source with no page numbers, when to use page numbers in an in-text citation.

  • Using "et al." in Parenthetical Citations

Citing One Author Throughout One Paragraph

Using signal phrases, citing multiple sources in the same parentheses.

  • Direct Quote From a Slide Presentation

Citing an Item in a Museum

Citing images in a presentation.

  • Citing an Article or Website with Unknown Author

Abbreviating Organizational Authors

Multiple sources from the same author with the same publication year.

  • Non Recoverable Information (personal communication)

Secondary Citation

  • Reference List Citations
  • Reference List - Web Resources
  • Changes from APA 6th ed.
  • Bias-Free Language
  • Slide Decks: Citations and References

In-text (also called parenthetical) citations follow the author-date citation system in APA style. The author and date of a reference appear in parentheses when referred to in the text of a paper, like this (Smith, 2016) .

When a work does not have an author, use the first few words of the title of the reference in its place.  

(Do not pull words from the middle of the title; it needs to be the first few because this is how readers will match your in-text citation to the reference list.)

For articles, chapters, and web pages, put the title in quotation marks.  For books, brochures, and reports, put the title in italics. Examples:

(“Article title beginning”, 2016) or ( Book title , 2011) .

You can also work a citation into the flow of the sentence, but the author (or title) and year always stay together. For instance:

As Garcia (2016) states in her groundbreaking work...

If the author of a work is named as "Anonymous," this title takes the place of the author name in the citation. For example:

(Anonymous, 2019)

Read on for more guidelines and tips for citing specific types of sources in-text.

Paraphrasing is preferred to direct quotations, but occasionally using an author’s exact words is desirable.  In that situation, you want to direct the reader to the exact location of the quote by including a page number in the parenthetical notation :

(Garcia, 2016, p. 57)

If you use the author’s name in the text of the paper, wait until the end of the quote to insert the page number:

As Garcia (2016) states in her groundbreaking work, “hallucinations provide windows into the neural underpinnings of visual awareness in these patients” (p. 57).

If the quote spans multiple pages, use "pp." instead, like this

(Wong, 2014, pp. 21-22)

If you need to quote a website or other material that does not have page numbers or chapters, use any of the following location information instead: (p. 273)

  • Consistent with data from recent flu seasons, "the overall hospitalization rate for the season increased to 29.7 per 100,000" (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2020, Severe Disease section).
  • In the Federal Drug Administration's (FDA) Technology Modernization Action Plan (2020), "[modernization] of FDA's technology infrastructure will involve dynamic, enterprise-wide collaboration among Agency programs" ("Building the Foundation" section).
  • Western countries are experiencing problems on where to send their recyclable waste. Until 2018, "China used to accept 55% of the world's plastic and paper waste" (British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) 2020, para. 2).
  • Makena, a drug to prevent premature birth, may be taken off the market because "Makena's manufacturer struggled to compete with the cheaper, compounded 17P" (Huetteman 2020, "How Makena cornered the market" section, para. 26).

Note: Kindle location numbers are no longer required with in-text citations. Instead, provide the page number or any of the information listed above. 

For audiovisual works, cite the time stamp of when the quotation began in place of where you would normally cite a page number. 

  • Habits are "mental associations that we form when we repeat an action over and over again in a given context and then get a reward" (Wood, 2020, 15:15).

Page numbers are only required for direct quotations. However, there may be times when you may want to refer to a specific part of a source, in which case you can include page numbers in your parenthetical citation. It is not mandatory, though, to include page numbers for segments that do not have a direct quotation.

... the study dropout rate was a disappointing 50% (Smith & Jones, 2016, p. 3).

For more see page 269 in the APA manual.

Using "et al." in Parenthetical Citations

If you are citing a source with three or more authors, you need to use "et al." in your citations. In APA 6, a work with between three and five authors would be listed the first time, with the use of "et al." each subsequent time the in-text citation was used. In APA 7, any in-text citation with three or more authors will use "et al.".  

In text, a citation with more than three authors can be parenthetical:

Reference list errors are prevalent in scholarly journals (Onwuegbuzie et al., 2011).

Or it can be part of the narrative:

Onwuegbuzie et al. (2011) used content analysis to determine that reference list errors are prevalent in scholarly journals.

Similar to APA 6, for works with a group author with an abbreviation, the first citation will spell out the author, followed by the abbreviation in brackets. For example: 

(American Psychological Association [APA], 2020)  or  American Psychological Association (APA, 2020)

Subsequent citations will use the abbreviation only. For instance,

(APA, 2020)  or  APA (2020) 

If you’re citing the same author/source repeatedly throughout one paragraph, inserting multiple citations is technically correct but lacks flow and readability. For example,

Dogs are man’s best friend (Smith, 2015). In a randomized controlled trial, dogs preferred their owners to all other people (Smith, 2015). The results of this study have implications for dog behavior (Smith, 2015). However, the study also had a small sample size, so more research into this area is necessary (Smith, 2015).

Alternatively, using the author's name in your writing can make the paragraph flow better and prevent you from having to repeat the citation subsequent sentences. (Also see p. 174 in the APA manual.) For example,

Smith (2015) notes that dogs are man’s best friend. In a randomized controlled trial conducted by Smith, dogs preferred their owners to all other people. The results of his study have implications for dog behavior. However, his study also had a small sample size, so more research into this area is necessary.

The technique of using authors' names in the text of your paper is also helpful when you want to  compare the work of two or more authors  and make be citing them alternately throughout a paragraph. For example,

Smith (2015) notes that dogs are man’s best friend. In a randomized controlled trial conducted by Smith, dogs preferred their owners to all other people. Lincoln's (2016) work built on this idea even further and provided some evidence of variation in levels of preference based on amount and type of training the dog had received. Her study revealed that dogs who had spent time in formal training programs with their owners showed a higher the preference for those owners than dogs who had participated in more informal training. The results of both studies have implications for dog behavior and the possible causes for variations in that behavior (Lincoln, 2016; Smith, 2015). However, both studies also had small sample sizes, so more research into this area is necessary.

The examples above for  Citing one Author Throughout a Paragraph  use what are called  signal phrases  to alert the reader that the writer is about to use information from an outside source. For example:

According to Smith (2017)... As noted by Watson and Holmes (1884)... Roberts (2000) discovered...

Signal phrases are a handy tool to help you indicate what content of your paper is coming from an outside source and which parts are your own original analysis. 

For more on using signal phrases, read  this short guide  from the GMU Writing Center.

And  see suggested words  to use in your signal phrases.

Sometimes you will want to make a general statement about two or more of the studies you read, especially if they had similar conclusions. To do that, just include each set of authors and dates in your parentheses, in the same order they appear in your reference list (i.e. alphabetically), and separated by semicolons.

The research shows an increase in birth rates for this particular population (Farhad & Engel, 2015; Pak, 2013; Sanchez, Chopra, & Martin, 2016).

Direct Quote from a Slide Presentation

If you are directly quoting text from a slide presentation, include a slide number and a paragraph number (if necessary), so that anyone reading your paper will be able to quickly and easily find your source.

(Smith, 2015, slide 12, para. 2)

If the item in a work of art or other piece with a known creator, use the same structure as you would for a written work with an author:

(Van Gogh,1889)

If the item's creator is unknown, use the same structure as you would for a written work with an unknown author, and use the title/description in its place:

(Gastroscope, ca. 1940)

("ca" stands for circa, for dates that have been approximated)

Citing A Museum Wall Sign

(Museum of Fine Arts, 2015)

All images in a presentation must be treated the same as figures would be in a written paper. You can think of each presentation slide as a page in an APA style paper. An image should have a caption. A caption contains :

  • The title of the image, i.e. Figure 1, Figure 2, etc.
  • A brief description of the image, followed by (optional) any additional information necessary to explain the figure.
  • Adapted from Original Work, by Creator, Year, URL
  • A copyright statement.

Here is an example of a figure with a caption that you might put in a presentation:

That is the information that goes on the slide where the image appears. You must also cite the image in your reference list. Please see  Citing Digital Images .

These are the basics of using and citing images. For complete rules and details, see section 7.26 in the official APA manual. 

Citing an Article or Website with an Unknown Author

When an article or webpage doesn’t have an author listed, use the title of the article in place of the author, both in-text and in your reference list. See above for more info on citing websites without an author.

(“Ativan (Lorazepam),” 2012)

When citing an organization as author, such as the CDC or WHO, you may use the organization’s acronym throughout the paper after you’ve spelled it out completely at least once. For example,

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, 2016), asthma is…

One in 13 people has asthma (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2016).

Whether you spell it out in text or in a parenthetical citation, it only needs to be done once, with the acronym immediately following in parentheses or brackets.

Occasionally, you may have multiple sources with the same author and the same publication year. To distinguish these sources from each other, you add a lowercase letter after the year, in alphabetical order of where the references appear in the reference list. For example,

(CDC, 2017a)

According to the CDC (2017b)

Non Recoverable Information (Personal Communication)

When citing a source that cannot be recovered, such as your personal notes or a conversation, cite the source in a parenthetical citation with the author, followed by a personal communication designation and the date:

(J. Smith, personal communication, August 8, 2016)

Do not cite personal communication in the reference list.

Quoting something that is quoted in a paper you’ve read is called a secondary citation .  They are not recommended in APA; so it would be better if you could find the original source and quote directly from it.  However, if you have to because the original document is out of print, no longer exists as it did at the time of citing, not in English, or is otherwise unattainable, put the article you actually read in the reference list.  

Then in the text of the paper, the primary citation would appear in the reference list, but the secondary citation would not. Cite the secondary citation as you normally would in author-date format.

Alternatively your text could mention the original source, and it would look something like this:

The Transcultural Nursing Society’s mission statement (Ray, 2013, p. 143) states “to enhance the quality of culturally congruent, competent, and equitable care that results in improved health and well-being for people worldwide”…

Note: APA 6 used the term "as cited in" to cite secondary sources. APA 7 no longer uses this term.

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parenthetical citation how to

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APA Style, 7th Edition

  • Introduction
  • Chapters & Other Parts of a Book
  • Theses, Dissertations, & DMin Projects
  • Citation Generators
  • Paper Formatting
  • Reference List Formatting
  • Parenthetical or In-text Citations

Parenthetical and Narrative Citations in APA

8.12 multiple works in one citation, 8.14 unknown or anonymous author, 8.17 number of authors in in-text citations, 8.19 works with the same author and date, 8.20 authors with the same name, 8.21 group authors.

  • Quoting and Paraphrasing
  • Additional Resources

It is very important to insure that any item listed in a parenthetical or in-text citation corresponds to an item in your reference list.  Make certain that author, title, and publication information are listed exactly the same in both citation types.

APA uses parenthetical or in text citations where the last name of the author, date of publication, and specific page or chapter are placed in parentheses within the text. Examples may be found in  APA section 8. 

Most parenthetical citations, placed immediately after a quotation or paraphrase, must include the following elements as shown in section 8.10-11.

  • Include only the author's last name without any initials or suffixes followed by a comma.
  • Include only the year of publication.
  • When citing a specific quotation, idea, or figure from a specific page of the source, indicate the page number, chapter, or figure or table number after the publication year with a comma in between.  The word page may be abbreviated but not chapter or figure. See 8.13 for additional examples.
  • Place all elements in parentheses with the period after the closing parentheses.

Narrative citations incorporate the author and publication date within the sentence. In most instances, the author's name will be given and the publication date placed in parentheses immediately after. In some instances, the date may be included in the sentence without parentheses. 

When utilizing multiple sources in a single instance, group all of the sources together in a single note. Sources should be listed alphabetically in the order found in the reference list and separated by semicolons. 

List two or more works by the same author in chronological order

To highlight specific works that are particularly relevant to your point, place those works first in alphabetical order. Then use a semi-colon and the phrase see also before listing additional citations also in alphabetical order.

If citing multiple sources in a sentence as a narrative citation, no specific order is required.

If no author is listed, refer to the work by title within the text and parenthetical citation.

If the author is officially listed as "anonymous," APA indicates that word should be treated as the author's real name in both the parenthetical citation and reference list.

  • For one or two authors, include both author names in every citation. 
  • For three or more authors, include the name of the first author followed by et al.
  • The exception is when using et al would create confusion because more than one reference begins with the same authors.
  • In those cases, write out all of the names until there is a difference. 
  • If there are multiple authors remaining, use et al.
  • If there is only one additional author, write out that name as well.
  • Use an ampersand (&) between names for two authors and before the last author's name when multiple authors are listed.
  • In a narrative citation, write out the word and .

References by the same author with the same publication date should be listed in chronological order by the specific date and then place a lower case letter immediately after the year in the in-text citation. 

When citing more than one work by authors with the same last name, include the author's initials in all text and parenthetical citations in order to differentiate between works.

If a group name has a familiar abbreviation, include the abbreviation in brackets after the full name for the first usage and then utilize the abbreviation for the following citations. 

If two groups share the same abbreviation and both groups are cited in a paper, spell out both group names every time. 

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  • Citation Styles

What is a parenthetical citation

What is a parenthetical citation

Knowing how to handle parenthetical citations is a key skill that students and researchers need to master. This citation format, also sometimes referred to as an in-text citation, comes into play whenever you need to directly quote or paraphrase someone’s work in your essay or research paper.

In parenthetical citations, the original author or speaker’s words need to be given proper importance through referencing. The reader needs to be able to tell whose work it is, when it was created, and where it was sourced from. 

By placing the reference directly into the text itself, the reader is also spared the effort of having to check the footnotes at the end of the paper while reading it.

This guide will be taking a closer look at the best practices for parenthetical citations that you need to know about before you tackle your next paper. The guidelines laid out below will give you all the information and examples you need to use and format a parenthetical reference the right way:

What does a parenthetical citation look like in APA format?

A typical parenthetical citation is made up of a few different parts, including:

  • The author’s name
  • The year of publication
  • The page number

In practice, this will look a little something like this in-text citation example:

Modern architecture systems still rely on dynamic principles (Moseley, 2016) .

An alternative way to structure your parenthetical citation, in this case, would be to state it as:

Elhai et al. (2017) found that smartphone use could lead to depression based on current consumption levels (p.75).

There are a few things to be aware of when using parenthetical citations. If there is no known author, for example, does the method of citation need to be adjusted?

The answer is that the basic structure will remain largely the same. When no author can be found, the title of the work and year of publication needs to be included following the format shown above. If the title within the quotation marks is exceptionally long, it can be shortened for the purpose of being an in-text citation.

Check out these APA style resources

🌐 Official APA style guidelines

🗂 APA style guide

📝 APA citation generator

What does a parenthetical citation look like in MLA format?

The MLA style of parenthetical citation has many parallel elements to the APA format. The only major difference to be aware of is that the page number is cited rather than the date of publishing, and there is no comma separating the pages from the author's last name.

In practice, this would look like the in-text citation example below:

Running regularly can have significant health benefits (Lee et al. 45) .

Again if there is no author to be found, a shortened version of the original title or source can be used as a placeholder instead.

Check out these MLA style resources

🌐 Official MLA style guidelines

🗂 MLA style guide

📝 MLA citation generator

This table summarizes the main differences between parenthetical citations in APA and MLA:

Where are parenthetical citations used?

We’ve already mentioned that parenthetical references are sometimes known as in-text citations, which tells you exactly where you’ll need to add your sources. No matter which citation style you are using, these rules will apply.

The majority of parenthetical citations are placed within the paragraph that contains the direct quote, but this is not the only place that they need to be noted down. Your in-text citations will still need to be added to the final Reference list found at the end of your essay or paper as a bibliographical citation.

The state of paraphrasing

Let’s talk about what happens when you’ve taken information from a source and rephrased it in your own words instead of using a direct quote. How do parenthetical citations apply in this situation and what guidelines should you be aware of?

To start with, it’s important to bear in mind that the original author or source still needs to be cited even if you use a paraphrased version of their work. Taking the examples from the MLA section above, let’s see how this would look in action:

Incorrect running technique has been linked to lower back injuries (Greco et al. 1796) .

Be sure not to skip this step if you are paraphrasing. Giving fitting credit to your sources when using a direct quotation is one of the backbones of academic writing and honesty, and not doing so hurts both the author and you as the writer of the paper. After all, citing correctly only adds more strength and credibility to your argument or thesis.

What about online sources?

With the academic world becoming increasingly connected to technology, many research journals are now being published exclusively on online platforms. Scholarly journal articles, magazine articles, E-books, and other sources have all gone digital to huge benefit - increased accessibility.

Using an online source can have an impact on how in-text citations are written. Not all of these journals or online articles come with clear page numbers, for example. At the same time, it’s unrealistic to expect the reader to go through the entire source looking for the one point you have referenced.

So what do you do in this situation? You make use of the paragraphs instead. When you’re referencing an electronic source, you can use an abbreviation to highlight the paragraph that you are referring to. Take a look at this example:

The New York Times explored the performance of Amanda Gorman at the inauguration and how she started out in poetry ("Amanda Gorman Captures The Moment, In Verse" par. 10) .

Frequently Asked Questions about Parenthetical citations

The difference is that the parenthetical citation will feature the author's name and the date of publication in brackets at the end of the sentence. An in-text citation can, on the other hand, use the author's name in the sentence and only add the date of publication in brackets at the end of the sentence.

The parenthetical citation always corresponds to a full citation in the 'References' or 'Works Cited' section at the end of the paper. These references are cited in alphabetical order, using the author's last name.

It's best to use page numbers when you are making use of a direct quote, with a dash being used for page ranges. If you are paraphrasing the wording, you can add the parenthetical citation without page numbers.

Parenthetical notes indicate to the reader what the original source of the content is when citing research in your paper. This allows them to quickly check the citation and get further background about the point you are making.

Put the parenthetical citation immediately after the quote or at the end of the sentence that contains it. You should not put the parenthetical citation inside the quote, or use it to divide two lines of quotations.

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APA Parenthetical Citations

This in-text referencing system directs readers to a "Reference List" at the end of a research paper or accompanying a research project. The text reference usually includes an author name and date in the text being cited. A page number is also given for direct quotes.

How to do parenthetical citations

The purpose of parenthetical references is to give credit to sources that you use.

  • Cite direct quotations, paraphrases, ideas peculiar to an author, case studies, statistics, and graphics, such as maps, charts, diagrams, and scientific research results.
  • Place citations directly after the quotation or paraphrase.
  • Include  the author's last name and year of publication in parentheses at the end of the sentence:

(Smith 2015)

  • Include the page number following a direct quote:

(Johnson, 2009, p. 234)

  • Use the first few words of the title of the source as listed on the reference list page if no author or editor is credited:

(Webster's Dictionary, 1990)

  • If the author's name appears in the same sentence as the cited material include only the publication year:
  • If two authors are cited for a source, list both authors.  If three to five authors are cited, list all the authors' last names the first time the source is cited.  If six or more authors, use the first author's last name followed by et al.  In all cases of more than two authors, use et al. in subsequent citations of the source. Follow all with the publication year:

(Anderson & Henderson, 2012) (Smith, Walker, Jones,  & Williams, 2013) (Saunders et al., 2016)

  • Personal communications such as letters, email, personal interviews, telephone conversations, etc. are cited in text only, not included in the reference list:

(M. M. Lee, personal communication, April 28, 2014)

Examples of parenthetical citations

  • Native peoples have little to lose by adopting these practices (Johnson, 2013). [Author's last name and publication date]
  • Viviano sees advantages in this line of defense (2012). [Cite only the publication date if the author's name appears in the same sentence]
  • According to police reports, there were no skid marks indicting that the distracted driver who killed John and Carole Hall had even tried to stop. (Stockwell, Mann, & Gates, 2014). [When more than one author is cited, include up to five and publication date]
  • "As of 2001, at least three hundred towns and municipalities had considered legislation regulating use of cell phones while driving" (Lawson,'2011, p. 22). [If using a direct quote, Author's last name, publication date, and page number]
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Introduction to parenthetical citations

Use the menu at the right to review more specific guidelines.

Definition of parenthetical citations

This section provides guidelines on how to use parenthetical citations to cite original sources in the text of your paper. These guidelines will help you learn the essential information needed in parenthetical citations, and teach you how to format them correctly.

Parenthetical citations are citations to original sources that appear in the text of your paper. This allows the reader to see immediately where your information comes from, and it saves you the trouble of having to make footnotes or endnotes.

The APA style calls for three kinds of information to be included in in-text citations. The author’s last name and the work’s date of publication must always appear, and these items must match exactly the corresponding entry in the references list. The third kind of information, the page number, appears only in a citation to a direct quotation.

Additional Information

See the Publication Manual , available for consultation at the UW-Madison Writing Center, in many libraries, and bookstores. You can also visit the APA web site , where you can purchase the Manual online.

If you are a registered UW-Madison student, you can attend the Writing Center class “The Basics of APA Documentation.”

Check the APA website ( http://www.apastyle.org ), where you will find links to the following:

  • “Tip of the Week” and archived tips
  • Information on bias in language
  • “Ask the Expert”–an e-mail form that allows you to ask questions about APA style
  • A form for requesting e-mail updates of APA style
  • A chapter-by-chapter description of changes made in the 6th edition

parenthetical citation how to

American Psychological Association Documentation

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APA Table of Contents

  • Orientation to APA
  • Where to place citations
  • One or two authors
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  • Multiple sources in one reference
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  • Dissertation
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  • Page numbering and page header
  • Usage and Style

In-text citation

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  • Other styles AGLC4 APA 7th Chicago 17th (A) Notes Chicago 17th (B) Author-Date Harvard MLA 9th Vancouver
  • Referencing home

The APA 7th style uses in-text citations when referring to or quoting people’s work. The essential elements of an in-text citation are the author surname/s and year.

Two types of in-text citations

1. author prominent format.

Use this format if you want to emphasise the author. Their name becomes part of your sentence.

Jones (2018) concluded that the treatment was effective in 74% of cases.

Author prominent citations are also referred to as parenthetical citations.

2. Information prominent format

Use this format if you want to emphasise the information. It cites the author’s name, typically at the end of a sentence.

...as evidenced by a recent Australian study of the treatment's effectiveness (Jones, 2018).

Information prominent citations are also referred to as narrative citations.

The following examples show how to form in-text citations according to number of authors and other considerations.

Surname, Year

Hawkins (2020) reported that the results of the study were inconclusive.

. . . the results of the study were inconclusive (Hawkins, 2020).

Two authors

Both surnames in the order listed on the publication and the year.

For author prominent citations, use “and” between the author names.

For information prominent citations, & between the author names.

Bovey and Hede (2013) argue that . . .

. . . is a significant factor (Bovey & Hede, 2013).

Three or more authors

Cite the first author followed by et al. and year

Robbins et al. (2017) note that leadership empathy and good communication are key to negotiating successful organisational change.

They may be required to work harder now there are … perform the same tasks (Robbins et al., 2017).

Different authors, same surname

When two or more authors have the same surname, add their initials to distinguish between them

P. R. Smith (1945) adopted a unique approach . . . . . . later in the text . . . This idea was first advanced by S. Smith (1935).

Research conducted by W.O. Brown and Jones (1985) was influenced by the work of S.A. Brown and Smith (1961).

The corresponding information prominent citations would be:

(P.R. Smith, 1945)

(S. Smith, 1935)

(W.O. Brown & Jones, 1985)

(S.A. Brown & Smith, 1961)

Multiple authors, ambiguous citations

Distinguish identical multiple-author citations with the same year by adding an additional surname, followed by a comma and et al.

Instead of just Brown et al. (1998), add additional author surnames to distinguish between separate works that Brown co-authored that year:

Brown, Shimamura, et al. (1998)

Brown, Taylor, et al. (1998).

The corresponding information prominent citations would be (Brown, Shimamura, et al., 1998), and (Brown, Taylor, et al., 1998).

  • For further guidance see the APA Style website - Citing multiple works


Same author, two or more works

Author surname, then years separated by a commas, in chronological order.

Reimer (2017, 2018, 2019) considered this phenomenon across various studies . . .

. . . this phenomenon was considered across various studies (Reimer, 2017, 2018, 2019).

Same author, multiple works and same year

Assign a suffix of a, b, c, d, etc. after the year, according to alphabetical listing by title in the reference list.

Stairs (1992b) examined . . . . . . later in the text . . . According to Stairs (1992a) . . .

. . . was recently considered (Stairs, 1992b) . . . . . . later in the text . . . . . . the results were inconclusive (Stairs, 1992a).

  • For multiple references by the same author with no date, after n.d. add a hyphen and then the suffix e.g. (Dreshcke n.d.-b)

Multiple works from various authors

You may want to cite works from various authors to more strongly support a particular point you are making.

List each work alphabetically by surname in alphabetical order, separated by semicolons.

. . . as proposed by various researchers (Adams et al., 2020; Green, 2019; Hall & Clark, 2021).

Green (2019), Adams et al. (2020), and Hall and Clark (2021) analysed . . .

  • In the author prominent citation there is no requirement to order the citations alphabetically

If the author is identified as 'Anonymous'

Use 'Anonymous' as the surname.

Anonymous (2019)

(Anonymous, 2019)

Unknown author

Give the first few words of the title. If the title is from an article or a chapter, use double quotation marks. If the title is from a periodical, book brochure, or report, then use italics.

. . . the worst election loss in the party's history ("This is the end," 1968).

Corporate or group author

If the organisation has a recognisable abbreviation

First listing: Organisation name [Abbreviation], Year Subsequent: Abbreviation, Year

Where the organisation abbreviation is not widely known

Use the name in full every time

Census data gives valuable insights into... (Australian Bureau of Statistics [ABS], 2021).

Australia's next census will be held on 10th August 2021 (ABS, 2021).

Author quoted directly

Occasionally it may be necessary to include in your work a quotation from an author.

Always include a page number when you have to cite directly from a source.

If no page numbers are available (e.g. in a website), include a paragraph number.

Use accepted abbreviations like p. for page and para. for paragraph

Gittins (2006) suggests that "the key to understanding microeconomics is to realise that its overwhelming focus is on the role of price" (p. 18).

Weston (1988) stated "the darkest days were still ahead" (p. 45).

A patient is in pain when they tell you and "it is important to believe the patient so as to build a trusting relationship" (Phipps et al., 1983, p.45).

Personal communications

Private letters, e-mail and conversations require only an in-text citation, which includes the date of the communication (Month DD, YYYY).

Personal communications are not included in reference lists, as they are not accessible to others.

R. Smith (personal communication, January 28, 2020) . . .

. . . (R. Smith, personal communication, January 28, 2020)

Author referred to in a secondary source

The original author is cited together with the secondary author.

Only do this when the original is unavailable and only include what you have actually read.

Farrow (1968, as cited in Ward & Decan, 1988) . . .

Ward and Decan (1988) cited Farrow (1968) as finding . . .

. . . (Farrow, 1968, as cited in Ward & Decan, 1988).

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Parenthetical Citation – Citation Styles & Examples

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Parenthetical-citation-01

Parenthetical citations are a form of citing sources within the text, i.e., in-text citations. They generally include information that indicates where a source is taken from within a paper’s main text. There are different rules and several ways to use parenthetical citation depending on the context and Style Guide. Learn how to use parenthetical citations in the most commonly used academic writing styles such as MLA, APA style, and Chicago style  below.

Inhaltsverzeichnis

  • 1 Parenthetical Citation – In a Nutshell
  • 2 Definition: Parenthetical citation
  • 3 Parenthetical citations in MLA
  • 4 Parenthetical citations in APA
  • 5 Parenthetical citations in Chicago

Parenthetical Citation – In a Nutshell

  • Parenthetical citations are when you provide references to sources within the text itself rather than as notes.
  • Many writing styles favor the use of parentheses for citations, as they remove clutter or excessive notes from the page. The sciences, in particular, prefer this direct method.
  • Do not mix and match writing styles. Abide by the formatting rules of one style only in your paper.
  • Parenthetical citations must be followed up with a full bibliography or Works Cited page with complete source information.

Definition: Parenthetical citation

A parenthetical citation attributes the source for a quote or paraphrased passage within the paper’s main body. It does so by providing source identification — the author’s name, year, and page number(s) — within parentheses (or brackets). This information corresponds to fuller bibliographical data which must be provided at the end of your paper.

Richard Dawkins coined the term “meme” in his iconic The Selfish Gene (1976, p. 192).

Parenthetical citations are adopted by a wide number of academic writing styles across the sciences and humanities. MLA, APA style, and Chicago style all provide guidelines for using parenthetical citations. While the principles are mostly the same, each writing style has specific requirements to consider when composing a paper and formatting a citation.

Parenthetical citations in MLA

The MLA (or Modern Language Association ) expresses its citations in an author-page format. This recommends that citations should contain the author’s last name followed by a page number or range separated by a space.

Page ranges are expressed with a dash and separate pages with a comma. No year is required, although some writers may prefer to include it in the prose itself if it helps their argument.

You can choose to include the citation in parentheses or cite it partially within the text itself (known as “in prose”). The parentheses always appear at the end of the sentence.

The convention for citing multiple authors is to only include up to two authors within the citation with an “and”.

For references written by more than two authors, include the first name followed by “ et al .”.

Parenthetical citations in APA

The APA style ( American Psychological Association ) favors APA in-text citations . The APA style follows an author-year-page format with information appearing in that order.

All information should also be separated by commas rather than spaces. Pages are expressed with a “p.” for individual pages and “pp.” for page ranges.

You can include all citation information in parentheses or include some of it partially within the text (known as “narrative citation” in the APA style).

The conventions for narrative citation recommend that the author’s name appears within the text and the publication date with page numbers are included in parentheses.

With sources written by two authors, include both authors within the citation with a “&”. For citations by more than two authors, include an “et al.” after the first author.

Parenthetical citations in Chicago

The Chicago Style describes its use of parentheses as the author-date system. Chicago recommends this method for the sciences. Chicago follows an author-date-page order when making citations. The author and date should appear after a space only, while page numbers are separated by a comma.

As with other parenthetical styles, you don’t have to repeat the author’s name if it appears within the text itself. However, you should include the identifying year in parentheses and a page number where applicable. The citation should always appear at the end of the sentence.

Chicago recommends including up to three authors when naming a source, separated with an “and”. When there are more than three authors, simply include the first listed author followed by “et al.”.

Ireland

How do you place a parenthetical citation?

Parenthetical citations always appear enclosed in brackets at the end of a sentence.

The information included depends on the style, but often includes the author’s last name followed by either the year of publication and page number(s) or both.

What styles use parenthetical citations?

MLA and APA both use parentheses to cite sources within the text. The Chicago style also allows the use of parentheses or notes and bibliography formats.

I’ve included the author’s name in the main text, do I have to include it in the citation?

Not usually. You don’t have to repeat author information when it’s clear in the text.

Do you have to include a page number in a parenthetical citation?

If you’re quoting or paraphrasing a direct passage, yes. However, if you’re simply referencing a general book or idea, it may not be necessary.

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APA Citation Guide: In-Text/Parenthetical Citations (6E)

  • APA 7th Edition
  • References, Templates, and Examples for APA 7E
  • In-Text/Parenthetical Citations (7E)
  • Paper Formatting 7E: Student Paper
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Printable PDF Guide to In-Text Citations

  • APA 6E In-Text Citations PDF Two-page, printable PDF of this tab.
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In-Text/Parenthetical Citations

In-text citations, or parenthetical citations, are those that are inside the running text, or narrative of your text, and act as pointers to the more complete reference list at the end of the paper. In-text citations can follow very different rules than citations found in the reference list, so it’s important to place them in separate mental compartments.

"There is a space after p. and pp."

(Author, year, p. x)

(Author, year, pp. xx-xx)

"Year always follows the author(s) whether in running or in-text citation."

Research by Garcia (2017) found blah (p. 25).

Research found blah (Garcia, 2017, p. 25).

Notice that the year always follows the author, and the page number(s) is always at the end.

Number of authors and number of times cited is key to understanding APA in-text citations.

Two Authors 

Garcia and Bartle (2017) found blah (p. 25).

Research found blah (Garcia & Bartle, 2017, p. 25).

Three, Four, and Five Authors—First Time 

Garcia, Bartle, Sorrell , and Singleton (2017) found blah (p. 25) .

Garcia, Bartle, Sorrell , and Singleton (2017) found “blah” (p. 25) .

Research found blah (Garcia, Bartle, Sorrell , & Singleton, 2017, p. 25) .

Three, Four, and Five Authors—Second+ Time 

Garcia et al. (2017) found blah (p. 25).

Research found blah (Garcia et al., 2017, p. 25).

Six or More Authors

Research found “blah” (Garcia et al., 2017, p. 25).

Research found blah ( “ Title of Article in Quotation Marks and Title Case ,” 2017)

Research found blah ( Title of Book in Italics and Title Case , 2017)

In “Title of Article in Quotation Marks and Title Case” (2017)

In Title of Book in Italics and Title Case (2017)

Multiple Sources

Several studies (Lowe, 2015 ; Mancha, 2007 ; Smith & Jones ; 1993) have found blah.

In a multiple sources, in-text citation, order the different citations alphabetically as they appear in the reference list, so the reader can find them easily. Each is separated by a semi-colon.

Same Author/Same Year/Different Works

Research found (Garcia, 1981a)

Garcia (1981b) found

In your reference list, these would look like:

Green box reads: Order same author and same year alphabetically by title in the bibliography.

Garcia, C. (1981a). Article title.   [other article citation information].

Garcia, C. (1981b). Book title .   [other book citation information].

Citing Someone Who is Being Cited by Someone

"Rule: Only cite in your bibliography that which you have read and used yourself."

Petry (as cited in Quarton, 2017) found that

Citing from an Abstract

This is significant for the reference list but not for in-text citations.

Big Quotations/Small Quotations

If you have a direct quotation that is less than 40 words, blend the quotation smoothly into your writing and use quotation marks.  If the quotation is 40 words or more, place it in a free-standing, indented text block, do not use quotation marks, and do maintain double spacing. End with a period, then place the in-text citation.

Garcia’s (2017) work found that

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Duis dolor nunc, eleifend nec placerat vel, rhoncus et sem. Fusce ullamcorper scelerisque libero, nec eleifend felis tristique vitae. Fusce varius luctus nisi, ut mattis ligula. Nam a tincidunt magna, vitae volutpat mauris. elit . (p. 215)

Direct Quotation or Paraphrase?

Any text that you are quoting exactly from the original should be enclosed in quotation marks, and the in-text citation should include a page number.

If you are not quoting exactly, but are still closely paraphrasing, you do not need to use quotation marks, but you do still need to include a page number. 

If you are making a very general reference to the overall subject of an article/chapter, then you do not need quotation marks and you also do not need a page number. Examples of this are common in the introduction to research articles:

There have been several areas of investigation, including measures of disposition (Zhang, 2000; Garcia & Smith, 2009), measures of decision-making (Lejuez, Simmons, Aklin, Daughters, & Dvir, 2004; Macapagal & Janssen, 2011), and measures of impulsivity (Lee, 2014). 

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MLA Citation Style Guide: Parenthetical Citations

  • Parenthetical Citations
  • Works Cited
  • Journal Article from an Online Periodical
  • Journal Article from an Online Database
  • Magazine Article
  • Magazine Article from a Database
  • Newspaper Article
  • Newspaper Article from a Database
  • Newspaper Article from a Website
  • Two or Three Authors
  • More Than Three Authors
  • Anthology, Compilation, or Edited Book
  • Corporate Author
  • Book with No Author
  • Article in a Reference Book
  • Multivolume Work
  • Translation
  • Basic Web Page
  • Document from a Web Site
  • Listserv, Blog, or Tweet
  • Audiovisual Media
  • Images and Art
  • Indirect Source
  • Government Publication

Using Parenthetical (In-Text) Citations

Include a parenthetical citation when you refer to, summarize, paraphrase, or quote from another source. For every in-text citation in your paper, there must be a corresponding entry in your Works Cited list.

MLA parenthetical citation style uses the author's last name and a page number; for example: (Field 122).

How to Cite a Direct Quote (92-105)

When you incorporate a direct quotation into a sentence, you must cite the source. Fit quotations within your sentences, making sure the sentences are grammatically correct:

How to Cite after Paraphrasing

Even if you put information in your own words by summarizing or paraphrasing, you must cite the original author or researcher as well as the page or paragraph number(s). For example, a paraphrase of Gibaldi’s earlier quotation might be identified as follows:

Within the research paper, quotations will have more impact when used judiciously (Gibaldi 109).

How to Cite Information When You Have Not Seen the Original Source (226)

Sometimes an author writes about research that someone else has done, but you are unable to track down the original research report. In this case, because you did not read the original report, you will include only the source you did consult in the Works Cited list. The abbreviation “qtd.” in the parenthetical reference indicates you have not read the original research.

How to Cite Information If No Page Numbers Are Available (220-222)

If a resource contains no page numbers, as can be the case with electronic sources, then you cannot include a page number in the parentheses. However, if the source indicates paragraph numbers, use the abbreviation “par.” or “pars.” and the relevant numbers in the parentheses.

One website describes these specific dragons (King). A solution was suggested in 1996 (Pangee, pars. 12-18).

How to Cite Two or More Works by the Same Author or Authors (225)

When citing one of two or more works by the same author(s), put a comma after the author’s last name and add the title of the work (if brief) or a shortened version of the title and the relevant page number.

How to Cite if the Author's Name is Unavailable (223-224)

Use the title of the article or book or Web source, including the appropriate capitalization and quotation marks/italics format.

example: (“Asthma Rates Increasing” 29).

How to Cite when you are Altering a Direct Quote

When you need to leave out part of a quotation to make it fit grammatically or because it contains irrelevant/unnecessary information, insert ellipses points, or three spaced periods ( . . . ). (97-101).

If you must add or slightly change words within a quotation for reasons of grammar or clarity, surround the change with square brackets (101).

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Parenthetical Citations: APA & MLA Examples

parenthetical citation how to

From scholarly writers and researchers to university and graduate students, every academic writer needs to understand how to use parenthetical citations correctly. Parenthetical citations are commonly used to credit sources when quoting directly or paraphrasing another author’s ideas or statements in your academic work.

In this article, we explain how to correctly cite your sources using parenthetical citations in your research article, dissertation , or college essay. Specifically, you will learn crucial information about how to use parenthetical citations using MLA, APA, and Vancouver style Works Cited and Reference formats, along with best practices for in-text citations.

parenthetical citation rules overview

What are parenthetical citations?

Citing original sources within parentheses in your text is known as parenthetical citation or in-text citation . As the terms indicate, parenthetical citations use parentheses ( ) within the text itself to cite the source listed in the Works Cited or References section. Readers should be able to immediately see where your information comes from, without referring to footnotes or endnotes. Parenthetical citations are used in MLA format , APA format , and many other academic styles .

What is the purpose of parenthetical citations ?

Parenthetical citations are useful because they give credit to the original author or speaker’s message or research within the text. This allows the reader to understand the cited author’s voice, the date of publication, and the source of the information. 

With the reference placed directly in-text, the reader does not have to check footnotes at the bottom of each page or the citation list at the end of the paper. This helps the reader stay focused while being able to view the relevant sources.

When to Include Parenthetical Citations

Citing your sources assures that you are not plagiarizing other writers’ work. Therefore, you include a parenthetical citation when you:

  • Reference another author’s work
  • Include a quotation from a cited source
  • Summarize or paraphrase another work

Parenthetical citations are often used in formal research papers and journal manuscripts to show where information was found. Proper citations can hugely impact the credibility of a paper.

The benefits of using parenthetical citations are that they provide readers with more detailed information about how you discovered certain content or information, which may be helpful for future research. Using these citations correctly also demonstrates to readers–whether a professor or a fellow researcher–that your work is deliberate and credible with sourcing. When submitting to a journal, it is important to check their “Guide for Authors” section to understand the specific formatting and citation guidelines.

Parenthetical vs. Narrative In-text Citations

When using in-text citations in any style format, there are two methods:  parenthetical  and  narrative.

In parenthetical format, citations include all relevant information (author’s last name, publication year, page number)  within  the in-text citation, which is located at the end of the sentence.

The Korean War technically ended in an armistice, not a treaty (Kim, 2019) or (Kim, 2019, p. 12).

In narrative citation format, the author of the cited work is referenced as part of the written sentence itself. Write the first or lead author’s name along with “et al.”, followed by the year in parentheses. This is especially useful when you want to append your own commentary or criticism.

According to Kim et al. (2019), the Korean diaspora can be broken down into several economic and cultural factors.

Read More:  A Researcher’s Guide to Citations: listing authors and using et al.

parenthetical citation rules, apa format

How to Use Parenthetical Citations in APA

A parenthetical citation in APA format consists of the following parts:

  • Author’s name
  • Year of publication
  • Page number

Parenthetical format:

Modern economics in South Korea has grown as a discipline since 1960 (Kim, 2019).

Narrative format:

Kim et al. (2019) recently found in a survey of East Asian economists that modern economics in South Korea has grown as a discipline since 1960.

Tips for APA in-text parenthetical citations

When using parenthetical citations, there are a few situations to be aware of, such as if there is no author name provided.

When no author can be found, the title of the work and year of publication need to be included following the format shown above. If the title within the quotation marks is exceptionally long, it can be shortened in the in-text citation.

APA Style Resources

  • Official APA Style Guidebook
  • Wordvice APA Citation Guide
  • Wordvice APA Citation Generator

parenthetical citation rules, mla format

How to Use Parenthetical Citations in MLA

Parenthetical citations are used in MLA format and closely resemble those in APA format. However, there are two main differences between MLA and APA formats: 

  • Cite the  page number  rather than the  date of publication .
  • There is  no comma  separating the page number from the author’s last name.

Include the first few words in the title of the work or website if there is no author. Do not use “p.” or “pp.” to denote pages, and do not apply commas, even if there are multiple authors:

The tourism industry is one of the main components of Korea’s GDP (Kim 15)…(Kim and Lee 15)…(Kim et al. 15)

MLA Style Resources

  • Official MLA Style Guidebook
  • Wordvice MLA Style Quick Guide
  • Wordvice MLA 8th Citation Generator

parenthetical citation rules, vancouver format

How to Use Parenthetical Citations in Vancouver Style

Parenthetical citations in  Vancouver style  should have numbering (either superscript or in brackets) on either side of the name of an author or study. A unique number should be assigned to each citation, which is then listed at the end of the manuscript in the bibliography. If you cite a source multiple times, use the same citation number from the first work in subsequent parenthetical citations.

Park et al. (4) reported that over 90% of all Korean citizens own a smartphone (p. 552) . 

Vancouver Style Resources

  • Official Vancouver Style Guidebook
  • Wordvice Vancouver Style Quick Guide
  • Wordvice Vancouver Style Citation Generator

Parenthetical Citations Examples

Let’s look at some specific examples of what parenthetical citations look like in the context of a sentence within an academic document. Remember that sources cited in the text MUST be listed in the Works Cited (in MLA) or References section (in APA).

APA parenthetical citation example (author-date-page style)

These three examples are from the same source, but as you can see, they are formulated differently. The first example uses a signal phrase that includes the author’s last name and then the date of publication in parentheses. The second example introduces the source with only a name. And the third example does not include any information about the author in the text and therefore includes the name, date, and publication year in one set of parentheses.

MLA parenthetical citation examples (author-page style)

As mentioned previously in this article, MLA format follows the author-page method of in-text citation. It is quite similar to APA style, except that the citation only includes the author’s last name and page number(s) from which the quotation or paraphrase is taken. No comma or other punctuation marks are included in the parenthetical citation, and the citation appears at the end of the sentence. The author’s name may appear either in the sentence or in parentheses, but the page number or range must always appear in parentheses, not in the text. See these three parenthetical citations of the same source.

Editing and Formatting Your Academic Papers

As you have probably figured out by now, learning how to use citations and references is a bit tedious and there is always the risk of making mistakes. Before you submit your academic work to professors or journals, be sure to get professional English proofreading services –including paper editing and manuscript editing –to make sure your work is completely free of errors, including mistakes in citation and reference formatting. Wordvice provides all-in language editing services that include a review of your citations. And be sure to use our APA citation generator , MLA citation generator , Chicago citation generator , or Vancouver citation generator (depending on your style guide) to prepare your paper’s reference list or works cited.

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In-Text Citations: The Basics

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This page is brought to you by the OWL at Purdue University. When printing this page, you must include the entire legal notice.

Copyright ©1995-2018 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use.

Note:  This page reflects the latest version of the APA Publication Manual (i.e., APA 7), which released in October 2019. The equivalent resource for the older APA 6 style  can be found here .

Reference citations in text are covered on pages 261-268 of the Publication Manual. What follows are some general guidelines for referring to the works of others in your essay.

Note:  On pages 117-118, the Publication Manual suggests that authors of research papers should use the past tense or present perfect tense for signal phrases that occur in the literature review and procedure descriptions (for example, Jones (1998)  found  or Jones (1998)  has found ...). Contexts other than traditionally-structured research writing may permit the simple present tense (for example, Jones (1998)  finds ).

APA Citation Basics

When using APA format, follow the author-date method of in-text citation. This means that the author's last name and the year of publication for the source should appear in the text, like, for example, (Jones, 1998). One complete reference for each source should appear in the reference list at the end of the paper.

If you are referring to an idea from another work but  NOT  directly quoting the material, or making reference to an entire book, article or other work, you only have to make reference to the author and year of publication and not the page number in your in-text reference.

On the other hand, if you are directly quoting or borrowing from another work, you should include the page number at the end of the parenthetical citation. Use the abbreviation “p.” (for one page) or “pp.” (for multiple pages) before listing the page number(s). Use an en dash for page ranges. For example, you might write (Jones, 1998, p. 199) or (Jones, 1998, pp. 199–201). This information is reiterated below.

Regardless of how they are referenced, all sources that are cited in the text must appear in the reference list at the end of the paper.

In-text citation capitalization, quotes, and italics/underlining

  • Always capitalize proper nouns, including author names and initials: D. Jones.
  • If you refer to the title of a source within your paper, capitalize all words that are four letters long or greater within the title of a source:  Permanence and Change . Exceptions apply to short words that are verbs, nouns, pronouns, adjectives, and adverbs:  Writing New Media ,  There Is Nothing Left to Lose .

( Note:  in your References list, only the first word of a title will be capitalized:  Writing new media .)

  • When capitalizing titles, capitalize both words in a hyphenated compound word:  Natural-Born Cyborgs .
  • Capitalize the first word after a dash or colon: "Defining Film Rhetoric: The Case of Hitchcock's  Vertigo ."
  • If the title of the work is italicized in your reference list, italicize it and use title case capitalization in the text:  The Closing of the American Mind ;  The Wizard of Oz ;  Friends .
  • If the title of the work is not italicized in your reference list, use double quotation marks and title case capitalization (even though the reference list uses sentence case): "Multimedia Narration: Constructing Possible Worlds;" "The One Where Chandler Can't Cry."

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 (preceded by "p." for a single page and “pp.” for a span of multiple pages, with the page numbers separated by an en dash).

You can introduce the quotation with a signal phrase that includes the author's last name followed by the date of publication in parentheses.

If you do not include the author’s name in the text of the sentence, place the author's last name, the year of publication, and the page number in parentheses after the quotation.

Long quotations

Place direct quotations that are 40 words or longer in a free-standing block of typewritten lines and omit quotation marks. Start the quotation on a new line, indented 1/2 inch from the left margin, i.e., in the same place you would begin a new paragraph. Type the entire quotation on the new margin, and indent the first line of any subsequent paragraph within the quotation 1/2 inch from the new margin. Maintain double-spacing throughout, but do not add an extra blank line before or after it. The parenthetical citation should come after the closing punctuation mark.

Because block quotation formatting is difficult for us to replicate in the OWL's content management system, we have simply provided a screenshot of a generic example below.

This image shows how to format a long quotation in an APA seventh edition paper.

Formatting example for block quotations in APA 7 style.

Quotations from sources without pages

Direct quotations from sources that do not contain pages should not reference a page number. Instead, you may reference another logical identifying element: a paragraph, a chapter number, a section number, a table number, or something else. Older works (like religious texts) can also incorporate special location identifiers like verse numbers. In short: pick a substitute for page numbers that makes sense for your source.

Summary or paraphrase

If you are paraphrasing an idea from another work, you only have to make reference to the author and year of publication in your in-text reference and may omit the page numbers. APA guidelines, however, do encourage including a page range for a summary or paraphrase when it will help the reader find the information in a longer work. 

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In-Text (Parenthetical) Examples

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Home / Guides / Citation Guides / APA Format / APA In-text Citations

APA In-Text Citations

Welcome to our guide on in-text citations! If you’re looking to learn the ins and outs of APA style in-text citations and how to do in-text citations APA, we’ve got you covered in this thorough guide.

The information below follows the 7th edition of the  Publication manual of the American Psychological Association .

Here’s a run through of everything this page includes:

  • APA Style overview
  • In-text citations and why we use them
  • Two types of APA in-text citations
  • Corresponding entry in reference list
  • In-text citations for direct quotes

Paraphrasing in APA

  • In-text citations for sources with one author
  • In-text citations for sources with multiple authors
  • In-text citations for sources with no author or date
  • Additional in-text citation examples

If you’re simply looking for a quick guide, check out our APA parenthetical citation guide, which serves as a lite-version of this page.

Let’s get started!

What is APA?

This is a term that you might hear your teacher, professor, or librarian throw around a lot. This abbreviation stands for

P sychological

A ssociation

This association is kind of a big deal. They do a lot of things related to psychology, but they’re also famous for creating one of the most popular citation styles, APA format . There are other big names on campus, such as MLA format , and Chicago, but this particular style is commonly used by individuals who are writing a science-related paper.

Even if your paper doesn’t necessarily fall into a “science” category, many educators ask their students to cite in this style since it’s so commonly used.

If you’re trying to find information about other commonly used styles, there are more styles on EasyBib.com.

What is an APA In-text Citation?

In plain and simple terms, APA in-text citations are found in the text of a project. Get it? In text. The purpose of an in-text citation in APA is to show the reader, while they’re reading your work, that a piece of information in your project was found elsewhere. They’re placed IN the wording or body of a project, not on the last page; the last page has full references. To learn more about those types of references, check out APA citation .

We’ve all heard about the word plagiarism , and you already know what it means. Simply put, including APA in-text citations are one way to prevent plagiarism.

Here’s what’s included in an APA 7th edition in-text citation:

  • Last name(s) of the author(s) or Group name
  • Year the source was published
  • Page number (if available)

Depending on the number of authors and the source type, some in-text citations look different than others. Read on to learn how to structure an in-text citation for APA. In fact, if you’re looking for an easy route, EasyBib.com has an in-text citation APA generator, which does the work for you. Use our automatic generator to create your full references, and you’ll see an option on the final screen to format your APA in-text citations. An APA in-text citation generator and full reference generator all in one. What could beat that?

Why do we use in-text citations?

When you do a research project, you’re probably going to include facts from websites, databases, books, and other sources. When you add those facts into your project, you must show where those facts came from. It’s the responsible thing to do. It prevents plagiarism. You always give credit to the original author. It’s kind of like thanking them for their contribution to your paper.

Here’s the neat thing about in-text citations. Since they’re IN your project, readers get a quick idea as to where the information you included came from. In-text citations APA are not long and lengthy, like the full references on the APA reference page  or APA bibliography . In-text citations are cute, little, and give us the perfect amount of information we need to understand where a fact came from. If you want to get the full information about the source, then you can flip to the back page of the paper, where the full reference is listed. The in-text citation APA style provides us with a tidbit of information. Just enough to glance at it and keep on going with reading the paper.

To recap, in-text citations are great because:

  • They credit the original author of a work or information
  • They let readers quickly see where the information is coming from
  • Including helps make you an ethical writer

If you’re looking to learn more about footnotes in Chicago format , MLA in-text & parenthetical citations , or want to learn how to cite websites in MLA , EasyBib.com has the information you need to be a citing superstar.

Types of APA In-text Citations

Just like there are two days in the weekend, two types of peanut butter (creamy and nutty), and two types of foods we crave (salty and sweet), there are (you guessed it) two types of in-text citations.

The in-text citation APA option you include in your paper depends on how you craft your sentences.

Narrative In-Text APA Citations:

In-text citation APA format, in narrative form, is one that shows the author’s name in the sentence itself.

Narrative In-text APA Citation Example:

Tyson, Strauss, and Gott (2016) encourage the use of simplified terms when it comes to discussing and defining the universe. For example, a small white star is simply called a white dwarf. Keep it short and sweet because the universe is confusing enough (p. 22).

Parenthetical Citations:

This is a type of APA in-text citation where the author’s name(s) are in parentheses, usually at the end of the fact or quote.

Parenthetical Citation Example

Use simplified terms when discussing and defining the universe. For example, a small white star is simply called a white dwarf. Keep it short and sweet because the universe is confusing enough (Tyson, Strauss, & Gott, 2016, p. 22).

As you can see, the type of APA in-text citation you include, whether it’s a narrative one or one in parentheses, depends on how you decide to structure your sentences. It doesn’t matter if you use all narrative, all parentheses, or a mix of both.

What is important is that you’re a responsible researcher and you properly cite your sources!

Remember, most facts, quotes, stats, and copied and pasted information NEED an APA in-text citation next to it.

What’s the only type of information you don’t need to create an in-text citation APA for? Anything that’s common knowledge. For example, paper is made from trees. You and most people already knew that. That’s an example of common knowledge. It’s a piece of information that everyone already knows.

Now, before you simply include the author’s name(s), the date, and the page number in your project and think you’ve covered all your bases, you’re not quite done yet. In-text citations APA are only part of the puzzle.

The other piece of the puzzle is found on the last page of the project: the reference page. That’s where all of the full references are found in their entirety. In-text citations only include the author’s name, year published, and the page number.

The reference page, on the other hand, includes the title of each source, the publishers, the website addresses, and other information. Continue reading to learn why in-text citations and references on the reference page are the perfect match.

Before we continue, MLA works cited pages are very similar to the ones in this style. EasyBib.com has resources for many styles, to help you learn the ins and outs of referencing your work. We even have full pages on grammar topics too, to keep your paper in tip-top shape. Brush up on your noun , conjunction , and interjection skills with our easy-to-follow, comprehensive guides.

Corresponding entry in APA reference list

Would you ever put on one shoe and walk around without the other? Of course not. The same goes with in-text citations and full references. You must include both in your paper. Where there’s one there has to be the other.

Each and every in-text citation APA must have a matching full reference on the reference page (American Psychological Association, p. 262 ).

If you’re wondering why, it’s to allow the reader to get that sneak peek about the source while reading your paper (the APA in-text citation), and then learn all about it on the final page (the reference page). If the reader wants to get their hands on a copy of the sources you used, all of the information they need can be found on the reference page.

Remember those APA style in-text citation examples found above? Let’s take a peek at them again.

Here’s the one with the authors’ names in parentheses: Use simplified terms when discussing and defining the universe. For example, a small white star is simply called a white dwarf. Keep it short and sweet because the universe is confusing enough (deGrasse, Strauss, & Gott, 2016, p. 22).

Here’s the full reference, which would be found on the final page of the project:

Tyson, N. D., Strauss, M. A., and Gott, J. R. (2016). Welcome to the universe: An astrophysical tour. Princeton University Press.

Notice that in the above in-text citation APA example, the full title of the book, the place the book was published, and the publisher are displayed. If the reader wants to locate the book themselves, all of the information they need is found in the full reference.

One other important thing we’d like to point out is that the same information from the in-text citation APA (Tyson, Strauss, & Gott) matches the first part of the full reference. This is done to allow the reader to easily find the full reference on the final page.

Remember, always include both in-text citations AND full references in your projects.

In the body of projects, in-text citations APA serve an important purpose. They give the reader a snippet of understanding as to the origin of  information. It’s just enough information to allow the reader to continue reading the paper in a natural and fluid manner, without having to trip over long, clunky references. If the reader wants to get a detailed understanding of a source, they can flip to the back page, the reference page, to scope out all of the nitty gritty details.

In the next two sections of this page, we’re going to switch gears and share how to properly format direct quotes and paraphrases.

If you’re looking for specific source types, check out APA citation website and APA book citation . These two resources will explain how to format those specific types of references. If you’re stuck and not sure how to start, check out Chapter 10 of the  Publication manual for some sample citations.

Direct Quotes in APA

As Drake states in his lyrics, “We don’t like to do too much explaining,” so we’re going to keep this one short and to the point.

“Direct quotes” are a fancy term used for any text that has been copied and pasted into your paper. That Drake quote above is a direct quote.

Direct quotes are any words or sentences copied and pasted into your project, but they don’t necessarily have to be a person’s quote. Anytime you copy and paste text into your assignment, you must include an APA in-text citation next to it. This shows the reader that:

  • The information came from another source
  • You’re being a responsible researcher and clearly documenting the outside source.

Here are some guidelines to keep in mind when it comes to direct quotes:

  • Direct quotes are a solid way to show evidence and prove your point, but use them sparingly. Your paper shouldn’t be riddled with copied and pasted text.
  • Put quotation marks around the copied and pasted information. (The exception are APA block quotes , which are direct quotes longer than 40 words and are formatted differently.)
  • Always include the page number for direct quotes, if one is available. When formatting APA page numbers for an in-text citation, include p. before the number. Use pp. for a page range.

To create a narrative APA in-text citation, include the author’s last name in the sentence like this:

  • As Drake (2013) once said “We don’t like to do too much explaining.”
  • In the above APA in-text citation example, the Drake quote was taken from the song, “Started From the Bottom,” in 2013. The title of the source would be included in the reference page.

Or, you include the author’s name in parentheses:

  • “We don’t like to do too much explaining” (Drake, 2013).

If you are looking for more examples, go to page 272 of the American Psychological Association’s official Publication manual .

We said above that your entire paper shouldn’t have direct quotes everywhere. So, another way to include information from a source is by adding a paraphrase . Simply put, a paraphrase is restated information, but formed using your own words and writing style

APA paraphrases still need an in-text citation since the information was obtained elsewhere. Check out this quote from the song, “For Time,” by Drake:

“I like it when money makes a difference, but don’t make you different.”

To include it in your paper, without using the exact quote, make a paraphrase. Here’s one that would work:

Money has the ability to benefit things in your life, but it’s truly great when it doesn’t cause the person to act differently or change who they are (Drake, 2013).

The above APA in-text citation example is one with Drake’s name in parentheses. If you’d like to include the author’s name narratively, here’s an option:

In Drake’s (2013) lyrics, he shares that money has the ability to benefit things in your life. It’s truly great when it doesn’t cause the person to act differently or change who they are.

It is recommended to include page numbers for paraphrased material, but isn’t required.

Here’s more on paraphrases and direct quotes.

Organizing APA In-text Citations

Ready to learn how to structure your in-text citations? The next section dives deep into developing them and answers “How to do in-text citations APA.” Keep in mind that how each one is formed depends on the number of authors and other factors. All the examples below follow rules laid out in Chapter 8 of the Publication manual.

Even though the structure varies, most in-text citations APA are placed in this manner for narrative in-text citations:

Author’s Last Name (Year) “Quote or Paraphrase” (p. number).

For ones in parentheses, most are placed in this manner:

“Quote” or Paraphrase (Author’s Last Name, Year, p. number).

Notice that whether you choose to include a narrative in-text citation APA or one in parentheses, the author names and the year published are always together. They’re pretty much holding hands. Cute, huh?

Read on to learn the ins and outs of structuring various in-text citations.

Don’t forget, EasyBib.com has an in-text citation APA generator. Wondering what it’s all about? Here’s a quick explanation: We work for you so citing is easy for you. Yep, you read that correctly.

Our tools structure your in-text citations the way they’re supposed to be structured. Use our automatic generator to create your full references, and on the final screen you’ll see the option to create your in-text citations. An APA in-text citation generator that’s easy as pie!

Something else we do for you? We have a plagiarism checker that scans your paper for any instances of accidental copying. We also have tons of grammar pages to keep your page in check. Check out our adverb , preposition , and verb pages.

APA In-Text Citations for Sources with One Author

If your source has one author.

If your source has one author, lucky you! Your in-text citation is pretty simple to structure.

Narrative In-text APA Citation:

Author’s Last Name (Year published) are found in the sentence with a “direct quote” or paraphrase (p. number).

Parenthetical APA Citation:

“Direct quote” or Paraphrase (Author’s Last Name, Year published, p. number).

Citing multiple sources by the same author in the same year

You may have a bunch of case studies, articles, or books that you’re referencing, all by the same author. Let’s say you’re analyzing two works by Sigmund Freud, Jokes and Their Relation to the Unconscious and also Fragment of an Analysis of a Case of Hysteria , both of which were published in 1905. Placing (Freud, 1905) in the text would be confusing for the reader. How would the reader determine which source you’re referencing?

If this is the situation you’re in, there’s a pretty simple fix.

Place a lowercase a next to the year in the first source (Freud, 1905a). Place a lowercase b next to the second source (Freud, 1905b). Include those same lowercase letters in the full references on the reference page, like so:

Freud, S. (1905a). Fragment of an analysis of a case of hysteria . https://staferla.free.fr/Freud/Freud%20complete%20Works.pdf

Freud, S. (1905b). Jokes and their relation to the unconscious . https://staferla.free.fr/Freud/Freud%20complete%20Works.pdf

But there’s a catch. When you do this et al. can’t stand for only one author. After all it literally means “and others.” If you have two sources that are identical except for the last author, then you have to write out all the names every time. For example:

Gunderman, Slack, Rausch, and Smith (2017)

Gunderman, Slack, Rausch, and Johnston (2017)

These references are completely the same except for the very last name so you’d have to write all 4 names every time.

If your source has multiple works by the same author

What if you had 2 sources with the same author(s) and same publication year? Lucky for us the solution here is a lot simpler. Just a letter to the publication year!

Gunderman, Slack, and Rausch (2017)

Gunderman, Slack, and Rausch (2017a)

Gunderman, Slack, and Rausch (2017b)

Just remember to also follow this format in your works cited page even if there is an exact publication date available. See page 267 of your Publication Manual (American Psychological Association, 2020) for a further breakdown.

Need to create an APA in-text citation for a source without an author? How about an APA in-text citation for multiple authors? Continue reading to see the other ways to structure an APA style in-text citation.

APA In-Text Citations for Sources with Multiple Authors

Apa in-text citation for sources with two authors.

If your source has two authors, place them in the order they appear on the source. Do not place them in alphabetical order.

Use the word “and” in between the authors’ names.

1st Author’s Last Name and 2nd Author’s Last Name (Year published) are found somewhere in the sentence with a “direct quote” or paraphrase (p. number).

If you choose to include both authors’ names in parentheses, use an ampersand in between their names.

“Here is the direct quote” or Here is the paraphrase (1st Author’s Last Name & 2nd Author’s Last name, Year, p. number).

APA in-text citation for sources three or more authors

Only include the first author’s last name and then add ‘et al.’ Et al. is a fancy way of saying “and others” in Latin.

1st Author’s Last Name et al. (Year published) are found somewhere in the sentence with a “direct quote” or paraphrase (p. number).

“Here is the direct quote” or Paraphrase (1st Author’s Last Name et al., Year published, p. number).

If you have author of multiple works (with multiple authors)

Now here is where things can get a tad bit tricky. Sometimes authors with multiple works can cause some confusion in your citations. Generally when that happens you can tell the difference by the publication year, but when you can’t, that’s when you have to list as many authors as necessary to clear up the confusion.

Say you had the two sources below:

Gunderman, Slack, Rausch, and Maule (2017)

Gunderman, Byrnes, Oxner, Wigginton, and Draeger (2017)

Normally, they’d be written as:

Gunderman et al. (2017)

If you reduced both sources to Gunderman et al. (2017) you wouldn’t be able to tell which source you’re talking about. Instead cite it this way:

Gunderman, Slack, Rausch et al. (2017)

Gunderman, Byrnes, Oxner et al. (2017)

If you’re looking for more information on structuring journal articles, check out our APA journal page.

If you’re looking for a simple solution to referencing multiple authors, EasyBib.com creates in-text citations APA for you! Whether you need to create a reference for one or two authors, or an APA in-text citation for multiple authors, we’ve got you covered!

APA In-text citation no author or date

It’s common to come across sources without any authors. Movies, brochures, website pages often do not have a visible author’s name.

Citing a source with no author

If you find that the source you’re attempting to reference does not have an author, use the first few words from the reference list entry in the APA in-text citation with no author. Most often, it’s the title of the source.

Place the source name in quotation marks if the source is a:

  • website page

Simply italicize the source name if the source is a:

  • Or the full reference starts with italicized information

Remember, you do not have to use the entire title in your in-text citation APA no author. You can use only the first few words from the reference list.

“First few words of the webpage, article, or chapter Title” (Year) along with the “direct quote” or paraphrase (p. number). OR First few words of book, newspaper, report, or brochure (Year) along with the “direct quote” or paraphrase (p. number).

“Here is the direct quote” or paraphrase (“Web page, Article, or Chapter Title,” Year, p. number). OR “Here is the direct quote” or paraphrase ( Book, Newspaper, Report, or Brochure Title , Year, p. number).

Citing source with no date

No date? No problem! An APA in-text citation no date situation is easier to solve than you think. Only include the author’s name and the page number.

APA in-text citation no date example:

(Foster, p. 35).

Additional APA In-Text Citation Examples

Source by a group, organization, company, or government agency.

There are two types of groups: Ones that are abbreviated often and ones that are not abbreviated.

For example, think about these two citation style types: APA and Chicago. One is abbreviated (for the American Psychological Association) and the other is usually written as is (Chicago style).

Abbreviated groups

If the company is often abbreviated, in the first mention in text, display the full name and the abbreviation. In the second and any other subsequent mentions, only use the abbreviation.

1st mention:

Full Company’s Name (Abbreviation, Year) with the “direct quote” or paraphrase (p. number).

2nd mention:

Company Abbrev. (Year) “direct quote” or paraphrase (p. number).

“Direct quote” or paraphrase (Full Company’s Name [Abbreviation], Year, p. number).

“Direct quote” or paraphrase (Abbreviation, Year, p. number).

Non-abbreviated groups

Always include the full group, company, or organization’s name in each and every mention in text.

Full Name of Group (Year) with the “direct quote” or paraphrase (p. number).

“Direct quote” or paraphrase (Full Name of Group, Year, p. number).

Citing sources with different authors with the same last name

We’re not quite sure how the author of The Baby-Sitters Club (Ann M. Martin) could be used in a paper that’s also referencing the author of Game of Thrones (George R. R. Martin), but hey, it could happen! It’s a Martin party! It’s important to show the reader the difference between the two individuals to prevent any confusion. To differentiate between the two authors in the text, include their first initials.

Example of in-text citation APA:

“Here’s a quote” (A. Martin, Year, p. 6). G. Martin (Year) also states “this direct quote” (p. 45).

As always, keep the author names and the dates directly next to each other. They love being together and it’s a best practice.

Citing multiple sources in the same in-text citation

List sources alphabetically and separate with a semicolon.

Be sure to list authors alphabetically.

Johnson (2019), Smith and Adams (2015), and Washington (2017), examined


“Direct quote” or Paraphrase (Author 1 Last Name, Year published, p. number if needed; Author 2 Last Name, Year published, p. number if needed)

Parenthetical Citation Examples:

(Johnson et al., 2019; Smith & Adams, 2015; Washington, 2017)

(Honda, 2006, p. 107; Sato, 1980)

If you want to emphasize a source because it is particularly important or relevant, add “see also” before the source’s citation. Think of “see also” as synonymous with “for more information see
”

(Johnson et al., 2019; see also Smith & Adams, 2015; Washington, 2017).

Citing a source within a source

Did you stumble upon the perfect quote that’s quoted in another source? It happens all of the time and it can be a little tricky to figure out how to quote a quote.

The American Psychological Association recommends locating the original quote, if possible. Instead of relying on secondary sources, take the time to locate the original source to make sure the quote is accurate. Finding and reading through the original source also provides you with further information on your research topic!

If finding the original source isn’t possible, due to out of print titles, web pages taken down, or other factors, then it’s okay to quote the secondary source. In your writing, use the phrase “as cited in Secondary Author’s Last name, Year.”

On the reference page, include the reference for the secondary source.

As cited in Shapiro’s (2019) article, Carranza stated, “Districts 3 and 15 are showing how we can have the important conversations and take bold action on this issue.”

Carranza stated, “Districts 3 and 15 are showing how we can have the important conversations and take bold action on this issue” (as cited in Shapiro, 2019).

On the reference page, Shapiro’s article would be referenced in its entirety.

Citing audiovisual material

APA in-text citations for YouTube videos , songs, podcasts, television shows, and other audiovisual materials look a bit different than other types of sources. They include an extra piece of information: a time stamp.

Bill Nye (2017) shares that the sun is over four-hundred septillion watts (13:15).

The sun is over four-hundred septillion watts (Bill Nye, 2017, 13:15).

If you’re still scratching your head, and feeling the urge to type “how to do in-text citations APA” into Google, click here for a website that we dig.

If you’re looking for a quick fix to developing your references, EasyBib.com has you covered! Our tools can help you create an APA in-text citation multiple authors, one author, no authors, plus more!

Overview of APA Parenthetical Citations for Websites

Here’s a quick overview of how to create an in-text citation for websites. Notice that since these are for online sources, the in-text citation has no page number.

Once again, if grammar isn’t your thing, and you’re looking for help related to specific parts of speech, check out our adjective , pronoun , and determiner pages, among many, many others!

Follow our EasyBib Twitter feed to find more citing tips, fun grammar facts, and the latest product updates.

parenthetical citation how to

American Psychological Association. (2020). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.) https:doi.org/10.1037/0000165-000

Published May 21, 2019. Updated October 25, 2020.

Written and edited by Michele Kirschenbaum and Elise Barbeau . Michele Kirschenbaum is a school library media specialist and one of the in-house EasyBib librarians. Elise Barbeau is the Citation Specialist at Chegg. She has worked in digital marketing, libraries, and publishing.

APA Formatting Guide

APA Formatting

  • Annotated Bibliography
  • Block Quotes
  • et al Usage
  • In-text Citations
  • Multiple Authors
  • Paraphrasing
  • Page Numbers
  • Parenthetical Citations
  • Reference Page
  • Sample Paper
  • APA 7 Updates
  • View APA Guide

Citation Examples

  • Book Chapter
  • Journal Article
  • Magazine Article
  • Newspaper Article
  • Website (no author)
  • View all APA Examples

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An in-text citation is a shortened version of the source being referred to in the paper. As the name implies, it appears in the text of the paper. A reference list entry, on the other hand, details the complete information of the source being cited and is listed at the end of the paper after the main text. An example of an in-text citation and the corresponding reference list entry for a journal article with one author is listed below for your understanding:

In-text citation template and example:

Only the author name and the publication year are used in in-text citations to direct the reader to the corresponding reference list entry.

Author Surname (Publication Year)

Elden (2003)

Parenthetical

(Author Surname, Publication Year)

(Elden, 2003)

Reference list entry template and example:

Complete information of the reference is used to guide the reader to locate the source for further reference. In the below template, “F” and “M” are first and middle initials, respectively. #–# denotes the page range.

Surname, F. M. (Publication Year). Title of the article: Subtitle. Journal Title, Volume (Issue), #–#. DOI

Elden, S. (2003). Plague, panopticon, police. Surveillance & Society, 1 (3), 240–253. https://doi:10.24908/ss.v1i3.3339

When you use APA style, all sources need to have in-text citations. In-text citations direct a reader to the reference entry to get more information on the source being cited in the text. If an in-text citation is not provided, your reader doesn’t know whether there is a source available in the reference list for the idea or topic being discussed in the text. Even if all the basic elements to cite a source are not available, try to provide an in-text citation with the information you do have. For example, if a source does not have an author, use a shortened version of the title in place of the author in your in-text citation. An example is given below for a parenthetical citation.

Author name available:

(Author Surname, Publication Year, p.# for direct quote)

Author name not available:

(“Title of the Work,” Publication Year, p.# for direct quote)

Therefore, in-text citations are essential to guide a reader to locate the corresponding sources in the reference list for the topics discussed in the text.

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In-text citations

In-text citation examples, personal communications.

  • Articles from Journals, Magazines and Newspapers
  • Dictionary or Encyclopedia
  • Social Media and Blogs
  • Specialized Databases
  • Data Sets and Statistics
  • Paper formatting

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A parenthetical citation includes the last name(s) of the author(s) followed by a comma and the page number(s). The parenthetical citation can be at the end of a sentence or may be in the middle of a sentence if needed to be clear on what is being cited.

A company should always do what is right regardless of the consequences, but doing the right thing tends to result in the best outcomes (Dunn, 2016).

Because doing the right thing is always the best choice (Dunn, 2016), corporate leaders must carefully develop a strong ethical compass.

A narrative citation is used when the author’s name is part of the text. In these cases, the author’s name does not need to be repeated in the parenthetical reference.

Dunn (2016) asserts the view that though a company should do what is right regardless of the potential consequences, ethical actions often produce the best possible outcomes for all (p. 22).

For more on in-text citations of a paraphrase, see opens new window https://apastyle.apa.org/style-grammar-guidelines/citations/paraphrasing

When quoting a source directly, page numbers are used to indicate the location of the quoted text. Though page numbers are not required for a paraphrase, it may be helpful to include page numbers to indicate the location of the paraphrased text. If the source has no page numbers, other location indicators, such as paragraph or section numbers may be used.

“Fundraising is an art and a science” (Garry, 2017, p. 99).

It is hard to predict how donors will respond to an appeal, but in time fundraisers learn to trust their intuition regarding the best approach (Garry, 2017, p. 99).

For more on citing quotations, See opens new window https://apastyle.apa.org/style-grammar-guidelines/citations/quotations

Personal communications are sources that can not be recovered or accessed by the reader because they are not published. This includes emails, texts, conversations (in person, by phone or video conference, etc.), online chats, interviews, classroom lectures, memos, letters, etc. If the information is not available from any recoverable (published) source, it can be cited as a personal communication. Because the reader can not access the information in personal communications, they will not be included in the reference list, but cited in the text only.

In an interview, Benjamin Colby (personal communication, July 25, 2015) mentioned . . . .

A. J. Montoya (personal communication, February 4, 2020) emailed detailed financials to the research team . . . .

In a lecture on November 1, 2021, to a BUS 326 class, Dr. Dash said . . . .

More information is available on the APA Style website .

  • << Previous: Reference Citation Formats
  • Next: Articles from Journals, Magazines and Newspapers >>
  • Last Updated: Jan 26, 2024 10:32 AM
  • URL: https://library.oru.edu/APA

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COMMENTS

  1. Parenthetical Citation

    Parenthetical citations should be placed at the end of the sentence or clause that contains the cited material, and they must always correspond to a full entry in your reference list. Example: MLA parenthetical citation Oscar Wilde believed that "the only question about a work of art was whether it was well or badly written" (Kiberd 120).

  2. In-Text (Parenthetical) Examples

    The citation was long but did not have a date (Smith, n.d.) Note: If directly quoting, after the year of publication add a comma and put the page number. Note: The "n.d." stands for "No Date." Be sure to use n.d. on the References page to match the in-text citation.

  3. EasyBib's Guide to APA Parenthetical Citations

    This guide is designed to help you create APA style parenthetical citations and narrative citations. You'll learn the difference between APA parenthetical citations and narrative citations, as well as the correct way to make them within the text.

  4. How to Create Parenthetical Citations

    Matt Ellis Updated on December 21, 2022 Students Parenthetical citations are in-text citations set within parentheses that summarize source details, such as the author's last name, year of publication, or relevant page numbers. Unlike full citations in a works cited page, parenthetical citations are quick and minimal, so they don't disrupt reading.

  5. Parenthetical Citations

    The function of a parenthetical citation--also known as an in-text citation--is twofold: (1) it unambiguously directs readers to a source listed on the works cited page, and (2) it provides the specific location within the source of the information being cited.

  6. Parenthetical Versus Narrative In-Text Citations

    Cite This Webpage In-text citations have two formats: parenthetical and narrative. In parenthetical citations, the author name and publication date appear in parentheses. In narrative citations, the author name is incorporated into the text as part of the sentence and the year follows in parentheses.

  7. MGH Guides: APA Style 7th Edition: In-Text Citations

    In-text (also called parenthetical) citations follow the author-date citation system in APA style. The author and date of a reference appear in parentheses when referred to in the text of a paper, like this (Smith, 2016). When a work does not have an author, use the first few words of the title of the reference in its place.

  8. Parenthetical or In-Text Citations

    Place all elements in parentheses with the period after the closing parentheses. Narrative citations incorporate the author and publication date within the sentence. In most instances, the author's name will be given and the publication date placed in parentheses immediately after.

  9. What is a parenthetical citation

    🌐 Official APA style guidelines 🗂 APA style guide 📝 APA citation generator What does a parenthetical citation look like in MLA format? The MLA style of parenthetical citation has many parallel elements to the APA format.

  10. APA Parenthetical Citations

    The purpose of parenthetical references is to give credit to sources that you use. Cite direct quotations, paraphrases, ideas peculiar to an author, case studies, statistics, and graphics, such as maps, charts, diagrams, and scientific research results. Place citations directly after the quotation or paraphrase.

  11. Introduction to parenthetical citations

    Parenthetical citations are citations to original sources that appear in the text of your paper. This allows the reader to see immediately where your information comes from, and it saves you the trouble of having to make footnotes or endnotes. The APA style calls for three kinds of information to be included in in-text citations.

  12. APA Citation Guide: In-Text/Parenthetical Citations (7E)

    In-text citations, or parenthetical citations, are those that are inside the running text, or narrative of your text, and act as pointers to the more complete reference list at the end of the paper.

  13. MLA In-Text Citations: The Basics

    In MLA Style, referring to the works of others in your text is done using parenthetical citations. This method involves providing relevant source information in parentheses whenever a sentence uses a quotation or paraphrase.

  14. In-text citation

    Two types of in-text citations. 1. Author prominent format. Use this format if you want to emphasise the author. Their name becomes part of your sentence. Example. Jones (2018) concluded that the treatment was effective in 74% of cases. Author prominent citations are also referred to as parenthetical citations. 2.

  15. Parenthetical Citation ~ Citation Styles & Examples

    Example Richard Dawkins coined the term "meme" in his iconic The Selfish Gene (1976, p. 192). Parenthetical citations are adopted by a wide number of academic writing styles across the sciences and humanities. MLA, APA style, and Chicago style all provide guidelines for using parenthetical citations.

  16. APA Citation Guide: In-Text/Parenthetical Citations (6E)

    The in-text citation almost always needs the author, year, and page (s). The basic template looks like this for quotations: (Author, year, p. x) (Author, year, pp. xx-xx) Notice that the year always follows the author, and the page number (s) is always at the end. Number of authors and number of times cited is key to understand APA in-text ...

  17. How to Do In-Text and Parenthetical Citations

    By Adrienne Mathewson Certified Librarian In How To 6 Min read As you start writing your school paper, you need to include citations in the body of your work. Are they in-text citations or parenthetical citations? Actually, both terms are correct.

  18. Parenthetical Citations

    Works Cited Citing Articles Citing Books Web Pages and Blog Posts Audiovisual Media Images and Art Other Using Parenthetical (In-Text) Citations Include a parenthetical citation when you refer to, summarize, paraphrase, or quote from another source.

  19. Parenthetical Citations: APA & MLA Examples

    Parenthetical citations are used in MLA format and closely resemble those in APA format. However, there are two main differences between MLA and APA formats: Cite the page number rather than the date of publication. There is no comma separating the page number from the author's last name. Include the first few words in the title of the work ...

  20. In-Text Citations: The Basics

    The parenthetical citation should come after the closing punctuation mark. Because block quotation formatting is difficult for us to replicate in the OWL's content management system, we have simply provided a screenshot of a generic example below. Formatting example for block quotations in APA 7 style.

  21. MLA In-Text Citations

    MLA In-Text Citations | Parenthetical & Narrative | EasyBib Certain features require a modern browser to function. Please use a different browser, like Firefox, Chrome, or Safari Citation Generator APA Citation Generator MLA Citation Generator Harvard Referencing Generator Writing Resources Grammar Guides Plagiarism Guide Writing a Paper

  22. In-Text (Parenthetical) Examples

    It has been reported that failure to use citations is a threat to national security (Citation Security Agency, 36). Note: Shorten the group name to the shortest noun phrase and remove any articles (a, an, the). For example, The National Academy of Sciences and the Royal Society would be listed in-text as (National Academy).

  23. PDF APA 7th Edition Style

    arAustln Peay State University CLARKSVILLE TENNESSEE APSU Writing Center APA style 7th Edition - Citing Books 5. Several volumes of a multivolume work Provide the name(s) of the editor(s)-in-chief as the editors of the work, even if the volume editors are different. Harris, K. R., Graham, S., & Urdan T. (Eds.). (2012).

  24. APA In-Text Citations

    Parenthetical Citations: This is a type of APA in-text citation where the author's name(s) are in parentheses, usually at the end of the fact or quote. Parenthetical Citation Example. Use simplified terms when discussing and defining the universe. For example, a small white star is simply called a white dwarf.

  25. Quotations

    For a direct quotation, always include a full citation (parenthetical or narrative) in the same sentence as the quotation, including the page number (or other location information, e.g., paragraph number).Place a parenthetical citation either immediately after the quotation or at the end of the sentence.

  26. Citing Sources with APA 7th Edition: In-text citations

    The parenthetical citation can be at the end of a sentence or may be in the middle of a sentence if needed to be clear on what is being cited. A company should always do what is right regardless of the consequences, but doing the right thing tends to result in the best outcomes (Dunn, 2016).

  27. APA

    APA Quick Reference Guide for Journal Articles, Books, and Chapters. Sample Headings in APA Student Paper. citation style uses the author's last name and the year of publication. : (Miller, 2019) : (Miller & Adams, 2016) : (Smith et al., 2018) -List the Title of the Book or Article in quotes. ("Herbs at a Glance," 2017)