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LAI203: How to Create In-Text Citations in APA

Last Updated: Feb 19, 2024 12:20 PM

APA In Text Citations

An in-text citation helps the reader of your work locate where you got the information from. Formatting an APA in-text citation might seem tricky but they are actually very easy.

Please use the information below and from Purdue OWL to assist you in making an accurate in-text citation to ensure you are not plagiarizing borrowed information.

The Basics

In-text citations require the author's name, publication date, and page number the specific quote appears on (if available).

The basic components:

(Author Last Name(s), Date, p. number).

 

Using a signal phrase to introduce the quote:

Author Last Name(s) (Date) argue that "..." (p. number).

 

If referring to an idea from a work but not using a direct quotation or referring to an entire work, do NOT include the page number.

Tutorial Video

In-Text Citation Examples

One author, with signal phrase and without

 

Denny (2017) contends that "inevitably, the data we have about current weather conditions are such that prediction errors are unavoidable, especially given the chaotic nature of key weather phenomena" (p. 126).

 

When considering the data requirements for accurate weather forecasting, one must consider that "inevitably, the data we have about current weather conditions are such that prediction errors are unavoidable, especially given the chaotic nature of key weather phenomena" (Denny, 2017, p. 126).


Two authors, with signal phrase and without

 

Teague and Gallicchio (2017) argue that "the coming together and the pooling of resources--of research, of technology, and financially--is key to the next phase in the development of meteorology" (p. 225).

 

Looking forward, "the coming together and the pooling of resources--of research, of technology, and financially--is key to the next phase in the development of meteorology" (Teague & Gallicchio, 2017, p. 225).


Three or more authors, with signal phrase and without

 

Research from Sandel et al. (2011) supports the conclusion that "small-ranged, weakly dispersing species in previously stable regions experiencing high future climate-change velocities will be at greatest extinction risk from anthropogenic climate change" (p. 663).

 

Research supports that "small-ranged, weakly dispersing species in previously stable regions experiencing high future climate-change velocities will be at greatest extinction risk from anthropogenic climate change" (Sandel et al., 2011, p. 663).