An in-text citation is a short acknowledgement you include whenever you quote or take information from a source in academic writing. It points the reader to the source so they can see where you got your information. Show
In-text citations most commonly take the form of short parenthetical statements indicating the author and publication year of the source, as well as the page number if relevant. Example: APA Style in-text citation(Jackson, 2005, p. 16)We also offer a free citation generator and in-depth guides to the main citation styles. Generate accurate citations with ScribbrGo to APA examplesGo to MLA examplesGo to Chicago examples What are in-text citations for?The point of an in-text citation is to show your reader where your information comes from. Including citations:
Academic writing is seen as an ongoing conversation among scholars, both within and between fields of study. Showing exactly how your own research draws on and interacts with existing sources is essential to keeping this conversation going. When do you need an in-text citation?An in-text citation should be included whenever you quote or paraphrase a source in your text. Quoting means including the original author’s words directly in your text, usually introduced by a signal phrase. Quotes should always be cited (and indicated with quotation marks), and you should include a page number indicating where in the source the quote can be found. Example: Quote with APA Style in-text citation Evolution is a gradual process that “can act only by very short and slow steps” (Darwin, 1859, p. 510).Paraphrasing means putting information from a source into your own words. In-text citations are just as important here as with quotes, to avoid the impression you’re taking credit for someone else’s ideas. Include page numbers where possible, to show where the information can be found. Example: Paraphrase with APA Style in-text citationThe evolutionary process consists of a series of incremental changes over a long period of time (Darwin, 1859, p. 510).However, to avoid over-citation, bear in mind that some information is considered common knowledge and doesn’t need to be cited. For example, you don’t need a citation to prove that Paris is the capital city of France, and including one would be distracting. Types of in-text citationDifferent types of in-text citation are used in different citation styles. They always direct the reader to a reference list giving more complete information on each source. Author-date citations (used in APA, Harvard, and Chicago author-date) include the author’s last name, the year of publication, and a page number when available. Author-page citations (used in MLA) are the same except that the year is not included. Both types are divided into parenthetical and narrative citations. In a parenthetical citation, the author’s name appears in parentheses along with the rest of the information. In a narrative citation, the author’s name appears as part of your sentence, not in parentheses.
Note: Footnote citations like those used in Chicago notes and bibliography are sometimes also referred to as in-text citations, but the citation itself appears in a note separate from the text. Frequently asked questions about in-text citationsWhat is an in-text citation?
An in-text citation is an acknowledgement you include in your text whenever you quote or paraphrase a source. It usually gives the author’s last name, the year of publication, and the page number of the relevant text. In-text citations allow the reader to look up the full source information in your reference list and see your sources for themselves. Which citation style should I use?
Check if your university or course guidelines specify which citation style to use. If the choice is left up to you, consider which style is most commonly used in your field. Other more specialized styles exist for certain fields, such as Bluebook and OSCOLA for law. The most important thing is to choose one style and use it consistently throughout your text.
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.
General information about parenthetical citations How do I cite sources in my paper?The following instructions are basically the same for print sources and electronic sources. When you quote or paraphrase a specific portion of a text in a source, give enough information—most typically the author’s last name and the page number—to identify the exact location of the borrowed material. If you are using two sources from the same author, then you’ll need to reference both the title of the piece along with the author’s name either in the sentence itself or in the parenthetical citation. Use a comma between the last name and the title of the source if both appear in the parenthetical citation. The parenthetical information should not repeat information given in your text (e.g., if you mention the author’s name in your text, you do not include it in the citation). For more information and example citations, see: Citing books, articles, and other sources parenthetically in your paper. How should I format my quotations and citation information?For direct references, paraphrases, and quotations that are shorter than four lines, include the citation information in parentheses at the end of the sentence directly following any quotation marks and right before the sentence’s ending punctuation. Use the block quotation format for quotations more than four lines long: indent one half inch from the left margin, double space the quotation, and do not use quotation marks. Place the parenthetical citation after the period (or other mark of punctuation) that closes the block quotation. When it comes to referencing numbers in parenthetical citations, do not include the word “page” or “pages” or the abbreviations “p.” or “pp.”—just the page numbers themselves. If an electronic source uses paragraph or section numbers instead of page numbers, use the appropriate abbreviation (e.g., “par.”; do not count paragraphs if they are not numbered in the electronic source; if an electronic source does not include page or paragraph numbers, don’t include any numbers in your citation). When referring to plays, poems, or modern prose works that call attention to other divisions, in the parenthetical citation first include the page number, then provide any other identifying information—abbreviating terms like “chapter” and “section”—and then include the appropriate number. For more information, see: Abbreviating references to your sources Citing books, articles, and other sources parenthetically in your paperIn conjunction with the explanations about structuring and formatting in–text citations detailed here, this page provides example citations for how a range of different source types are correctly referenced according to MLA’s citation guidelines. – Author’s name in text Magny develops this argument (67-69). – Author’s name in reference This argument has been developed elsewhere (Magny 67-69). – Quotation found in indirect or “secondhand” source The philosopher Alain states that “admiration is not pleasure but a kind of attention. . .” (qtd. in Magny 66). – Material found in indirect source Alain’s words seem to dissociate admiration from pleasure (in Magny 66). – Two authors’ names in reference The most notorious foreign lobby in Washington is the “Sugar Mafia” (Howe and Trott 134). – Reference to volume and page in multivolume work As a painter Andrea was “faultless” (Freedberg 1: 98). – Reference to whole volume In his second volume, Freedberg gives an account of Andrea’s whole painting career. – Two works by same author on list of works cited Frye connects Burgess’ A Clockwork Orange to romance tradition (Secular Scripture 110). And while this connection may be surprising given A Clockwork Orange‘s themes and content, Frye’s unique perspective on the nature of genres sheds light on this unusual combination (“Rhetorical Criticism: Theory of Genres”). – Two locations in same source Dabundo deals with this problem (22, 31). – Two sources cited This controversy has been addressed more than once (Dabundo 27; Magny 69). – Personal interview; name given in text Parsons addresses the need for physical education teachers to understand the relationship between physical activity and fitness. – Corporate author Many different types of organizations in the United States are involved in mediation and dispute resolution (Natl. Inst. for Dispute Resolution). – Quotation from a play with page numbers In A Raisin in the Sun, Walter doesn’t hide his disdain for his sister’s attitude towards his mother’s money: “the line between asking and just accepting when the time comes is big and wide—ain’t it!” he levels at Beneatha (Hansberry 37; act 1, scene 1). – Quotation from a play with division and line numbers This is made clear by the Duke’s recommendation that the best response to grief is to move on (Othello 1.3.208–209). – Quotation from a poem Amy Quan Barry asks piercingly, “What is it to know the absolute value / of negative grace . . .?” – Quotation from a multi–page poem with line numbers It is at this point that Eliot first introduces the women in the room “talking of Michelangelo” (line 14). – Electronic source that uses paragraph numbers The semiconductor workplace is highly toxic (Ross par. 35). – Electronic source that uses chapter and section numbers “Once we start using a tool extensively, it also starts using us” (Rawlins ch. 1, sec. 1). Formatting quotations according to the MLA guidelinesParenthetical citations appear at the end of the sentence in which the direct reference, summary, paraphrase, or quote appears. For quotations that are shorter than four lines, include the citation after the final quotation marks and before the sentence’s concluding punctuation. Use the block quotation format for quotations more than four lines long:
Place the parenthetical citation (author and page number) after the period (or other mark of punctuation) that closes the block quotation. |
What information typically goes in the in-text parenthetical citation in the body of an MLA Style essay?
Related Posts
Copyright © 2024 ShotOnMac Inc.
