To indicate where certain information used in a paper or report comes from, a writer must add a quote within the text to the information. In-text citations are an essential part of any research work, regardless of the style manual used. Here are instructions on how to insert citations within the text using the APA, MLA and Chicago styles.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: APA
Step 1. Introduce the author in the sentence
Whenever possible, you should include the surname of the author or authors of the work. One way to introduce the author's name is to name it in the sentence, before exposing the information that author provides.
- According to Jones, this premise is false (2010).
- A study by Smith, Doe and Rowell indicates that this is just a bias (2002).
Step 2. Alternatively, you can write the author's name in parentheses
If you don't introduce the author or authors in the sentence, write the names in parentheses after the sentence. For works by multiple authors, separate the last two names with an ampersand (&).
- This premise is false (Jones, 2010).
- While it has been recognized as a fact in the past, it is only a prejudice (Smith, Doe & Rowell, 2002).
Step 3. Specify the publication year
Whenever it's available, include the publication date in parentheses after the sentence. If the author's name is in parentheses, separate the date with a comma. If the date is not available, indicate it with the abbreviation "n.d."
- Erikson thinks differently (1999).
- Some experts think otherwise (Erikson, 1999).
- Research shows that this ancient belief "is nothing more than a superstition" (Johnson & Smith, n.d.).
Step 4. Separate multiple citations with a colon
If a quotation or paraphrased information is taken from multiple sources, quote the author and year of all sources in parentheses and separate them with a colon. Write them in alphabetical order, as in the bibliography.
Many wonder if this has not been exaggerated (Doe & Simmons, 2009; Williams, 2007)
Step 5. Replace the author name with the title if necessary
If the author's name is not available, write the title of the book in italics or the title of the article in viegolette. Then write the year of publication as normal. If publication date is not provided, use the abbreviation "n.d."
- Recent brain research supports these theories ("New News about the Brain," n.d.).
- Psychology studies in this area continue to expand (Psychological Discoveries, 2012).
Method 2 of 3: MLA
Step 1. Introduce the author in the sentence
If the name of the author or authors is available, write the surname in the quote. One way to quote the author is to introduce him in the sentence before the quote or paraphrase.
- According to Jones, this premise is false (25).
- A study by Smith, Doe and Rowell indicates that this is just a bias (98-100).
Step 2. Alternatively, you can write the author's name in parentheses
If you don't introduce the author or authors in the sentence, write the names in parentheses after the sentence. For works by multiple authors, separate the last two names with the word "and".
- This premise is false (Jones, 2010).
- While it has been recognized as a fact in the past, it is only a prejudice (Smith, Doe & Rowell, 2002).
Step 3. Specify the page numbers on which information can be found
Write the page numbers in parentheses. If the information is on several consecutive pages, separate the numbers with a hyphen. If the page numbers are not consecutive, separate them with a comma. Do not separate the author name and page numbers with commas.
- Erikson thinks otherwise (27).
- Some experts think otherwise (Erikson 27).
- Research shows that this ancient belief "is nothing but superstition" (Johnson and Smith 28-31).
- New information clarified the situation (Doe 18, 23).
Step 4. Write the initial of the name in case there are several authors with the same surname
If you need to cite two works written by two different authors with the same surname, include the initial of the name.
- Current linguistic theory supports this view (L. Hoffman 87), but some linguists disagree (M. Hoffman 14).
- L. Hoffman supports this view (87), but M. Hoffman disagrees (14).
Step 5. If the author is not available, use the title
If the author of a source is not available, use a shortened form of the title instead. Put articles and short works in quotation marks and books and other long works in italics. Write the page numbers as normal.
- Recent brain research supports these theories ("New News" 4-5).
- Psychological studies in this area continue to expand (Psychological Discoveries 58).
Step 6. When referring to more than one work by the same author, specify the title
If you are quoting from multiple works written by the same author, specify the title of the work in parentheses, followed by the page number. Use quotes for short works and italics for long works. You can enter the author's name in the sentence or write it in parentheses before the title, separating the author and title with a comma.
- Doe believes this belief to be true ("Theories on Literature" 92-4), but has drifted away from it on occasion. (Analysis of Popular Poems 100).
- This theory is “too new to succeed” (Analysis of Popular Poems 100), but promises significant progress (Doe, "Theories on Literature" 92-4).
Step 7. Separate multiple citations with a semicolon
If the information is from more than one source, name all in parentheses as normal and separate the sources with a semicolon.
Many wonder if the fact has not been exaggerated (Doe and Simmons 204; Williams 17-21)
Step 8. Write the name of the author and the website, if you use an online source
Unprinted sources do not have standard page numbering. Instead of providing the page or paragraph number, indicate the source by specifying the author's name and the title of the article or website. You can put both the author and the website in brackets separated by a comma, or just one of the elements.
- Williams firmly declares his support for this new artistic movement (“Film Trends”).
- This new art movement is supported by professionals (Williams, “Film Trends”).
Method 3 of 3: Chicago
Step 1. Use footnotes or at the end of the paper
Normally, citations within the text are indicated through the use of footnotes or at the end of the text. Immediately after the punctuation mark following the information, enter a note number. The number should match the current number of citations used in the text. You can introduce the author's name in the sentence but it is not necessary.
- This information is considered fact by several critics. 1
- Doe believes this to be false. 2
Step 2. Provide a complete quote in the first footnote
At the end of the page, or at the end of the paper, write the name and surname of the author and the title of the article. Include the author's name, even if you've already named it in the text itself. After this information, indicate the city of publication, the name of the publisher and the year of publication in parentheses. Next, add the page numbers on which the information can be found.
- 1. Robert Smith and Kevin Williams, Studies on the Human Condition (New York: Big Time Press, 2012), 4-14.
- 2. John Doe, “A New Perspective” (New York: Major Journal, 2011), 18.
Step 3. Shorten the quote in subsequent notes
If you have already cited a source once, abbreviate it in the following notes. When a quote immediately follows one from the same source, abbreviate all information except the page numbers with the Latin word "Ibid." When a quote from the same source as another is separated from it from other sources, include the author's surname, title of the work, and page numbers.
- 1. Robert Smith and Kevin Williams, Studies on the Human Condition (New York: Big Time Press, 2012), 4-14.
- 2. Ibid., 34.
- 3. John Doe, “A New Perspective” (New York: Major Journal, 2011), 18.
- 4. Robert Smith and Kevin Williams, Studies on the Human Condition, 67.
Step 4. If you don't want to use notes, include a quote in parentheses
If your teacher told you not to use footnotes or at the end of the paper, provide the same information in parentheses, immediately after the quoted sentence and before the punctuation mark. Write the full name of the author, the title of the work, the city of publication, the name of the publisher, the year of publication and the page numbers.
- Doe believes this to be false (“A New Perspective” [New York: Major Journal, 2011], 18).
- “This idea is absolutely false” (John Doe, “A New Perspective” [New York: Major Journal, 2011], 18).
Step 5. Write the name of the organization, whether the work has a government or non-government agency as its author
If the person responsible for a particular source is an organization and not an individual author, write the name of that organization.
- Job prospects for this profession look positive (U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook [Washington, DC: Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2013]).
- 18. U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook (Washington, DC: Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2013).
