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Citing Sources in APA 7th Edition: In-Text Citations
Getting Started With In-Text Citations
Citing in the text and writing the reference for the reference page should go hand in hand. The in-text citation and the reference must match, and it is the reference that determines what the in-text citation looks like.
To avoid needing to go back and correct in-text citations, write the reference list first!
There are two broad categories of sources, recoverable and non-recoverable:
- Recoverable sources are:
- In a fixed format: written down, photographed, or recorded.
- Available to the main audience of the paper. A private email, for example, is not available to anyone but sender and recipients.
- Non-recoverable sources are either:
- Not in a fixed format. For example, in person lectures, interviews, or speeches that are not recorded and exist only as memories or notes.
- Not available to the audience. Emails, private letters, and many other locked messages such as DMs or a private Twitter.
All non-recoverable sources are cited using the personal communication format found below.
Course material such as lecture notes may be treated as recoverable for regular assignments, as the audience for the paper (your professors) has access to the sources. Treat all private correspondence as non-recoverable, even if with your professor.
Dissertations and Nursing Capstones have a broader audience, and should treat course material not available outside the course as non-recoverable.
There are two basic ways to cite sources in the text:
Parenthetical Citations
A parenthetical citationplaces all of the information at the end of the sentence, enclosed in parentheses.
- The parentheses are part of the sentence, so the ending punctuation comes after them.
- Most citations will be author or authors and year. See the "Missing Pieces and Exceptions" section for times when that varies.
- APA uses only the year in the in-text citation, even if the reference itself has the day and month.
- Group names may be shortened into acronyms after the first use. See "Group Authors" in the paraphrasing section for more details.
Examples:
(Silva, 2018)
(Holland & Forrest, 2017)
(Nazzal et al., 2020)
(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2016)
Narrative Citations
A narrative citationworks the author name into the sentence itself.
- The year always goes with the authors. Do not separate them.
- Most citations will be author or authors and year. See the "Missing Pieces and Exceptions" section for times when that varies.
- APA uses only the year in the in-text citation, even if the reference itself has the day and month.
- Group names may be shortened into acronyms after the first use. See "Group Authors" in the paraphrasing section for more details.
- There are many, many ways to word a narrative citation. These are examples, not strict guides.
Examples:
According to Silva (2018), writers who write a lot write on a set schedule with time set aside for writing.
A study done by Nazzal et al. (2020)...
In a book by Holland and Forrest (2017)...
The American Nursing Association (ANA, n.d.)…
Note: Which method you use is entirely your choice, and switching between parenthetical and narrative in-text citations in the same paper or paragraph is fine. Visit the plagiarism page for more on how often to include a citation.
- APA Style: Basics of APA 7th Edition This link opens in a new window
A tutorial and introduction to APA 7th edition from the official APA website.
Paraphrasing: Formats & Examples
For a Work by One Author
(Author last name, Year)
Parenthetical Citation:
One key to writing more often is to plan time to write on a set schedule (Silva, 2018).
Narrative Citation:
According to Silva (2018), writers who write a lot write on a set schedule with time set aside for writing.
For Works by Two Authors
Parenthetical Citation:
(Holland & Forrest, 2017)
Narrative Citation:
In a book by Holland and Forrest (2017)...
Three or More Authors
- Cite the first author, followed by et al. and the year.
- Include additional authors if using just one would create an in-text citation identical to a different source you are using, for example two sources with the same first author and year. If two or more authors remain, end with et al. If only one author would be left out, include them, as et al. should stand for more than one name.
- See the "Missing Pieces & Exceptions" and the "Citing Sources With the Same or Similar Authors" sections for more on special cases.
Examples:
Parenthetical citation:
(Nazzal et al., 2020)
(Johnson, Peterson, et al., 2019)
(Johnson, McGuire, et al., 2019)
Narrative citation:
A study done by Nazzal et al. (2020)…
Johnson, Peterson, et al. (2019)...
Group Authors
- Organizations, businesses, companies, and agencies can all be authors.
- If an official website does not otherwise state a personal author for content, assume the group is the author. For example, most information on a government website uses the agency as the author.
- Abbreviate long group author names, so long as the abbreviation will be clear, using the letters to make an acronym.
- If two organizations would create the same acronym, spell both out every time.
- Acronyms are in all caps.
- Abbreviations need to be introduced the first time they are used. Place the abbreviation in the parenthesis for narrative citations, include it in brackets in parenthetical citations.
Examples:
Parenthetical citation:
(Starbucks Corporation, 2020)
Parenthetical citation, with acronym:
Over 6 million children are estimated to have ADHD (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2016).
—all later citations would use the acronym (CDC, 2016).
Narrative citation:
In this year's annual report, the Starbucks Corporation (2020) stated that....
Narrative citation, with acronym:
The American Nursing Association (ANA, n.d.)…
—all later citations would use the acronym: "ANA (n.d.) recommendations..."
Interviews & Personal Communication
Interviews you conduct and other communication you receive that other people would not be able to locate are cited with in-text citations only. This applies only to interviews and communications that are not recorded in a publicly available way. For those sources that are recorded, cite them like the type they are—an interview during a podcast is cited as a podcast, an interview in a YouTube video is cited as a video and so on. Use this form for other private communication, such as emails, phone calls, and direct messages. Also use this form for non-recorded public communication such as an in-person lecture or speech.
Like author names, APA requires first names of interviewees or speakers be reduced to initials, which are included in the in-text citations since there is no reference list entry.
Like other in-text citations, the citation can appear at the end of the sentence, or you can work it into the sentence.
Format:
(A. A. Interviewee last name, personal communication, Month Day, Year)
Examples:
End of Sentence:
(J. A. Doe, personal communication, September 12, 2014).
Incorporated into sentence:
In an interview, J. A. Doe (personal communication, September 12, 2014), stated that in her experience....
Secondary Sources
Secondary sources are when you find a source discussed in another source, and wish to refer to it. APA strongly recommends locating sources instead of using a secondary source. Try and locate the cited article first. However, sometimes an article will be unavailable, or in another language, or may be archival material you do not have access to. In that case, you may cite from the article you do have.
Only the source actually viewed is listed on the reference page. If an article by Mr. Gardner discussed or quoted from an article by Mr. Smith, Mr. Gardner's article goes on the reference page and Mr. Smith should be mentioned in the in-text citation like so:
Early research shows (Smith, 2000, as cited in Gardner, 2014).
If the primary source is undated, omit it from the in-text citation and mention in the text:
An undated letter in Alexander Hamilton's papers reads.....(as cited in Chernow, 2005).
Example:
Quote from an article referenced below:
"Tennant (1999) notes the irony that digital libraries face the same 'decay' of their materials, because of technological obsolescence, as did paper libraries. From the archivist's point of view, the goal of digital preservation is to create a permanent record of existing hard copies of journals and other periodicals, which involves migrating those texts to a digital format that will be more permanent and stable. In addition to achieving a stable text, libraries thus eliminate or alleviate problems with shelf space and/or warehousing of bound periodicals (Chepesiuk, 2000). Wiggins (2001) describes the daunting task of preserving not only digital content, however, but 'the necessary information to interpret the content using new systems across time.'" (Griffin, 2003, p. 46)
Possible paraphrased text:
Authors were aware of the issue of digital preservation and the need for stable texts early on, with archivists noting that due to changes in technology, digital collections have the same concerns over degrading content as print collections (Tennant, 1999, as cited in Griffin, 2003).
Reference--only this article:
To Cite More Than One Work in the Same Parentheses
- Cite multiple works by the same author with different years with the author first, then the years in chronological order:
- (Jones et al., 2012, 2015)
- Undated items come before dated, in press items come last.
- (ANA, n.d., 2018, 2020, in press)
- For multiple works by the same author in the same year, add small letters as you would otherwise.
- The letters go in order of how the items appear on the reference list.
- Three studies were done (Jones & Smith, 2004a, 2004b, 2004c)
- The letters go in order of how the items appear on the reference list.
- For multiple items with different authors, list them in alphabetical order by first author, with a semicolon between each citation:
- (Baker & Pifer, 2011; Gardner, 2009; Smith & Hatmaker, 2014)
- For a narrative citation, they can go in any order according to your needs:
- Smith and Hatmaker (2014) felt students do best with in person instruction, while both Baker and Pifer (2011) and Gardner (2009) found no difference. Jones and Smith (2004a, 2004b, 2004c) did extensive testing on....
Avoiding Ambiguity: When Two Sources Have the Same or Similar Authors
- Sources with different dates are different enough as citations, even if the authors are the same.
- For sources with the same first author, but different later authors, and the same year, include additional authors:
- (Johnson, Peterson, et al., 2019)
- (Johnson, McGuire, et al., 2019)
- et al. must stand for at least two authors. List all authors if only one would be left after adding enough to differentiate the citation.
- For two first authors with the same surname but different initials, include the initials even if the year is different, to avoid confusion. Only include them on the first author.
- (T. A. Copeland et al., 2013; E. A. Copeland, 2015)
- When you have two sources written by the same author or authors exactly and published in the same year, add a lower case letter to the year in the in text citation to differentiate between the two.
- Which is a and which is b is determined by the order they appear on your reference list.
Reference list:
Jones, B. (2013a). Citations for beginners .
Jones, B. (2013b). Reference page instruction for undergraduates.
In text:
According to Jones (2013b)...
In a book by Jones (2013a)...
(Jones, 2013a)
- For items with no date, add a hyphen before the letter to make the lettering clear:
In text: (American Nursing Association, n.d.-a)
Reference: American Nursing Association. (n.d.-a)
Citing the Bible
- Include the book, chapter, and verse for all Bible citations, both when paraphrasing and when quoting.
- Include locations when paraphrasing from an annotated or study Bible's notes or annotations to help identify them. These also include the page number.
- The Bible is generally treated as having no author.
- Bible versions that are republished on new platforms, such as being posted to websites like Bible Gateway , have two dates—the date that version was first published, and the date published online. Both are included in the in-text citation, unless the original publication date is in dispute.
- Study Bibles are cited like edited books, with the editor appearing in the author spot. They use the date of that particular edition as the date.
Parenthetical Citations:
( The Holy Bible, English Standard Version , 2001/2016, Psalm 23:1)
Study Bible:
(Barker, 1985, Matthew 3:13)
(Barker, 1985, footnote to Matthew 3:4, p. 1445)
Narrative Citations:
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version (2001/2016, Mark 7:14–15)...
- Note that locations, such as chapter and verse, should be in a parenthetical citation.
- General mentions of The Bible or its versions without citation are not in italics.
The King James Version is preferred by some denominations.
Citing Course Material
- Course material includes material only available in the class, not course readings (which are usually published articles) or textbooks not published by GCU (e.g., Elsevier textbooks, which are used by many schools). If it can be found on Amazon, the open web, or in the Library, it is not "course material" and should be cited according to its type (i.e., book, journal article, webpage). Course material may be:
- Lecture notes
- PowerPoints
- Manuals
- Guide documents
- Instructional material
- For general assignments, course material is cited as recoverable, since your classmates and professor can reach the same material.
- Dissertations are intended to be published (in ProQuest Dissertations & Theses or the GCU Library's archive), so they may not cite material only available in the course as recoverable. Textbooks published by GCU may or may not be recoverable depending on the course, please ask the Library if you are unsure.
- Use your professor as the author of material they state they created, for example "My PowerPoint from Tuesday's lecture is now on Halo." Ask your instructor if you are unsure.
- If an author is not otherwise stated, use Grand Canyon University as the author. Abbreviate according to the usual rules:
- (Grand Canyon University [GCU], 2019)
- Then: (GCU, 2019) thereafter.
- Follow the rules in "Citing Sources With the Same or Similar Authors" if using more than one source from GCU with the same year.
- (Grand Canyon University [GCU], 2019)
Quotations: Formats & Examples
Quotes With Page Numbers
- Place the entire quote inside quotation marks.
- Page numbers go inside parentheses after the closing quotation mark.
- For one page, start with the letter p, followed by a period and a space and the number.
- For two or more pages, use pp. and then the numbers, with an en dash between them.
- (Truss, 2003, pp. 73–74)
- If page numbers are not in a row, as may happen with newspapers and magazines, use a comma between the numbers.
- The page numbers come at the end, even for narrative citations where the author and year are earlier in the sentence.
- Ending punctuation comes after the parentheses.
- Do not use ebook reader markers, such as Kindle location numbers, as page numbers.
Parenthetical Citation:
(Truss, 2003, p. 73)
Students need to be explicitly taught “how to make a claim and advance an argument by threading the claim throughout the paper” (Nazzal et al., 2020, p. 285).
Narrative Citation:
Silva (2018) notes that “writing schedules, aside from fostering much more writing, dampen the drama that surrounds academic writing” (p. 15).
Quotes From Sources Without Page Numbers
- For all audio or video recordings, use a time stamp. The time follows an hour, minute, second format, with colons between.
- (Eurovision Song Contest, 2010, 1:20:34)
- For short material, use minutes and seconds, (TED, 2019, 30:43).
- For presentations like a PowerPoint, use slide numbers.
- (Knight, 2019, Slide 5).
- For information taken from a table or figure, use the table or figure number provided in the source.
- (CDC, 2018, Table 3).
- For other sources without page numbers, create a clear location using any of the following:
- Section names or headings. Include the word "section".
- Shortened heading names, which are then enclosed in quotes.
- Paragraph numbers (para. 3) (paras. 4–5). Remember to use an en dash between number ranges. Use a comma between pages that are not in a row: (paras. 2, 5).
- A combination of section and paragraph numbers.
- Use whichever method clearly leads to the location.
Parenthetical Citations
(Waddell, 2015, Shared Worldview Analysis section)
(American Psychological Association, n.d., "Deciding to Submit" section)—The full heading is "Deciding to Submit a Dissertation or Thesis for Publication." Generally shorten to two to three words.
(Waddell, 2015, Commitment section, para. 3)
Narrative Citation
Waddell (2015) describes a worldview as "a foundational set of assumptions to which one commits that serves as a framework for understanding and interpreting reality and deeply shapes one’s behavior" (What Is a Worldview section).
Long Quotes
- Quotations with 40 or more words should be in block format.
- Omit the encompassing quotation marks.
- Start a block quote on a new line.
- Indent the entire quotation 0.5 inches from the left margin (in the same position as a new paragraph).
- Additional paragraphs within a block quote should have the first line indented an additional 0.5 inches.
- The in-text citation for a block quote is placed outside the final punctuation for the quote.
- Double-space.
Example:
Holland and Forrest (2017) define an argument as a claim or belief with a set of reasons in support, presented in a structured way. An argument is to defend a position as reasonable, even if it can’t prove a claim true. Good arguments are also an important part of developing one’s own thinking. They continue,
In order to argue well, you must first learn how to develop good arguments by yourself, independent of a discussion with someone else; and if you are able to present a rational defense of a claim palatable enough to quench your own skepticism, it is likely that you will be able to present it to others for their edification as well. (Holland & Forrest, 2017, Chapter 1, “Essential Features” section)
Knowing how to write academically can be a challenge for some students (Nazzal et al., 2020). Students need to be explicitly taught “how to make a claim and advance an argument by threading the claim throughout the paper” (Nazzal et al., 2020, p. 285).
Formatting may vary on this page according to your computer settings. For examples formatted in a Word document, please see the APA Style website's sample student paper .
Quotes From Sources With Canonical Numbers
- Many classical works have set or "canonical" numbers that are kept consistent across editions and translations.
- Examples include the Bible, the Torah, classical Latin and Greek works, and works like Chaucer.
- Locations may be chapter and verse, line number, canto, or part.
- Plays are cited with act, scene, and line numbers.
- (Shakespeare, 1623/1995, 1.3.36–37)
- This is Act 1, Scene 3, Lines 36 and 37.
- Since this is a republished book, there are two years.
- Cite the Bible with book name, chapter, and verse.
- ( New American Standard Bible , 1995/2008, John 10:11)
Parenthetical Citations:
(Barker, 1985, Matthew 3:13)—Study Bibles are cited like edited books, with the editor in the author spot.
(Plato, ca. 380 B.C.E./2004, 473c5–d)—Most Plato translations include "Stephanus" numbers, a canonical line numbering system.
Narrative Citations:
Plato (ca. 380 B.C.E./2004) argues that "Until philosophers rule as kings in their cities...cities will never have rest from their evils" (473d).
Missing Pieces & Other Exceptions
No Author
- Double-check that the work is not located on a website where the organization or agency should be listed as author.
- For legal citations such as court cases or laws, see the "Legal Citations" section.
- Some items cannot be listed as without an author, such as YouTube videos--the username that posted it is always listed in the author place.
- Only use Anonymous as the author if the source itself lists it that way.
- Use the title in place of the author.
- Titles are in Title Case in the text, even if in sentence case on the reference page.
- Titles that are in italics on the reference page stay in italics anywhere they appear.
- Titles in regular type on the reference page are enclosed in quotes in both a narrative and parenthetical citation.
- Shorten long titles.
Parenthetical Citation:
("Freelance Secrets," 2019)
Narrative Citation:
In the article "Freelance Secrets" (2019),...
No Date
- Replace the year with n.d. anywhere it would appear.
- Use n.d. for any source with an ambiguous date, such as webpages that do not have a specific posting date.
- Do not use general copyright dates on websites for a webpage's date, as they often do not directly relate to the webpage's content.
- If two sources with the same author both have no date, add a letter to show the order they are in on the reference page. For sources with no date only, add a hyphen before the letter to make it more visible.
- (American Nurses Association, n.d.-a)
- (American Nurses Association, n.d.-b)
Legal Citation
APA recommends visiting the Cornell Law School website for more details on citing legal material. APA uses the general Bluebook rules for legal citations.
- Most legal citations in the text will be a title and year.
- Court cases stand alone and are in italics.
- Court cases have a lowercase v, with a period, between parties:
- Brown v. Board of Education
- Statutes and laws appear as Name of Act and year, in regular type. Titles are in Title Case .
Parenthetical Examples:
( Brown v. Board of Education , 1954)
(Americans With Disabilities Act, 1990)
(Protection of Human Subjects, 2009)
(Ariz. Const. art. VI § 3)—States have set abbreviations in legal citations, check Cornell for them.
Narrative Examples:
Brown v. Board of Education (1954)
Americans With Disabilities Act (1990)
Protection of Human Subjects (2009)
In Article VI, Section 3, of the Arizona Constitution (spell out everything when referring to parts of constitutions). General references to state constitutions, or the U.S. Constitution itself do not need a citation (e.g., "The Bill of Rights has 10 amendments").
Titles in the Text
- Generally, mentioning the name of an article or work in the text is unnecessary. Use them carefully and only when necessary.
- Unless the source has no author (including legal citations), source titles do not appear in parenthetical in-text citations.
- Chapter titles or headings may appear when used to identify the location of a quote for sources without page numbers (see the "Quotations" section)
- Titles in italics on the reference page stay in italics in the text.
- Titles in regular type on the reference page are placed inside quotation marks in the text, except for legal citations.
- All titles are in title case when in the text, even those that are in sentence case on the reference page.
Websites and Software
- General mentions of software, websites, and apps do not need a citation.
- Many scientists in our survey also reported enjoying editing Wikipedia (https://www.wikipedia.org) in their free time.
- URLs go inside parentheses.
- General mentions may include notes that a tool was used, but not that information was taken.
- Data was analyzed using SPSS.
- If you take any information to paraphrase or quote, use a full citation.
