Author-Date In-Text Citation
Use the author–date citation system to cite references in the text in APA Style. In this system, each work used in a paper has two parts: an in-text citation and a corresponding reference list entry.
In-text citations may be parenthetical or narrative.
- In parenthetical citations, use an ampersand (&) between names for a work with two authors or before the last author when all names must be included to avoid ambiguity.
- In narrative citations, always spell out the word “and.”
Number of Authors to Include in In-Text Citations
The format of the author element of the in-text citation changes depending on the number of authors and is abbreviated in some cases.
- For a work with one or two authors, include the author name(s) in every citation.
- For a work with three or more authors, include the name of only the first author plus “et al.” in every citation (even the first citation).
The following table shows the basic in-text citation styles:
| Author type | Parenthetical citation | Narrative citation |
|---|---|---|
|
One author |
(Luna, 2020) |
Luna (2020) |
|
Two authors |
(Salas & D’Agostino, 2020) |
Salas and D’Agostino (2020) |
|
Three or more authors |
(Martin et al., 2020) |
Martin et al. (2020) |
|
Group author with abbreviation First citation a Subsequent citations |
(National Institute of Mental Health [NIMH], 2020) (NIMH, 2020) |
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH, 2020) NIMH (2020) |
|
Group author without abbreviation |
(Stanford University, 2020) |
Stanford University (2020) |