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APA Citation & Format (7th ed.)

In-Text Citations

APA in-text citation is a method used to acknowledge and cite sources within the text of a research paper or academic document. It involves including brief references within the body of the text to indicate where specific information or ideas have been sourced from.

Basic Format

In APA style, the basic format for in-text citations typically includes the author's last name and the publication year of the source, enclosed in parentheses. Here are a few examples of different scenarios:

  1. When directly quoting a source:
    According to Smith (2020), "quoted text goes here" (p. 45).
     
  2.  When paraphrasing or summarizing a source:
    The theory was proposed (Johnson, 2018), or (Johnson, 2018).
     
  3. When citing a source with multiple authors:
    (Smith, Johnson, & Davis, 2021), or Smith et al. (2021).
     
  4. When citing a source with no identifiable author:
    ("Title of Article," 2022), or (Title of Book, 2022).

It is important to note that specific formatting rules may vary based on the number of authors, type of source, and other factors. Additionally, page numbers may be included for direct quotations or specific references to a particular part of a source.

Always consult the latest APA style guidelines or the APA Publication Manual for detailed instructions on in-text citation formatting for different types of sources and specific situations.