Skip to Main Content

APA Help (7th Ed)

In-Text Citations

In-text citations direct the reader to a specific source on your reference list page.

In-Text Citations Overview
Author Parenthetical Citation Narrative Citation
One author (Smith, 2019) According to Smith (2019)...
Two authors (Smith & Hill, 2018) As Smith and Hill (2018) say...
Three or more authors (Smith et al., 2020) Similar to Smith et al. (2020)...
No author When no person or group can be identified as the author, the title moves to the author spot:

("Sally Spreading Torrential Rainfall," 2020)		 According to "Sally Spreading Torrential Rainfall" (2020)...
Group author (Davenport University, n.d.) According to Davenport University (n.d.)...
Group author with an abbreviation

First citation: (American Civil Liberties Union [ACLU], 2020)

Subsequent citations: (ACLU, 2020)

First citation: As the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU, 2020) writes...

Subsequent citations: According to the ACLU (2020)...
Whole edited book

Editor cited like author within in-text citation.
If S.T. Eastman is editor:

(Eastman, 2017)

See Book with Editors

Editor cited like author within in-text citation.
If S.T. Eastman is editor:

As Eastman (2017) says...

See Book with Editors
Author within edited book

Section author cited like regular author within in-text citation:

(Nichols, 2017)

See Chapter in an Edited Book

Section author cited like regular author within in-text citation:

According to Nichols (2017)...

See Chapter in an Edited Book

When referring to an idea or a summary you have written from a book or website, you do not need to include page numbers in the in-text citation. Although optionally, you can include the page numbers if the idea is discussed on a few specific pages. However, if you are using a direct quotation, you MUST include the page number. Example: (Eastman, 2017, p. 23) or in parenthetical style "As Eastman says ... (2017, pp. 39-40)." 

See also Authors - Reference Citations.

Authors

One Author

If sentence names author

If you name the author in your sentence, you need to include the publication year in parenthesis.

Example:
  • According to Meechum (2010), the company’s stock price is predicted to rise.

If sentence doesn't name author

If you do not include the author’s name in the sentence, place the author’s name and year in parenthesis at the end of your sentence.

Example:
  • The company’s stock price is predicted to rise (Meechum, 2010).

See also Author/Authors page.

2 authors

If there are 2 authors, type both names every time you cite the source.

Examples:

  • Xing and Allen (2009) found the seniors in the test group embraced new technology.
  • Seniors in the test group embraced new technology (Xing & Allen, 2009).

3 or more authors

If there are 3 or more authors, use the first author’s name and et al.

Example:

  • Reyes et al (2009) recorded the reaction to human rights violations along the United States-Mexico border.

Group Author

When citing a source written by a group author, write out the full name of the group.  If the organization has a common abbreviation, it should be added in brackets in the first citation, and then used in later citations.

First citation:

  • (American Civil Liberties Union [ACLU], 2010)

Second citation:

  • (ACLU, 2010).

No Author

If no author is listed use a shortened version of the title in quotations.

Example:

  • The county is experiencing rising unemployment (“Unemployment Figures,” 2010).

More Author Examples

Dates

The in-text citation year should match the reference list entry year (but not include month or day). Example:

  • In-text: 2019; Reference list: 2019, May 18

Note:

  • For website dates - don't use copyright date or "last reviewed" date from webpage.
    • Use date when content was published, including "last updated" date
  • Use n.d. when there's no date.
  • Use in press when works are accepted for publication, but not yet published

Page Numbers or Specific Parts

If you are quoting, you also need to include the page, paragraph number, part, or timestamp (with videos) where the quote can be found. This is similarly encouraged (though not necessarily required) when paraphrasing to help guide the reader to the relevant passage.

Examples:

  • “The company’s stock price is likely to rise” (Meechum, 2010, para. 5).
  • “There have been fewer reported cases of the flu this year” (Patel, 2010, p. 3).
  • "[T]here were an estimated 15.4 million adults aged 18 or older in the United States with SMI" (National Institute of Mental Health, 2022, Figure 3).
  • "If everybody thinks they look bad in photos, regardless of their size, shape, age, gender...then maybe it has nothing to do with photos at all" (Hofford, 2024, 00.42).

For other examples see the APA chart.

Note For Video/Audio Times:

  • Use the time where the quote starts.
  • Use the following formats:
    • Hours/minutes/seconds: H:MM:SS  Example: 1:26:05
    • Minutes/seconds:  MM:SS  Examples: 4:31:07 or 12:19
    • Seconds: Use 0 for minutes to make it clear it is in the first 60 seconds of the clip.  Example: 0:38

Paraphrase / Quotation

Paraphrase
A paraphrase restates other ideas in your own words. Cite as you would a normal quotation, but without any quotation marks. See APA Style's, Paraphrasing.
Quotation
A direct quotation reproduces words verbatim from another work or from your own previously published work. (APA Style's, Quotations). Always cite with quotation marks. See APA Style's, Quotations.

Personal Communication
(interviews, e-mails, etc.)

Format

Include the first initial and last name of the person interviewed, the words, “personal communication,” and the date of the interview.  Personal communication is not added to the References list.

Examples

  • M. Schroeder (personal communication, January 25, 2009) emphasized the importance of immunization.
  • Immunization is important (M. Schroeder, personal communication, January 25, 2009).

Works Cited In Another Source (Indirect or Secondary)

In-Text Citation Notes:

  • It is always preferred that you use the primary source, if possible, rather than quoting it as an indirect or secondary source.
  • You MUST identify the primary source's title in your text.
  • Secondary or indirect sources are works that reference or quote a primary source.  For example, if an idea or quote from a book (the primary source) is mentioned in a book you are reading (the secondary source), you are using an indirect source.  Citing these in an in-text citation requires information from both sources:

1) The author(s) of the original quote or idea (in the primary source) and the year it was published, if available, and

2) The author(s) of the work where you found the quote or idea (the secondary source) and the year it was published.

Format

Parenthetical with a direct quote: "[Your quote here]" (First Author, year, as cited in Second Author, year) 

Narrative with a direct quote: First Author said that "[your quote here]" (year, as cited in Second Author, year) 
 

Parenthetical discussing an idea, without year: This is the concept of .... (First Author, as cited in Second Author, year) 

Narrative discussing an idea, without year: First Author said that .... (as cited in Second Author, year) 

Examples

You found a quote by Johnson in a book or article by Smith:
 

Parenthetical of an idea: This concept had many supporters (Johnson 1988, as cited in Smith, 2018).

Narrative of an idea: Johnson argued that .... (1988, as cited in Smith, 2018)

 

Parenthetical direct quote without year: "[Your quote here]" (Johnson, as cited in Smith, 2018)

Narrative direct quote without year: Johnson said that "[Your quote here]" (as cited in Smith, 2018)

See References: Secondary/Indirect Sources for more examples on creating a reference list entry.

Videos: In-Text Citations

Subjects: APA Help, General Help