Parenthetical Citation

You must give the author credit for ANYTHING you borrow: Words Phrases Facts Ideas

Even if you change the author’s wording into your own, you still must give the author credit: That means you still must cite: Anything you paraphrase Anything you summarize

You must also cite: Pictures Charts Graphs or any information you borrow from those charts or graphs

To cite our sources, we use parenthetical citation.

Parenthetical Citation In parenthetical citation, you give the author’s last name and the page number on which you found the material

Parenthetical citation is a way to abbreviate your source information. Any other information such as publisher or copyright date goes on the Works Cited page.

Example: The scientist found that 23% of all tigers would eat people if they had the chance (Hickman 8), but another scientist found that number to be closer to 25% (Schrambling 98).

Example: Indeed, 23% of all tigers would eat people if they had the chance, but perhaps that number is closer to 25%.

Note the placement of punctuation in and around the parenthetical: Example: The scientist found that 23% of all tigers would eat people if they had the chance (Smith 8), but another scientist found that number to be closer to 25% (Jorge 98).

Use parenthetical citation directly after everything you borrow: The scientist found that 23% of all tigers would eat people if they had the chance (Smith 8). However, several studies indicate 10% of tigers are too lazy to chase people (98). Do not “save up” parentheticals until the end of a paragraph. They must go directly after every piece of information you borrow.

That means you will have many citations in every paragraph of your research papers.

That may mean you have parentheticals throughout your paragraph. That’s OK.

If you use the author’s name in the introductory material, omit the name in the parenthetical. Example: Rivas argues that “tigers are dangerous” (90).

If the author you’re using is the same as the author in the previous parenthetical, you may omit the author’s name. Example: The scientist found that 23% of all tigers would eat people if they had the chance (Smith 8). However, 10% of tigers are too lazy to chase people (98).

Examples The narrator claims, “I do not like green eggs and ham. I do not like them, Sam-I-Am” (Suess 4). The character “would not like them in a house” (Suess 12). Dr. Suess noted that some people “do not like green eggs and ham” (3).

Notice how even if you change the author’s words into your own (paraphrase), you still need a parenthetical citation. Quote: – The narrator claims, “I do not like green eggs and ham. I do not like them, Sam-I-Am” (Suess 4). Paraphrase: – The narrator doesn’t enjoy green eggs with ham (Suess 4).

– The narrator claims, “I do not like green eggs and ham. I do not like them, Sam-I-Am” (Suess). Suess tells us that the narrator doesn’t enjoy green eggs with ham.

If there is no page number, leave the page number out If there is no author, rethink the source’s validity

If you cannot find an author’s name, you might want to ask why. A source without an author isn’t generally considered valid.

Parenthetical Citation You must use a parenthetical citation after: – Quotes – Facts – Ideas – Summaries – Paraphrases

If you have ensured the source’s validity and there is no author, use title and page number.

Example: Due to the bottleneck effect, 75% of cheetahs worldwide suffer from arthritic hips (“Cheetahs in the Wild” 187).

Example: Smith wrote “Cheetahs in the Wild” and “Cheetahs Are Great!” Due to the bottleneck effect, 75% of cheetahs worldwide suffer from arthritic hips (Smith “Cheetahs in the Wild” 187).

Author’s last name and page number or title and page number are the only things that can appear in a parenthetical

A parenthetical citation may ONLY contain one of the following combinations: Author’s last name and page number Title and page number (when there’s no author) Author’s last name only (when there’s no page number) Title only (when there’s no page number and no author) Page number only (when you use the author’s name to introduce the quote) Author’s last name and title and page number (when you have more than one work from the same author) OCCASIONALLY: You may need to use the author’s first initial if you have two or more authors with the same last name.

Pop Quiz 1.Can a web address appear in a parenthetical citation? 2.Can a publisher appear in a parenthetical citation? 3.Can a date or year appear in an MLA parenthetical citation?

See AWR pages for more information. Also

Other Problems You May Encounter

(Organization) Corporate Author

If the source is a reputable organization, such as a nonprofit group, and there is no author on the article, the author is the organization itself. Example: Heart disease kills more Americans each year than any other disease (American Heart Association 198).

If the source is a reputable organization, such as a nonprofit group, and there is no author on the article, the author is the organization itself. Example: Heart disease kills more Americans each year than any other disease (American Heart Association).

Two or More Authors

When you have two or more authors, first know that you must preserve the order that those authors are presented to you.

Two or more authors Smith and Rodriguez note that “employee monitoring is dependable” (2). OR Some say that “employee monitoring is dependable” (Smith and Rodriguez 2).

Two or more authors A. Smith and M. Smith note that “employee monitoring is dependable” (2). OR Some say that “employee monitoring is dependable” (A. Smith and M. Smith 2).

Three or More Authors

Three authors Smith, Rodriguez, and James note that “employee monitoring is dependable” (2). OR Some say that “employee monitoring is dependable” (Smith, Rodriguez, and James 2).

Four or More Authors

Four or more authors Some say that “employee monitoring is dependable” (Smith, Rodriguez, Perry, and James 2). OR Some say that “employee monitoring is dependable” (Smith et al. 2).

Citing from a Dictionary (or Encyclopedia)

When you cite a definition from a dictionary, there is no author listed (generally). Therefore, you use the title of the ENTRY you referenced (not the dictionary title). No page number is EVER required with a dictionary. Example: A mouse is defined as “a small rodent” (“Mouse”).

Indirect Source

Indirect source or secondhand quote Use this when you have one author quoting another.

For example, if the article’s author is Smith and Smith uses a quote from McClellan: Researcher McClellan points out that “workers are objects of information collection” (qtd. in Smith 4).

For example, if the article’s author is Smith and Smith uses a quote from McClellan: Researcher McClellan points out that “workers are objects of information collection” (qtd. in Smith 4). Smith says that “McClellan argued that ‘workers are objects of information collection’ (4).

Jefferson says that truth “is the proper and sufficient antagonist to error” (qtd. in Curtis and Erion 301).

Work in an Anthology

Remember the author’s name of the specific essay goes in the parenthetical, not the name of the editors of the entire book. However, “The Simpsons depends on…elements of pop culture” (Matheson 305). However, “guards…were a specifically chosen group of soldiers” (Simons 323).

Sacred Texts

When quoting from a sacred text, use the title (from the title page) in the parenthetical. If applicable, use chapter and verse instead of page number. Consider the words of Solomon: “If your enemy is hungry…” (Oxford Annotated Bible, Prov ).

If there is no specific author, rethink the validity of your source. If there is a corporate author (like the American Heart Association or the United States Food and Drug Administration), use that as the author. Example: – Genetically engineered salmon “may be all right for human consumption” (US Food and Drug Administration)

NEVER use a web address in a parenthetical citation

Parenthetical Citation with a TV Show Put the episode title (in quotes) in the parenthetical The show Lost had many interesting scenes. The character said, “Guys, where are we?” (“All the Best Cowboys Have Daddy Issues”).

Parenthetical Citation with a Movie Put the title of the movie in the parenthetical. The title of movies are always italicized. The main character says, “We dine in hell!” (Thor). The main character says, “I’m walking here!” (Taxi Driver).

Parenthetical Citation with a TV Show Put the title of the episode in the parenthetical. The title of episodes are always in quotes. After finding a polar bear on an island, Charlie says, “This place is crazy” (“All the Best Cowboys Have Daddy Issues”).