 APA In-Text Citations

What do I need to cite?  You need to cite EVERY piece of information that comes from a source. This includes  direct quotations and  paraphrases.  Here’s the rule: IF AN IDEA IS NOT YOUR OWN, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER IT IS WRITTEN IN YOUR OWN LANGUAGE, YOU NEED TO GIVE CREDIT TO THE PERSON WHOSE IDEA IT IS.

What information do I need?  In order to fully cite a source, you generally need to indicate  the name of the author or authors of the source,  the source’s year of publication, and  the page where you found the information in the source  If you accessed a source electronically (from a website, database, etc.), you do NOT need to include a page number.

Where does the information go?  There are many different ways that you can include the information and many different places where you can place the information.  This is why it is important to use resources like Purdue OWL.

What is a signal phrase?  You need to introduce all quotations or paraphrases. Often, you will do this with a signal phrase that identifies the source the information comes from.  Example:  Critser (2003) noted that despite growing numbers of overweight Americans, many health care providers still “remain either in ignorance or outright denial about the health danger to the poor and the young” (p. 5).  In this example, the author and year are included in the signal phrase, so the only information need in parentheses is the page number.

What does a citation look like?  With an author named in the signal phrase and the page number in parentheses  Flora Davis (2012) reports that a chimp at the Yerkes Primate Research Center “has combined words into new sentences that she was never taught” (p. 67).  Please note  The year of publication is in ( )  There is a “p.” before the page number  The period goes at the end of the sentence, after the parenthetical citation, not at the end of the quotation.

What does a citation look like?  With all information in parentheses  One example of communication between chimps involves a “baby chimp [who] lived only a few hours [...] and Washoe signed to it before it died” (Davis, 2012, p. 17).  Please note  There are commas separating each item in the citation.

What if the information is paraphrased?  Do the same thing!  If you name the source (author and year of publication) in a signal phrase, you just need to include a page number in parentheses.  If you do not name the source in a signal phrase, you need to include author, year of publication, and page number in parentheses.

What does a citation look like?  If a source has more than one author:  If a source has two to five authors, either name each of them in a signal phrase  According to Berkowitz, Jones, Aaronson, and Rutherford (2013)...  OR  Name them all in parentheses  (Jones, Aaronson, & Rutherford, 2013, p. 5)

What does a citation look like?  If a source has six or more authors, use the first author’s name followed by “et al.” (Latin abbreviation for “and others)  According to Jones et al. (2013)...  OR  In parentheses  (Jones et al., 2013, p. 5)

What does a citation look like?  If a source has no author listed, name the work’s title in a signal phrase  According to “The Delight of Fright” (2013)...  OR  Place the first word or two of the title in parentheses. Put the title words in “ “  (“The Delight,” 2013)  Why is there no page number included in this citation?

Indirect Sources  What is an indirect source?  Amy Smith writes an article. In it, she includes a quotation from John Gray’s paper.  Mary is doing her research paper and comes across Amy’s article. She likes what John says in Amy’s article and wants to include that in her paper.  Mary needs to give credit to both people  she needs to give credit to Amy for writing the article  she needs to give credit to John because it is his idea

What does a citation look like?  Name the original source (in this case John Gray) in your signal phrase, and name the source where you found John Gray’s quotation in parentheses.  According to John Gray, “ “ (as cited in Smith, 2013, p. 2).  Notice that you include the words “as cited in”—this shows that Gray is cited in Smith’s article

What does a citation look like?  Name both the original source (in this case John Gray) and name the source where you found John Gray’s quotation in parentheses.  According to one critic, “ “ (Gray as cited in Smith, 2013, p. 2).  Notice that you include the words “as cited in”—this shows that Gray is cited in Smith’s article

Do you really expect me to remember this?  ABSOLUTELY NOT!  You need to use your resources, particularly 01/ (which is linked on the grade 9 wiki). 01/