APA Style uses brief citations within the text of a paper when referring to a source. The brief citation gives the author(s) last name and year of the source in parentheses, allowing readers to locate the full citation in your reference list at the end of your paper.

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APA Style states that it is best to paraphrase sources rather than using direct quotations. If you must reproduce a direct quotation, include the specific page number, or if the source does not have page numbers, the section name, paragraph number (for example: para. 4) or another way of locating the quotation.

Sample in-text citation:

Use the title instead. If the title is italicized in the reference list, italicize it. If the title is not italicized in the reference list, use quotation marks around it. If the title is long, shorten it by using the first 2-3 words of the title. Capitalize the first letter of major words, regardless of how its capitalized in the reference list.

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If the date cannot be determined, use the abbreviation "n.d." for "no date".

Sample in-text citation:

Works with 2 authors

Cite both last names every time you reference it in your text.

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Works with 3 or more authors

Include the last name of the first author followed by the abbreviation “et al.” which is Latin for “and others”.

Sample in-text citations: