In-Text & Parenthetical Citations: Basic Rules

Quotes with fewer than 40 words | Quotes with more than 40 words | Paraphrases or summaries | Parenthetical Documentation Chart

APA Style uses a combination of in-text and parenthetical citations for quoting or paraphrasing a work. (Complete bibliographical information is given only once, in the bibliography called "References" on a separate page at the end of the paper – see Basic Rules for APA "References" List and citation examples.)

A. Quotes with fewer than 40 words: (Publication Manual 6.03)

Examples:

Tram and Cole (2006) studied children and early adolescents to quantify the extent to which "[d]epression predicts later depression" (p. 674).

Researchers have studied children and early adolescents to quantify the extent to which "[d]epression predicts later depression" (Tram & Cole, 2006, p. 674).

Incorporate the quote into the text of the paper.
Enclose in quotation marks with punctuation outside the parenthesis.
Give these three elements:
1. Author's last name - either in the text or in parentheses after the closing quotation mark,
2. Year of publication - after the author's name, wherever the name appears,
3. Page numbers - in the parentheses after the closing quotation mark, preceded by the abbreviation p. or pp.
  If page numbers are not available, give the paragraph number, if visible, preceded by the abbreviation para., or include the section subheading and count the paragraphs. If neither of these options exists, include only the author's last name and date.

B. Quotes with more than 40 words: (Publication Manual 6.03)

screenshot of how to cite a quote of more than 40 words

Use a block quotation. (Start on a new line, indent by a half inch, and double space.)
Do not enclose in quotation marks.
Give these three elements:
1. Author's last name - either in the text before the block quotation or in parentheses after the final punctuation mark of the block quotation,
2. Year of publication - after the author's name, wherever the name appears,
3. Page numbers - in the parentheses after the final punctuation mark of the block quotation, preceded by the abbreviation p. or pp.
  If page numbers are not available, give the paragraph number, if visible, preceded by the abbreviation para., or include the section subheading and count the paragraphs. If neither of these options exists, include only the author's last name and date.

C. Paraphrases or summaries: (Publication Manual 6.03)

Example:

In a study tracking fifth- and sixth-graders over four years, Tram and Cole (2006) found no significant differences in the stability of depressive symptoms between adolescent girls and boys (p. 682).

Always give two elements:
1. Author's last name - either in the text or in parentheses after the paraphrase or summary; and
2. Year of publication - either in the text or in parentheses after the paraphrase or summary.
Page numbers - if available, are optional but recommended.