APA: In-text
Citations
For Exact Quotes:
Rule: Introduce the quotation with a signal
phrase that includes the author's last name followed
by the date of publication in parentheses. Put the
page number (preceded by "p.") in parentheses at the
end of the quotation.
Example: As Davis (1978) reported, "If the
existence of a signing ape was unsettling for
linguists, it was also startling news for animal
behaviorists" (p. 26).
Rule: When the author's name does not appear
in the signal phrase, place the author's name, the
date, and the page number in parentheses at the end
of the quotation. Use commas between items in the
parentheses.
Example: "If the existence of a signing ape
was unsettling for linguists, it was also startling
news for animal behaviorists" (Davis, 1978, p.
26).
Rule: When the quotation is more than 40
words in text, do not use quotation marks, but indent
the quote into its own block of text.
Example: Students having a hard time finding
databases isn't a new phenomenon. At the University
of Washington, they have problems, too.
With the addition of so many new databases to the
campus online system, many students were having
difficulty locating the database they needed. At
the same time, the role of Session Manager had
evolved. The increased importance of the Session
Manager as a selection tool made it a part of the
navigation process itself. (Eliasen, 1997, p. 510)
Paraphrased Ideas:
Rule: Work by one author, no quotation
marks required.
Example:
1. According to Davis (1978), when they
learned of an ape's ability to use sign language,
both linguists and animal behaviorists were taken
by surprise.
2. When they learned of an ape's ability to
use sign language, both linguists and animal
behaviorists were taken by surprise (Davis,
1978).
Rule: Work by two authors
Example:
1. Patterson and Linden (1981) agreed that
the gorilla Koko acquired language more slowly than
a normal speaking child.
2. Koko acquired language more slowly
than a normal speaking child (Patterson &
Linden, 1981).
Rule: Work by 3-5 authors list all
authors
Example: The study noted a fluctuating
divorce rate in Middletown between the 1920s and
the 1970s (Caplow, Bahr, Chadwick, Hill, &
Williamson, 1982).
Please note: In subsequent citations, use the
first author's name followed by "et al."
Example: While the incidence of wife abuse
may not be higher than in the past, the researchers
found that women were more willing to report it
(Caplow et al., 1982).
Rule: Work by 6+ authors
Example: Communes in the late 1960s
functioned like extended families, with
child-rearing responsibilities shared by all adult
members (Berger et al., 1971).
Rule: Work by an association, government
agency, or corporation
Example: First citation: (National
Institute of Mental Health [NIMH], 1996) Later
citations: (NIMH, 1996).
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