An in-text citation is the short marker you place immediately after using a source — it's the bridge between your sentence and the full entry in your reference list.
APA In-Text Citations
APA uses an author-date format: (Author, Year). For direct quotes, add a page number: (Author, Year, p. 12).
| Situation | Format |
|---|---|
| One author | (Diaz, 2022) |
| Two authors | (Diaz & Lin, 2022) |
| Three or more authors | (Diaz et al., 2022) |
| No author listed | ("Title of Work," 2022) |
MLA In-Text Citations
MLA uses an author-page format: (Author Page#). No comma, no year — just the surname and the page number.
| Situation | Format |
|---|---|
| One author | (Diaz 45) |
| Two authors | (Diaz and Lin 45) |
| Three or more authors | (Diaz et al. 45) |
| No page numbers (web source) | (Diaz) |
Chicago In-Text Citations
Chicago Notes-Bibliography uses a superscript number that corresponds to a footnote at the bottom of the page — there's no parenthetical in the text itself. Chicago Author-Date, by contrast, looks almost identical to APA: (Diaz 2022, 45).
When the Author's Name Is Already in the Sentence
If you name the author in your sentence (a "narrative" citation), don't repeat the name in the parenthetical — just include the remaining required information.
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Order Editing Help View ServicesWhere to Place the Citation
Place the citation as close as possible to the material it supports — usually at the end of the sentence, but mid-sentence if the sentence draws on more than one source. Always place it before the final period.
Frequently Asked Questions
APA encourages but doesn't strictly require a page number for paraphrases — it's required for direct quotes.
Use a paragraph number, section heading, or omit the locator entirely if none is available — this is standard practice in both APA and MLA.
Yes — separate them with a semicolon: (Diaz, 2022; Lin, 2023).