To do parenthetical citations, you include brief source information in parentheses within the text, usually at the end of the sentence containing the quoted or paraphrased material. The exact format depends on the citation style you are using:
APA Style
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Include the author's last name, year of publication, and page number if applicable, separated by commas.
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The citation goes at the end of the sentence before the period.
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Example for a direct quote:
“This is a direct citation” (Chapman, 2019, p. 126). -
For paraphrasing, page numbers are not required:
(Jackson, 1999) -
For multiple authors:
- Two authors: (Smart & Mills, 2002, pp. 41–42)
- Three or more: (Smart et al., 2010, pp. 16, 22)
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Parenthetical citations differ from narrative citations, where the author’s name is part of the sentence and only the year (and page) is in parentheses
MLA Style
- Include the author's last name and the page number(s) without a comma between them.
- No "p." or "pp." before page numbers.
- Place the citation at the end of the sentence before the period.
- Example: (Eliot 21)
- For two authors: (Bowen and Wallace 88–90)
- For three or more authors: (Bowen et al. 22, 44)
- If no page number is available, just use the author’s name
Chicago Style (Author-Date)
- Include the author's last name, year of publication, and page number(s) if applicable.
- Use a comma after the year but not after the author’s name.
- Example: (Watson 2001, 201)
- For two or three authors, include all names; for four or more, use the first author followed by "et al."
- Place the citation at the end of the sentence before the period
General Tips
- Parenthetical citations always correspond to a full reference entry in the bibliography or works cited page.
- The period goes after the closing parenthesis of the citation.
- When paraphrasing, page numbers may be optional depending on style.
- Use commas to separate elements within the parentheses in APA and Chicago styles.
- Use "and" between two authors in MLA; use "&" in APA.
This approach ensures you credit sources clearly and consistently within your writing
