parenthetical citation of an essay

Purdue Online Writing Lab College of Liberal Arts

In-Text Citations: The Basics

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Note:  This page reflects the latest version of the APA Publication Manual (i.e., APA 7), which released in October 2019. The equivalent resource for the older APA 6 style  can be found here .

Reference citations in text are covered on pages 261-268 of the Publication Manual. What follows are some general guidelines for referring to the works of others in your essay.

Note:  On pages 117-118, the Publication Manual suggests that authors of research papers should use the past tense or present perfect tense for signal phrases that occur in the literature review and procedure descriptions (for example, Jones (1998)  found  or Jones (1998)  has found ...). Contexts other than traditionally-structured research writing may permit the simple present tense (for example, Jones (1998)  finds ).

APA Citation Basics

When using APA format, follow the author-date method of in-text citation. This means that the author's last name and the year of publication for the source should appear in the text, like, for example, (Jones, 1998). One complete reference for each source should appear in the reference list at the end of the paper.

If you are referring to an idea from another work but  NOT  directly quoting the material, or making reference to an entire book, article or other work, you only have to make reference to the author and year of publication and not the page number in your in-text reference.

On the other hand, if you are directly quoting or borrowing from another work, you should include the page number at the end of the parenthetical citation. Use the abbreviation “p.” (for one page) or “pp.” (for multiple pages) before listing the page number(s). Use an en dash for page ranges. For example, you might write (Jones, 1998, p. 199) or (Jones, 1998, pp. 199–201). This information is reiterated below.

Regardless of how they are referenced, all sources that are cited in the text must appear in the reference list at the end of the paper.

In-text citation capitalization, quotes, and italics/underlining

• Always capitalize proper nouns, including author names and initials: D. Jones.
• If you refer to the title of a source within your paper, capitalize all words that are four letters long or greater within the title of a source:  Permanence and Change . Exceptions apply to short words that are verbs, nouns, pronouns, adjectives, and adverbs:  Writing New Media ,  There Is Nothing Left to Lose .

( Note:  in your References list, only the first word of a title will be capitalized:  Writing new media .)

• When capitalizing titles, capitalize both words in a hyphenated compound word:  Natural-Born Cyborgs .
• Capitalize the first word after a dash or colon: "Defining Film Rhetoric: The Case of Hitchcock's  Vertigo ."
• If the title of the work is italicized in your reference list, italicize it and use title case capitalization in the text:  The Closing of the American Mind ;  The Wizard of Oz ;  Friends .
• If the title of the work is not italicized in your reference list, use double quotation marks and title case capitalization (even though the reference list uses sentence case): "Multimedia Narration: Constructing Possible Worlds;" "The One Where Chandler Can't Cry."

Short quotations

If you are directly quoting from a work, you will need to include the author, year of publication, and page number for the reference (preceded by "p." for a single page and “pp.” for a span of multiple pages, with the page numbers separated by an en dash).

You can introduce the quotation with a signal phrase that includes the author's last name followed by the date of publication in parentheses.

If you do not include the author’s name in the text of the sentence, place the author's last name, the year of publication, and the page number in parentheses after the quotation.

Long quotations

Place direct quotations that are 40 words or longer in a free-standing block of typewritten lines and omit quotation marks. Start the quotation on a new line, indented 1/2 inch from the left margin, i.e., in the same place you would begin a new paragraph. Type the entire quotation on the new margin, and indent the first line of any subsequent paragraph within the quotation 1/2 inch from the new margin. Maintain double-spacing throughout, but do not add an extra blank line before or after it. The parenthetical citation should come after the closing punctuation mark.

Because block quotation formatting is difficult for us to replicate in the OWL's content management system, we have simply provided a screenshot of a generic example below.

Formatting example for block quotations in APA 7 style.

Quotations from sources without pages

Direct quotations from sources that do not contain pages should not reference a page number. Instead, you may reference another logical identifying element: a paragraph, a chapter number, a section number, a table number, or something else. Older works (like religious texts) can also incorporate special location identifiers like verse numbers. In short: pick a substitute for page numbers that makes sense for your source.

Summary or paraphrase

If you are paraphrasing an idea from another work, you only have to make reference to the author and year of publication in your in-text reference and may omit the page numbers. APA guidelines, however, do encourage including a page range for a summary or paraphrase when it will help the reader find the information in a longer work. 

How to Create Parenthetical Citations

Parenthetical citations are in-text citations set within parentheses that summarize source details, such as the author’s last name, year of publication, or relevant page numbers. Unlike full citations in a works cited page, parenthetical citations are quick and minimal, so they don’t disrupt reading. 

Citing sources is necessary for academic writing, which often makes parenthetical citations a requirement. The good news is they’re simple once you know how they work. Below, we explain how to write parenthetical citations in the Chicago, APA, and MLA formats, along with some other need-to-know basics. 

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What is a parenthetical citation?

Parenthetical citations are any citations set in parentheses (like this). In academic writing , they’re used to share a source’s details directly in the text, so the reader doesn’t have to go to the footnotes or works cited page to find the original work.  

Because parenthetical citations lie in the text, they’re intentionally short to avoid distracting the reader. Each style guide has its own requirements, but in general, parenthetical citations contain details such as these: 

• the author’s last name
• the page numbers for the reference
• the year of publication

The formatting and content of each citation vary, depending on the requirements of the style guide. We explain each style’s preferences below, but to save time, you can also use a citation generator or other citation tools . For example, our Grammarly auto-citations feature corrects parenthetical citations with a quick click, or it creates originals from compatible website sources. 

When should you use an in-text parenthetical citation?

In-text parenthetical citations are a requirement if you’re using the APA or MLA formats.  

If you’re using Chicago, you have a choice between parenthetical citations (the “author-date” format) and the notes format, which uses footnotes and endnotes. According to Chicago, parenthetical citations are preferred for the sciences, including the social sciences, whereas notes are better for topics relating to history, literature, or the arts. 

You need a parenthetical citation for each new idea in your paper that’s not your own . Often, paragraphs will have three or four parenthetical citations (or more), one after each sentence—that’s completely normal. Sometimes you’ll even have multiple parenthetical citations in the same sentence. 

Parenthetical citations are needed not only for direct quotes but also for paraphrasing . Additionally, even if you use parenthetical citations, you still need to list full citations in a bibliography section, such as a references list or works cited page. 

What’s the difference between parenthetical citations and narrative citations?

In narrative citations, you mention the source author, work, or page number directly in the text: 

As Freud (1930) put it, “under the pressure [. . .] of suffering, men are accustomed to moderate their claims to happiness.”

Because the author’s name is mentioned, it’s redundant to mention it a second time in the parenthetical citation. 

However, in our example, the year of publication was not mentioned in the text, so an abridged parenthetical citation is needed to fill in the missing information. Typically, narrative citations still use parenthetical citations for a year or page number, depending on the style guide. 

In short, narrative citations still incorporate partial parenthetical citations. In these cases, the parenthetical citation mentions only what information is not in the text, instead of all the details. 

Chicago parenthetical citation

In the Chicago style , in-text parenthetical citations are optional. They’re required only if you choose to use the author-date system of citations instead of the notes system. 

The Chicago style’s format for parenthetical citations is to list the author’s last name and the year of publication in parentheses, with no other punctuation. If you’re referring to a specific passage, you can also add page numbers (or a time stamp for other media), separated by a comma. 

(Last Name Year)

(Last Name Year, Page No.)

If the parenthetical citation comes at the end of a sentence in quotation marks, forgo the period in quotes. Place the citation outside the quotation marks with the period following it.  

For sources with two or three authors, you can include all their names using the word and (for three authors, use commas as well). For sources with four or more authors, use only the last name of the first listed author, followed by et al.  

If the main author of a source is an editor or translator, use only their name without abbreviations like ed. For sources with no listed author, use a short form of the title. 

All sources must have a corresponding full citation in the references list (similar to a works cited page) at the end of the work. 

Chicago parenthetical citation example

There is no evidence to suggest there is currently life on Mars (Thompson 2018). 

Even though the tests were conclusive (Richardson, Hacker, and Backhurst 2002, 76–77), research continues to this day. 

According to Pratchett, “[Ambition] was something that happened to other people” (1989, 62).

APA parenthetical citation

In-text parenthetical citations are required for the APA format . Just like Chicago, the APA format uses an author-date style, although the author and year of publication are separated by a comma. Locations to specific passages are also used when applicable, with a comma and the appropriate abbreviation: p. for page , pp. for pages , and paras. for paragraphs .

(Last Name, Year)

(Last Name, Year, pp. No.)

One or two authors can be listed using an ampersand (&), but three or more authors use et al. after the first listed author. If no author is listed, use the title instead. 

Just like Chicago, if the parenthetical citation comes at the end of a sentence in quotation marks, the citation goes outside the quotes, followed by the period.  

Again, all sources must have a corresponding full citation in the references list. 

APA parenthetical citation example

There is no evidence to suggest there is currently life on Mars (Thompson, 2018). 

Even though the tests were conclusive (Richardson et al., 2002, pp. 76–77), research continues to this day. 

According to Pratchett, “[Ambition] was something that happened to other people” (1989, p. 62).

MLA parenthetical citation

The MLA format also prefers in-text parenthetical citations, like the APA format. However, unlike the previous two style guides, MLA does not require the publication year. Only the author’s last name is necessary, although page numbers and other locations are also recommended if applicable, without a comma. 

(Last Name)

(Last Name Page No.)

Abbreviations are not necessary for page numbers, but use them for chapters ( ch. ) and scenes ( sc. ). 

For sources with two authors, list both names connected with the word and . For sources with three or more authors, use only the first listed author’s name and et al. Sources with no listed authors use the title instead, shortened to the first noun phrase—i.e., Faulkner’s Novels of the South becomes Faulkner’s Novels . 

Again, place parenthetical citations outside the quotation marks, followed by the period.  

As always, all sources must have a corresponding full citation in the works cited page. 

MLA parenthetical citation example

There is no evidence to suggest there is currently life on Mars (Thompson). 

Even though the tests were conclusive (Richardson et al. 76–77), research continues to this day. 

According to Pratchett, “[Ambition] was something that happened to other people” (62).

Here’s a tip: Grammarly’s  Citation Generator  ensures your essays have flawless citations and no plagiarism. Try it for citing lectures in MLA , APA , or Chicago styles.

Parenthetical citation FAQs

What are parenthetical citations, when should parenthetical citations be used.

In-text parenthetical citations come at the end of each new idea that’s not your own. The APA and MLA formats use parenthetical citations as the main method for referencing sources. In the Chicago style, they are optional. 

In narrative citations, you mention the author directly in the text—for example, “As Einstein himself once said . . .” Narrative citations still require a shortened form of parenthetical citations, but there’s no need to mention the author’s name twice.

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What is a parenthetical citation

Knowing how to handle parenthetical citations is a key skill that students and researchers need to master. This citation format, also sometimes referred to as an in-text citation, comes into play whenever you need to directly quote or paraphrase someone’s work in your essay or research paper.

In parenthetical citations, the original author or speaker’s words need to be given proper importance through referencing. The reader needs to be able to tell whose work it is, when it was created, and where it was sourced from. 

By placing the reference directly into the text itself, the reader is also spared the effort of having to check the footnotes at the end of the paper while reading it.

This guide will be taking a closer look at the best practices for parenthetical citations that you need to know about before you tackle your next paper. The guidelines laid out below will give you all the information and examples you need to use and format a parenthetical reference the right way:

What does a parenthetical citation look like in APA format?

A typical parenthetical citation is made up of a few different parts, including:

• The author’s name
• The year of publication
• The page number

In practice, this will look a little something like this in-text citation example:

Modern architecture systems still rely on dynamic principles (Moseley, 2016) .

An alternative way to structure your parenthetical citation, in this case, would be to state it as:

Elhai et al. (2017) found that smartphone use could lead to depression based on current consumption levels (p.75).

There are a few things to be aware of when using parenthetical citations. If there is no known author, for example, does the method of citation need to be adjusted?

The answer is that the basic structure will remain largely the same. When no author can be found, the title of the work and year of publication needs to be included following the format shown above. If the title within the quotation marks is exceptionally long, it can be shortened for the purpose of being an in-text citation.

Check out these APA style resources

🌐 Official APA style guidelines

🗂 APA style guide

📝 APA citation generator

What does a parenthetical citation look like in MLA format?

The MLA style of parenthetical citation has many parallel elements to the APA format. The only major difference to be aware of is that the page number is cited rather than the date of publishing, and there is no comma separating the pages from the author's last name.

In practice, this would look like the in-text citation example below:

Running regularly can have significant health benefits (Lee et al. 45) .

Again if there is no author to be found, a shortened version of the original title or source can be used as a placeholder instead.

Check out these MLA style resources

🌐 Official MLA style guidelines

🗂 MLA style guide

📝 MLA citation generator

This table summarizes the main differences between parenthetical citations in APA and MLA:

Where are parenthetical citations used?

We’ve already mentioned that parenthetical references are sometimes known as in-text citations, which tells you exactly where you’ll need to add your sources. No matter which citation style you are using, these rules will apply.

The majority of parenthetical citations are placed within the paragraph that contains the direct quote, but this is not the only place that they need to be noted down. Your in-text citations will still need to be added to the final Reference list found at the end of your essay or paper as a bibliographical citation.

The state of paraphrasing

Let’s talk about what happens when you’ve taken information from a source and rephrased it in your own words instead of using a direct quote. How do parenthetical citations apply in this situation and what guidelines should you be aware of?

To start with, it’s important to bear in mind that the original author or source still needs to be cited even if you use a paraphrased version of their work. Taking the examples from the MLA section above, let’s see how this would look in action:

Incorrect running technique has been linked to lower back injuries (Greco et al. 1796) .

Be sure not to skip this step if you are paraphrasing. Giving fitting credit to your sources when using a direct quotation is one of the backbones of academic writing and honesty, and not doing so hurts both the author and you as the writer of the paper. After all, citing correctly only adds more strength and credibility to your argument or thesis.

What about online sources?

With the academic world becoming increasingly connected to technology, many research journals are now being published exclusively on online platforms. Scholarly journal articles, magazine articles, E-books, and other sources have all gone digital to huge benefit - increased accessibility.

Using an online source can have an impact on how in-text citations are written. Not all of these journals or online articles come with clear page numbers, for example. At the same time, it’s unrealistic to expect the reader to go through the entire source looking for the one point you have referenced.

So what do you do in this situation? You make use of the paragraphs instead. When you’re referencing an electronic source, you can use an abbreviation to highlight the paragraph that you are referring to. Take a look at this example:

The New York Times explored the performance of Amanda Gorman at the inauguration and how she started out in poetry ("Amanda Gorman Captures The Moment, In Verse" par. 10) .

Frequently Asked Questions about Parenthetical citations

The difference is that the parenthetical citation will feature the author's name and the date of publication in brackets at the end of the sentence. An in-text citation can, on the other hand, use the author's name in the sentence and only add the date of publication in brackets at the end of the sentence.

The parenthetical citation always corresponds to a full citation in the 'References' or 'Works Cited' section at the end of the paper. These references are cited in alphabetical order, using the author's last name.

It's best to use page numbers when you are making use of a direct quote, with a dash being used for page ranges. If you are paraphrasing the wording, you can add the parenthetical citation without page numbers.

Parenthetical notes indicate to the reader what the original source of the content is when citing research in your paper. This allows them to quickly check the citation and get further background about the point you are making.

Put the parenthetical citation immediately after the quote or at the end of the sentence that contains it. You should not put the parenthetical citation inside the quote, or use it to divide two lines of quotations.

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How to Do In-Text and Parenthetical Citations

As you start writing your school paper, you need to include citations in the body of your work. Are they in-text citations or parenthetical citations? Actually, both terms are correct. Both “in-text” and “parenthetical citations” are terms you use for the citation you make when you directly quote or paraphrase someone else in your work. Learn what a parenthetical citation is and how to create one in MLA, APA, and Chicago formats.

What Is an Example of a Parenthetical Citation?

Formatting and examples of parenthetical citations found in this guide can be found in the MLA 8th edition style manual, APA 7th edition manual, and the 17th edition of the Chicago style. However, before you can work on examples, it’s crucial to have a solid understanding of what a parenthetical, internal, or in-text citation is.

A parenthetical citation is how you give credit to your sources in the body of your work. Every time you make a direct quote (including a block quote) or paraphrase someone else’s work, you need to give them credit. While each different style has its own way of doing this, an example of a parenthetical citation can speak volumes.

When to Include Parenthetical Citations

Citing sources helps you avoid plagiarizing the work of other writers. Therefore, you include an internal citation when you:

• Refer to another work
• Insert a quotation from another source
• Summarize or paraphrase their work

In-Text Citations vs. Parenthetical Citations vs. Narrative Citations

The debate between an in-text vs. parenthetical vs. narrative citation is a pretty easy one. All citations that you make within the text are “in-text” or “internal citations.” Additionally, the word parenthetical means it is enclosed in parentheses like:

(Lessing 12)

However, where things get a bit tricky is the difference between parenthetical and narrative citations. The difference between the two is how you compose the citation.

• Parenthetical citations include all elements of the citation in parenthesis.
• Narrative citations have some of the citation information in the sentence itself.

MLA Parenthetical Citation

There is a lack of diversity among colleges in the northwest (Lessing 12).

MLA Narrative Citation

According to Lessing (12), there is a lack of diversity among colleges in the northwest.

Examples of Parenthetical Citations

Parenthetic citations are a required part of any scholarly article; therefore, it’s essential to know how to do them in each different style. Check out how to create parenthetical citations in MLA, APA, and Chicago styles through examples.

MLA Citation Example

MLA style parenthetical citations require you to include the author’s last name and the page number within parentheses. If there is no author, use the first few words of the title or website. Do not use p. or pp. or commas.

In-Text Citation Example MLA

Parenthetical: The article states that “cultural diversity within literature is important” (Druven 34).

Narrative: Druven states that “cultural diversity withing literature is important” (12).

For longer quotes in MLA style, you set off the quotation in an MLA block style .

Parenthetical Citation APA

Citing in-text in APA style requires you to include the author’s last name and year of publication. If you are citing a direct quote, add the page number as well, such as p.12 or pp. 12-13. Separate each element with commas.

APA In-Text Citation Example

Parenthetical: There is a lack of diversity among colleges in the northwest (Lessing, 2016).

Narrative: According to Lessing (2016), there is a lack of diversity among colleges in the northwest.

If you use a direct quote, add the page number as well.

Among colleges in the northwest, “there is a lack of diversity” (Lessing, 2016, p. 12).

If you use longer quotations, follow an APA block quote format .

Chicago Style Parenthetical Citations

To create parenthetical citations in Chicago style , you can use either the author-date or notes-bibliography style. However, author-date is more common.

Chicago Style Author-Date Parenthetical Citations

In Chicago’s author-date style, create parenthetical citations by including the author(s), year of publication, and the page(s). Add a comma after the year, but not after the author’s name.

(Lessing and Smith 2016, 12)

(Lessing 2016, 12–16)

Chicago Style Notes-Biblio Parenthetical Citations

In Chicago notes-biblio, you create notes entries rather than in-text citations. In the text, you include a superscript number after your quotes or paraphrased information. This is followed by a footnote or endnote created at the foot of the page or the end of the paper or chapter.

Notes In-Text Citation Example

“Many times, parasitic conditions can be misdiagnosed by doctors.” 1

Short Note Example

1. Martin, Timeless , 240.

Chicago block quotations  are formatted differently and set off from the rest of the text by indenting them 1/2 inch.

How to Do a Parenthetical Citation for a Website

When it comes to creating a parenthetical citation for a website in any style, it depends on whether the article or page has an author. If so, then the parenthetical citation includes the author. However, if not, then the parenthetical citation consists of the title of the article.

However, the page number is different. Why? Because a website doesn’t have a page number. Therefore, if you use MLA, you use the paragraph number, header, chapter, or some other type of locator for your audience.

MLA Website In-Text Citation

Looking through the article, you can see the growing interest in Classic Literature (Dallas, par. 12).

What Is a Citation?

Now, you know what parenthetical or in-text citations are, but that’s not all there is to a citation. A citation is composed of two parts.

To create a successful paper, you need to have both types of citations in your paper. And, the in-text citation corresponds with the bibliographic entry.

The Full Reference

Creating a full citation of a source includes both the in-text citation and its corresponding reference or works cited list . Bibliographies or works consulted lists can include sources that are not referred to within the text.

How to Avoid Plagiarism in Your School Essay

FAQ How to Do In-Text and Parenthetical Citations

What is an example of a parenthetical citation.

An example of a parenthetical citation is when you include the author and location in the text of the article that corresponds with the bibliographical citation. For example, in MLA, an in-text citation consists of the author and page number like: (Lessing 20)

What does parenthetical citation mean?

The meaning of a parenthetical citation is that the author and locator information is enclosed in parenthesis (Lessing 20). However, you can also have a narrative citation where part of the citation is in the sentence like: Lessings tends to agree... (20).

How do you parenthetically cite in MLA?

To create a parenthetical citation in MLA, you need the author of the work and the page number you are quoting or paraphrasing. For example, an in-text citation in MLA looks like: (Betts 7)

How do you do a parenthetical citation for a website?

To create a parenthetical citation for a website, you follow the same basic format as you do for a book or journal article. For example, in APA, you include the author of the website article and the year it was created like: (Betts, 2019). However, if you don't know the author, you can use the title of the article like (MLA Citations, 2019).

What is the difference between parenthetical citation and narrative citation?

The difference between a parenthetical citation and a narrative citation is that a narrative citation includes some information in the sentence. An example of an MLA citation looks like: Parenthetical citation: MLA format can include parenthetical and narrative citations (Betts 7). Narrative citations: According to Betts, MLA format can include parenthetical and narrative citations (7).

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Define What In-Text Citations Are for Academic Writing

Writing a letter in mla, apa or chicago style, how to cite a wikipedia page in 4 easy ways, how to make an outline for your school essay.

APA Citation Guide: In-Text/Parenthetical Citations (7E)

• APA 7th Edition
• References, Templates, and Examples for APA 7E
• In-Text/Parenthetical Citations (7E)
• Paper Formatting 7E: Student Paper
• Paper Formatting 7E: Professional Paper
• Annotated Bibliography 7E
• Difference Between 6th & 7th
• Introduction
• Collecting Citations
• Backing-Up/Syncing
• Placing Citations in a Document

Printable PDF Guide to In-Text Citations

• APA 7E In-Text Citations PDF Two-page, printable PDF of this tab.
• APA 7E In-Text Citations Powerpoint Used the the 25-minute workshop.
• APA 7E In-Text Citations video Edited from a live workshop, this video shows you the basics (19m37s).

APA 7E In-Text/Parenthetical Citations

In-text citations, or parenthetical citations, are those that are inside the running text, or narrative of your text, and act as pointers to the more complete reference list at the end of the paper. In-text citations can follow very different rules than citations found in the reference list, so it’s important to place them in separate mental compartments.

The in-text citation needs the author and the year of the document.  The basic template looks like this:

( Author, year )

(Author, year, p. x)

(Author, year, pp. xx-xx)

Research by Garcia (2017) found blah.

Research found blah (Garcia, 2017).

Two Authors 

Garcia and Bartle (2017) found blah.

Research found blah (Garcia & Bartle, 2017).

Three or More Authors 

Et al. is an abbreviation of a latin phrase that means "and others." it stands in for two or more other names you haven't typed..

Garcia  et al.  (2017) found blah .

Research found  blah (Garcia et al. , 2017).

Garcia et al. (2017) found "blah" (p.25). 

No Author (Not Anonymous, Not Corporate Author) 

Research found blah ( “ Title of A rticle in Q uotation M arks and T itle C ase ,”  2017)

Research found blah ( Title of B ook in I talics and T itle C ase , 2017)

In “ Title of  A rticle in  Q uotation  M arks and  T itle  C ase ” (2017)

In  Title of  B ook in  I talics and  T itle  C ase  (2017) the author states "blah" (p. 45).

Multiple Sources

Several studies (Lowe, 2015 ; Mancha, 2007 ; Smith & Jones ; 1993) have found blah.

In a multiple sources, in-text citation order the different citations alphabetically as they appear in the reference list, so the reader can find them easily. Each is separated by a semi-colon.

Same Author/Same Year/Different Works

Research found (Garcia, 1981a)

In your reference list, these would look like:

Garcia, C. (1981a). Article title.   [other article citation information].

Garcia, C. (1981b). Book title .   [other book citation information].

Citing Someone Who is Being Cited by Someone

Petry (as cited in Quarton, 2017) found that

Some research showed blah (Petry, 1975, as cited in Quarton, 2017).

Big Quotations/Small Quotations

If you have a direct quotation that is less than 40 words, blend the quotation smoothly into your writing and use quotation marks.  If the quotation is 40 words or more, place it in a free-standing, indented text block, do not use quotation marks, and do maintain double spacing. End with a period, then place the in-text citation.

Garcia’s (2017) work found that

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Duis dolor nunc, eleifend nec placerat vel, rhoncus et sem. Fusce ullamcorper scelerisque libero, nec eleifend felis tristique vitae. Fusce varius luctus nisi, ut mattis ligula. Nam a tincidunt magna, vitae volutpat mauris. elit . (p. 215)

Direct Quotation or Paraphrase?

APA 7E makes a strong statement about paraphrasing almost everything. Any text that you are quoting exactly from the original should be enclosed in quotation marks, and the in-text citation should include a page number. As a courtesy, you may include a page number for a paraphrase from a long work, such as a book.

If you are making a very general reference to the overall subject of an article/essay, then you do not need quotation marks and you also do not need a page number. Examples of this are common in the introduction to research articles:

There have been several areas of investigation, including measures of disposition (Zhang, 2000; Garcia & Smith, 2009), measures of decision-making (Lejuez et al., 2004; Macapagal & Janssen, 2011), and measures of impulsivity (Lee, 2014). 

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• Last Updated: Dec 16, 2024 8:15 AM
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Parenthetical Citations: APA & MLA Examples

From scholarly writers and researchers to university and graduate students, every academic writer needs to understand how to use parenthetical citations correctly. Parenthetical citations are commonly used to credit sources when quoting directly or paraphrasing another author’s ideas or statements in your academic work.

In this article, we explain how to correctly cite your sources using parenthetical citations in your research article, dissertation , or college essay. Specifically, you will learn crucial information about how to use parenthetical citations using MLA, APA, and Vancouver style Works Cited and Reference formats, along with best practices for in-text citations.

What are parenthetical citations?

Citing original sources within parentheses in your text is known as parenthetical citation or in-text citation . As the terms indicate, parenthetical citations use parentheses ( ) within the text itself to cite the source listed in the Works Cited or References section. Readers should be able to immediately see where your information comes from, without referring to footnotes or endnotes. Parenthetical citations are used in MLA format , APA format , and many other academic styles .

What is the purpose of parenthetical citations ?

Parenthetical citations are useful because they give credit to the original author or speaker’s message or research within the text. This allows the reader to understand the cited author’s voice, the date of publication, and the source of the information. 

With the reference placed directly in-text, the reader does not have to check footnotes at the bottom of each page or the citation list at the end of the paper. This helps the reader stay focused while being able to view the relevant sources.

When to Include Parenthetical Citations

Citing your sources assures that you are not plagiarizing other writers’ work. Therefore, you include a parenthetical citation when you:

• Reference another author’s work
• Include a quotation from a cited source
• Summarize or paraphrase another work

Parenthetical citations are often used in formal research papers and journal manuscripts to show where information was found. Proper citations can hugely impact the credibility of a paper.

The benefits of using parenthetical citations are that they provide readers with more detailed information about how you discovered certain content or information, which may be helpful for future research. Using these citations correctly also demonstrates to readers–whether a professor or a fellow researcher–that your work is deliberate and credible with sourcing. When submitting to a journal, it is important to check their “Guide for Authors” section to understand the specific formatting and citation guidelines.

Parenthetical vs. Narrative In-text Citations

When using in-text citations in any style format, there are two methods:  parenthetical  and  narrative.

In parenthetical format, citations include all relevant information (author’s last name, publication year, page number)  within  the in-text citation, which is located at the end of the sentence.

The Korean War technically ended in an armistice, not a treaty (Kim, 2019) or (Kim, 2019, p. 12).

In narrative citation format, the author of the cited work is referenced as part of the written sentence itself. Write the first or lead author’s name along with “et al.”, followed by the year in parentheses. This is especially useful when you want to append your own commentary or criticism.

According to Kim et al. (2019), the Korean diaspora can be broken down into several economic and cultural factors.

Read More:  A Researcher’s Guide to Citations: listing authors and using et al.

How to Use Parenthetical Citations in APA

A parenthetical citation in APA format consists of the following parts:

• Author’s name
• Year of publication
• Page number

Parenthetical format:

Modern economics in South Korea has grown as a discipline since 1960 (Kim, 2019).

Narrative format:

Kim et al. (2019) recently found in a survey of East Asian economists that modern economics in South Korea has grown as a discipline since 1960.

Tips for APA in-text parenthetical citations

When using parenthetical citations, there are a few situations to be aware of, such as if there is no author name provided.

When no author can be found, the title of the work and year of publication need to be included following the format shown above. If the title within the quotation marks is exceptionally long, it can be shortened in the in-text citation.

APA Style Resources

• Official APA Style Guidebook
• Wordvice APA Citation Guide
• Wordvice APA Citation Generator

How to Use Parenthetical Citations in MLA

Parenthetical citations are used in MLA format and closely resemble those in APA format. However, there are two main differences between MLA and APA formats: 

• Cite the  page number  rather than the  date of publication .
• There is  no comma  separating the page number from the author’s last name.

Include the first few words in the title of the work or website if there is no author. Do not use “p.” or “pp.” to denote pages, and do not apply commas, even if there are multiple authors:

The tourism industry is one of the main components of Korea’s GDP (Kim 15)…(Kim and Lee 15)…(Kim et al. 15)

MLA Style Resources

• Official MLA Style Guidebook
• Wordvice MLA Style Quick Guide
• Wordvice MLA 8th Citation Generator

How to Use Parenthetical Citations in Vancouver Style

Parenthetical citations in  Vancouver style  should have numbering (either superscript or in brackets) on either side of the name of an author or study. A unique number should be assigned to each citation, which is then listed at the end of the manuscript in the bibliography. If you cite a source multiple times, use the same citation number from the first work in subsequent parenthetical citations.

Park et al. (4) reported that over 90% of all Korean citizens own a smartphone (p. 552) . 

Vancouver Style Resources

• Official Vancouver Style Guidebook
• Wordvice Vancouver Style Quick Guide
• Wordvice Vancouver Style Citation Generator

Parenthetical Citations Examples

Let’s look at some specific examples of what parenthetical citations look like in the context of a sentence within an academic document. Remember that sources cited in the text MUST be listed in the Works Cited (in MLA) or References section (in APA).

APA parenthetical citation example (author-date-page style)

These three examples are from the same source, but as you can see, they are formulated differently. The first example uses a signal phrase that includes the author’s last name and then the date of publication in parentheses. The second example introduces the source with only a name. And the third example does not include any information about the author in the text and therefore includes the name, date, and publication year in one set of parentheses.

MLA parenthetical citation examples (author-page style)

As mentioned previously in this article, MLA format follows the author-page method of in-text citation. It is quite similar to APA style, except that the citation only includes the author’s last name and page number(s) from which the quotation or paraphrase is taken. No comma or other punctuation marks are included in the parenthetical citation, and the citation appears at the end of the sentence. The author’s name may appear either in the sentence or in parentheses, but the page number or range must always appear in parentheses, not in the text. See these three parenthetical citations of the same source.

Editing and Formatting Your Academic Papers

As you have probably figured out by now, learning how to use citations and references is a bit tedious and there is always the risk of making mistakes. Before you submit your academic work to professors or journals, be sure to get professional English proofreading services –including paper editing and manuscript editing –to make sure your work is completely free of errors, including mistakes in citation and reference formatting. Wordvice provides all-in language editing services that include a review of your citations. And be sure to use our APA citation generator , MLA citation generator , Chicago citation generator , or Vancouver citation generator (depending on your style guide) to prepare your paper’s reference list or works cited.