In Text Citations

How do you create in-text citations?

Every time you quote, paraphrase, or summarize another resource, you should create an in-text citation to document it.

RULES FOR IN-TEXT CITATION

  • Your in-text citation must correspond to an entry in the works-cited list.
  • Be as specific as possible when you provide the location of the information you are using.
  • The parenthetical expressions should be as brief as possible--provide just enough information to identify the source clearly and accurately so that a reader can find it in the works-cited list.
  • Do not repeat any information you provide in your text in the parenthetical documentation; i.e., if you give the author's name in the text, do not repeat it in the parentheses.
  • Do not interrupt the flow of your paper by inserting the parenthetical documentation in the middle of a clause or sentence; place it at the end of the clause or the sentence that contains the material to be documented.

You can choose from two basic styles for in-text citation:

  • give the source information in your written text
  • enclose the source information in parentheses after the quote, summary, or paraphrase (parenthetical documentation)

For print or paginated PDF sources, give a page number.For electronic sources (e.g., materials from the World Wide Web or subscription databases) do not provide page numbers because the page numbers on print-outs are not the pages of the original source.

(This content is used with permission of Library & Information Services, University of Maryland University College.)

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