Narrative citation is when you write out the author's name as you write their quote, or paraphrase their work: Example

There are two main ways to cite a source as you write: narrative and parenthetical. In-text citations, including both narrative and parenthetical citations, are crucial to establishing the sources of the ideas you present in your writing. See the examples in the boxes on this page for examples. Make sure to include citation information either in the narrative of your paper, or as a parenthetical citation. About Creating In-Text CitationsĬreate an in-text citation whenever you quote another work, or whenever you paraphrase another work in your own words.

In-text citations prevent plagiarism, which is when an individual presents another person's ideas as their own. In-Text Citation Prevents PlagiarismĪs emerging scholars, researchers, and creators, students cite their sources to show they've researched their topics by reading what other experts have said on their topic. By naming the author and the date of the work you are citing in your in-text citation, you're helping the reader find the work in your reference list at the end of your paper. When you are writing a paper in APA style, you cite other works (articles, books, etc.) using the author-date citation method. In APA style, you will use in-text citations to refer readers to a reference list.

How to insert a citation in an essay