TL;DR: In-Text Citations

Watch the 5-Minute Overview

Add the in-text citations overview video here

Prefer to read? Remember these three things:

Cite information, language, or ideas that came from another source—even when you explain the material in your own words.

Include the author and year. Add a page number or another locator when quoting a source directly.

Use citations and signal phrases together so readers can tell where source material begins, continues, and ends.

Download the In-Text Citation Quick Guide

Walk Me Through It: In-Line and Narrative Citations

Make the author part of your sentence.

Make the Author Part of the Sentence

In a narrative citation, sometimes called an in-line citation, the author’s name appears naturally within your sentence. Place the publication year in parentheses immediately after the author’s name.

Basic pattern

Author (Year) + reporting verb + source information.

Example

Rivera (2020) explained that clear citations help readers identify the source of an idea.

Narrative citations are useful when the author or researcher is important to the point you are making.
Back to Narrative Citation Tabs

Walk Me Through It: In-Line and Narrative Citations

Make the author part of your sentence.

Make the Author Part of the Sentence

In a narrative citation, sometimes called an in-line citation, the author’s name appears naturally within your sentence. Place the publication year in parentheses immediately after the author’s name.

Basic pattern

Author (Year) + reporting verb + source information.

Example

Rivera (2020) explained that clear citations help readers identify the source of an idea.

Narrative citations are useful when the author or researcher is important to the point you are making.
Back to Narrative Citation Tabs