A.P.A STYLE
MANUAL
, APA STYLE MANUAL – 6th Ed.
HOW TO USE
Documenting Sources
APA requires the use of in-text parenthetical citations, not footnotes. These in-text citations lead readers to complete
bibliographic information included in the alphabetical list of references at the end of the paper. In-text citations can be handled in
different ways.
If you use the author's name in the sentence, simply include within parentheses the date of publication after the author's name:
Barrow (1974) found . . . .
However, if you do not incorporate the author's name into the sentence, include the author's last name and publication date
within parentheses:
. . . (Barrow, 1974).
Either approach may be used regardless of the number of authors.
If a source has two authors, cite both names every time the reference appears in the text.
. . . (Dewdney & Ross, 1994).
Dewdney and Ross (1994) found. . . .
For a source with three, four, or five authors, cite all of the authors the first time a reference occurs. For any subsequent
occurrences of the same reference, use the first author’s name with “et al.” signifying the other authors. Follow this with the date
of the publication. Omit the year from each subsequent occurrence of the same reference falling within the same paragraph.
(Smith, Rubick, Jones, & Malcolm, 1995)
Smith et al. (1995) argued that. . . .
(Smith et al., 1995)
For a source with six or more authors, include only the first author's name followed by "et al."
Peffer et al. (1997) contended. . . .
(Peffer et al., 1997)
If a source has a group (corporation, government agency, association, etc.) as an author, the name is usually spelled out in
every text citation. However, if the name is long and the abbreviation is easily recognizable or understandable, spell it out for the
first text citation and abbreviate for subsequent citations.
First text citation:
(Association of College and Research Libraries [ACRL], 1996)
Second or subsequent citations:
(ACRL, 1996)
ACRL (1996) found that. . . .
1
MANUAL
, APA STYLE MANUAL – 6th Ed.
HOW TO USE
Documenting Sources
APA requires the use of in-text parenthetical citations, not footnotes. These in-text citations lead readers to complete
bibliographic information included in the alphabetical list of references at the end of the paper. In-text citations can be handled in
different ways.
If you use the author's name in the sentence, simply include within parentheses the date of publication after the author's name:
Barrow (1974) found . . . .
However, if you do not incorporate the author's name into the sentence, include the author's last name and publication date
within parentheses:
. . . (Barrow, 1974).
Either approach may be used regardless of the number of authors.
If a source has two authors, cite both names every time the reference appears in the text.
. . . (Dewdney & Ross, 1994).
Dewdney and Ross (1994) found. . . .
For a source with three, four, or five authors, cite all of the authors the first time a reference occurs. For any subsequent
occurrences of the same reference, use the first author’s name with “et al.” signifying the other authors. Follow this with the date
of the publication. Omit the year from each subsequent occurrence of the same reference falling within the same paragraph.
(Smith, Rubick, Jones, & Malcolm, 1995)
Smith et al. (1995) argued that. . . .
(Smith et al., 1995)
For a source with six or more authors, include only the first author's name followed by "et al."
Peffer et al. (1997) contended. . . .
(Peffer et al., 1997)
If a source has a group (corporation, government agency, association, etc.) as an author, the name is usually spelled out in
every text citation. However, if the name is long and the abbreviation is easily recognizable or understandable, spell it out for the
first text citation and abbreviate for subsequent citations.
First text citation:
(Association of College and Research Libraries [ACRL], 1996)
Second or subsequent citations:
(ACRL, 1996)
ACRL (1996) found that. . . .
1
