CiteFast › In-text citations

In-text citations

An in-text citation is the short pointer inside your sentence that leads the reader to the full entry in your reference list. Each style builds it differently — here is how, side by side.

The same sentence in four styles

StyleParentheticalNarrative
APA 7…fast and slow thinking (Kahneman, 2011, p. 45).Kahneman (2011) argues…
MLA 9…fast and slow thinking (Kahneman 45).Kahneman argues… (45).
Chicago…fast and slow thinking.¹¹ Daniel Kahneman, Thinking, Fast and Slow (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2011), 45.
Harvard…fast and slow thinking (Kahneman, 2011, p. 45).Kahneman (2011, p. 45) argues…

Drag the slider: when does “et al.” kick in?

The rules for multiple authors are where most marks are lost. Move the slider to see how each style handles one to twenty-five authors, both in the text and in the reference list.

Three authors: APA and MLA switch to “et al.” in the text; Chicago and Harvard still name all three.

StyleIn the textIn the reference list
APA(Nguyen et al., 2024)Nguyen, L., Okafor, C., & Silva, A. (2024). Sleep and memory in adolescents. Journal of Sleep Research, 33(2), 101–118.
MLA(Nguyen et al. 45)Nguyen, Linh, et al. “Sleep and Memory in Adolescents.” Journal of Sleep Research, vol. 33, no. 2, 2024, pp. 101–18.
Chicago2. Nguyen, Okafor, and Silva, “Sleep and Memory in,” 45.Nguyen, Linh, Chidi Okafor, and Ana Silva. “Sleep and Memory in Adolescents.” Journal of Sleep Research 33, no. 2 (2024): 101–118.
Harvard(Nguyen, Okafor, and Silva, 2024)Nguyen, L., Okafor, C. and Silva, A. (2024) ‘Sleep and Memory in Adolescents’, Journal of Sleep Research, 33(2), pp. 101–118.

APA in-text citation rules

  • Author surname and year, separated by a comma: (Kahneman, 2011).
  • Two authors: always both, joined with “&” in brackets and “and” in running text.
  • Three or more: first author plus et al. from the very first citation.
  • Group authors: spell out the name; you can define an abbreviation on first use — (World Health Organization [WHO], 2023), then (WHO, 2023).

MLA in-text citation rules

  • Author surname and page, no comma: (Kahneman 45).
  • Two authors: (Watson and Crick 737). Three or more: (Nguyen et al. 12).
  • No page numbers (web pages): the author alone, or a timestamp for video: (Kurzgesagt 02:15).

Get both the reference and the in-text citation for your own sources from the citation generator.

In-text citation questions

Where does the in-text citation go?

At the end of the sentence, before the full stop: …improves recall (Nguyen et al., 2024). For long block quotes, it goes after the final punctuation.

Do I need a page number?

MLA always wants one when the source has pages. APA and Harvard require one for direct quotes and encourage it for close paraphrases: (Kahneman, 2011, p. 45). Chicago notes end with the page.

How do I cite two sources in one bracket?

Separate them with semicolons. APA orders them alphabetically: (Chen, 2022; Silva & Rossi, 2019). MLA: (Chen 4; Silva and Rossi 12).

How do I cite a source with no author?

Use the title in its place, shortened to the first few words: (“Climate Change and Health,” 2023) in APA, (“Climate Change and Health”) in MLA. Italicise instead of quoting if the work stands alone, like a book or web page in APA.

What does et al. mean?

“And others” (Latin et alii). There is no full stop after “et”, and there is always one after “al”.