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APA in-text citation (7th edition)
An APA in-text citation gives the author’s surname and the year: (Kahneman, 2011). Add a page for a direct quote: (Kahneman, 2011, p. 45). In a sentence, use the narrative form: Kahneman (2011).
APA in-text citation rules
- Two authors: name both every time, with “&” in brackets and “and” in running text — (Watson & Crick, 1953) / Watson and Crick (1953).
- Three or more authors: first surname plus et al. from the first citation — (Nguyen et al., 2024).
- No author: use the title. Italicise stand-alone works (books, web pages); put article titles in quotation marks.
- No date: write n.d. — (Mayo Clinic, n.d.).
- No page numbers: give a paragraph number (para. 4), a heading, or a timestamp for audio and video.
- Secondary source: (Piaget, 1952, as cited in Smith, 2020). Only Smith goes in the reference list.
Source: APA Publication Manual, 7th edition (2020), chapter 8; apastyle.apa.org.
APA in-text citation examples
| Situation | In-text citation |
|---|---|
| One author, page | Parenthetical (Kahneman, 2011, p. 45) Narrative Kahneman (2011, p. 45) |
| Two authors | Parenthetical (Watson & Crick, 1953, p. 737) Narrative Watson and Crick (1953, p. 737) |
| Three authors | Parenthetical (Nguyen et al., 2024) Narrative Nguyen et al. (2024) |
| Four or more | Parenthetical (Nguyen et al., 2024) Narrative Nguyen et al. (2024) |
| Organisation as author | Parenthetical (World Health Organization, 2023) Narrative World Health Organization (2023) |
| No author, italic title (book, report) | Parenthetical (Climate Change and Health, 2023) |
| No author, quoted title (article) | Parenthetical (“Rising Seas Threaten Coastal Aquifers,” 2022) |
| No date | Parenthetical (Mayo Clinic, n.d.) Narrative Mayo Clinic (n.d.) |
| Page range | Parenthetical (Kahneman, 2011, pp. 45–47) Narrative Kahneman (2011, pp. 45–47) |
| Web page paragraph | Parenthetical (Mayo Clinic, 2024, para. 4) Narrative Mayo Clinic (2024, para. 4) |
| Video timestamp | Parenthetical (Kurzgesagt, 2014, 2:15) Narrative Kurzgesagt (2014, 2:15) |
| Quoted in another source | Parenthetical (Piaget, 1952, as cited in Smith, 2020, p. 18) Narrative Piaget (1952, as cited in Smith, 2020, p. 18) |
Need the full reference-list entry too? Use the APA citation generator; it gives the reference and the matching in-text citation together.
APA in-text citation questions
What is the APA in-text citation format?
(Author, Year) for paraphrases and (Author, Year, p. #) for direct quotes. In running text: Author (Year) followed by the page in brackets after the quote.
How do you cite a website in-text in APA?
Exactly like any other source: the author (often an organisation) and the year — (World Health Organization, 2023). If the page has no date, use n.d.; if no author, use the page title in italics.
When do I use et al. in APA 7?
For any work with three or more authors, from the very first citation: (Nguyen et al., 2024). Two-author works always name both.
How do I cite a quote without page numbers in APA?
Give another locator: a paragraph number (para. 4), a section heading (Treatment section, para. 2) or a timestamp (2:15) for videos.
How do I write “as cited in” in APA?
Name the original work, then the one you read: (Piaget, 1952, as cited in Smith, 2020). Add only Smith (2020) to your reference list.