In-Text Citations | Open Textbooks

📖 Learn

When you use information from a source—whether you quote it directly or paraphrase it—you need to tell your reader where the information came from. This is called an in-text citation. It's like giving directions to find the original source!

❓ What is an In-Text Citation?

An in-text citation is a short note in your writing that tells readers:

Who wrote the original information (author's last name)
Where to find it (page number, if available)

It appears right after the quote or paraphrase, usually in parentheses.

Basic Format

The most common format includes the author's last name and page number:

Example with a Direct Quote

Dolphins use echolocation to find food. "They send out clicking sounds and listen for the echoes" (Smith 45).

Author: Smith Page: 45

Example with a Paraphrase

Scientists have discovered that dolphins navigate by producing sounds and detecting their reflections (Smith 45).

Notice: No quotation marks because this is paraphrased, but we still need the citation!

Different Situations

1 Author in the Sentence

If you mention the author's name in your sentence, only put the page number in parentheses.

According to Smith, dolphins use echolocation (45).

2 No Page Number

For websites or sources without page numbers, just use the author's name.

Recycling reduces pollution (Johnson).

3 No Author

If there's no author, use a shortened title of the article or book in quotation marks.

The rainforest is home to millions of species ("Amazon Wildlife").

4 Two Authors

Include both last names connected with "and."

Climate change affects polar bears (Garcia and Lee 112).

💡 Punctuation Tip

The period goes after the citation, not before it!

Wrong: Dolphins are smart. (Smith 45)

Right: Dolphins are smart (Smith 45).

💡 Examples

Let's look at more examples in context.

Example 1: Quote with Author in Sentence

Dr. Martinez explains that "butterflies taste with their feet, allowing them to identify plants" (23).

Because "Dr. Martinez" appears in the sentence, only the page number goes in parentheses.

Example 2: Paraphrase from a Website

The Great Barrier Reef is the largest living structure on Earth and can be seen from space (National Geographic).

No page number because it's from a website. No quotation marks because it's paraphrased.

Example 3: Source with No Author

Ancient Egyptians used hieroglyphics, a writing system with over 700 symbols ("Egyptian Writing Systems" 15).

The shortened title is in quotation marks because there's no author listed.

Example 4: Two Authors

"Ocean temperatures have risen by an average of 1.5 degrees Fahrenheit since 1900" (Wilson and Chen 78).

Both authors' last names are included, connected by "and."

✏️ Practice

Choose the Correct Citation

Select the properly formatted in-text citation for each sentence.

🎯 Citation Challenge

Score: 0 Question: 1/5

Build Your Own Citation

🔨 Citation Builder

Use the source information to create a properly formatted sentence with an in-text citation.

Source Information:

Author: Sarah Johnson

Title: "The Secret Lives of Octopuses"

Page: 42

Fact: Octopuses have three hearts and blue blood.

Write a sentence using this fact with an in-text citation:

✅ Check Your Understanding

Question 1

What TWO pieces of information are typically included in an in-text citation?

Question 2

Where does the period go in a sentence with an in-text citation?

Question 3

If you mention the author's name in your sentence, what goes in the parentheses?

Question 4

What do you use if there is no author listed for a source?

Question 5

Do you need an in-text citation for a paraphrase (information in your own words)?

🚀 Summary & Next Steps

📝

Basic Format

(Author Page)

👤

Author in Sentence

Just (Page)

❓

No Author

("Title")

.

Period Placement

After the citation

💡 Remember

Both quotes AND paraphrases need citations
The citation tells readers where your information came from
When in doubt, cite it! It's better to over-cite than to plagiarize
Your teacher may have specific requirements—always follow their guidelines

Continue Learning

Review the previous lesson on Paraphrasing Sources
Practice adding citations to your next research project
Learn about Works Cited pages (the full list of sources at the end)