A review of in text citations using APA (6th ed) with pointers to common errors

1. APA referencing
Part 1: In text citation
Jenny Trevitt, Senior Librarian

2. What is a referencing style?
• Method to credit sources used in assignments
• Many different referencing styles
• One style is used in a written piece

3. Which referencing style?
• American Psychological Association (APA)
style.
• Unless your unit guide specifies otherwise.
• Style is detailed in the 6th edition of the
Publication Manual of the American
Psychological Association (American
Psychological Association, 2009).

4. APA Style (6th edition)
• Consists of two main parts:
1. In text citations
2. The reference list
• Important to follow all rules carefully including
format, spacing, date and abbreviations.
• Rules will vary according to format – book,
article, report, paper, webpage, twitter post
etc

5. When to cite
• Cite when you refer to ideas, theories or
research of an author
• Ensure references cited have been read
• Provide references for facts and figures
• Provide a citation for direct quotations

6. In text citations in APA Style
• Directs reader to full source details in the reference
list
• Author-date system:
• Author, without initials or suffixes
• Year of publication
The study found that the student’s reading improved
(Jones, 2014).
Note: Punctuation mark after the in text citation.

7. Variations - in text citations 1
When the name of the author is included in the
text, then only need year of publication:
Brookhart (2013) describes in her book how to……
Note: There is a space between the author's name
and date

8. Variations - in text citations 2
When citing a specific part of a source, for
example, when quoting from a source
"The study demonstrated that the change in
assessment...." (Fraser, 2012, p. 28).
Note: lowercase "p" and space after "p."

9. Variations - in text citations 3
• 2 authors - include both surnames and use &
(Ridden & Heldsinger, 2014)
• 3 to 5 authors - include all surnames when citing
first time but only the first author surname, on
any subsequent citing, followed by et al.
1. First citing (Smith, Wylie, & James, 2012)
2. Subsequent citing (Smith et al., 2012)

10. Variations - in text citations 4
• 6 or more authors - only cite the surname of
the first author and follow this surname by et
al.
(Washington et al., 2010)

11. Variations - in text citations 5
When citing two or more works within one
parentheses:
• List in alphabetical order of the surname .
• Separate citations with a semicolon.
Both studies concluded… (George, 2009; Miller,
2013).

12. Variations - in text citations 6
• Many other variations
• For full details see the chapter “Citing
References in Text” in the Publication Manual
of the American Psychological Association
(American Psychological Association, 2009,
pp. 174-179).

13. What’s wrong with these?
1. A similar result was found in a recent study by
Ann Hatter.(2011)
2. In more recent studies (Jones 2013 & Smith
2012) ….
3. The author stated that “…..” (Walton, 2009,
P.20)
4. (Bucci et al, 2011)

14. Check your response
1. A similar result was found in a recent study by
Ann Hatter. (2011).
2. In more recent studies (Jones, 2013; & Smith,
2012) ….
3. The author stated that “…..” (Walton, 2009,
Pp. 20).
4. (Bucci et al., 2011). [if at end of sentence]

15. Online help
See the American Psychological Association
website:
• The Basics of APA Style - slides 13 to 25
• In text citations
• Punctuating the Reference List Entry
• APA Style FAQs
• The APA Style Blog

16. Further Help
• American Psychological Association. (2009). Publication
Manual of the American Psychological Association (6th ed.).
Washington, DC: Author. Refer to chapters 6 & 7.
• American Psychological Association. (2010). Concise rules of
APA style (6th ed.). Washington, DC: Author. Refer to chapters
7 & 8.
Note: These books can be borrowed from the Library. Submit an online
request and items will be express posted to students within Australia.
Submit a Book Request.
Full details are set under services on the Library’s Student Portal page.
Students are responsible for any cost to return borrowed items.

17. Reference List
American Psychological Association. (2009).
Publication Manual of the American Psychological
Association (6th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.