APA 7th In-text Citation: Types and Examples

Parenthetical Narrative
One author (Author, year, p.) One author: Author (year, p.)
Research has found that today over 75% of all internet Lopez (2017) has found that today over 75% of all
users use social media (Lopez, 2017, p. 345). internet users use social media (p. 345).
Two authors (Author1 & Author2, year, p.) Two authors Author1 and Author2 (year)
Social media can take a toll on jobs and possibly result According to Clark and Smith (2019), social media can
in posts that can cost employees their position with the take a toll on jobs and possibly result in posts that can
company (Clark & Smith, 2019, p. 35). cost employees their position with the company (p. 35).
Three or more authors (Author1 et al., year, p.) Three or more authors Author1 et al. (year)
As social media has evolved, bullying has also followed Ling et al. (2016) pointed out that as social media has
suit and now studies suggest that 60-80% of bullying evolved, bullying has also followed suit and now studies
now takes place in cyberspace (Ling et al., 2016, p. 48). suggest that 60-80% of bullying now takes place in
cyberspace (p. 48).
Abbreviations
Provide the full name the first time the name is mentioned in the text, followed by the abbreviation. For subsequent
citations, the abbreviated format can be used.
Parenthetical citation - first appearance: Narrative citation - first appearance:
(American Medical Association [AMA], 2018) The American Medical Association (AMA, 2018) first
addressed the topic...
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was measured….
PTSD levels were high
Punctuation
Period always comes after the parentheses at the end of Today, over 75% of all internet users use social media
the sentence and after “et al.” (Lopez, 2017, p. 345). Ling et al. (2016)
Commas are used to separate author, year, and page (Ling et al., 2016, p. 48).
number(s).
Semicolon is used to separate citations within (Lars & Kim 2016; Rollins, 2015).
parentheses.
Citing more than one pages
Today, over 75% of all internet users use social media Today, 60-80% of bullying now takes place in cyberspace
(Lopez, 2017, p. 345). (Ling et al., 2016, pp. 48-49).
Use active voice
Active: Participants answered questionnaires. Passive: Questionnaires were answered by participants.
The singular “they” or “their” is endorsed as a gender-neutral pronoun.
A researcher’s career depends on how often he or she is A researcher’s career depends on how often they are
cited. cited.
Instead of using adjectives as nouns to label groups of people, descriptive phrases are preferred.
The poor People living in poverty
 Do not use contractions in sentences.
 In general, words should be used for numbers from zero through nine, and numerals should
be used from 10 onwards.
 Use words for any number that is used to start a sentence, with the exception of years.
 With percentages, the standard is to use numerals and “%” (not “percent”). The main
exception is if you are using a percentage to begin a sentence. In this case, use words to
express the entire percentage.