When giving credit inside of the paper, APA commonly uses the authors' names with date of publication. APA also gives writers two options for citation: in the sentence (narrative), or after the sentence (parenthetical). ***Parentheticals include a comma. ***
| Guideline | Narrative Example | Parenthetical Example |
|---|---|---|
| One author use the author's name and the date of publication | Thompson (2024) proves that the white ash tree is critically endangered. | The white ash tree is critically endangered (Thompson, 2024). |
| Two authors use an ampersand (&) in parentheticals | French and Daniels (2018) recorded 428 different zebra stripe patterns out of 428 zebras. | According to the study, no two zebras seem to have the same stripe pattern (French & Daniels, 2018). |
| Three or more authors use only the first author's name, follow it with "et al."; there is no period after "et" | Huxley et al. (2004) carbon-dated the fossilized musk ox bone, finding that it is approximately 9000 years old. | After researchers carbon-dated the musk ox bone, it was found to be approximately 9000 years old (Huxley et al., 2004). |
| Organization as author the first time, use the full name and acronym; after the first, use only the acronym | The American Dental Association (ADA, 2025) has found that private practice ownership has dropped 12.2% since 2023. | Private practice ownership in the United States has dropped 12.2% since 2023 (American Dental Association [ADA], 2025). |
| No author listed use the title or shortened title; this may cause credibility issues | The “Purdue OWL” (2024) website provides a multitude of helpful APA and MLA tips. | There are plenty of websites that provide helpful APA and MLA tips (e.g., “Purdue OWL,” 2024). |
| Citing information found in a different source use “as cited in,” but try to find the original source | Parnell’s (as cited in Al-Hadid, 2022) findings illustrate the damaging effects of long-term exposure to plutonium in nuclear power plants. | Long-term exposure to plutonium in nuclear power plants damages the health of workers severely (Parnell, as cited in Al-Hadid, 2022). |
| Direct quotes add where you found it using page numbers or paragraphs | Zhang (2019) explains that “oceanic oil spills damage most ecosystems for 2–10 years” (p. 13). | The study explains, “Elephants seals are highly aggressive creatures, especially during mating season” (AINA, 2013, para. 4). |
adapted from University of Louisville Writing Center "APA 7th Edition Citation (PDF)"