APA In-Text Citation Generator

What This APA In-Text Citation Tool Helps You Build

APA 7 uses an author–date system. A basic in-text citation normally contains the surname of the author and the publication year. It can appear in either of two forms:

• Parenthetical: both elements sit inside parentheses, as in (Bandura, 1977).
• Narrative: the author becomes part of the sentence and the year follows in parentheses, as in Bandura (1977).

The meaning is the same, but the grammar is different. Parenthetical form is useful when the finding matters more than the researcher’s name. Narrative form is useful when the author is part of the point you are making.

How to Generate and Place an APA In-Text Citation

1. Identify the exact source. Search by its title, URL, DOI, or ISBN when available, or enter the source details manually.
2. Select APA 7 and the correct source type. A journal article, book, webpage, and video may need different reference fields even when their in-text forms look similar.
3. Check the author and date. Confirm that the first author or group author and publication year agree with the original source.
4. Generate the reference and author–date citation. Keep the full reference for the reference list and use its matching short citation in the body.
5. Choose parenthetical or narrative wording. Use an ampersand inside parentheses for two authors, but spell out “and” when the two authors appear in your sentence.
6. Add a locator when needed. A direct quotation needs a page, paragraph, section, or timestamp that helps the reader find the quoted passage.

APA 7 In-Text Rules by Number of Authors

One author

Use the author’s surname and year every time.

Parenthetical: (Bandura, 1977)
Narrative: Bandura (1977)

Two authors

Name both authors every time. Use an ampersand in parentheses and the word “and” in narrative prose.

Parenthetical: (Ryan & Deci, 2000)
Narrative: Ryan and Deci (2000)

Three or more authors

Use the first author’s surname followed by et al. from the first citation onward, unless shortening would make two different sources look identical. The term et al. is not italicized in normal APA text, and the period follows “al.”

Parenthetical: (Deci et al., 1999)
Narrative: Deci et al. (1999)

Organization or group author

Write the organization name as the author. If a familiar abbreviation will be used more than once and cannot be confused with another group, introduce it in the first citation.

First parenthetical citation: (American Psychological Association [APA], n.d.)
Later citation: (APA, n.d.)

Complete APA 7 Reference and In-Text Examples

These examples show how the short citation matches the first author element and date in the full reference.

Journal article with one author

Reference: Bandura, A. (1977). Self-efficacy: Toward a unifying theory of behavioral change. Psychological Review, 84(2), 191–215. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-295X.84.2.191

Parenthetical: (Bandura, 1977)
Narrative: Bandura (1977)

Journal article with two authors

Reference: Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2000). Self-determination theory and the facilitation of intrinsic motivation, social development, and well-being. American Psychologist, 55(1), 68–78. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.55.1.68

Parenthetical: (Ryan & Deci, 2000)
Narrative: Ryan and Deci (2000)

Journal article with three authors

Reference: Deci, E. L., Koestner, R., & Ryan, R. M. (1999). A meta-analytic review of experiments examining the effects of extrinsic rewards on intrinsic motivation. Psychological Bulletin, 125(6), 627–668. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.125.6.627

Parenthetical: (Deci et al., 1999)
Narrative: Deci et al. (1999)

Page Numbers, Paragraphs, Sections, and Timestamps

Include a locator for a direct quotation. A page number is the normal locator for a paginated source. If the source has no pages, use another logical locator that a reader can follow. Do not invent page numbers for an HTML webpage.

• One page: (Ryan & Deci, 2000, p. 70)
• Page range: (Ryan & Deci, 2000, pp. 70–71)
• Numbered paragraph: (Author, 2024, para. 6)
• Section and paragraph: (Author, 2024, Discussion section, para. 2)
• Audiovisual timestamp: (Creator, 2024, 12:18)

For a paraphrase, the author and year are normally sufficient. A page or paragraph number can still be helpful when the source is long or complex, but it should point to a real location.

When the Author or Date Is Missing

No individual author

Look for a responsible organization before deciding that the source has no author. A government agency, university, company, or professional association may be the group author.

No author of any kind

Move the title into the author position. In the in-text citation, use a shortened, title-case version and match its treatment to the reference entry: if the title is italicized in the reference, italicize it in the citation; if it is not italicized in the reference, place it in quotation marks.

Article-title example: (“Improving Study Habits,” 2024)
Stand-alone work example: (Guide to Academic Writing, 2024)

No publication date

Use n.d. in place of the year: (Morgan, n.d.). A copyright year in a site-wide footer is not automatically the publication date of the page you used.

Multiple Sources and Same-Year Works

When several sources support the same statement, place them in one set of parentheses, order them as they appear alphabetically in the reference list, and separate them with semicolons:

(Bandura, 1977; Ryan & Deci, 2000)

If the same author has more than one work in the same year, the reference list assigns lowercase letters after the year. Carry those letters into the in-text citations: (Taylor, 2024a, 2024b). Do not add the letters until the reference list order has been determined.

Review Your In-Text Citation Before Using It

• Does the author element match the beginning of the full reference?
• Does the year match the version of the source in the reference list?
• For two authors, did you use & in parentheses and “and” in narrative text?
• For three or more authors, did you use the first surname plus et al.?
• Does every direct quotation have a real and useful locator?
• Is the citation placed close enough to the borrowed idea that its scope is clear?
• Does every retrievable source have a matching reference-list entry?

For the wider paper rules, see the APA format guide. For a comparison with other styles, read the existing in-text citations guide. You can also return to the APA citation generator to build the full reference.

APA In-Text Citation FAQ

What is the basic APA 7 in-text citation format?

The basic parenthetical form is (Author, Year). In narrative form, write Author (Year). Add a locator when quoting directly.

Do I use & or “and” for two authors?

Use an ampersand inside a parenthetical citation: (Ryan & Deci, 2000). Use the word “and” when the names are part of the sentence: Ryan and Deci (2000).

When does APA 7 use et al.?

For a work with three or more authors, use the first author’s surname followed by et al. from the first in-text citation. Different rules apply to the full reference, which normally lists up to 20 authors.

Is a page number required for a paraphrase?

No. APA normally requires a page or another locator for a direct quotation. A locator is optional for a paraphrase but can help readers find a specific idea in a long work.

How do I cite a website with no page numbers?

For a direct quotation, use a numbered paragraph, a section heading, or a combination of both when available. For a paraphrase, the author and year are usually enough.

Does punctuation go before or after the citation?

For an ordinary sentence with a parenthetical citation, the citation normally appears before the sentence-ending punctuation. Block quotations follow a different punctuation pattern, so check the APA guidance for the quotation format you are using.

Can one in-text citation point to several sources?

Yes. Put the sources in one set of parentheses, order them alphabetically as in the reference list, and separate them with semicolons.

Should a personal communication appear in the reference list?

No. A nonrecoverable personal communication is cited in the text with the communicator’s initials and surname and an exact date, but it is not included in the reference list.