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Paraphrasing in APA

Paraphrasing is the art of putting information into your own words while writing a research paper, in order to maintain the academic integrity of your project. This is important because you need to use solid evidence as a researcher, but you need to put information into the proper format to avoid plagiarism. The American Psychological Association (APA) created a writing style in 1929 that calls for uniformity and consistency in giving credit to sources in your research.

How to properly paraphrase

If you do not properly paraphrase your source material following the APA style, you are at the risk of losing credibility as a writer and possibly plagiarizing. Although paraphrasing is not difficult, it does take time and a little forethought to do it correctly. There are several steps you should follow in order to achieve success.

1. Read the original source

The first step in creating an effective paraphrase is to carefully read the original source. Read it the first time to get the overall understanding, and then do a second closer reading in order to gather details and material that will help you formulate your argument.

2. Take notes in your own words

After reading the original source and determining what details can help you formulate your argument, take a minute to jot down some notes. Be careful to put everything into your own words. Change the structure of the sentence as well as the vocabulary.

Also, take a moment to take notes on the context of the source. Why was it written? Who wrote it? When was it written?

3. Construct a paraphrase

In order to construct a paraphrase, you need to include the same information, but with different sentence structure and different vocabulary. APA rules say that a paraphrase should be approximately the same length as the original.

You also need to add contextual text around the paraphrase so it fits within your paper.

4. Double check the original source to avoid duplication

Although an extra step, it is always a good idea to read through the original source one more time to make sure that you have chosen different words and varied the sentence structure. This is a good time to add the APA requirements of author and year of the source so that you have it handy.

5. Include an APA in-text citation

Even though you are putting a paraphrase into your own words, APA requires an in-text citation for paraphrasing. You can create a parenthetical citation or a narrative citation to accomplish this.

Remember: All in-text citations will also need a corresponding APA reference in the APA reference page . For this article, we’re just focusing on in-text citations in paraphrases.

For both types of in-text citation, you will need the following source information:

• Author’s last name
• Year published
• single page: p. #
• page range: pp. #-#

Parenthetical citation

For an APA parenthetical citation , write your paraphrase and then add the author and year in parenthesis at the end. Use a comma between the author and the year inside the parenthesis, and put the period for the end of the sentence outside the parenthesis.

Oh, say can you see by the dawn’s early light What so proudly we hailed at the twilight’s last gleaming? (Key, 1814).

My parents traveled from Italy to Germany and then France. As the oldest child, I traveled with them after being born in Naples. They were very close, and shared that love they had for each other with me (Shelley, 1818, p. 78).

Narrative citation

In a narrative citation, you introduce the author’s name as part of the sentence, and put the year in parenthesis.

Francis Scott Key (1814) wrote very special words while overlooking a battle: Oh, say can you see by the dawn’s early light, what so proudly we hailed at the twilight’s last gleaming?

For further details, visit this guide on APA in-text citations.

Paraphrasing example

Franklin Delano Roosevelt gave an inaugural address in January 1933 during the Great Depression. This is an excerpt taken from an online source :

This is preeminently the time to speak the truth, the whole truth, frankly and boldly. Nor need we shrink from honestly facing conditions in our country today. This great Nation will endure as it has endured, will revive and will prosper….

1. Read original source text

In order to paraphrase, read through the text once to get the gist of it, and then again for deeper understanding. The context of this passage is also significant. It was given by a U.S. president during the Great Depression. What do you think he was trying to achieve?

Next take notes in your own words. Without immediately looking at the text, jot down what you think is the main point or concept of it. Next, take notes on the context of the source (you can look at the source for this).

For this passage, a few example notes could be:

• Facing truth
• Harsh current reality
• Believing that this great nation will endure and eventually prosper again
• Speech by President Roosevelt in 1933
• Given during the Great Depression
• He was addressing his citizens

Now’s the time to construct the paraphrase. Based on the notes above, a paraphrase would look something like this:

With his inaugural speech, Roosevelt was carefully trying to prepare citizens of the Nation to face the harsh reality that the Great Depression had caused, while also reassuring them that the country would endure and eventually prosper again.

4. Double check with the original source

The paraphrase above doesn’t not look too similar to the original, but we could still change a few words that were also in the original phrase (like “Nation,” “endure,” and “prosper). Revised, it looks like this:

With his inaugural speech, Roosevelt was carefully trying to prepare citizens of the United States to face the harsh reality that the Great Depression had caused, while also reassuring them that the country would eventually bounce back .

5. Add an APA in-text citation

An APA in-text citation means including the source’s author, year published, and page numbers (if available). The paraphrase already has the author’s name, but the year published needs to be added in parentheses. This is from an online source so no page number is needed.

With his inaugural speech, Roosevelt (1933) was carefully trying to prepare citizens of the United States to face the harsh reality that the Great Depression had caused, while also reassuring them that the country would eventually bounce back.

Examples of poor paraphrasing

Most people who fail at paraphrasing use the same sentence as the original source, and just change a word or two. If this is the case, the paraphrase would look something like this:

This great country will endure as it has endured, will come back to life and will prosper. So, first of all, let me show my strong belief that the only thing we have to worry about is fear itself…”

Another problem with paraphrasing occurs when you do half the job. Although the first and third sentences change the sentence structure and vocabulary in the sample below, there are some sections that are taken word-for-word from the original.

“From Italy they visited Germany and France. I, their eldest child, was born at Naples, and as an infant accompanied them in their rambles. I remained for several years their only child. Much as they were attached to each other, they seemed to draw inexhaustible stores of affection from a very mine of love to bestow them upon me.

Paraphrase:

My parents visited Italy and then Germany and France. I, their eldest child, was born at Naples. I traveled with them and was their only child for a few years. They loved each other and they seemed to draw inexhaustible stores of affection from a very mine of love.

In addition to the word-for-word similarities, this paraphrase doesn’t mention the original source’s author, year published, or page number (Shelley, 1818, p. 78).

Key takeaways

• In order to avoid plagiarism, APA delineates the way to give credit to sources when you are paraphrasing.
• In APA style, parenthetical citations demand the author and year of source.
• In order to create a stellar paraphrase, you need to change the structure and the words, but keep the main idea intact.

Published October 28, 2020.

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APA Citation Guide (7th edition): Quotes vs Paraphrases

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What's the Difference?

Quoting vs paraphrasing: what's the difference.

There are two ways to integrate sources into your assignment: quoting directly or paraphrasing.

Quoting  is copying a selection from someone else's work, phrasing it exactly as it was originally written. When quoting place quotation marks (" ") around the selected passage to show where the quote begins and where it ends. Make sure to include an in-text citation. 

Paraphrasing  is used to show that you understand what the author wrote. You must reword the passage, expressing the ideas in your own words, and not just change a few words here and there. Make sure to also include an in-text citation. 

Quoting Example

There are two basic formats that can be used:

Parenthetical Style:

Narrative Style:

Quoting Tips

• Long Quotes
• Changing Quotes

What Is a Long Quotation?

A quotation of more than 40 words. 

Rules for Long Quotations

There are 4 rules that apply to long quotations that are different from regular quotations:

• The line before your long quotation, when you're introducing the quote, usually ends with a colon.
• The long quotation is indented half an inch from the rest of the text, so it looks like a block of text.
• There are no quotation marks around the quotation.
• The period at the end of the quotation comes before your in-text citation as opposed to after, as it does with regular quotations.

Example of a Long Quotation

At the end of Lord of the Flies the boys are struck with the realization of their behaviour:

The tears began to flow and sobs shook him. He gave himself up to them now for the first time on the island; great, shuddering spasms of grief that seemed to wrench his whole body. His voice rose under the black smoke before the burning wreckage of the island; and infected by that emotion, the other little boys began to shake and sob too. (Golding, 1960, p.186)

Changing Quotations

Sometimes you may want to make some modifications to the quote to fit your writing. Here are some APA rules when changing quotes:

Incorrect spelling, grammar, and punctuation

Add the word [sic] after the error in the quotation to let your reader know the error was in the original source and is not your error.

Omitting parts of a quotation

If you would like to exclude some words from a quotation, replace the words you are not including with an ellipsis - ...

Adding words to a quote

If you are adding words that are not part of the original quote, enclose the additional words in square brackets - [XYZ]

Secondary Source Quotes

What is a secondary source.

In scholarly work, a primary source reports original content; a secondary source refers to content first reported in another source.

• Cite secondary sources sparingly—for instance, when the original work is out of print, unavailable, or available only in a language that you do not understand.
• If possible, as a matter of good scholarly practice, find the primary source, read it, and cite it directly rather than citing a secondary source.

Rules for Secondary Source Citations

• In the reference list, provide an entry only for the secondary source that you used.
• In the text, identify the primary source and write “as cited in” the secondary source that you used. 
• If the year of publication of the primary source is known, also include it in the in-text citation.

Example of a Secondary Source Use

Quote & In-Text Citation

Reference List Entry

Paraphrases

Paraphrasing example.

When you write information from a source in your own words, cite the source by adding an in-text citation at the end of the paraphrased portion as follows:

If you refer to the author's name in a sentence you do not have to include the name again as part of your in-text citation, instead include the year of publication following his/her name:

NOTE : Although not required, APA encourages including the page number when paraphrasing if it will help the reader locate the information in a long text and distinguish between the information that is coming from you and the source.

Paraphrasing Tips

• Long Paraphrases

Original Source

Homeless individuals commonly come from families who are riddled with problems and marital disharmony, and are alienated from their parents. They have often been physically and even sexually abused, have relocated frequently, and many of them may be asked to leave home or are actually thrown out, or alternatively are placed in group homes or in foster care. They often have no one to care for them and no one knows them intimately.

Source from: 

Rokach, A. (2005). The causes of loneliness in homeless youth. The Journal of Psychology, 139, 469-480. 

Example: Incorrect Paraphrasing

Example: correct paraphrasing.

If your paraphrase is longer than one sentence, provide an in-text citation for the source at the beginning of the paraphrase. As long as it's clear that the paraphrase continues to the following sentences, you don't have to include in-text citations for the following sentences.

If your paraphrase continues to another paragraph and/or you include paraphrases from other sources within the paragraph, repeat the in-text citations for each.

Additional Resource

• Paraphrasing (The Learning Portal)

Tip sheet on paraphrasing information

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Paraphrasing

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When you write information from a source in your own words, cite the source by adding an in-text citation at the end of the paraphrased portion as follows:

Mother-infant attachment became a leading topic of developmental research following the publication of John Bowlby's studies (Hunt, 1993).

Note : If you refer to the author's name in a sentence you do not have to include the name again as part of your in-text citation, instead include the year of publication following his/her name:

Hunt (1993) noted that mother-infant attachment became a leading topic of developmental research after the publication of John Bowlby's studies.

Paraphrasing Examples

Original Source

Homeless individuals commonly come from families who are riddled with problems and marital disharmony, and are alienated from their parents. They have often been physically and even sexually abused, have relocated frequently, and many of them may be asked to leave home or are actually thrown out, or alternatively are placed in group homes or in foster care. They often have no one to care for them and no one knows them intimately.

Source from: 

Rokach, A. (2005). The causes of loneliness in homeless youth.  The Journal of Psychology , 139, 469-480. 

Example:  Incorrect  Paraphrasing

The homeless come from families with problems. Frequently, they have been physically or sexually abused, or have lived in group homes. Usually no one cares for them or knows them intimately (Rokach, 2005). 

Note : In this incorrect example the writing is too similar to the original source. The student only changed or removed a few words and has not phrased the ideas in a new way. 

Example:  Correct  Paraphrasing

Many homeless experience isolation in part due to suffering from abuse or neglect during their childhood (Rokach, 2005).

Note : The example keeps the idea of the original writing but phrases it in a new way.

No Author and/or No Date

No Known Author:

Note that in most cases where a personal author is not named, a group author may be cited instead (eg. Statistics Canada). However, in certain cases, such as religious ancient texts, the author is unknown. Where you'd normally put the author's last name, instead use the first one, two, or three words from the title. Don't count initial articles like "A", "An" or "The". You should provide enough words to make it clear which work you're referring to from your References List.

If the title in the References list is in italics, italicize the words from the title in the in-text citation.

If you are citing an article, a chapter of a book or a page from a website, put the words in double quotation marks.

Capitalize the titles using title case (every major word is capitalized) even if the reference list entry uses sentence case (only first word is capitalized).

( Cell Biology , 2012, p. 157)

("Nursing," 2011, p. 9)

No Known Date of Publication :

Where you'd normally put the year of publication, instead use the letters "n.d.".

(Smith, n.d., p. 200)

In-Text Citation For Two or More Authors/Editors

In-Text Citation for Group or Corporate Authors

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Apa style 7th edition.

• APA 7th Edition

Quoting, Paraphrasing, and Summarizing

Signal phrases.

• In-Text Citations
• APA Paper Formatting

Quoting Sources

• When you quote a source, you include the author's exact words in your text.
• Use "quotation marks" around the author's words or create a block text for long quotations.
• Include the author, year of publication, and page number for the reference.
• For page numbers include "p." for a single page and “pp.” for a span of multiple pages.
• Include signal phrases and an in-text citation to show where the quote is from.

Paraphrasing & Summarizing Sources

• When you paraphrase or summarize a source, you restate the source's ideas in your own words and sentence structure. 
• Select what is relevant to your topic, and restate only that.
• Changing only a few words is not sufficient in paraphrasing/ summarizing.
• Instead, you need to completely rephrase the author's ideas in your own words.
• You do not need to use quotation marks.
• Always use in-text citations when you paraphrase or summarize, to let the reader know that the information comes from another source. Continue to use signal phrases as well.

Signal phrases let your reader know that you are quoting or summarizing from another source.

• In the words of researchers Evans and Hallis (2022), "to avoid plagiarism, one must cite" (p. 27).
• Kaiser (2023) noted that in-text citations must match the reference list.
• Gidakovic (2021) points out that in-text citations must match the reference list.
• To avoid plagiarism, "one must cite" writes Hallis (2016, p. 26).
• Hallis and Kaiser (2023) indicate that in-text citations must match the reference list.
• Evans (2023) found that the best way to avoid plagiarism is to cite accordingly.

Verbs in signal phrases:

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APA Citation Guide (7th edition) : Paraphrasing

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Paraphrasing examples.

• In-Text Citation for More Than One Author

In-Text Citation for Group or Corporate Authors

No author and/or no date.

When you write information from a source in your own words, cite the source by adding an in-text citation at the end of the paraphrased portion as follows:

Mother-infant attachment became a leading topic of developmental research following the publication of John Bowlby's studies (Hunt, 1993).

Note : If you refer to the author's name in a sentence you do not have to include the name again as part of your in-text citation, instead include the year of publication following his/her name:

Hunt (1993) noted that mother-infant attachment became a leading topic of developmental research after the publication of John Bowlby's studies.

Original Source

Homeless individuals commonly come from families who are riddled with problems and marital disharmony, and are alienated from their parents. They have often been physically and even sexually abused, have relocated frequently, and many of them may be asked to leave home or are actually thrown out, or alternatively are placed in group homes or in foster care. They often have no one to care for them and no one knows them intimately.

Source from: 

Rokach, A. (2005). The causes of loneliness in homeless youth. The Journal of Psychology , 139, 469-480. 

Example: Incorrect Paraphrasing

The homeless come from families with problems. Frequently, they have been physically or sexually abused, or have lived in group homes. Usually no one cares for them or knows them intimately (Rokach, 2005). 

Note : In this incorrect example the writing is too similar to the original source. The student only changed or removed a few words and has not phrased the ideas in a new way. 

Example: Correct Paraphrasing

Many homeless experience isolation in part due to suffering from abuse or neglect during their childhood (Rokach, 2005).

Note : The example keeps the idea of the original writing but phrases it in a new way.

In-Text Citation For Two or More Authors/Editors

No Known Author:

Note that in most cases where a personal author is not named, a group author may be cited instead (eg. Statistics Canada). However, in certain cases, such as religious ancient texts, the author is unknown. Where you'd normally put the author's last name, instead use the first one, two, or three words from the title. Don't count initial articles like "A", "An" or "The". You should provide enough words to make it clear which work you're referring to from your References List.

If the title in the References list is in italics, italicize the words from the title in the in-text citation.

If you are citing an article, a chapter of a book or a page from a website, put the words in double quotation marks.

Capitalize the titles using title case (every major word is capitalized) even if the reference list entry uses sentence case (only first word is capitalized).

( Cell Biology , 2012, p. 157)

("Nursing," 2011, p. 9)

No Known Date of Publication :

Where you'd normally put the year of publication, instead use the letters "n.d.".

(Smith, n.d., p. 200)

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How to paraphrase in apa.

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Paraphrasing is a fundamental skill in academic writing, especially when adhering to specific citation styles like APA (American Psychological Association). In this article, we will explore the nuances of paraphrasing in APA, understand the distinction between citations and paraphrases, and uncover valuable tips to ensure your paraphrased content is not flagged as plagiarism.

What Is APA Citation Style?

APA citation style is widely used in various academic disciplines, including psychology, social sciences, and education. It provides a standardized format for citing sources in research papers, ensuring consistency, credibility, and ease of comprehension for readers. Proper APA citation style is essential for acknowledging the work of others and avoiding plagiarism .

What Is the Difference Between a Citation and a Paraphrase?

Citations and paraphrases serve distinct purposes in academic writing. A citation is a direct reference to a source, providing readers with the exact location of the quoted or paraphrased material. In contrast, a paraphrase involves restating someone else’s ideas or information in your own words, preserving the original meaning while avoiding verbatim repetition.

How to Paraphrase in APA Examples

Let’s look at several APA paraphrasing examples to know exactly what we’ve dealing with.

Examples of Citing Paraphrased Information in APA at the Beginning of a Sentence

Examples of Citing Paraphrased Information in APA in the Middle of a Sentence

Another way to cite your sources is to mention them at the end of the sentence.

Here’s how you can paraphrase the original information into your work without it being considered plagiarism.

Original text : The complexity of disaster experience calls for considerations at many different levels of inquiry: environmental, psychological, social, political, and cultural. Yet, the crux of disaster experience is the dynamic interplay of environmental challenges and losses embedded within collective processes of mutual exchanges of aid and support. Hence, the featured research findings are organized along the three most distinct operational facets of an all-embracing construct of social support: received social support (e.g. ‘being actually helped by others in times of need’), perceived social support (e.g. ‘subjective appraisals of being reliably connected to others’), and social embeddedness(e.g. ‘types and frequency of interpersonal and community connections’). Source: Kaniasty, K. (2019).  Social support, interpersonal, and community dynamics following disasters caused by natural hazards. Current Opinion in Psychology . doi:10.1016/j.copsyc.2019.07.026 

Tips for Correct Paraphrasing

Effective paraphrasing not only demonstrates your understanding of the source material but also safeguards against plagiarism. Here are essential tips to master the art of paraphrasing in APA.

Before embarking on the paraphrasing journey, it is crucial to have a deep understanding of the source material. Delve into the text, dissecting complex ideas and concepts. Simplify intricate passages in your mind to grasp the core message. This comprehension forms the foundation of effective paraphrasing.

Paraphrasing involves substituting words with synonyms and reorganizing sentence structure while retaining the original meaning. A thesaurus can be a valuable tool in finding appropriate synonyms . By reshaping sentences and words creatively, you can convey the same information without copying the source verbatim.

While rephrasing, the core idea and intention of the source must remain intact. It is essential to preserve the author’s message and avoid any distortions. Ensure that your paraphrase accurately reflects the source’s meaning, providing a fresh perspective without altering the content’s essence.

Even in the process of paraphrasing, always acknowledge the source. In-text citations following APA guidelines are necessary. Include the author’s last name and the publication year to provide clear attribution . This practice not only maintains academic integrity but also allows readers to trace the original source.

Utilize plagiarism detection tools as a final step to verify your paraphrased content. These tools help ensure that your paraphrased text does not unintentionally resemble the original source too closely. Thoroughly checking for similarities and making necessary adjustments guarantees that your work remains free from plagiarism concerns.

Paraphrasing in APA is an essential skill for any student or researcher. By understanding the intricacies of APA citation style, distinguishing between citations and paraphrases, and following our tips for correct paraphrasing, you can ensure your academic work is both credible and free from plagiarism. Mastering this skill empowers you to incorporate the ideas of others seamlessly while maintaining the integrity of your own writing.

How to properly paraphrase in APA style?

To paraphrase effectively in APA style, read and understand the original text, then express the ideas in your own words while retaining the original meaning . Always provide an in-text citation with the author’s last name and publication year, even when paraphrasing. Ensure the citation is placed correctly within the sentence.

What are the APA citation guidelines for paraphrasing?

When paraphrasing in APA style, include the author’s last name and the publication year in parentheses at the end of the paraphrased sentence. If the author’s name is mentioned in the text, include the year in parentheses immediately afterward.

Can I use a paraphrasing tool for APA style?

Yes, of course you can . Ine of such tools is AcademicHelp’s Paraphraser, which is specifically tailored in accordance to student needs. However, it’s essential to proofread your text just in case. It’s necessary to understand the content and then manually compare it to APA guidelines to ensure accuracy.

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Paraphrase and Summary:

• Incorporate a portion of the source into your essay by conveying its meaning in your own words.
• Paraphrase aims to replicate all of the ideas of the source passage, while summary aims to express only its main point(s).
• Are introduced by a signal phrase, incorporating the source passage into the flow of the essay.  Typically, the signal phrase will indicate to the reader something about the source of the paraphrase.
• End with a citation indicating the author of the source and, in APA style, the year it was published.

When do I use Paraphrase and Summary?  

• When you want to call attention to  what  a source says, but how it says it is not important.
• When you only want to convey a source's main idea in a short amount of time.
• Use paraphrase and summary frequently.  APA is designed for the social and health sciences, which typically have less need for direct quotation than the humanities.  

How Do I Paraphrase/Summarize a Source?  

• Read and understand the source.
• Identify the main points and supporting information of the portions you want to paraphrase/summarize.
• Re-write those portions in your own words, being careful not to use similar phrasing of sentence structure. 
• Does it properly convey the meaning of the original? 
• Are the sentence structure and phrasing too similar?

The struggle to fill nursing positions is different from the effort to add to the physician workforce. One main reason: there are not enough faculty to teach incoming nursing students. Either faculty are leaving due to retirement -- like their counterparts in health-care settings, they too are aging – or they’re gaining higher salaries elsewhere in practice settings other than teaching.

Moore, M. (2015, June 5). The nursing shortage and the doctor shortage are two very different things.  The Washington Post .  https://www.washingtonpost.com

Paraphrase:

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APA Citation Guide (7th Edition): Paraphrasing

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Paraphrasing

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When you write information from a source in your own words, cite the source by adding an in-text citation at the end of the paraphrased portion as follows:

Mother-infant attachment became a leading topic of developmental research following the publication of John Bowlby's studies (Hunt, 1993).

Note : If you refer to the author's name in a sentence you do not have to include the name again as part of your in-text citation, instead include the year of publication following his/her name:

Hunt (1993) noted that mother-infant attachment became a leading topic of developmental research after the publication of John Bowlby's studies.

Paraphrasing Examples

Original Source

Homeless individuals commonly come from families who are riddled with problems and marital disharmony, and are alienated from their parents. They have often been physically and even sexually abused, have relocated frequently, and many of them may be asked to leave home or are actually thrown out, or alternatively are placed in group homes or in foster care. They often have no one to care for them and no one knows them intimately.

Source from: 

Rokach, A. (2005). The causes of loneliness in homeless youth. The Journal of Psychology , 139, 469-480. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier database.

Example: Incorrect Paraphrasing

The homeless come from families with problems. Frequently, they have been physically or sexually abused, or have lived in group homes. Usually no one cares for them or knows them intimately (Rokach, 2005). 

Note : In this incorrect example the writing is too similar to the original source. The student only changed or removed a few words and has not phrased the ideas in a new way. 

Example: Correct Paraphrasing

Many homeless experience isolation in part due to suffering from abuse or neglect during their childhood (Rokach, 2005).

Note : The example keeps the idea of the original writing but phrases it in a new way.

More Than One Author or Editor

Two Authors or Editors

Provide each author's last name and the year of publication each time you cite the work in-text.

Three to Five Authors or Editors

The first time you cite the work in-text, provide each author's last name and the year of publication. Every other time you cite the same work in-text, provide only the first author's last name followed by "et al." and the year of publication.

Six or More Authors or Editors

Provide the first author's last name followed by "et al." and the year of publication every time you cite the work in-text.

In-Text Citation For Two or More Authors/Editors

No Author and/or No Date

No Known Author:

Where you'd normally put the author's last name, instead use the first one, two, or three words from the title. Don't count initial articles like "A", "An" or "The". You should provide enough words to make it clear which work you're referring to from your References List.

If the title in the References list is in italics, italicize the words from the title in the in-text citation.

If you are citing an article, a chapter of a book or a page from a website, put the words in double quotation marks.

( Cell Biology , 2012)

("Nursing," 2011)

No Known Date of Publication :

Where you'd normally put the year of publication, instead use the letters "n.d.".

(Smith, n.d.)

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FAQ: How do I cite paraphrased information in APA Style (in-text)?

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When you paraphrase, you use your own words. This is usually preferable to direct quotes because the information is written in your own style, but you must be careful not to change the meaning. When paraphrasing, you must still acknowledge where you got the idea from by including a parenthetical citation.

When citing paraphrased information, APA requires you to include the author and date. It is also recommended (but not required) that you include the page number. The format of the page number depends on if the information is on a single page or range of pages.

Examples of Citing Paraphrased Information at the Beginning of a Sentence

A review  (Selby et al., 2017)  identified several laws pertaining to cancer research in the UK that might be affected because of Brexit.

Patafio et al. (2016) investigated the relationship between cancer research funding and cancer research output and found that research output is not well correlated with the public health burden of individual cancers that was measure by mortality rates.

The authors (Lindqvist & Neumann) argue that security and privacy are crucial in the Internet of Things (IoT) because if future attacks are successful they can cause widespread destruction and even cost lives.

Bernard (2011)  argues that Henry VIII's Catholicism was more than just Catholicism without the pope.

Examples of Citing Paraphrased Information in the Middle of a Sentence

Surgery is considered a last resort in the treatment of plantar fasciitis  Owens (2017) argues.

Strength training as treatment for plantar fasciitis, according to (Huffer et al. 2017) , does not contribute to the improved function and pain relief.

Many physical therapists use ultrasound therapy as treatment; however, numerous studies highlighted in the review published by Sanke and Radwan (2015) show that the therapy does not have any effect on the condition. 

Examples of Citing Paraphrased Information at the End of a Sentence

There are multiple types of cyberbullying  (El Asam & Samara, 2016) .

A significant amount of youths' social interaction takes place through technology and children as young as 10 have access to mobile devices  (Williford & DePaolis, 2016) .

The authors found that undergraduate students are afraid to report cyberbullying  (Watts et al., 2017, p. 273) .

Example of how the original quotation might be paraphrased<

Original quotation:.

American commitment to self-government rested on the early experience of colonization. English common law was introduced with the first settlers, and each new colony soon had an elected assembly designed to represent and protect the interests of the settler population, acting like a local equivalent of the Westminster House of Commons.  In theory, popular participation in government was balanced by a strong executive, in the person of the governor, supported by an advisory council.  Bit in the first years of settlement, when colonies were sponsored by private companies rather than the Crown, governors and councils were often themselves elected, reinforcing the tendency towards local control (Conway, 2013, p. 33) .

The essay incorporating the paraphrasing:

The early settlers in Colonial American may have considered themselves English and loyal to the Crown.  However, the local government structure supported a system of relative self-governance  (Conway, 2013, p. 33) .

More Information

• APA guide  (Shapiro Library)

Further Help

This information is intended to be a guideline, not expert advice. Please be sure to speak to your professor about the appropriate way to cite sources in your class assignments and projects.

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American Psychological Association. (2020).  Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (7 th ed.). https://doi.org/10.1037/0000165-000

Bernard, G. W. (2011). The dissolution of the monasteries. History , 96 (324), 390-409. 

Conway, S. (2013). A short history of the American Revolutionary War . I.B.Tauris.

El Asam, A., & Samara, M. (2016). Cyberbullying and the law: A review of psychological and legal challenges. Computers in human behavior , 65 , 127-141. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2016.08.012

Lindqvist, U., & Neumann, P. G. (2017). The future of the internet of things. Communications of the ACM , 60 (2), 26-30. https://doi.org/10.1145/3029589

Owens, J. M. (2017). Diagnosis and management of plantar fasciitis in primary care. Journal for nurse practitioners , 13 (5), 354-359. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nurpra.2016.12.016

Patafio, F. M., Brooks, S. C., Wei, X., Peng, Y., Biagi, J., & Booth, C. M. (2016). Research output and the public health burden of cancer: Is there any relationship? Current Oncology , 23 (2), 75-80. https://doi.org/10.3747/co.23.2935

Sanke, P. L., & Radwan, T. S. (2015). Ultrasound as an effective treatment for chronic plantar fasciitis. Journal of foot & ankle surgery , 54 (4) 481-487.

Selby, P., Lawler, M., Baird, R., Banks, I., Johnston, P., & Nurse, P. (2017). The potential consequences for cancer care and cancer research of Brexit. Ecancermedicalscience , 11 (752-769), 1-3. https://doi.org/10.3332/ecancer.2017.ed63

Watts, L. K., Wagner, J., Velasquez, B., & Behrens, P. I. (2017). Cyberbullying in higher education: A literature review. Computers in human behavior , 69 , 268-274. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2016.12.038

Williford, A., & Depaolis, K. J. (2016). Predictors of cyberbullying intervention among elementary school staff: The moderating effect of staff status. Psychology in the schools , 53 (10), 1032-1044. https://doi.org/10.1002/pits.21973

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Referencing in APA Style: Introduction to Referencing

Introduction to Referencing

• A-Z Referencing Examples

Referencing is an important skill to learn at university. You are required to reference all your sources including quotes, paraphrases, data, images, and diagrams. Marks are often given for accurate referencing as this allows you to:

• Avoid plagiarism and demonstrate good academic practice.
• Support your arguments with evidence and examples.
• Give others credit and recognition for their work.
• Separate your ideas from the ideas of others.
• Inform the reader of the sources you have used.

This guide explains how to reference your sources in the APA referencing style (7th edition). Click on the videos below to learn more about APA referencing or explore the sections below.

What is APA referencing?

In-text citations

Reference list, apa essentials.

This is a short reference in the body of your assignment which includes the author’s family name or organisation’s name, the date, and where applicable, the page number. In-text citations are generally formatted in the same way, regardless of what type of source you have used.

You must give an in-text citation for a direct quote, and when paraphrasing, summarising, reproducing data, using an image etc.

Every in-text citation must match an entry in the reference list.

There are two ways to write an in-text citation:

• Parenthetical citations (these are also called information-prominent citations)
• Narrative citations (these are also called integrated or author-prominent citations)

Both types of citation are acceptable to use, and you will probably find that you switch between both in your assignments.

Parenthetical citations

The information is placed in brackets, and normally at the end of a sentence before the full stop. However, the citation can be elsewhere in the sentence if this makes the reference clearer.

(Author, year) or (Author, year, p. x)

Example 1 (A summary of a whole book)

Data analysis uses an innovative technique for data mining (Tuccitto, 2017).

Example 2 (A direct quote)

The new technique makes "a dataset much more manageable than the giant original raw data" (Tuccitto, 2017, p. 5).

Narrative citations

The author's name is in the structure of your sentence followed by the date in brackets. The page number is also in brackets at the end of the quote or paraphrase. If this is at the end of the sentence, it is before the full stop.

Author (year) or Author (year) “Quote” (p. x).

Example 1 (A summary of a whole article)

Launer (2022) argues that reflection is an important skill in healthcare.

Example 2 (A paraphrased section across multiple pages)

Launer (2022) discusses how working cultures can be transformed by good conversation amongst colleagues (pp. 5-6).

Multiple citations

You may need to cite more than one source in the same sentence, for example, when showing that multiple authors agree.

• Parenthetical citations should be included in the same set of brackets, in alphabetical order, separated by a semi colon.
• Narrative citations can be written in any order.
• When citing multiple works by the same author, list the author's name once, followed by the dates in order of the earliest first.

Example 1 (Multiple parenthetical citations)

Studies have shown work-life balance is important for productivity (Beverley, 2021; Hill, 2016; Veltri, 2017).

Example 2 (Multiple narrative citations)

Robinson (2023) and Ibrahim et al. (2022) found that . . .

Example 3 (Multiple narrative citations by the same author)

According to Gonzalez (2017, 2020, 2024) . . .

Repeating citations

Sometimes, you may use more than one sentence to paraphrase, summarise, or discuss a source. If referring to the same source, you only need to include the citation in the first sentence. In subsequent sentences, to show that you are continuing to draw from the same source, you can mention the author’s name or use a phrase like “the study” to refer to the source. An example of a long paraphrase can be found on the APA blog .

If you continue that discussion into a new paragraph, or return to a source later in your assignment, give the full citation again.

Page numbers

Page numbers should always be included in your citation when quoting (if a page number exists). APA also encourages the use of page numbers when paraphrasing, although this is not essential. We suggest using page numbers when quoting and paraphrasing, unless otherwise directed by your module leader.

• Use p. for one page, or pp. for multiple pages. Put a dash between your numbers for multiple pages.
• If the pages have Roman numerals (e.g. vii, ix), use the Roman numeral in your in-text citation, e.g. (p. iv).

What is a reference list?

The reference list gives the full details of every source to match your in-text citations. It provides the reader with the information to check the source themselves. If you have referred to the same source multiple times, you only need to include the source once in your reference list.

What information should I include?

The information required for a reference will change depending on the type of source. Refer to the A-Z page to find specific reference examples for the different source types.

How should I format the reference list?

The reference list is in alphabetical order by the author's last name. There is an option in Word to sort the list automatically . Your references should be in one long list - you do not need a separate list for books, articles etc. unless specified by your module leader.

Each entry in your reference list should have a hanging indent. This means that the first line of each reference is in line with the margin of the page, and any lines afterwards are indented away from the edge. The paragraph formatting tool in Word can do this automatically for you.

Example reference list

A reference will generally have four components: author, date, title, and source, with the first two components included in the in-text citation. The information in the reference will vary depending on the information available and the source type. The general format is discussed below, though refer to the A-Z page for examples of how to reference specific sources.

General Format

Author. (Date).  Title  [Format]. Publisher. www.website.co.uk

• Author’s family name
• [Full stop]
• Year (in round brackets)
• Title (in sentence case and in italics )
• DOI (if there is one) or website link

Almost all references start with an author. This is the creator of the work, (writer, artist, director, presenter, etc.), and might be a person/people or an organisation. The latter is sometimes known as a "corporate author".

The in-text citation will include the author's family name (last name) or the organisation’s name. In your reference list, the initial(s) of the author's first or given name(s) are also included when it is a named author.

Example 1 (One author)

Reference: O’Connor, P. (2020). Skateboarding and religion. Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-24857-4

Example 2 (Organisation)

Reference: Tesco. (2023). Annual report & financial statements 2023. https://www.tescoplc.com/media/u1wlq2qf/tesco-plc-annual-report-2023.pdf

Multiple authors

See separate section below.

The second element is the date the source was published, updated, or completed. The date is in brackets, followed by a full stop.

• For a source which is published once or only updated infrequently, just give the year (see Example 1).
• If a source does not have an obvious date, use n.d. for no date (see Example 2).
• If a source has a specific date or is published regularly, e.g., newspaper articles or blog posts, give the full date in the following order: year, month day.
• If a source changes regularly, e.g., social media posts, or the information updates over time, e.g., a share price, include a retrieval date. This is placed before the URL (see Example 3). 
• Use only the year in the in-text citation, even if the reference list entry has a more specific date.

Example 1 (Date format)

Reference: Li, Y. (2024). Oil spill detection, identification, and tracing. Elsevier.

Example 2 (No date format)

Reference: DHL Group. (n.d.). Our sustainability roadmap. https://group.dhl.com/en/sustainability/sustainability-roadmap.html

Example 3 (Retrieval date as content updates regularly)

Reference: London Stock Exchange. (2024). FTSE 100. Retrieved 28 March, 2024, from https://www.londonstockexchange.com/indices/ftse-100

Titles are formatted as follows in the reference list:

• Where a publication has two titles, (e.g. journal articles), the formatting of the titles may vary. Refer to the A-Z page for guidance.
• For sources that do not have an obvious title, describe it in [square brackets] and do not use italics (see Example 3).

Example 1 (Book title in sentence case and in italics)

Lia, P. (2020). Simplify your study: Effective strategies for coursework and exams. Red Globe Press.

Example 2 (Article title in sentence case and not in italics. Journal title in title case and italics)

Cairns, J. (2024). Phases of the Buddhist approach to the environment. Journal of Buddhist Ethics, 31. 

Example 3 (Source with no obvious title. Description in square brackets and not italicised)

FAME. (n.d.). [Top 25 UK companies by turnover]. Retrieved April 10, 2024, from https://fame-r1.bvdinfo.com/version-20240321-1-1/fame/1/Companies/List

Source format

The source format is not included in every reference type. Sometimes, it can be helpful to explain the type of source in a reference and this is placed in square brackets, e.g. [Presentation] or [Video] after the title. If this is required, the full stop that would normally go after the title moves to after the source format.

Example 1 (Presentation)

Coventry University. (n.d.). CMI referencing [Presentation]. Aula. https://files.coventry.aula.education/3a4c8b7c5cbc31be645c1a955a068dadcmi_library_resources_feb2024.pptx

Example 2 (Video on a video sharing platform)

TED. (2024, February 5).  How babies think about danger | Shari Liu | TED [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6djPLVa9aQ4    

This component is primarily used for published books or where a source has been published, produced, or made available by an organisation and that organisation is not listed as the author.

Example 1 (Published book)

Smithers, G. W. (2024). Encyclopaedia of food safety (2nd ed.). Academic Press.

Example 2 (Document published by an organisation)

Dois (digital object identifier) or web addresses.

DOI stands for Digital Object Identifier and is a string of numbers and letters. It is a unique, persistent number that is given to many online journal articles, books and other material, found on the title page or with the bibliographic information. If an electronic source has a DOI, use that number rather than the web address.

DOI examples

Example 1 (e-book with a doi).

Sully, A. (2024). Interior design: Conceptual basis (2nd ed.). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-51410-4

Example 2 (e-journal article with a DOI)

Nguyen, T. L. (2024). The hybrid languages of love and comics. World Literature Today, 98 (1), 42–43. https://doi.org/10.1353/wlt.2024.a916069

Web addresses

When an electronic source does not have a DOI, give the web address. This will normally be the full web address to the exact page you have used. There are two exceptions to this:

• If a login is required to access the source and you cannot link to the exact page, give a link to the homepage or the login page (see Example 2).

Web address examples

Example 1 (website link).

Reliance Industries. (n.d.). Decarbonisation: Our carbon reduction strategy. https://www.ril.com/sustainability/decarbonisation

Example 2 (Link to subscription database requiring a login)

Euromonitor International. (2024). World in 2040: The future demographic. https://www.portal.euromonitor.com/portal/analysis/tab

When citing multiple authors, list the authors in the order they appear on the source.

• Use an ampersand (&) between the authors’ names inside the brackets (parenthetical citation).
• Use the word ‘and’ between the authors’ names when integrating the names into a sentence (narrative citation).
• Use the first author's name, followed by 'et al.' for sources with three or more authors. 'Et al.' is short for the Latin phrase 'and others'. Remember to use a plural reporting verb after 'et al.' (i.e. “Willey et al. (2022) argue” rather than “argues”).

Two authors: (Mankiw & Taylor, 2022) or Mankiw and Taylor (2022) discuss ...

Three or more authors: (Willey et al., 2023) or Willey et al. (2023) compare ...

• All authors are included on the reference list in the order listed on the source.
• Even when there are only two authors, include a comma after the first author's name, before the ampersand in the reference list.
• For up to 20 authors, include all names in the reference. When the work has 21 or more authors, include only the first 19 names, three dots, and then the last name.

Two authors: Mankiw, N. G., & Taylor, M. P. (2023). Economics . Cengage.

Three or more authors: Willey, J., Sandman, K., & Wood, D. (2022). Prescott's microbiology (12th ed.). McGraw-Hill.

Twenty-one authors or more: Ong, K. L., Stafford, L. K., Cruz, J. A., Aali, A., Abate, M. D., Abd ElHafeez, S., Adane, T. D., Adekanmbi, V., Agudelo-Botero, M., Ahmadi, A., Akinyemi, R. O., Al Hamad, H., Alvis-Guzman, N., Amusa, G. A., Anyasodor, A. E., Areda, D., Armocida, B., Arumugam, A., Aryan, Z., … Belete, M. A. (2023). Global, regional, and national burden of diabetes from 1990 to 2021, with projections of prevalence to 2050: A systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021. The Lancet, 402 (10397), 203–234. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(23)01301-6

Where possible, always read the original source and reference that source. For example, if you read a point of view by Tang in a book written by Khan, go to the original source written by Tang. Sometimes this may not be possible. For example, the original source could be out of print, or it could be written in another language. In this case create a secondary citation for your in-text citation.

In-text citation format

Parenthetical citation: (Original author, original year, as cited in author, year) Narrative citation: Original author (original year, as cited in author, year)

Parenthetical citation: (Tang, 2005, as cited in Khan, 2024) Narrative citation: According to Tang (2005, as cited in Khan, 2024) . . .

In your reference list, reference only the source you have read (i.e. Khan).

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Paraphrasing

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Paraphrasing examples.

• In-Text Citation for More Than One Author

In-Text Citation for Group or Corporate Authors

No author and/or no date.

When you write information from a source in your own words, cite the source by adding an in-text citation at the end of the paraphrased portion as follows:

Mother-infant attachment became a leading topic of developmental research following the publication of John Bowlby's studies (Hunt, 1993).

Note : If you refer to the author's name in a sentence you do not have to include the name again as part of your in-text citation, instead include the year of publication following his/her name:

Hunt (1993) noted that mother-infant attachment became a leading topic of developmental research after the publication of John Bowlby's studies.

Original Source

Homeless individuals commonly come from families who are riddled with problems and marital disharmony, and are alienated from their parents. They have often been physically and even sexually abused, have relocated frequently, and many of them may be asked to leave home or are actually thrown out, or alternatively are placed in group homes or in foster care. They often have no one to care for them and no one knows them intimately.

Source from: 

Rokach, A. (2005). The causes of loneliness in homeless youth. The Journal of Psychology , 139, 469-480. 

Example: Incorrect Paraphrasing

The homeless come from families with problems. Frequently, they have been physically or sexually abused, or have lived in group homes. Usually no one cares for them or knows them intimately (Rokach, 2005). 

Note : In this incorrect example the writing is too similar to the original source. The student only changed or removed a few words and has not phrased the ideas in a new way. 

Example: Correct Paraphrasing

Many homeless experience isolation in part due to suffering from abuse or neglect during their childhood (Rokach, 2005).

Note : The example keeps the idea of the original writing but phrases it in a new way.

In-Text Citation For Two or More Authors/Editors

No Known Author:

Note that in most cases where a personal author is not named, a group author may be cited instead (eg. Statistics Canada). However, in certain cases, such as religious ancient texts, the author is unknown. Where you'd normally put the author's last name, instead use the first one, two, or three words from the title. Don't count initial articles like "A", "An" or "The". You should provide enough words to make it clear which work you're referring to from your References List.

If the title in the References list is in italics, italicize the words from the title in the in-text citation.

If you are citing an article, a chapter of a book or a page from a website, put the words in double quotation marks.

Capitalize the titles using title case (every major word is capitalized) even if the reference list entry uses sentence case (only first word is capitalized).

( Cell Biology , 2012, p. 157)

("Nursing," 2011, p. 9)

No Known Date of Publication :

Where you'd normally put the year of publication, instead use the letters "n.d.".

(Smith, n.d., p. 200)

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Scribbr APA Citation Generator

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APA 6th & 7th edition

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• Introduction
• Parenthetical vs. narrative
• Multiple authors

Missing information

• Sources to include

Tools and resources

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How to create APA citations

APA Style is widely used by students, researchers, and professionals in the social and behavioral sciences. Scribbr’s free citation generator automatically generates accurate references and in-text citations.

This citation guide outlines the most important citation guidelines from the 7th edition APA Publication Manual (2020).

• Cite a webpage
• Cite a book
• Cite a journal article
• Cite a YouTube video

APA in-text citations

APA in-text citations include the author’s last name, publication date, and, if relevant, a locator such as a page number or timestamp. For example, (Smith, 2021, p. 170) . See it as a shorter version of the entry in the reference list .

You should include in-text citations every time you’re quoting or paraphrasing someone else’s ideas or words. In doing so, you give credit to the original author and avoid plagiarism .

Parenthetical vs. narrative citation

The in-text citation can take two forms: parenthetical and narrative. Both types are generated automatically when citing a source with Scribbr’s APA Citation Generator.

• Parenthetical citation: According to new research … (Smith, 2020) .
• Narrative citation: Smith (2020) notes that …

Multiple authors and corporate authors

The in-text citation changes slightly when a source has multiple authors or an organization as an author. Pay attention to punctuation and the use of the ampersand (&) symbol.

When the author, publication date or locator is unknown, take the steps outlined below.

APA Citation Generator

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APA references

APA references generally include information about the author , publication date , title , and source . Depending on the type of source, you may have to include extra information that helps your reader locate the source.

It is not uncommon for certain information to be unknown or missing, especially with sources found online. In these cases, the reference is slightly adjusted.

Formatting the APA reference page

On the first line of the page, write the section label “References” (in bold and centered). On the second line, start listing your references in alphabetical order .

Apply these formatting guidelines to the APA reference page:

• Double spacing (within and between references)
• Hanging indent of ½ inch
• Legible font (e.g. Times New Roman 12 or Arial 11)
• Page number in the top right header

Which sources to include

On the reference page, you only include sources that you have cited in the text (with an in-text citation ). You should not include references to personal communications that your reader can’t access (e.g. emails, phone conversations or private online material).

In addition to the APA Citation Generator, Scribbr provides many more tools and resources that help millions of students and academics every month.

• Citation Generator : Generate flawless citations in APA, MLA , and Harvard style .
• Citation Checker : Upload your paper and have artificial intelligence check your citations for errors and inconsistencies.
• Free plagiarism checker : Detect plagiarism with unparalleled accuracy with Scribbr’s free plagiarism checker.
• AI Proofreader : Upload and improve unlimited documents and earn higher grades on your assignments. Try it for free!
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• Summarizer: Read more in less time. Distill lengthy and complex texts down to their key points.
• AI detector: Find out if your text was written with ChatGPT or any other AI writing tool. ChatGPT 2 & ChatGPT 3 supported.
• Proofreading services : Have a professional editor (or team of editors) improve your writing so you can submit your paper with pride and confidence. Scribbr offers admission essay editing , paper editing , and academic editing .
• Guides and videos : Explore hundreds of articles, bite-sized videos, time-saving templates, and handy checklists that guide you through the process of research, writing, and citation.

• Free Tools for Students
• APA Citation Generator

Free APA Citation Generator

Generate citations in APA format quickly and automatically, with MyBib!

🤔 What is an APA Citation Generator?

An APA citation generator is a software tool that will automatically format academic citations in the American Psychological Association (APA) style.

It will usually request vital details about a source -- like the authors, title, and publish date -- and will output these details with the correct punctuation and layout required by the official APA style guide.

Formatted citations created by a generator can be copied into the bibliography of an academic paper as a way to give credit to the sources referenced in the main body of the paper.

👩‍🎓 Who uses an APA Citation Generator?

College-level and post-graduate students are most likely to use an APA citation generator, because APA style is the most favored style at these learning levels. Before college, in middle and high school, MLA style is more likely to be used. In other parts of the world styles such as Harvard (UK and Australia) and DIN 1505 (Europe) are used more often.

🙌 Why should I use a Citation Generator?

Like almost every other citation style, APA style can be cryptic and hard to understand when formatting citations. Citations can take an unreasonable amount of time to format manually, and it is easy to accidentally include errors. By using a citation generator to do this work you will:

• Save a considerable amount of time
• Ensure that your citations are consistent and formatted correctly
• Be rewarded with a higher grade

In academia, bibliographies are graded on their accuracy against the official APA rulebook, so it is important for students to ensure their citations are formatted correctly. Special attention should also be given to ensure the entire document (including main body) is structured according to the APA guidelines. Our complete APA format guide has everything you need know to make sure you get it right (including examples and diagrams).

⚙️ How do I use MyBib's APA Citation Generator?

Our APA generator was built with a focus on simplicity and speed. To generate a formatted reference list or bibliography just follow these steps:

• Start by searching for the source you want to cite in the search box at the top of the page.
• MyBib will automatically locate all the required information. If any is missing you can add it yourself.
• Your citation will be generated correctly with the information provided and added to your bibliography.
• Repeat for each citation, then download the formatted list and append it to the end of your paper.

MyBib supports the following for APA style:

Daniel is a qualified librarian, former teacher, and citation expert. He has been contributing to MyBib since 2018.

APA Style 7th Edition

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• Books & eBooks
• Book Reviews
• Class Notes, Class Lectures and Presentations
• Encyclopedias & Dictionaries
• Government Documents
• Images, Charts, Graphs, Maps & Tables
• Journal Articles
• Magazine Articles
• Newspaper Articles
• Personal Communication (Interviews & Emails)
• Social Media
• Videos & DVDs
• What is a DOI?
• When Creating Digital Assignments
• When Information is Missing
• Works Cited in Another Source
• In-Text Citation Components

Paraphrasing

• Paper Formatting
• Citation Basics
• Reference List and Sample Papers
• Annotated Bibliography
• Academic Writer
• Plagiarism & Citations

When you write information from a source in your own words, cite the source by adding an in-text citation at the end of the paraphrased portion as follows:

Mother-infant attachment became a leading topic of developmental research following the publication of John Bowlby's studies (Hunt, 1993).

Note : If you refer to the author's name in a sentence you do not have to include the name again as part of your in-text citation, instead include the year of publication following his/her name:

Hunt (1993) noted that mother-infant attachment became a leading topic of developmental research after the publication of John Bowlby's studies.

Paraphrasing Examples

Original Source

Homeless individuals commonly come from families who are riddled with problems and marital disharmony, and are alienated from their parents. They have often been physically and even sexually abused, have relocated frequently, and many of them may be asked to leave home or are actually thrown out, or alternatively are placed in group homes or in foster care. They often have no one to care for them and no one knows them intimately.

Source from: 

Rokach, A. (2005). The causes of loneliness in homeless youth.  The Journal of Psychology , 139, 469-480. 

Example:  Incorrect  Paraphrasing

The homeless come from families with problems. Frequently, they have been physically or sexually abused, or have lived in group homes. Usually no one cares for them or knows them intimately (Rokach, 2005). 

Note : In this incorrect example the writing is too similar to the original source. The student only changed or removed a few words and has not phrased the ideas in a new way. 

Example:  Correct  Paraphrasing

Many homeless experience isolation in part due to suffering from abuse or neglect during their childhood (Rokach, 2005).

Note : The example keeps the idea of the original writing but phrases it in a new way.

In-Text Citation For Two or More Authors/Editors

In-Text Citation for Group or Corporate Authors

No Author and/or No Date

No Known Author:

Note that in most cases where a personal author is not named, a group author may be cited instead (eg. Statistics Canada). However, in certain cases, such as religious ancient texts, the author is unknown. Where you'd normally put the author's last name, instead use the first one, two, or three words from the title. Don't count initial articles like "A", "An" or "The". You should provide enough words to make it clear which work you're referring to from your References List.

If the title in the References list is in italics, italicize the words from the title in the in-text citation.

If you are citing an article, a chapter of a book or a page from a website, put the words in double quotation marks.

Capitalize the titles using title case (every major word is capitalized) even if the reference list entry uses sentence case (only first word is capitalized).

( Cell Biology , 2012, p. 157)

("Nursing," 2011, p. 9)

No Known Date of Publication :

Where you'd normally put the year of publication, instead use the letters "n.d.".

(Smith, n.d., p. 200)

• << Previous: Quoting
• Next: Formatting >>
• Last Updated: Mar 4, 2024 1:55 PM
• URL: https://guides.fscj.edu/APAStyle7

Why learn APA Style if you already know MLA style?

• Bias-free Language
• Paper Format
• Product Announcements

Have you ever wondered, why can’t there be one writing style for everything? It’s a good question. We often hear this version: “Why learn APA Style if I already know MLA style?”

The short answer is that writing styles were developed within specific domains. MLA style, which comes from the Modern Language Association, is used in the humanities in subjects such as English and other modern languages. APA Style, which comes from the American Psychological Association, is used in the behavioral sciences in subjects such as psychology, education, and nursing, and even in subjects like business and engineering.

Scholars and students in these fields have different needs that are reflected in their writing styles. This post explores key similarities and differences between APA Style and MLA style and provides resources for writers learning APA Style.

Writing styles: More the same than different

APA Style and MLA style share a lot in common with not only each other but also other writing styles such as Chicago style and American Medical Association (AMA) style. Indeed, most writing styles address areas such as these:

• how to format your paper so it looks professional and is easy to read
• what information to include in your paper so that readers understand your work and can evaluate its credibility
• what language to use to describe other people with dignity and respect
• how to present information contained in other sources through quotations and paraphrases
• how to credit those sources through in-text citations and references to avoid plagiarism
• how to attend to the smaller details, such as how to spell and capitalize words; use punctuation , italics and quotation marks , and abbreviations ; and present numbers and statistics so that readers are not distracted by inconsistencies within a paper and among different papers in the field

Thus, once you have learned one writing style, learning another writing style is relatively straightforward. Although the exact details may differ, the overarching considerations are similar. This makes it easier to mentally organize your understanding of what it means to follow a writing style.

But why APA Style?

Simply put, APA Style is designed for writing and understanding scientific literature about people. Here are some of the ways the needs of the behavioral science community of scholars show in the style:

Journal article reporting standards

APA Style provides specific directions on what information to include in certain kinds of papers. Specifically, if you are conducting and reporting the results of experiments, you should follow APA’s journal article reporting standards, or APA Style JARS . JARS ensure that all researchers consistently report the same kinds of information, which allows readers to evaluate the work as well as to make comparisons between works, such as in a meta-analysis.

If you are a student writing a simpler APA Style paper, for example, a reaction or response paper, annotated bibliography, or literature review, we recommend first focusing on fulfilling the assignment requirements set by your instructor.

To learn how JARS can be relevant to you, check out this blog post about APA Style JARS for high school students .

Bias-free and inclusive language

APA provides detailed, science-backed guidelines on how to describe people with dignity and respect in the form of the bias-free language guidelines and the Inclusive Language Guide (2nd ed.) . The guidelines cover topics including age , disability , gender , race and ethnicity , sexual orientation , and socioeconomic status .

If you’re new to this topic, start with the Brief Guide to Bias-Free and Inclusive Language (PDF, 316KB) .

Emphasis on paraphrasing rather than quotation

When writing in APA Style, paraphrase rather than quote in most cases. Whereas in literature it is often important to respond to the exact wording an author used, in science you should primarily respond to the ideas, which means restating them in your own words.

For help on learning to paraphrase, including how to cite a long paraphrase, check out our page on paraphrasing .

Page numbers not in every in-text citation

In-text citations of paraphrased material in APA Style consist of the author and year, whereas in MLA style they consist of the author and page number. Page numbers (or other location information for works without page numbers ) are required in APA Style citations only for direct quotations.

If you are paraphrasing in APA Style, it is optional to include a page number (although read your assignment guidelines, because your instructor may request page numbers regardless).

In-text citations include the year

APA Style in-text citations include the year, whereas MLA citations do not. Each style suits its discipline. Whereas literature is evergreen, science progresses. Older science may be out of date and thus not of use to readers, so having a year in the citation allows readers to quickly understand how old the source is.

Although APA Style does not have formal requirements for how old (or rather, young) your sources have to be, instructors may require you use only sources published within the last 5–10 years or similar, so check your assignment guidelines carefully. And regardless of any requirements, try to use the most current information possible because this is best for advancing the scholarship in your field.

References contain similar information, presented differently

References in APA and MLA styles usually include information about the author, date, title, and source of a work , which allows readers to identify and locate the work. However, the information is presented in a different order and with different capitalization and punctuation depending on the style.

For a step-by-step guide to the different formats for common sources such as journal articles, books, edited book chapters, and webpages, check out the APA Style and MLA Style Reference Comparison Guide (PDF, 104KB) .

How to learn more about APA Style

If you’re at the beginning of your APA Style journey, fear not. This website has a wealth of free and authoritative resources designed to help you. We recommend that you check out our APA Style for Beginners landing page , which curates resources appropriate for an audience new to APA Style.

We are also happy to hear your feedback, so if you have ideas or suggestions on this topic, please leave a comment below.

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APA Style Guidelines

Browse APA Style writing guidelines by category

• Abbreviations
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• Capitalization
• In-Text Citations
• Italics and Quotation Marks
• Punctuation
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