when paraphrasing multiple sentences apa

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Running text (Author, Date). Author (Date) running text.

Parenthetical Format . The citation can appear within or at the end of a sentence and includes the author and date separated by a comma. If at the end of a sentence a full stop is placed after the citation.  Growth occurs at every stage of life (Newman & Newman, 2017). Case study research does not employ the scientific method (Barlow et al., 2017) although it is an important tool for qualitative researchers (Travers, 2001). Narrative Format . The author is used as part of the text, the date appears directly after the author in parentheses. If the date is used as a part of the text, just separate the author and date with a comma.  As discussed by Newman and Newman (2017), growth occurs at every stage of life. In 2019, Hiscock et al. pointed out that half of Australian children and adolescents who experienced mental health issues did not receive professional treatment.

Common Examples

Long Paraphrases & Paragraphs

When paraphrasing or summarising using one source over several sentences or even a whole paragraph, cite the source in the first sentence. There is no need to cite the work again in this paragraph provided it is clear that this is the only source being paraphrased. The  APA Style and Grammar Guidelines provide this example:

          Velez et al. (2018) found that for women of color, sexism and racism in the workplace were associated with poor work and mental health outcomes, including job-related burnout, turnover intentions, and psychological distress. However, self-esteem, person–organization fit, and perceived organizational support mediated these effects. These findings underscore the importance of considering multiple forms of workplace discrimination in clinical practice and research with women of color, along with efforts to challenge and reduce such discrimination.

You must reintroduce the citation if the paraphrase continues across multiple paragraphs.  If the paragraph or sentence contains information from multiple sources, then cite as often as required to make sure the source is clearly acknowledged. The  APA Style and Grammar Guidelines provide this example:

           Play therapists can experience many symptoms of impaired wellness, including emotional exhaustion or reduced ability to empathize with others (Elwood et al., 2011; Figley, 2002), disruption in personal relationships (Elwood et al., 2011; Robinson-Keilig, 2014), decreased satisfaction with work (Elwood et al., 2011), avoidance of particular situations (Figley, 2002; O’Halloran & Linton, 2000), and feelings or thoughts of helplessness (Elwood et al., 2011; Figley, 2002; O’Halloran & Linton, 2000).

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What Are Paraphrase and Summary?

Paraphrase (narrative citation), summary (parenthetical citation).

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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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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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A paraphrase restates an author's idea in your own words. Paraphrasing is an effective writing strategy because it allows authors to summarize and synthesize information from one or more sources, focus on significant information, and compare and contrast relevant details. You should paraphrase the majority of the time, using direct quotes sparingly, if at all.

Paraphrased In-Text Citations

Narrative in-text citation

Smith (2018) noted that the majority of the users were satisfied with the service they received.

Parenthetical in-text citation

The majority of the users were satisfied with the service they received (Smith, 2018).

Long Paraphrases

When a paraphrase continues for several sentences, cite the work being paraphrased on first mention. Once the work has been cited, it is not necessary to repeat the citation.

          Velez et al. (2018) found that for women of color, sexism and racism in the workplace were associated with poor work and mental health outcomes. However, self-esteem and organizational support mediated these effects. These findings underscore the importance of considering multiple forms of workplace discrimination in clinical practice and research with women of color.

Adapted from American Psychological Association publication manual (7th ed.).

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Can I use one citation at the end of a multiple sentence paragraph, or do I have to cite for every sentence?

When you summarize or paraphrase someone else's information in several sentences or more, it feels awkward to put in a citation at the end of each sentence you write. It is also awkward to read! However, technically, APA demands that your reader knows exactly what information you got from someone else and when you start using it. Thus, an end-of-paragraph citation does not meet that requirement. 

Solution:   Use a lead-in at the beginning of your paragraph . Basically, introduce the source you are summarizing or paraphrasing at the beginning of the paragraph. Then, refer back to the source when needed to ensure your reader understands you are still using the same source. 

For examples of the "bad," the "ugly," and the "good," please see below:

Bad. In this paragraph, the citation occurs only at the end, and the reader does not know exactly when/where information comes from the source. Do not do this :

Frogs are excellent indicator species to measure wetland health. They are very sensitive to changes in pH caused by acid rain, and they are also very sensitive to different types of pollution. When frog populations in a wetland plummet, one can be sure that something is going wrong in the wetland. When oddities in frog morphology appear, like frogs with five legs or two heads, one can assume something is going wrong in the wetland environment (Willemssen, 2010).

Correct, but Ugly. This paragraph is technically correct for APA, but it is difficult to read in large part because the in-text citations are intrusive and awkward :

Frogs are excellent indicator species to measure wetland health. They are very sensitive to changes in pH caused by acid rain, and they are also very sensitive to different types of pollution (Willemssen, 2010). When frog populations in a wetland plummet, one can be sure that something is going wrong in the wetland (Willemssen, 2010). When oddities in frog morphology appear, like frogs with five legs or two heads, one can also assume something is going wrong in the wetland environment (Willemssen, 2010).

Good. These paragraphs are "APA correct" and easy to read. Note the reader knows exactly when/where information from the source is used:

Frogs are excellent indicator species to measure wetland health. According to a recent study by Willemssen (2010), frogs are very sensitive to changes in pH caused by acid rain, and they are also very sensitive to different types of pollution. The study notes that when frog populations in a wetland plummet, one can be sure that something is going wrong in the wetland. When oddities in frog morphology appear, like frogs with five legs or two heads, one can assume something is going wrong in the wetland environment (Willemssen, 2010).

Frogs are excellent indicator species to measure wetland health.  Willemssen (2010) relates to research conducted recently in Wisconsin that shows that frogs are very sensitive to changes in pH caused by acid rain, and they are also very sensitive to different types of pollution. Her research indicates that when frog populations in a wetland plummet, one can be sure that something is going wrong in the wetland. Also, she finishes by noting that when oddities in frog morphology appear, like frogs with five legs or two heads, one can also assume something is going wrong in the wetland environment.

Frogs are excellent indicator species to measure wetland health.  Willemssen (2010) recently conducted research in Wisconsin that shows that frogs are very sensitive to changes in pH caused by acid rain, and they are also very sensitive to different types of pollution. Willemssen's research indicates that when frog populations in a wetland plummet, one can be sure that something is going wrong in the wetland. One very telling quote from Willemssen's research is that "87% of wetlands where two-headed frogs are found have high levels of environmental contamination" (p. 341). 

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When do I use in-text citations?

When should you add in-text citations in your paper .

There are several rules of thumb you can follow to make sure that you are citing your paper correctly in APA 7 format. 

• Think of your paper broken up into paragraphs. When you start a paragraph, the first time you add a sentence that has been paraphrased from a reference -> that's when you need to add an in-text citation. 
• Continue writing your paragraph, you do NOT need to add another in-text citation until: 1) You are paraphrasing from a NEW source, which means you need to cite NEW information OR 2) You need to cite a DIRECT quote, which includes a page number, paragraph number or Section title. 
• Important to remember : You DO NOT need to add an in-text citation after EVERY sentence of your paragraph. 

What do in-text citations look like?

In-text citation styles: .

Let's look at these examples if they were written in text: 

An example with 1 author:

Parenthetical citation:  Following American Psychological Association (APA) style guidelines will help you to cultivate your own unique academic voice as an expert in your field (Forbes, 2020). 

Narrative citation : Forbes (2020) shared that by following American Psychological Association (APA) guidelines, students would learn to find their own voice as experts in the field of nursing. 

An example with 2 authors: 

Parenthetical citation: Research on the use of progressive muscle relaxation for stress reduction has demonstrated the efficacy of the method (Bennett & Miller, 2019). 

Narrative citation: As shared by Bennett and Miller (2019), research on the use of progressive muscle relaxation for stress reduction has demonstrated the efficacy of the method. 

An example with 3 authors: 

Parenthetical citation: Guided imagery has also been shown to reduce stress, length of hospital stay, and symptoms related to medical and psychological conditions (Jones et al., 2020).

Narrative citation: Jones et al. (2020) shared that guided imagery has also been shown to reduce stress, length of hospital stay, and symptoms related to medical and psychological conditions. 

An example with a group/corporate author: 

Parenthetical citation: Dr. Philip G. Rogers, senior vice president at the American Council on Education, was recently elected as the newest chancellor of the university (East Carolina University, 2020). 

Narrative citation: Recently shared on the East Carolina University (2020) website, Dr. Philip G. Rogers, senior vice president at the American Council on Education, was elected as the newest chancellor. 

Tips on Paraphrasing

Paraphrasing is recreating someone else's ideas into your own words & thoughts, without changing the original meaning (gahan, 2020).  .

Here are some best practices when you are paraphrasing: 

• How do I learn to paraphrase? IF you are thoroughly reading and researching articles or book chapters for a paper, you will start to take notes in your own words . Those notes are the beginning of paraphrased information.
• Read the original information, PUT IT AWAY, then rewrite the ideas in your own words . This is hard to do at first, it takes practice, but this is how you start to paraphrase. 
• It's usually better to paraphrase, than to use too many direct quotes. 
• When you start to paraphrase, cite your source. 
• Make sure not to use language that is TOO close to the original, so that you are not committing plagiarism. 
• Use theasaurus.com to help you come up with like/similar phrases if you are struggling. 
• Paraphrasing (vs. using direct quotes) is important because it shows that YOU ACTUALLY UNDERSTAND the information you are reading. 
• Paraphrasing ALLOWS YOUR VOICE to be prevalent in your writing. 
• The best time to use direct quotes is when you need to give an exact definition, provide specific evidence, or if you need to use the original writer's terminology. 
• BEST PRACTICE PER PARAGRAPH: On your 1st paraphrase of a source, CITE IT. There is no need to add another in-text citation until you use a different source, OR, until you use a direct quote. 

References : 

Gahan, C. (2020, October 15). How to paraphrase sources . Scribbr.com .   https://tinyurl.com/y7ssxc6g  

Citing Direct Quotes

When should i use a direct quote in my paper .

Direct quotes should only be used occasionally: 

• When you need to share an exact definition 
• When you want to provide specific evidence or information that cannot be paraphrased
• When you want to use the original writer's terminology

From:  https://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/whaddyamean/ 

Definitions of direct quotes: 

• Western Oregon University's APA Guidelines on Direct Quotes This is an excellent quick tutorial on how to format direct quotes in APA 7th edition. Bookmark this page for future reference!

Carrie Forbes, MLS

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Apa 7th ed. style guide: citing sources in text.

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The table below provides examples of how to cite your sources in text, whether you use the author's name as part of the narrative or you include the citation information in parentheses (called a parenthetical citation ). For more information, refer to sections 8.17-21 of the APA Style Manual , 7th edition.  

** Define the abbreviation for a group author only once in the text, choosing either the parenthetical or the narrative format. Thereafter, use the abbreviation for all mentions of the group in the text (see Section 8.21 of  APA Style Manual , 7th edition)

Frequently Asked Questions about In-Text Citation: 

• When paraphrasing, how often should I cite a source? Do I need to include a parenthetical citation at the end of each sentence?
• How do I cite a direct quote?
• What if the work doesn't have an author?
• How do I cite more than one source in the same parentheses?
• How do I cite an indirect (secondary) source?
• How do I cite a personal communication?
• How do I cite a lecture or presentation?

When paraphrasing, how often should I cite a source? Do I need to include a parenthetical citation at the end of each sentence? (8.1)

"Avoid both undercitation and overcitation. Undercitation can lead to plagiarism (see Section 8.2) and/or self plagiarism (see Section 8.3). Even when sources cannot be retrieved (e.g. because they are personal communications; see Section 8.9), you still need to credit them in the text. Overcitation can be distracting and is unnecessary. For example, it is considered overcitation to repeat the same citation in every sentence when the source and topic have not changed. Instead, when paraphrasing a key point in more than one sentence within a paragraph, cite the source in the first sentence in which it is relevant and do not repeat the citation in subsequent sentences as long as the sources remains clear and unchanged (see Section 8.24)."

How do I cite a direct quote? (8.25)

"A direct quotation  reproduces words verbatim from another work of from your own previously published work. It is best ot paraphrase sources (see Sections 8.23-8.24) rather than directly quoting them because paraphrasing allows you to fit material to the context of your paper and writing style. Use direct quotations rather than paraphrasing when reproducing an exact definition (see example in Section 6.22), when an author has said something memorably or succinctly, or when you want to respond to exact wording (e.g., something someone said)."

"When quoting directly, always provide the author, year, and page number of the quotation in the in-text citation in either parenthetical or narrative format (see Section 8.11). To indicate a single page, use the abbreviation "p.p" (e.g., p. 25, p.S41, p. e221); for multiple pages, use the abbreviation "pp." and separate the page range with an en dash (e.g., pp. 34-36). If pages are discontinuous, use a comma between the page numbers (e.g., pp. 67, 72). If the work does not have page numbers, provide another way for the reader to locate the quotation (see Section 8.28). 

For help citing block quotations (40 words or more), see section 8.27 of the APA Manual.

What if the work doesn't have an author? (8.14)

"When the author of a work is not named, the author may be unknown (i.e., no author is listed on the work, as with a religious work) or identified specifically as "Anonymous". For works with an unknown author (see Section 9.12), include the title and year of publication in the in-text citation (note that the title moves to the author position in the reference list entry as well). If the title of the work is italicized in the reference, also italicize the title in the in-text citation. If the title of the work is not italicized in the reference, use double quotation marks around the title in the in-text citation. Capitalize these titles in the text using title case (see Section 6.17), even though sentence case is used in the reference list entry. If the title is long, shorten it for the in-text citation."

• Book with no author: ( Interpersonal Skills , 2019)
• Magazine article with no author: ("Understanding Sensory Memory", 2018)

See Section 9.49 for how to order works with no authors in the reference list. 

How do I cite more than one source in the same parentheses? (8.12)

"When citing multiple works parenthetically, place the citations in alphabetical order, separating them with semicolons. Listing both parenthetical in-text citations and reference list entries in alphabetical order helps readers locate and retrieve works because they are listed in the same order in both places."

(Fischer et al., 2011; Hasan, 2017; Polman et al., 2008)

"Arrange two or more works by the same authors by year of publication. Place citations with no date first, followed by works with dates in chronological order; in-press citations appear last. Give the authors' surnames once; for each subsequent work, give only the date."

(Drapalski, n.d., 2016, 2018)

How do I cite an indirect (secondary) source? (8.6)

An indirect or secondary source is one that is cited in another person's work. Whenever possible, find and cite the original work. In some cases, however, the original work may be unavailable, and so you must rely on the secondary citation. However, use this type of source sparingly! Consult a librarian for help finding the original source if needed. Provide the secondary source in the reference list, NOT the original source; in text, name the original work and give the citation for the secondary source (listed in your reference list): 

Gunderson's research (as cited in Kuthrapali, 2017) 

If the year of the primary source is unknown, omit it from the in-text citation.

Allport's diary (as cited in Nicholson, 2003)

How do I cite a personal communication? (8.9)

Use personal communication citations only when a recoverable source is not available. Cite personal communications such as emails, letters, telephone conversations, personal interviews, etc. in the text only. Since you can't provide retrieval information for these sources, they are not included in the reference list. Give the initials as well as the surname of the communicator, and provide as exact a date as possible for when the communication occurred: 

N.D. Tyson (personal communication, June 10, 2017)

(M. Gillespie, personal communication, May 15, 2018)

How do I cite a lecture or presentation? (8.9)

"If you learned about a topic via a classroom lecture, it would be preferable to cite the research on which the instructor based the lecture. However, if the lecture contained original content not published elsewhere, cite the lecture as a personal communication " 

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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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Video: The Basics of APA In-text Citations

About In-Text Citations

When writing your papers, it essential to recognize other authors who contributed to your work and avoid plagiarism. 

Use in-text citations when:

• paraphrasing
• directly quoting 
• referring to another person’s writing
• referring to data from prior studies
• reusing tables, figures, images, or passages

These should always include the author’s last name and year. When using a direct quote, also include the page number.

Types of In-Text Citation

• Paraphrasing or Summarizing
• Missing Information

When paraphrasing or summarizing information, in-text citations must include the author's last name and year of publication. This will be in parenthesis at the end of a sentence, with a space between the name and year, and a comma after the name. 

Example 1: single author

Falsely balanced news coverage can distort the public’s perception of expert consensus on an issue (Koehler, 2016).

Example 2: more than one author

Two authors: (Koehler & Smith, 2016)​

Three or more authors: (Koehler et al., 2016)

As an alternative to parenthetical citations, you can cite the source in your narrative, which allows you to incorporate the authors more closely into your discussion:

Example 3: narrative citation

Koehler (2016) noted the dangers of falsely balanced news coverage.​

When using direct quotations in your paper, your in-text citation should also include a page number when available. The page number will come after the year, with a comma after the year. Longer quotations are to be formatted as a block quotation, meaning the entire quotation starts on a separate line and is indented 0.5 inches. Quotations can also be in narrative format. 

Example 1: short quotation (less than 40 words)

Effective teams can be difficult to describe because “high performance along one domain does not translate to high performance along another” (Ervin et al., 2018, p. 470).​

Example 2: block quotation (40 or more words)

Researchers have studied how people talk to themselves:​

​Inner speech is a paradoxical phenomenon. It is an experience that is central to many people’s everyday lives, and yet it presents considerable challenges to any effort to study it scientifically. Nevertheless, a wide range of methodologies and approaches have combined to shed light on the subjective experience of inner speech and its cognitive and neural underpinnings (Alderson-Day & Fernyhough, 2015, p. 957).

Example 3: block quotation in narrative form

Flores et al. (2018) described how they addressed potential researcher bias when working with an intersectional community of transgender people of color:​

Everyone on the research team belonged to a stigmatized group but also held privileged identities. Throughout the research process, we attended to the ways in which our privileged and oppressed identities may have influenced the research process, findings, and presentation of results. (p. 311)

Use the chart below to determine what to do if you are missing information for in-text citation.

Online Resource

• APA.org: In-Text Citations View elements to utilizing in-text citations, including paraphrasing, parenthetical vs. narrative in-text citations, secondary sources, and more.
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Paraphrase: Write It in Your Own Words

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Paraphrasing is one way to use a text in your own writing without directly quoting source material. Anytime you are taking information from a source that is not your own, you need to specify where you got that information.

A paraphrase is...

• Your own rendition of essential information and ideas expressed by someone else, presented in a new form.
• One legitimate way (when accompanied by accurate documentation) to borrow from a source.
• A more detailed restatement than a summary, which focuses concisely on a single main idea.

Paraphrasing is a valuable skill because...

• It is better than quoting information from an undistinguished passage.
• It helps you control the temptation to quote too much.
• The mental process required for successful paraphrasing helps you to grasp the full meaning of the original.

6 Steps to Effective Paraphrasing

• Reread the original passage until you understand its full meaning.
• Set the original aside, and write your paraphrase on a note card.
• Jot down a few words below your paraphrase to remind you later how you envision using this material. At the top of the note card, write a key word or phrase to indicate the subject of your paraphrase.
• Check your rendition with the original to make sure that your version accurately expresses all the essential information in a new form.
• Use quotation marks to identify any unique term or phraseology you have borrowed exactly from the source.
• Record the source (including the page) on your note card so that you can credit it easily if you decide to incorporate the material into your paper.

Some examples to compare

Note that the examples in this section use MLA style for in-text citation.

The original passage:

Students frequently overuse direct quotation in taking notes, and as a result they overuse quotations in the final [research] paper. Probably only about 10% of your final manuscript should appear as directly quoted matter. Therefore, you should strive to limit the amount of exact transcribing of source materials while taking notes. Lester, James D. Writing Research Papers . 2nd ed., 1976, pp. 46-47.

A legitimate paraphrase:

In research papers, students often quote excessively, failing to keep quoted material down to a desirable level. Since the problem usually originates during note taking, it is essential to minimize the material recorded verbatim (Lester 46-47).

An acceptable summary:

Students should take just a few notes in direct quotation from sources to help minimize the amount of quoted material in a research paper (Lester 46-47).

A plagiarized version:

Students often use too many direct quotations when they take notes, resulting in too many of them in the final research paper. In fact, probably only about 10% of the final copy should consist of directly quoted material. So it is important to limit the amount of source material copied while taking notes.

A note about plagiarism: This example has been classed as plagiarism, in part, because of its failure to deploy any citation. Plagiarism is a serious offense in the academic world. However, we acknowledge that plagiarism is a difficult term to define; that its definition may be contextually sensitive; and that not all instances of plagiarism are created equal—that is, there are varying “degrees of egregiousness” for different cases of plagiarism.

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APA In-Text Citations (7th Ed.) | Multiple Authors & Missing Info

Published on November 4, 2020 by Raimo Streefkerk . Revised on September 5, 2024.

In-text citations briefly identify the source of information in the body text. They correspond to a full reference entry at the end of your paper.

APA in-text citations consist of the author’s last name and publication year. When citing a specific part of a source, also include a page number or range, for example (Parker, 2020, p. 67) or (Johnson, 2017, pp. 39–41) .

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Table of contents

Apa in-text citations explained in 4 minutes, parenthetical vs. narrative citations, apa in-text citations with multiple authors, no author, date or page number, multiple sources in one parenthesis, avoiding ambiguity in apa in-text citations, citing indirect sources (“as cited in”), citing personal communication, general mentions of websites and software, example paragraph with in-text citations, frequently asked questions.

The in-text citation can be placed in parentheses or naturally integrated into a sentence.

• Parenthetical : There is a correlation between social media usage and anxiety symptoms in teenagers (Parker, 2019) .
• Narrative: Parker (2019) found a correlation between social media usage and anxiety symptoms in teenagers.

The publication year appears directly after the author’s name when using the narrative format. The parenthetical citation can be placed within or at the end of a sentence, just before the period. Check out a full example paragraph with in-text citations .

Every source you reference in your writing should be accompanied by an accurate APA citation. Our plagiarism checker can help ensure your paper contains appropriate author attributions.

If a work has two authors, separate their names with an ampersand (&) in a parenthetical citation or “and” in a narrative citation. If there are three or more authors, only include the first author’s last name followed by “et al.”, meaning “and others”.

Group authors known by their abbreviations (e.g., CDC) are written in full the first time and are abbreviated in subsequent citations.

If the author of a source is unknown, try to determine if there is an organization or government responsible for creating the content. If so, include its name in the in-text citation (and reference entry).

Alternatively, use the source title in place of the author. Italicize the title if it’s italicized in the reference entry (except for court cases , which are italicized in the in-text citation but not the reference entry). Otherwise, enclose it in double quotation marks.

Apply title case capitalization, and shorten long titles. The first word of the title should always be included so readers can easily locate the corresponding reference entry.

• (“U.S. Flood Risk,” 2015)
• ( Thinking, Fast and Slow , 2017)

No publication date

If the publication date is unknown, write “n.d.” (no date) in the in-text citation.

No page number (alternative locators)

Page numbers are only required with direct quotes in APA . If you are quoting from a work that does not have page numbers (e.g., webpages or YouTube videos ), you can use an alternative locator, such as:

• (Liu, 2020, 03:26 )
• (Johnson, 2019, Chapter 3 )
• (McCombes, 2016, para. 4 )
• (Davis, 2016, Slide 15 )
• (Flores, 2020, Table 5 )
• (Streefkerk, 2020, “No page number” section )

Note that Bible citations always use chapter and verse numbers, even when page numbers are available:

If a statement is supported by multiple sources, the in-text citations can be combined in one parenthesis. Order the sources alphabetically, and separate them with a semicolon.

When citing multiple works from the same author, list the years of publication separated by a comma.

When in-text citations are ambiguous because they correspond to multiple reference entries, apply the solutions outlined in the table below.

If you want to refer to a source that you have found in another source, you should always try to access the original or primary source .

However, if you cannot find the original source , you should cite it through the secondary source that led you to it, using the phrase “as cited in”.

If the publication date of the primary source is unknown, include only the year of publication of the secondary source.

Only include a reference entry for the secondary source, not the primary source.

Personal communications , such as phone calls, emails, and interviews, are not included in the reference list because readers can’t access them. The in-text citation is also formatted slightly differently.

Include the initials and last name of the person you communicated with, the words “personal communication,” and the exact date in parentheses.

General mentions of a website or software don’t have to be cited with an in-text citation or entry in the reference list. Instead, incorporate relevant information into the running text.

• The website of Scribbr (www.scribbr.com) contains various useful resources.
• Statistical software SPSS (version 25) was used to analyze the data.

When citing a webpage or online article , the APA in-text citation consists of the author’s last name and year of publication. For example: (Worland & Williams, 2015). Note that the author can also be an organization. For example: (American Psychological Association, 2019).

If you’re quoting you should also include a locator. Since web pages don’t have page numbers, you can use one of the following options:

• Paragraph number: (Smith, 2018, para. 15).
• Heading or section name: ( CDC, 2020, Flu Season section)
• Abbreviated heading:  ( CDC, 2020, “Key Facts” section)

Instead of the author’s name, include the first few words of the work’s title in the in-text citation. Enclose the title in double quotation marks when citing an article, web page or book chapter. Italicize the title of periodicals, books, and reports.

If the publication date is unknown , use “n.d.” (no date) instead. For example: (Johnson, n.d.).

The abbreviation “ et al. ” (meaning “and others”) is used to shorten APA in-text citations with three or more authors . Here’s how it works:

Only include the first author’s last name, followed by “et al.”, a comma and the year of publication, for example (Taylor et al., 2018).

Always include page numbers in the APA in-text citation when quoting a source . Don’t include page numbers when referring to a work as a whole – for example, an entire book or journal article.

If your source does not have page numbers, you can use an alternative locator such as a timestamp, chapter heading or paragraph number.

If you cite several sources by the same author or group of authors, you’ll distinguish between them in your APA in-text citations using the year of publication.

If you cite multiple sources by the same author(s) at the same point , you can just write the author name(s) once and separate the different years with commas, e.g., (Smith, 2020, 2021).

To distinguish between sources with the same author(s) and  the same publication year, add a different lowercase letter after the year for each source, e.g., (Smith, 2020, 2021a, 2021b). Add the same letters to the corresponding reference entries .

In an APA in-text citation , you use the phrase “ as cited in ” if you want to cite a source indirectly (i.e., if you cannot find the original source).

Parenthetical citation: (Brown, 1829, as cited in Mahone, 2018) Narrative citation: Brown (1829, as cited in Mahone, 2018) states that…

On the reference page , you only include the secondary source (Mahone, 2018).

An APA in-text citation is placed before the final punctuation mark in a sentence.

• The company invested over 40,000 hours in optimizing its algorithm (Davis, 2011) .
• A recent poll suggests that EU membership “would be backed by 55 percent of Danish voters” in a referendum (Levring, 2018) .

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Common Knowledge

Overcitation.

Some facts and ideas are so well-known that they are considered to be common knowledge and do not need to be cited.

SPARK at York University (2013) suggests the following guidelines when you are considering whether to cite, or not:

1. If in doubt, cite

2. Always cite arguments, foundational texts and controversial information.

3. Seek advice from your instructor for further clarification.

For more information please visit SPARK's What is Common Knowledge? guidelines .

According to the APA Manual, 7th edition, overcitation (or too many in-text citations for the same source) can be "distracting and unnecessary" (p. 254).

An example of overcitation is to repeat the same citation in every sentence when the source and topic have not changed:

Lambert (2018) states that websites dedicated to journalism need visitors to survive. Two things that a website needs to do is to attract visitors, and then keep them there once they have visited (Lambert, 2018).

Paraphrasing Over Multiple Sentences

When paraphrasing a work over multiple sentences, rather than include a citation in every sentence, the APA manual recommends citing the source in the first sentence only, and not repeating the citation as long as the source remains clear and unchanged.

Lambert (2018) states that websites dedicated to journalism need visitors to survive. Two things that a website needs to do is to attract visitors, and then keep them there once they have visited. A process called "search engine optimization" can be used in order to push results from your website up in the Google search results.

Using the Author's Name in the Narrative

If you are citing from the same source within a paragraph and using the author's name in the narrative, you can omit the year.

Lambert (2018) states that websites dedicated to journalism need visitors to survive. According to Lambert, two things that a website needs to do is to attract visitors, and then keep them there once they have visited.

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A direct quotation reproduces words verbatim from another work or from your own previously published work. It is best to paraphrase sources rather than directly quoting them because paraphrasing allows you to fit material to the context of your paper and writing style.

Use direct quotations rather than paraphrasing:

• when reproducing an exact definition (see Section 6.22 of the Publication Manual ),
• when an author has said something memorably or succinctly, or
• when you want to respond to exact wording (e.g., something someone said).

Instructors, programs, editors, and publishers may establish limits on the use of direct quotations. Consult your instructor or editor if you are concerned that you may have too much quoted material in your paper.

This page addresses how to format short quotations and block quotations. Additional information is available about how to:

• include page numbers for quotations
• cite quotations from material without page numbers
• cite quotations that include errors
• indicate changes to quotations
• present quotations from research participants

Quotations are covered in the seventh edition APA Style manuals in the Publication Manual Sections 8.25 to 8.35 and the Concise Guide Sections 8.25 to 8.34

Related handout

• In-Text Citation Checklist (PDF, 227KB)

Short quotations (fewer than 40 words)

For quotations of fewer than 40 words, add quotation marks around the words and incorporate the quote into your own text—there is no additional formatting needed. Do not insert an ellipsis at the beginning and/or end of a quotation unless the original source includes an ellipsis.

Effective teams can be difficult to describe because “high performance along one domain does not translate to high performance along another” (Ervin et al., 2018, p. 470).

For a direct quotation, always include a full citation ( parenthetical or narrative ) in the same sentence as the quotation, including the page number (or other location information, e.g., paragraph number).

• Place a parenthetical citation either immediately after the quotation or at the end of the sentence.
• For a narrative citation, include the author and year in the sentence and then place the page number or other location information in parentheses after the quotation.
• If the quotation precedes the narrative citation, put the page number or location information after the year and a comma.
• If the citation appears at the end of a sentence, put the end punctuation after the closing parenthesis for the citation.
• If the quotation includes citations, see Section 8.32 of the Publication Manual .
• If the quotation includes material already in quotation marks, see Section 8.33 of the Publication Manual .
• Place periods and commas within closing single or double quotation marks. Place other punctuation marks inside quotation marks only when they are part of the quoted material.

Block quotations (40 words or more)

Format quotations of 40 words or more as block quotations:

• Do not use quotation marks to enclose a block quotation.
• Start a block quotation on a new line and indent the whole block 0.5 in. from the left margin.
• Double-space the entire block quotation.
• Do not add extra space before or after it.
• If there are additional paragraphs within the quotation, indent the first line of each subsequent paragraph an additional 0.5 in. See an example in Section 8.27 of the Publication Manual .
• Either (a) cite the source in parentheses after the quotation’s final punctuation or (b) cite the author and year in the narrative before the quotation and place only the page number in parentheses after the quotation’s final punctuation.
• Do not add a period after the closing parenthesis in either case.

Block quotation with parenthetical citation:

Researchers have studied how people talk to themselves:

Inner speech is a paradoxical phenomenon. It is an experience that is central to many people’s everyday lives, and yet it presents considerable challenges to any effort to study it scientifically. Nevertheless, a wide range of methodologies and approaches have combined to shed light on the subjective experience of inner speech and its cognitive and neural underpinnings. (Alderson-Day & Fernyhough, 2015, p. 957)

Block quotation with narrative citation:

Flores et al. (2018) described how they addressed potential researcher bias when working with an intersectional community of transgender people of color:

Everyone on the research team belonged to a stigmatized group but also held privileged identities. Throughout the research process, we attended to the ways in which our privileged and oppressed identities may have influenced the research process, findings, and presentation of results. (p. 311)

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Paraphrase with Multiple Authors: A Guide to APA Citations

Table of Contents

Sometimes, you may paraphrase by combining a range of views and perspectives from multiple authors that discuss the same idea or concept. Regardless of how well you paraphrase, you must credit all the authors through in-text citations. How to paraphrase with multiple authors ? This article is all you need to get started.

Paraphrasing and Citations: An Overview

Paraphrasing is the process of rewriting the original to produce another version that is accurate. The ability to paraphrase effectively is vital for writers, students, and researchers.

An in-text citation is a way of giving credit to sources or authors whose work you have used. Most used APA in-text citations are parenthetical and narrative citations.

The parenthetical citation provides information on the source by placing the author’s name and date in a parenthesis, at the end of the paraphrase. The narrative form of citation includes the author’s name as a part of the paraphrase, while the Year of Publication comes in a bracket. This form of citation is common at the beginning or the middle of the statement.

How to Paraphrase with Multiple Authors

In cases where you paraphrase from a source written by multiple authors, it is crucial to cite all the authors. It is not enough to mention one author and disregard the others. You’re stealing an author’s work if you don’t acknowledge them. Plagiarism comes with severe consequences, and you wouldn’t want to be guilty of such an unethical act. The tips below will guide you on acknowledging multiple authors.  

1. Two Authors

In citing two authors in a parenthetical citation, the authors’ last names should be separated by the ampersand symbol (&), followed by year of publication. For example:

… overreliance on detailed rules (Pierre & Frank, 2007).

For the narrative citation, the last names of the two authors should be separated by ‘and.’ The year of publication should follow in a bracket. For instance:

McCarthy and Nash (2004) describe outsourcing as using external suppliers to achieve efficiency.

2. Three to Five Authors

First in-text citation.

When citing 3-5 authors in a parenthetical citation, include the last names of the authors, separated by the symbol (&) and year of publication.

… specified locations (Sharma, Saldana, & Katherine, 2012).

For narrative citation, the last names of the authors, separated by ‘and,’ should come first, followed by the year of publication in a bracket.

Sharma, Saldana, and Katherine (2012) described franchising as…

Subsequent citations

When citing various sources subsequently, include only the first author’s last name, followed by the abbreviation ‘et al.,’ and the year of publication.

James et al. (2012) view education as…

… society they live in (James et al., 2012).

3. Six or More Authors.

To cite six or more authors, provide the last name of the first author with “et al.,” and the year of publication. This should be done for the first and subsequent citations.

Raphael et al. (2007) described the effect…

… as harmful (Raphael et al., 2007).

When you paraphrase from a work written by multiple authors, it is vital to adequately and appropriately cite all the authors. This article is a guide on how to paraphrase with multiple authors successfully, so your piece doesn’t pass off as plagiarized work.

Pam is an expert grammarian with years of experience teaching English, writing and ESL Grammar courses at the university level. She is enamored with all things language and fascinated with how we use words to shape our world.

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How to Paraphrase Correctly?

Last update Sep 5, 2024

Paraphrasing is an editing technique that is mainly used to enhance the clarity of a text and reduce the risk of plagiarism. It involves stating something in a new and more engaging way. 

Learning how to paraphrase correctly, especially for writers, students, and professionals who deal with text, is a must. This is because the advantages are numerous and sooner than later, they might need to employ this technique. 

Hence, in this article, we will discuss the general pointers that need to be known to paraphrase text the right way. 

Tips for Paraphrasing a Piece of Text Correctly

The following are some tips that must be considered to make the most out of your paraphrasing efforts. 

Thoroughly Read and Understand the Original Text

Before starting to paraphrase the text on hand, it is recommended that you go through it comprehensively. Try to understand exactly what it means and what message it’s trying to convey. 

This comprehension will allow you to convey the same idea in a new and better way, without changing the original intent. If you can’t seem to grasp the key points of the text in one reading, give it another go. Do it till you’re confident you’ve got it all. 

Another thing that can be done to make this easier is you can divide the text into sections, especially if it’s a long one. Then go through each section one by one while taking breaks. This way, you won’t have to read a huge chunk of text in a single sitting and the overall comprehension will be better. 

Use Synonyms Thoughtfully

Paraphrasing includes changing the wording of the text. Many words are swapped with their alternatives. These alternatives are usually more appropriate and simpler than the original ones so that the clarity can be increased. 

However, what most people who are new to paraphrasing do wrong is they don’t consider the context while choosing synonyms for words. Be sure that the synonym you choose accurately reflects the original intent of the text. Also, remember that some alternatives might mean more than one thing, so you have to be mindful of them as well. 

To exemplify this, we’ll take the following text and synonymize it while keeping the context in mind. 

We replaced words like " rapid " with " swift ," and " sustainable " with " eco-friendly, " keeping the meaning intact while using different terminology.

Alter the Structure of Maximum Sentences

While paraphrasing, you have to change the structure of sentences in the text. But altering the structure of just a couple of sentences won’t work. You have to do this extensively. The correct way is to change the structure of as many sentences as you can, especially when the text is long. 

If this is done right, the paraphrased version won’t have any similarities with the original text. Having said that, the best way to alter structure is to rearrange the order of phrases or clauses in a sentence, or change its voice from active to passive. 

For your better understanding, below is a quick example that demonstrates how a sentence structure is changed. 

Here, the original sentence is restructured, placing the emphasis on the outcomes (productivity and morale) rather than the action (investing in training).

Break Down Sentences or Combine Them for Better Clarity

Sometimes, the original text may contain a sentence that expresses more than one idea or contains multiple clauses. On the other hand, the text may also contain information that is scattered across several sentences. 

In the first scenario, it is advisable to not only alter the wording and sentence structure but also to divide it into multiple simpler and shorter sentences. This can enhance comprehension while preserving the original meaning. 

Conversely, in the latter scenario, when information is spread across multiple sentences, combining them into a single, cohesive statement can make the content more concise and fluid. This is particularly helpful when the original text is overly wordy or when you want to create a more streamlined narrative.

That being said, below are the examples for both aforementioned scenarios. 

Sentence Breakdown Example

In this breakdown, the original sentence is divided into two separate statements. This separation allows each idea to stand on its own, making the information easier to process and understand.

Sentence Combining Example

In this paraphrase, three sentences are combined into one, merging the cause with the effects into a single, coherent statement. This not only reduces repetition but also enhances the flow of information, making the overall message more concise without losing any details.

Cross-check with the Original Text

After paraphrasing the content, it's important to review and compare it with the original text to ensure that you have not changed the meaning or left out important information.

One way to do this is by examining the main points or ideas in the original text and ensuring that they are accurately reflected in your paraphrased version. The goal is to maintain the core message while changing the wording and structure. 

It's also important to identify areas where your paraphrase may still closely resemble the original text and adjust those parts as needed. Lastly, make sure that no information is added or omitted in the paraphrased version.

Cite the Original Sources

If the original text had sources cited throughout it, it is highly important that you do the same. Don’t omit them from the paraphrased version. Proper credit to the original sources of the information always has to be provided. Failing to do so can cause issues of copyright down the line.

Additionally, you must cite the sources using the same style. i.e. APA, MLA, or Chicago, that the original text used. Changing the citation style in the paraphrased content is not encouraged. 

Also, apart from in-text citations, if there is a reference list at the end of the original content, you must provide a full reference at the end of the paraphrased text as well. This includes all the necessary details about the source, such as the author's name, publication year, title of the work, and where it was published.

These are some of the general pointers that have to be considered to correctly paraphrase a piece of text. Now before we bring our article to a close, we’d like to mention a quick and reliable way you can paraphrase your content with 100% accuracy. 

A Quick Way to Paraphrase Content Correctly

Manual paraphrasing can be a hectic and time-consuming task, particularly if your text is a long one. This is why, we recommend using our Paraphrasing Tool when you’re in a time crunch. 

It uses artificial intelligence and natural language processing to understand the meaning and context of the provided text. Then it synonymizes, alters the sentence structure, and breaks down complex sentences in an instant, leaving you with a perfectly paraphrased version of your text.

The outputs are totally unique so they can be used just as they are or can be kept as a reference point for when you’re manually paraphrasing. You can see how the tool paraphrased content and learn from it. 

Steps to Use Our Paraphrasing Tool

To use our Paraphrasing Tool , you have to take the following steps. 

Input the text that you want to be paraphrased into the provided box. You can do this by copying and pasting it or uploading the file that contains the text. 

The tool offers multiple paraphrasing modes, each of which generates different outputs, so select which mode you’d like the tool to work in.

After this, from the bottom of the input box, choose the language of the tool’s output. If you’re inputting text in English and want it paraphrased in the same language, pick English. 

Once all this is done, you simply have to click on the “Paraphrase” button and our tool will start processing your text. Then after a couple of moments, an output will be provided. Having said that, the response we got against our text is as follows. 

The textual version of our input and the tool’s response are also given below. You can see how accurate the paraphrased version is. 

Final Words

Paraphrasing is a great editing technique used to improve text clarity and avoid plagiarism. Learning to paraphrase is essential for writers, students, and professionals dealing with text, as it offers numerous benefits. 

To paraphrase correctly, it is important to thoroughly understand the original text, use synonyms thoughtfully, alter sentence structures, break down or combine sentences for clarity, cross-check with the original text, and cite sources properly. 

Additionally, using our Paraphrasing Tool can simplify and speed up the paraphrasing process. Those who are running low on time are recommended to use it.

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