In-Text Documentation

In-text documentation is sometimes called parenthetical documentation because it requires the use of parentheses ( ). For every fact or idea you borrowed from another source, you must provide the author's last name and the page of the source. There are two ways you can do this:

  1. Begin the quote or paraphrase with the author's last name and end the borrowed information with the page number in parentheses. For example:
    According to Gary S. Becker, human capital, "the knowledge, information, ideas, skills, and health of individuals," is the greatest form of capital in the 21st century (3).
  2. Or, provide the author's last name and the page number inside parentheses at the end of the borrowed information. For example:
    Human capital, "the knowledge, information, ideas, skills, and health of individuals," is the greatest form of capital in the 21st century (Becker 3).

No Author

If the source you borrowed information from does not list the author's name, use the first significant word of the title. Use quotation marks and italics as apporopriate. For a review of when to italicize or use quotation marks for a title see www.docstyles.com/mlacrib.htm#Sec32.

For Example: The difference in earnings between the average American with just a high school diploma and the average American with a college degree has increased in the past twenty years, with most college graduates earning at least 23 percent more than those with just a high school diploma ("Rising" 35).

No Page Numbers

If the source does not have numbered pages, you are not required to provide a page number.

Example: Since 1998, our earth has experienced the five hottest years in recorded time, with the hottest year being 2005 (Choo).

However, you may provide the number of the paragraph, if possible. 

Example: The evidence clearly proves that the benefits of a college education to an individual and society prevail over the cost of earning a college degree (Porter par. 11).

More Than 1 Page Used

If the pages are continues, use a dash between the first and last page used.

Example: Maurice Holmes of Xerox Corp feels the only way the U.S. will gain a competitive edge is by utilizing information technology to "learn faster than the rest of the world" (qtd. in Imparato 179-80).

Additional Information

In some cases, you might need to provide additional information within your parenthetical documentation.

Author Has Two or More Works in the "Works Cited"

Place shortened titles within the citation whenever an author has two or more works listed in the "works cited."

Example: Some see climate change as an "opportunity for us to live happier, more fulfilling lives" (McKibben "Happiness" 33).

More than one author of a work.

For 2 or 3 authors, cite all names.

Example: "Since the late 1800's, the global average temperature has increased about 0.7 to 1.4º F" (Mastrandrea and Schneider 232).

For more than three authors, use the abbreviation "et al.", which means "and others."

Example: (Wechsler, et al. 209).

Use a double reference when one source quotes another.

Within the sentence, state the name of the original source. At the end of the sentence, begin the parenthetical documentation with the phrase "qtd. in." Then list your source.

Example: Maurice Holmes of Xerox Corp feels the only way the U.S. will gain a competitive edge is by utilizing information technology to "learn faster than the rest of the world" (qtd. inImparato 179-80).


return to top | previous page | next page

 

 

 

 

 

Click to close