Citations in the Text of Report Using APA Format:
Citations are references used in academic writing to give credit to the original authors of ideas, information, or words.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!- They show where the information came from and help readers locate the original source. Citations also prevent plagiarism by acknowledging other people’s work.
APA (American Psychological Association) format provides clear rules for citing sources in a research report. Proper citation gives credit to authors, avoids plagiarism, and allows readers to locate the original sources. The major aspects include:
- Short Citation
- Long Citation
- Use of Ellipses
- Indirect Quotation or Paraphrasing
- Footnote
- Abbreviations
- Citation style when there is one or more writers
1. Short Citation
Short citation is used to reference the author and year of publication within the text. It typically includes the author’s last name and the year in parentheses.
Example:
- According to Smith (2020), data analysis is crucial in research.
- Data analysis is crucial in research (Smith, 2020).
2. Long Citation
Long citations (40 words or more) are block quotes. The quotation is indented from the left margin, double-spaced, and does not use quotation marks. The author, year, and page number are included.
Example:
Smith (2020) stated:
Data analysis is an essential step in research because it allows researchers to interpret the collected data systematically, identify patterns, and make informed conclusions based on evidence. (p. 45)
3. Use of Ellipses
Ellipses (…) are used to indicate that part of the original text has been omitted in a quotation. They help shorten the quote without changing the meaning.
Example:
- Original: “Data analysis is crucial because it allows researchers to interpret data, identify trends, and draw conclusions.”
- Quoted with ellipses: “Data analysis is crucial … to interpret data, identify trends, and draw conclusions” (Smith, 2020, p. 45).
4. Indirect Quotation or Paraphrasing
Paraphrasing means putting someone else’s ideas into your own words. Even when paraphrased, the source must be cited.
Example:
- Original: “Data analysis allows researchers to identify patterns and make conclusions.”
- Paraphrased: Researchers can use data analysis to uncover patterns and draw meaningful conclusions (Smith, 2020).
5. Footnote
Footnotes provide additional information, explanations, or citations at the bottom of the page. APA uses footnotes sparingly, mainly for supplementary content rather than citations.
Example:
- Data analysis plays a key role in research.^1
- ^1 Smith, J. (2020). Research Methods in Social Sciences. New York: Academic Press.
6. Abbreviations
Common abbreviations should be defined when first used, followed by the abbreviation in parentheses. After that, only the abbreviation is used.
Example:
- The World Health Organization (WHO) provides global health guidelines. Subsequent references: WHO (2020) emphasizes health policies.
7. Citation Style When There Is One or More Writers
- One Author: (Smith, 2020)
- Two Authors: (Smith & Jones, 2020)
- Three or More Authors: (Smith et al., 2020)
Referencing Style in the Reference List
Referencing is the complete list of all sources used in a research work, provided at the end of the document. It includes full details like author name, year, title, and publication information.
The reference list in APA format provides full details of the sources cited in the text. It appears at the end of the report, alphabetically ordered by the authors’ last names, and allows readers to locate the original sources.
- For Books
- For Journal Articles
1. For Books
The general format for citing a book in APA style is:
If there is single author:
- First write surname of the writer
- Then first alphabet of first and middle name
- After that published data inside bracket
- Then name of the book in italic font
- Lastly, address and name of the publishers
Eg: Adhikari; D.R. (2005) Human Resource Management. Kathmandu: Buddha Educational Enterprises.
If there is two or more author:
- First write surname of the one writer. Then first alphabet of first and middle name.
- Then write & and again write surname of the second writer. Then first alphabet of first and middle name.
- After that published data inside bracket
- Then name of the book in italic font
- Lastly, address and name of the publishers
Eg: Adhikari; D.R. (2005) Human Resource Management. Kathmandu: Buddha Educational Enterprises.
Author(s). (Year). Title of the book: Subtitle (if any). Publisher.
Examples:
- Single author:
Smith, J. (2020). Research Methods in Social Sciences. Academic Press. - Two authors:
Smith, J., & Jones, M. (2019). Data Analysis for Researchers. Oxford University Press. - Multiple authors (3–20 authors):
Brown, L., Green, P., & White, R. (2021). Advanced Research Techniques. Cambridge University Press.
2. For Journal Articles
The general format for citing a journal article in APA style is:
- First write surname of the writer
- Then first alphabet of first and middle name
- After that published data inside bracket
- Then name of article
- Then name of the Journal in italic font
- Lastly, volume, issues, page numbers
Examples:
- Single author:
Smith, J. (2020). The role of data analysis in research. Journal of Research Methods, 15(2), 45–60. https://doi.org/10.1234/jrm.2020.015 - Two authors:
Smith, J., & Jones, M. (2019). Statistical techniques in social research. International Journal of Social Research, 12(1), 22–35. - Three or more authors:
Brown, L., Green, P., & White, R. (2021). Modern approaches to qualitative research. Journal of Social Science Research, 20(3), 105–120. https://doi.org/10.5678/jssr.2021.020