In-text citations are included throughout the course of your writing to acknowledge the sources of information you have used to build and support your ideas. They briefly identify a work by its author and year of publication and direct readers to a reference list entry with the full details of the source. In-text citations are required for paraphrasing, quoting and summarising. Additional locator information, such as a page number or other identifier may also be included after the year, if required.
In brief, this page shows how to:
In-text citations can be presented in two ways:
Information prominent - Author(s) and year appear within brackets.
It could be argued that mental flexibility is a key factor in well-being (Palladino and Wade 2010, 4).
Author prominent - Author(s) appear as part of the sentence, followed by the year in brackets.
Palladino and Wade (2010, 4) argue that mental well-being is linked with flexible thinking.
The following examples demonstrate how to create in-text citations based on the number of authors and other relevant factors.
The format of the authors in the in-text citation changes according to the number of authors for the work.
| Author | Information prominent | Author prominent |
|---|---|---|
| One or two authors | (Smith 2020). (Smith and Jones 2020, 6). |
According to Smith (2020, 6)… Smith and Jones (2020, 6) highlighted this… |
| Three or more authors | (Thomas et al. 2018, 23). | Thomas et al. (2018, 23) recommends… |
| Organisation as author | (World Health Organization 2018, para. 5). | World Health Organization (2018, para. 5) state… |
|
Organisation with optional abbreviation |
First citation: (World Health Organization [WHO] 2018). Subsequent citations: (WHO 2018). |
First citation: World Health Organization (WHO 2018) have… Subsequent citations: WHO (2018) mentions… |
When including multiple sources to support a particular point in your writing or demonstrate a consensus:
In-text citation example: Multiple sources
There is an established consensus that the current trend towards a warming climate is directly linked to human activity (Hegerl 1996, 12; Levitus et al. 2017, 4; NASA, n.d., 54; Robinson, Hall, and Mote 2014, 11; Santer et al. 2003, 42).
When including multiple sources by the same author(s) in the same citation:
In-text citation example: Multiple sources by the same author(s)
(Smith et al. 2019, 2023, 2025)
With page numbers:
(Wong 1999, 328; 2000, 475)
In-text citation examples: With a date
(Clarke and Fawcett 2014b).
OR
Clarke and Fawcett (2014a) suggest that…
In-text citation examples: No date
(DevelopmentWA, n.d.-a).
OR
DevelopmentWA (n.d.-b) highlight…
If referring to two or more publications where the primary (first) authors have the same surname, include the first author’s initials in all in-text citations, even if the year of publication differs.
In-text citation examples:
(B. Johnson 2015, 6). OR According to B. Johnson (2015, 6)…
(M. Johnson et al. 2016, 22). OR M. Johnson et al. (2016, 22) states…
Academic content such as books and journal articles will often contain a lot of citations. When do you need to give credit to the original author (primary source)? Cite the original author when:
When citing a secondary source:
In-text citation examples:
…“event in nature or in society” (Blaikie et al. 1994, as quoted by Maldonado et al. 2013, 602).
OR
Lazrus (2012, as quoted by Maldonado et al. 2013, 610) outlines the exemptions for certain populations.
Quoting is when you copy the exact words (including spelling and punctuation) from another source into your work. Check out Integrating sources: Quoting for information and examples.
Quoting examples:
According to Palladino and Wade (2010, 147), “a flexible mind is a healthy mind.”
OR
In fact, “a flexible mind is a healthy mind” (Palladino and Wade 2010, 147).
Use a freestanding block of text which:
Your in-text citation will appear in brackets after the final punctuation mark and will include the author, year of publication, and page number or other identifier (note: there is no punctuation mark after the in-text citation).
Block quotation example:
In-text citations are important in academic writing, drawing the parallel between the author’s work and the sources which support it:
The function of any citation-signaller is to alert the reader to some kind of association between the citing text and the cited text. Citation-signallers may additionally, by using page references or chapter numbers, single out a particular part of the text as especially relevant. (Langham 2005, 361)
Page numbers are used in in-text citations to pinpoint the specific location within a source that you are referring to, especially when you are quoting. It helps the reader locate the exact information you are citing, making it easier for them to verify your claims or consult the source directly. The Chicago style recommends the use of page numbers when:
Note: As there is flexibility with the inclusion of page numbers, it is advisable to check with your tutor.
If page numbers are not available, include another identifier such as a paragraph number, chapter number, section number or heading.
| Identifier | Example |
|---|---|
| Page number | (Thomas et al. 2018, 23). |
| Paragraph number | (World Health Organization 2025, para. 3). |
| Chapter or section number | (Gay and Simnett 2018, chap. 8.2). |
| Section heading | (Australian Bureau of Statistics 2024, under “Education and Employment”). |
|
Timestamp (Audiovisual material) Use the format: HH:MM:SS |
(Ellis 2017, at 0:25-9). (Miller 2015, at 1:12:19-41). |
| Slide number | (Richardson 2015, slide 9). |