When writing a research paper through the scientific method, it is important to ensure that the data you are using is from a reliable source. Not only that but you should also credit these sources to honor and avoid any issues about plagiarism in the text you are writing. APA In-text citation is a written credit used by researchers to easily indicate the sources of the referred data while providing credit to the author of the referred article.
The American Psychological Association or the APA has a specific format for researchers and scholars undertaking quantitative or qualitative research about psychology. In-text citations in the APA format act as the credits and the reference to a specific quote, data, or statistic from an adjacent source. These citations often come in the form of a parenthetical citation, which denotes the author, page, and date of publication of the research. Another type of citation is the narrative citation, which uses the author’s parenthesis date format, and is used when the writers refer to the author in the text. The in-text citation will need to follow a specific outline or outline format so that the whole text has a consistent theme, tone, and context.
The proper usage of in-text citations will ensure that the data you will refer to is not plagiarized and comes from a reliable resource. You can also cite a website in APA format to use as a reference for your data. These citations must be stated directly adjacent to the data and must have their full reference cited on the reference page.
Begin by directly quoting, paraphrasing the data, or inserting the image or statistic obtained from an adjacent reference to the body of your research paper. (See surveys, survey questions, and case studies) Ensure that the data inserted is relevant to the research question or topic of your paper. Note when directly quoting a statement from your reference, be sure to use quotation marks at the start and end of the quote.
After you have stated the data, image, quote, or statistic, you will need to discern the type of citation you will need to insert into the text. You should use a parenthetical citation when you need to refer to data, quotes, images, or statistics obtained from the reference that does not directly state the author. While a narrative citation is used when the text directly indicates the author/s of the reference.
When you have finished inserting your In-text citation, you will need to update the reference lists. This is where you will be indicating the full title of the research, the authors, and the other minute details of the referred article.
You will need to repeat steps one through three until you have completed or finished writing your paper. The reference list or bibliography should be at the end of your research paper.
APA In-text citations allow the reviewers and readers to know where a specific quote or statistic comes from. A thesis usually requires reliable backing to ensure that the problem, niche, or issue that the research is tackling hasn’t been done yet. Previous research will also solidify the stance of the research when it comes to the relevancy of the problem, niche, or issue your research is trying to solve.
In-text citations also provide credits to the authors of the referred article, and can also be used to quote a statement from a previous research word-per-word without incurring any issues regarding plagiarism. The full reference used by the in-text citation is located at the end of the thesis under the References section of the thesis or research paper.
APA in-text citations allow your research paper or thesis to gain credibility and reliability from past research done on adjacent topics related to your research topic or statement. Other than credibility and reliability, past research will also prove the relevance of your thesis statement as this can greatly affect the outcome of your research.
APA citations will always be listed in the text of the research paper or thesis you are working on. These will not only lend credibility to your research but will also ensure that whatever topic you are working on is either needed or relevant. APA citations will also ensure that you are not copying or plagiarizing any past research.
