You reference according to APA style by citing the author/authors and year of publication, i.e. the information you then put in first and second place in your reference list. This makes it easy for the readers to know where they should look for the complete reference to a specific source in the alphabetical reference list.
For the in-text citation, cite only surname(s) and year, even if the reference list entry contains a more specific date. Use "n.d." (no date) for references with no date.
There are two different ways to create in-text citations according to APA style; parenthetical and narrative. You choose what fits better in your text and you can use both alternatives in the same text. Using both ways is also a way to vary your text. However, make sure there is no confusion as to what citations are connected with the different paraphrases of your text. Also, do not use narrative and parenthetical citations in the same sentence.
Parenthetical citation is when the whole citation appears in parentheses. If you include more than one sentence for the same citation, make sure to put the citation at the end.
The marine animals that inhabit tide pools enjoy swimming (Doe, 2018).
Narrative citation is when you incorporate the citation as a part of the sentence. The author appears in the running text and the year in parentheses immediately after the author name. Use narrative citation when you want to highlight the author for some reason, for example when you refer to two authors who agree with each other or have different opinions. It is also appropriate to use narrative citation if the paraphrase is long, in order to clarify where the information comes from.
Doe (2018) studied the swimming habits of marine animals in tide pools.
Should I Use Narrative or Parenthetical Citation? Walden University Writing Center
The quick answer is that you should always tell the reader where the information is from when paraphrasing what someone has written or said. However, there is no black and white answer that goes for every occasion and all subjects.
Common knowledge that won't be refuted usually doesn't need a reference. This can for example be dates for well-known events or other commonly known facts such as the fact that Swedish is the official language in Sweden. Facts you can expect that most people know without looking in an encyclopedia.
The fine line of what is common knowledge and what is specialist knowledge within different subject fields, and therefore requires a reference, is sometimes difficult to distinguish. If you are uncertain, it is a good idea to check with your teacher. However, the general idea is that all information that you have taken from another source requires a reference.
You should always have the reader as your frame of reference. It should be easy for the reader to understand what part of your text is connected to the different sources and what possibly is your comments or conclusions.
Strive to make the text as readable as possible and thus insert the reference smoothly. The reader should not have to stop reading to read out your reference.
If you have a longer paragraph that comes from the same source, the best practice is to insert the reference at the beginning of the paragraph. The citation can be either narrative or parenthetical. It is often enough to include the reference once, but if the citation is long it could be a good idea to make the reader aware of the fact that it is still the same source that is being referenced. This is also a good way to, if needed, clarify that is not your own opinion that is presented. You do this by using reporting verbs together with the author. If the paraphrase continues into a new paragraph, reintroduce the whole citation.
There are a lot of different reporting verbs to choose from. Vary the verbs and choose according to what is fitting in the context.
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