The Different Types of In Text Citation Styles

Types of In Text Citation Styles

What is a citation and a citation style?

A citation is a way of giving credit to individuals for their intellectual and creative works that you utilized to support your research. You can use a citation to locate particular sources and combat plagiarism. Typically, a citation includes the author’s name, date, and location of the publishing company, journal title, or DOI (Digital Object Identifier).

A citation style dictates the information necessary for a citation. In addition, a citation style shows how to order, punctuate, and format information.

How To Choose A Citation Style

There are various ways of citing resources from your research. Citation styles depend on the academic discipline involved. For example:

• APA (American Psychological Association) – used in subjects like Education, Psychology, and Sciences. The APA style calls for three kinds of information to be included in in-text citations. The information includes the author's last name and the work's date of publication. These items must match the corresponding entry in the references list. The third kind of information is the page number that should appear only in a citation to a direct quotation.
• MLA (Modern Language Association) – Used in Humanities. The style allows you to include explanations and thorough discussions. MLA citation style includes a two-part parenthetical documentation system for you to cite your sources. The style identifies and gives credit to the sources used in order to retrieve the material and be able to access it.
• Chicago – used by Business, History, and the Fine Arts. Chicago style presents two basic documentation systems:

1. Notes and bibliography
2. Author-date   

Choosing between the two often depends on subject matter and the nature of sources cited, as each system is favored by different groups of scholars.

Note that you need to consult with your professor to determine what type of citation is required in your specific course.