Parenthetical Citation Guide: Common Formats & Examples

Discover the ins and outs of parenthetical citations – a critical aspect of scholarly writing.

This guide outlines what parenthetical citations are, when to use them, and the specific formats for MLA, APA, Chicago, Harvard, and ASA. We'll also highlight the distinctions between parenthetical and narrative citation styles.

Let’s get started.

What is Parenthetical Citation?

A parenthetical citation is used to acknowledge a source within parentheses when you quote or paraphrase it. This citation includes details such as the author's name, publication date, and the relevant page numbers. 

Parenthetical citations are used across citation styles such as MLA, APA, and Chicago. These citations are usually placed at the end of the sentence, before the closing punctuation. You can also place them at the end of a clause that contains the material you’re citing. 

Every parenthetical citation corresponds to a reference list entry at the end of the manuscript.

Here is an example: 

Citation Formats that Use Parenthetical Citation

A number of popular citation formats allow for the use of parenthetical citations, such as:

• APA (American Psychological Associtation) 
• MLA (Modern Language Association)
• Chicago
• Harvard
• ASA (American Sociological Association)

The next section contains detailed information about the specific parenthetical citation format for the above formatting styles, along with examples. Read on, and you will understand how to do a parenthetical citation in various citation styles. 

Parenthetical Citation MLA

In MLA format, parenthetical citations include the author's last name and the page number where the information was found, separated by a space and enclosed within parentheses.

Two Authors

In MLA parenthetical citation format, when citing a source with two authors, include both last names joined by “and,” like:

Three or More Authors

For sources with three or more authors, include the last name of the first author followed by “et al.” and the page number. 

For example: 

No Page Number

If a source does not have page numbers, omit the page number from the citation.

No Author

If a source does not have an identifiable author, use a shortened version of the title of the work.

Direct Quotations

When directly quoting a source, include the author's last name and the page number from where the quote is taken within parentheses.

Multiple Works by the Same Author

Differentiate between multiple works by the same author by adding a shortened version of the title followed by a shortened version of the title and the page number, if applicable.

Parenthetical Citation APA

In APA format, parenthetical citation format typically includes the author's last name and the publication year, separated by a comma. The citation is enclosed within parentheses. 

Below are some parenthetical citation APA examples.

Two Authors

When citing sources with two authors, include both authors' last names joined by an ampersand (&), followed by the publication year, all enclosed within parentheses.

For example: 

Three or More Authors

In case of APA parenthetical citation of multiple authors (three or more), include the last name of the first author followed by “et al.” (Latin for “and others”) and the publication year, enclosed within parentheses.

For example: 

No Author

When a source does not have an identifiable author, use the title of the work in quotation marks followed by the publication year, enclosed within parentheses.

For example: 

Direct Quotations

When directly quoting a source in APA, include the author's last name, publication year, and the specific page number from which the quote was taken, separated by commas and enclosed within parentheses.

For example: 

Multiple Works by the Same Author

Differentiate between multiple works by the same author published in the same year by adding lowercase letters after the year within parentheses.

For example: 

Chicago Parenthetical Citation

Unlike MLA and APA styles, the Chicago style offers two main systems of citation: the author-date system and the notes-bibliography system. 

In the author-date style, parenthetical citations include the author's last name and the publication year, while the notes-bibliography system utilizes superscript numbers in the text that correspond to footnotes or endnotes.

In the author-date system, parenthetical citations typically follow the format of (Author's Last Name Year).

Two Authors

When citing a source with two authors, include both last names separated by “and” within parentheses.

Three or More Authors

For sources with three or more authors, include the last name of the first author followed by “et al.” and the publication year.

The Chicago notes-bibliography system typically includes the author's last name, publication year (if available), and page number.

If you're referencing a work by multiple authors, you would list all the authors' last names in the citation, separated by commas.

Harvard Parenthetical Citation

In the Harvard citation style, parenthetical citations are designed to provide brief, in-text references, primarily consisting of the author's last name and the publication year.

This method aids in locating the corresponding full citation in the reference list. Here's how Harvard parenthetical citations work, along with examples:

Author's Last Name and Year of Publication

In-text citations in Harvard style generally follow the format of (Author's Last Name Year).

Two Authors

When citing a source with two authors, include both last names separated by an ampersand (&) within parentheses.

Three or More Authors

For sources with three or more authors, include the last name of the first author followed by “et al.” and the publication year.

Multiple Works by the Same Author

Differentiate between multiple works by the same author by adding lowercase letters after the year within parentheses.

ASA Parenthetical Citation

In the ASA style, parenthetical citations serve to briefly reference sources within the text, providing the author's last name and the publication year. 

Here's a breakdown of ASA parenthetical citations with examples:

Author's Last Name and Publication Year

In-text citations in ASA style generally follow the format of (Author's Last Name Year).

Two Authors

When citing a source with two authors, include both last names separated by an ampersand (&) within parentheses.

Three or More Authors

For sources with three or more authors, include the last name of the first author followed by “et al.” and the publication year.

No Author

If a source does not have an identifiable author, use a shortened version of the title and the publication year.

Direct Quotations

When directly quoting a source, include the page number after the author's last name and year, separated by a colon.

When Should You Use Parenthetical Citation

Here are scenarios where you will need parenthetical citations within the text of your manuscript:

• Quoting: Whenever you directly quote someone else's words in your writing
• Paraphrasing: When you rephrase someone else's ideas or information in your own words
• Summarizing: If you condense a large portion of information or ideas from a source into a concise form
• Incorporating Data: When you include statistical data, findings, or results from a specific source
• Referring to Specific Information: Anytime you refer to specific facts, figures, or details from another source to support your argument or analysis
• Using Visual Materials: When you incorporate images, graphs, charts, or diagrams from a source
• Citing Indirect Sources: If you cite a source indirectly, meaning you obtained the information from a secondary source.

Parenthetical Citation vs. Narrative Citation

Take a look at the table below that briefly compares both parenthetical and narrative citation styles: 

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