What is the difference between in-text citations and reference list entries in APA Style?
Answer
In-text citations and reference list entries work together, but they serve different purposes.
In-text citations appear within the body of your paper. They provide brief details about a source, allowing readers to locate the full citation in your reference list. In-text citations usually include the author’s last name and the year of publication.
Sample in-text citation (parenthetical):
(Taylor & Nguyen, 2021)
Sample in-text citation (narrative):
Taylor and Nguyen (2021) explain…
Reference list entries appear at the end of your paper. They provide full citation details, allowing readers to identify and locate each source on their own. References are listed alphabetically by the author’s last name.
Sample reference list entry:
Taylor, R. L., & Nguyen, P. (2021). Student engagement in online learning environments. Journal of Educational Research, 114(3), 245–259. https://doi.org/10.1080/00220671.2021.1872475
