Terminology
As you write papers and think about citations, a few terms might come up:
Used in APA Style Citations
In-Text Citations
- An in-text citation is a brief reference that we include within the body of the text we are writing. It gives your reader enough information to identify the quote, idea, or information from your longer reference list.
Location: In between your sentences in the body of your paper.
Example: Scholarly research demonstrates that cultural values shape our lived experiences (Landes, 2000).
Reference List
- This is a list of all references and every source or piece of information you used should be listed.
Location: At the end of your paper
Rarely Used in APA Style Citations
Footnotes
- Footnotes detail additional information in the footer of a page where that information is shared with the reader. Think of a footnote as an additional note further explaining information. However, for APA citations it is not recommended to use footnotes. Footnotes are often used in other citation styles. In APA style, content and copyright footnotes are the exception.
Location: At the bottom of of an individual page of your paper.
Never Used in APA Style Citations
Works Cited and Bibliography
- A works cited page is a list of all the sources you have cited and quoted within your research paper. This includes quoting, paraphrasing, summarizing, or including references of. The works cited and bibliography pages are formatted. It is not often used in the field of social work, but a works cited list is an important term for us to be aware of.
Location: At the end of your paper
