Getting APA In-Text Citations Right (Without Losing Hours)
If you're studying psychology, you’ve probably heard of APA 7th edition. But when it comes to in-text citations, many students run into the same questions:
How many authors do I include?
When do I use et al.?
Do I need to mention the page number?
What if the author is an organisation?
This guide walks through everything you need to know — and shows you how to do it both manually and with the help of a purpose-built tool.
What Are In-Text Citations in APA?
In-text citations in APA show the reader where a particular idea or quote comes from. They're placed within your writing (as opposed to at the end, like a reference list) and usually include:
The author’s last name (or group/organisation)
The year of publication
A page or paragraph number, if you're quoting directly
There are two styles of in-text citations:
Parenthetical: everything goes inside the brackets
(Smith, 2020)Narrative: the author appears as part of the sentence
Smith (2020) explains...
Basic APA In-Text Citation Rules (Manual Method)
1. Single Author
Parenthetical: (Lee, 2022)
Narrative: Lee (2022)
2. Two Authors
Use an ampersand (&) in parentheses, and “and” in narrative form
Parenthetical: (Lee & Zhang, 2022)
Narrative: Lee and Zhang (2022)
3. Three or More Authors
Use the first author’s name followed by et al., even on first citation (APA 7 changed this!)
Parenthetical: (Lee et al., 2022)
Narrative: Lee et al. (2022)
4. Group/Corporate Authors
Include the organisation's full name
Parenthetical: (American Psychological Association, 2020)
Narrative: The American Psychological Association (2020)...
✅ Pro tip: On first citation, group names are written out in full. On second citation, you can use abbreviations — but only if introduced.
5. Page or Paragraph Numbers
These are only required for direct quotes, but helpful when citing specific information.
Single page: (Lee, 2022, p. 45)
Multiple pages: (Lee, 2022, pp. 45–46)
Paragraph (no page number): (Lee, 2022, para. 3)
Why It Gets Confusing (Especially in Real Assignments)
In theory, these rules seem manageable. In practice, things get messy:
You might have a mix of sources — solo authors, groups, 5-person papers
You might forget if it's your first or second time citing a source
Formatting errors (especially with “&” vs. “and” or “et al.”) can lead to lost marks
Manual consistency across long assignments is hard to maintain
A Time-Saving Option: The APA In-Text Citation Converter (Pro)
If you're comfortable with APA but want a way to speed things up — especially for large assignments or when you're quoting — a tool like our SimplyPutPsych’s APA Citation Converter Pro can help.
What It Lets You Do:
Manually enter author names — great for citing research teams
Handle group authors and special cases
Add optional page/paragraph numbers
Indicate whether it’s the first or subsequent citation
Instantly see both parenthetical and narrative formats
Supports 3 to 20+ authors with APA-compliant logic
Auto-saves your inputs, so you don’t lose your place
It’s designed to follow APA 7 rules precisely, while letting you stay in control.
Simply Put: Learn the Rules, Then Make It Easier
Understanding APA in-text citations is a key academic skill — and one you’ll carry into future research and writing. But there’s no rule that says you have to build every citation from scratch.
Use this guide to master the fundamentals. And when you’re ready to speed things up and reduce error, the APA In-Text Citation Converter is there to help.
👉 Try the Citation Converter Pro
References
Purdue Online Writing Lab. (n.d.). APA formatting and style guide (7th edition). Purdue University.
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