In-text citations?

Question

So, im writing an essay. On my research paper scoring rubric the teacher gave us, under organization it says "Sources are cited with proper in-text citations throughout paper". Is it just talking about the works cited page i did? Or do i have to put the sources or authors name of the information i found next to each paragraph or sentence?

Answer 1

Hi Miranda, Your teacher is talking about making sure that you have cited any evidence (e.g. quotations) within the paragraph you are writing, not just a list of the texts you consulted at the end of the paper. For example, if your teacher has asked you to cite using MLA format:

 

In the story "A Temporary Matter," the husband, Shukumar, wasn't there when his child was born. He was "at an academic conference in Baltimore when Shoba went into labor" (Lahiri 7).

 

At the end of the quote, there is an in-text citation of the author's last name and the page number the quote is on. 

 

If your teacher wants a different citation style, the in-text citation will look different. The Purdue University OWL website is a great resource to see the different citation styles.