There are two ways to integrate others' research into your work:
Quoting is copying a selection from someone else's work, phrasing it exactly it was originally written. When quoting place quotation marks (" ") around the selected passage to show where the quote begins and where it ends. Make sure to include an in-text citation.
Paraphrasing is used to show that you understand what the author wrote. You must reword the passage, expressing the ideas in your own words, and not just change a few words here and there. Make sure to also include an in-text citation.
If you refer to the author's name in a sentence you do not have to include the name again as part of your in-text citation, instead include the page number (if there is one) at the end of the quotation or paraphrased section.
Example:
Obama describes the first blissful months as they settled into their marriage: "This was a golden time for us, for the balance of our marriage, him with his purpose and me with mine." (185).
WHAT ARE IN-TEXT CITATIONS?
In-text citations are brief references included in the body of your paper to indicate the book, magazine, or other source you consulted for quotations or facts. In-text citations create the link from the information you took from another source to the complete citation in the Works Cited list at the end of the paper. You keep them short so you are not interrupting the logical development of the thoughts in your paper. In-text citations are used in place of footnotes.
WHY ARE IN-TEXT CITATIONS NEEDED?
Any information you borrow from other authors must be acknowledged in your paper. In-text citations provide the exact source of the quotation (somebody else’s words), or of facts that were gathered by someone else. They give added authority to your paper. They also provide your reader with leads to other sources and permit the reader to check (verify) the sources that you used to come to your conclusions.
HOW ARE IN-TEXT CITATIONS PREPARED?
In-text citations are brief references, enclosed by parentheses, within the text of your paper. They refer the reader to your works cited list. In-text citations usually include the author’s last name and the page number. The reader can then turn to your list of works cited for complete publishing information.
Note: The period goes outside the parentheses, at the end of your in-text citation.
When you quote directly from a source, enclose the quoted section in quotation marks. Add an in-text citation at the end of the quote with the author name and page number:
"The girls made campaigning more relaxing, if only because they weren't much invested in the outcome" (Obama 255).
No Page Numbers
When you quote from electronic sources that do not provide page numbers, like Web pages, cite the author name only.
"I can make micro-improvement in my life over time and see that as enough" (Farkas).
When you write information or ideas from a source in your own words, cite the source by adding an in-text citation at the end of the paraphrased portion.
Paraphrasing from One Page
Include a full in-text citation with the author name and page number (if there is one).
Example:
Michelle Obama explains that when her daughters came on the campaign trail, everybody was more relaxed (Obama 255).
Paraphrasing from Multiple Pages
If the paraphrased information/idea is from several pages, include them.
Example:
A close connection to friends and family is vitally important to Michelle Obama (Obama 45, 61, 295, 425).
When you include actual data like numerical facts or statistics in your work, you also need to clearly state where you saw the data. Make sure to include an in-text citation.
Example:
After the fall of the Berlin Wall, every citizen of the former GDR received 200 DM as welcome money from the Federal Republic of Germany. ("When", 40).