What citation style is used for in-text citations in APA format?

The author-date citation style is integral to APA format, allowing readers to quickly identify the source of information within the text. In this style, the author's last name and the year of publication are provided in parentheses right after the quoted or paraphrased material. For example, you might see something like (Smith, 2020) within the text. This method promotes clarity and gives immediate attribution to the source at the point of use, which is especially important in academic writing for maintaining the integrity and credibility of research.

This style contrasts with footnote citation, which places references at the bottom of the page; numeric citation, which uses numbers in the text linked to a reference list; or sentence citation, which does not correspond to formal citation standards. By using the author-date method, APA helps ensure that readers can easily locate full details of cited works in the reference list at the end of the document.