They are simple notation systems that allow you to use numbers in the body of a text to reference a cited work.

Endnotes and footnotesĮndnotes and footnotes help declutter your writing. Both of these citation types are common in APA style. Another similar method of citing is using parenthetical citations, as the referencing information is usually placed within parentheses. When referencing other literature by author name or title in the text paragraphs of your paper, you are using in-text citations.

Both styles require you to also provide a reference list at the end of the document. In your research paper, you can make references to source materials using either endnotes and footnotes (i.e., numbers in the text that refer to the bottom of the page or the end of the paper) or in-text citations. When referring to published literature, you need to provide details so that others can find and review the original material you base your ideas and claims on. Let’s start with some general definitions, and then look at specific rules of the most common style guides. This article focuses on how to name the authors of cited works, including when to use the abbreviated Latin term “et al.” that usually accompanies the phrase “author et al.” Please make sure to follow the relevant journal guidelines concerning punctuation, citation style, etc., as publishers do not always follow the exact same formatting rules. Unfortunately, however, the rules regarding this common practice are not always easy to decipher, even for the best of us! We have published a number of other articles that help you navigate citation requirements, for example on the best citation format for science papers, how many references you should include in your research paper, and the general differences between common citation styles. We acknowledge people’s ideas and findings by providing citations.

We publish because we want to share our knowledge and because we want recognition for our work.

Endnotes example apa