APA Paraphrase Citation
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0 sourcesAPA Paraphrase Citation restates a source’s idea in your own words and credits it with an in-text citation naming the author and year, such as (Kang, 2016). Page numbers are optional but encouraged to help readers locate the passage in longer works.
How do you cite a paraphrase in APA?
To cite a paraphrase in APA, restate the source idea in fresh wording and add an in-text citation with the author’s surname and the publication year. No quotation marks are used, because the words are your own, but the credit is still required.
APA gives you two placements. A parenthetical citation puts both elements in parentheses at the end of the sentence: the wording matters less than the source, so we credit it quietly. A narrative citation weaves the author into your prose and puts only the year in parentheses. Both are correct; choose whichever reads more smoothly.
| Type | Pattern | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Parenthetical | (Author, Year) | Spacing study sessions improves long-term retention (Kang, 2016). |
| Narrative | Author (Year) | Kang (2016) found that spacing study sessions improves retention. |
| With page (optional) | (Author, Year, p. #) | Spacing improves retention (Kang, 2016, p. 14). |
What is the APA paraphrase citation format?
The in-text format is (Surname, Year), and every paraphrase must also point to a full entry in your reference list. The in-text tag is deliberately short; the reference list carries the title, source, and DOI so readers can find the work.
- Author — surname then initials; this surname is what appears in-text.
- Date — publication year in parentheses; matches the in-text year.
- Title — article title in sentence case, not italicised.
- Source — italicised journal name, volume(issue), and page range.
- DOI — full https link, no period after it.
The link between the two is the surname + year. Whatever appears in your parentheses, an exactly matching reference entry must exist, and vice versa. That is how a reader moves from your sentence to the original study.
Do you need a page number when paraphrasing in APA?
No, a page number is not required for a paraphrase in APA 7. Author and year alone satisfy the rule. However, APA encourages adding a page or paragraph number when it would help readers locate the passage in a long or complex text.
Include a locator when you paraphrase a specific claim buried in a book, report, or lengthy article. Use p. for one page, pp. for a range, and para. for numbered paragraphs on a webpage without pages. For a broad idea drawn from the whole work, author and year are enough.
| Situation | Locator | Example |
|---|---|---|
| General idea, short article | None | (Kang, 2016) |
| Specific point in a book | Page | (Nguyen, 2019, p. 84) |
| Point spanning pages | Page range | (Nguyen, 2019, pp. 84–85) |
| Web page, no pages | Paragraph | (Okafor, 2021, para. 3) |
APA paraphrase citation examples
These examples show a paraphrased sentence followed by the reference-list entry it relies on. The wording is original; only the idea is borrowed, so no quotation marks appear.
ParentheticalDistributed practice outperforms cramming for durable learning (Kang, 2016).
ReferenceKang, S. H. K. (2016). Spaced repetition promotes efficient and effective learning: Policy implications for instruction. Policy Insights from the Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 3(1), 12–19. https://doi.org/10.1177/2372732215624708
NarrativeSweller (1988) argued that heavy working-memory load can hinder novice problem-solving.
ReferenceSweller, J. (1988). Cognitive load during problem solving: Effects on learning. Cognitive Science, 12(2), 257–285. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15516709cog1202_4
With pageFrequent low-stakes testing strengthens memory more than rereading does (Roediger & Karpicke, 2006, p. 251).
ReferenceRoediger, H. L., & Karpicke, J. D. (2006). Test-enhanced learning: Taking memory tests improves long-term retention. Psychological Science, 17(3), 249–255. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9280.2006.01693.x
How do you paraphrase sources with multiple authors?
APA shortens author names as the count grows. One or two authors are always named in full; three or more collapse to the first author plus et al. from the very first citation. Join two names with an ampersand inside parentheses and with “and” in narrative text.
| Authors | Parenthetical | Narrative |
|---|---|---|
| One | (Kang, 2016) | Kang (2016) |
| Two | (Roediger & Karpicke, 2006) | Roediger and Karpicke (2006) |
| Three or more | (Dunlosky et al., 2013) | Dunlosky et al. (2013) |
| Group author | (American Psychological Association, 2020) | The American Psychological Association (2020) |
When one paraphrase blends several studies, list them alphabetically inside one set of parentheses, separated by semicolons: (Dunlosky et al., 2013; Kang, 2016; Sweller, 1988). For a long paraphrase in narrative form, you need not repeat the year each time the author reappears within the same paragraph, provided the source stays unmistakable.
How accurate is this, and what are the limits?
These rules reflect APA 7th edition, the current standard for most psychology, education, nursing, and social-science courses. They are accurate for that edition, but three cautions apply before you submit.
- A paraphrase must genuinely reword the source. Swapping a few synonyms while keeping the sentence structure is “patchwriting” and can be flagged as plagiarism even with a citation. Rebuild the idea in your own syntax.
- Citing is not optional. A paraphrase without a citation is plagiarism, because the idea is still borrowed even when the words are yours.
- Edition and instructor rules vary. Some programs still require APA 6, and some instructors ask for a page number on every paraphrase. When a syllabus contradicts this page, follow the syllabus.
A generator formats the citation correctly, but only you can confirm the paraphrase itself is faithful and original. Treat automated output as a formatting aid, not a plagiarism check.
APA paraphrase citation FAQ
Do you use quotation marks when paraphrasing in APA?
No. Quotation marks are only for direct quotations. A paraphrase is in your own words, so you add the author and year but no quotation marks.
Is a page number required for an APA paraphrase?
No, a page number is not required for paraphrases in APA 7. It is encouraged when it helps readers find the passage in a long or complex source.
What is the difference between paraphrasing and quoting in APA?
Quoting copies exact wording inside quotation marks with a required page number. Paraphrasing restates the idea in new words with author and year, and the page number is optional.
How do you cite a paraphrase with no author?
Use the first few words of the title in place of the author, in title case: (Learning Strategies, 2020). Italicise book and report titles; put article titles in quotation marks.
Can one citation cover a whole paraphrased paragraph?
Yes, if the source stays clear throughout. Introduce the author early, and repeat the citation only where a reader might otherwise lose track of which idea is borrowed.
Does a paraphrase still need a reference list entry?
Yes. Every in-text paraphrase citation must match a full entry in your reference list, exactly as a quotation would.