textcitation

textcitation is a term that can refer to the act of referencing a source within the body of a written work, as opposed to in a separate bibliography or works cited page. This is often done by including the author's last name and the year of publication, or a page number, in parentheses immediately following the borrowed information. This allows the reader to quickly identify the origin of specific ideas, facts, or quotations.

There are various established styles for in-text citation, such as the American Psychological Association (APA) style, which typically uses author-date format, and the Modern Language Association (MLA) style, which often uses author-page number format. Chicago style also offers both author-date and notes-bibliography systems, with the latter using footnotes or endnotes for in-text references. The specific style chosen often depends on the academic discipline or publication guidelines.

The primary purpose of textcitation is to provide readers with the ability to locate the original source material. This practice upholds academic integrity by giving credit to original authors and avoiding plagiarism. It also enables readers to verify information, explore topics in greater depth, and understand the context from which the information was drawn. Proper textcitation is a fundamental skill in academic and professional writing.