Parenthetical Documentation
Parenthetical documentation, or citing within your report, is the second part of the works cited format. You need to let the reader of your report know where you found the information you are writing about. This is done by inserting parentheses at the exact spot where you are quoting or using someone else’s ideas or information. Inside the parenthesis, you will put specific information. Examples are as follows:
For works where there is one author and page numbers: (Miller 34).
If there are two authors: (Miller, Li 45-49).
If there are two authors with the same last name, include the first initial: (Miller, S. 39).
If there are three authors: (Miller, Li, Hott 87).
If there are more than three authors: (Miller et al. 56).
If in your works cited, there are two separate works by the same author, you need to include the title of the work after the author’s name. You do not have to the write the entire title if it is very long: (Li, Librarians 62).
Sometimes, there is no author listed. In these cases, you will start your parenthetical citation with the next available bit of information, which is the title of the work. Again, you can abbreviate the title if it is too long. If the work is an article, the citation will look like (“Reading” 4). If the work is a book, the citation will look like (Reading 4).
For multi-volume works including encyclopedias:
If the set is arranged alphabetically, you do not have to include volume numbers or page numbers (“Computers”).
If the set is not arranged alphabetically, and you only used one article from the reference set, you need to include the author’s name (if there is one) and the page number. You do not have to include the volume number. (Hott 28).
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