In-Text Citations
23 Indirect Source Citation
In APA style, an “indirect citation” is referred to as a secondary source citation. This should be used only when you are unable to access the original source. A secondary source citation occurs when you reference information or an idea that was cited in another author’s work, rather than from the original source itself. In the in-text citation, include both the original author and the source you actually consulted, using the phrase “as cited in” before the latter. In the reference list, include only the full citation for the source you accessed directly—not the original one.
Example of an Indirect Source Citation (APA Style)
Narrative citation:
Frenette (2017, as cited in Bates, 2019) indicates that post-secondary enrolment by 19-year-olds has been increasing in Canada (1.1).
Parenthetical citation:
(Frenette, 2017, as cited in Bates, 2019, 1.1)
Reference:
Bates, A. W. (2019). Teaching in a digital age: Guidelines for teaching and learning (2nd ed.). B.C. Faculty Pressbooks. https://pressbooks.bccampus.ca/teachinginadigitalagev2/
Example adapted from the Saskatchewan Polytechnic APA 7 Guide
Now that we’ve covered the basics of in-text citations, head to the next section to complete a quiz.
