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In APA style, for in text citations for paraphrases from journal articles, do I need to reference the page number or just the author and year?

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In APA style, for in text citations for paraphrases from journal articles, do I need to reference the page number or just the author and year? Different references say different things and I have had different professors mark me wrong for not including page numbers.

Answered By: Linda Kern
Last Updated: Dec 12, 2016     Views: 660

Hello!

According to the APA Publication Manual 6th edition, section 6.04, p. 171, "When paraphrasing or referring to an idea contained in another work, you are encouraged to provide a page or paragraph number, especially when it would help an interested reader locate the relevant passage in a long or complex text." The Manual is the authoritative reference.

As you can see, this is a gray area. I recommend adding the page number when paraphrasing just to be on the safe side.

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