Yes, you can include full names in your narrative in-text citations. While it's conventional to use only surnames, especially in in-text citations, there's no strict "rule" in the APA Publication Manual against using full names. For instance, when referencing a well-known person, you might opt to use their full name initially and then switch to their surname in subsequent mentions and in in-text citations. Each text varies, and there may be situations where continuing to use a full name makes sense. The guidelines in the APA Publication Manual for in-text citations aim to cover the most common scenarios, but like any guidelines, there are occasional exceptions.
Examples:
- Betty White was a television icon. Although she was a phenomenal comedic performer, she once stated, “Writing is my favorite thing” (White, 2011).
- In her treatise, Marie Curie (1910) wrote about radioactivity. Curie won a second Nobel Prize in 1911.
Links & Files
- APA Guide : In text citations Opens in new window
- How do I reference a single name author in APA 7? Opens in new window
- How do I reference an author with a hyphenated or two-part first names or surnames in APA? Opens in new window
- In APA 7th, how do I differentiate between in-text references when the same lead author has written different papers in the same year? Opens in new window
- How do I reference sources with the same author, published in the same year in APA Style? Opens in new window
- Can I abbreviate a corporate author's name in the in-text reference? Opens in new window
- How do I reference sources with the same author, published in the same year in APA Style? Opens in new window
- I am referencing a government document in APA style. Who should I list as the author? Opens in new window
- How do I reference a website, both in-text and in the reference list, when there is no author or date? Opens in new window
Was this helpful? 0 0
