Insert Notes/Parenthetical Documentation/Intext Citations (replace footnotes)

Failure to use documentation or improper citation are a major causes of plagiarism.

Instead of writing footnotes at the bottom of each page, the modern way of giving credit to the source of information is called parenthetical documentation, insert notes, or in text citation.

On this web site we will use the term "Insert Note" predominantly but keep in mind that your instructor and other reference material on research papers may use the terms "Parenthetical Documentation," "In text Citation," "Parenthetical Citation," or "Insert Note" interchangeably.

What is the purpose of an insert note?
Insert notes are a series of citations found within your paper. The purpose of parenthetical references is to lead your reader to the source of your quotations, paraphrases, and summaries. The references direct the reader to the full citation list called the Works Cited page, which is located at the end of your paper. There, the reader can locate all of the information needed to find the sources.

When do I use an insert note?
You should document anything that you used from an outside source; however, if the information is considered common knowledge (for example, if at least four of your sources give the same information), you do not need to use a citation.

For a more detailed explanation of when to document a source, click here.

How do I decide what to include in an insert note?
In order to decide what to include in an insert note, you must first consider what pieces of information about the source already exist in previous sentences or in the immediate context. For example, if you have already mentioned the author's name or the name of the source in the single sentence, you do not need to mention those again in the citation.

What information is needed within an insert note?
In most cases, the author's last name and specific information pertaining to the location of the source, such as the page number(s), are enough.

What information should not be included within an insert note?
Unnecessary information, such as editor or translator, should not be included within a parenthetical citation.

What are the mechanics of including an insert note?

1. Write the paraphrase, summary, or quotation, leaving-out the end punctuation but leaving-in the end quotation mark.
2. After the quotation, place in parenthesis the appropriate information as listed below.
3. Place the period after the parenthesis.
4. Titles, even when shortened, used in insert notes must be punctuated properly.

These notes take different forms depending on their content and the available information:

Examples:

REMINDERS

• Make insert notes brief and accurate.
• To avoid long insert notes, place reference information, such as the author's name, in your sentence.
• Place the insert note as close to the relevant material as possible without disrupting the sentence. Most will appear at the end of sentences.
• Use one insert note at the end of a long section of material that comes from one source and the same pages(s)--do not insert a note at the end of each sentence in this case.
• Insert notes always go outside of a quotation and always before a punctuation mark, such as a period.
• Place the insert note in your essay as your write. Do not wait until the essay is finished.

Visit http://www.dartmouth.edu/~sources/contents.html for more on using insert notes and documenting sources

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