What is the purpose of using parentheses in citations?

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What is the purpose of using parentheses in citations?

The purpose of using parentheses in citations is to provide additional information or clarification within the text while maintaining the flow of the sentence. Parentheses are commonly used in citations to include the author's last name and the year of publication, especially in APA (American Psychological Association) style. This allows readers to easily locate the full reference in the bibliography or reference list at the end of the document.

In addition to providing the author's name and publication year, parentheses can also be used to include page numbers when quoting or referencing specific passages from a source. This helps readers to quickly find the exact information being cited.

Furthermore, parentheses can be used to include other relevant information such as the edition of a book, the volume and issue number of a journal article, or the specific chapter or section being referenced. This additional information helps to provide context and specificity to the citation.

Overall, the purpose of using parentheses in citations is to ensure proper attribution of sources and to provide readers with the necessary information to locate and verify the cited material. By using parentheses, writers can seamlessly integrate citations into their text while maintaining clarity and readability.