Best Examples of ASA Format In-Text Citation Examples (2024 Guide)

Quick examples of ASA format in-text citation examples

Let’s start with what you probably came for: real, concrete examples of ASA format in-text citation examples you can copy, adapt, and use.

In ASA style, in-text citations usually include the author’s last name and the year of publication, with page numbers when you quote directly. Here are a few sentences that show the pattern in action:

• One author, paraphrase: Sociological research shows that neighborhood context shapes educational outcomes (Sampson 2012).
• One author, quotation with page: “Health disparities are deeply embedded in social structures” (Williams 2020:45).
• Two authors: Studies of social capital highlight the role of trust in communities (Putnam and Campbell 2010).
• Three authors, first mention: Recent work emphasizes the intersection of race, class, and gender (Collins, Bilge, and May 2021).
• Three authors, later mentions: Intersectionality research continues to expand (Collins et al. 2021).
• Organization as author: Recent data show rising rates of teen e-cigarette use (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2024).

These are just a few of the best examples of ASA format in-text citation examples you’ll see throughout this guide. Next, we’ll slow down and walk through specific situations you’re likely to face in a 2024–2025 sociology paper.

Core pattern: example of a basic ASA in-text citation

At its heart, ASA in-text citation follows a simple pattern:

(Author Year) for paraphrases, and (Author Year:Page) for direct quotes.

Here’s an example of ASA format in-text citation for a paraphrase:

Social networks influence access to job opportunities (Granovetter 1973).

And a direct quote with a page number:

Granovetter argues that “weak ties” can be surprisingly powerful in job searches (Granovetter 1973:137).

You can also integrate the author into the sentence and keep the year and page in parentheses:

As Granovetter (1973:137) explains, “weak ties” often bridge otherwise disconnected groups.

These are the simplest examples of ASA format in-text citation examples, and once you’re comfortable with this pattern, everything else is just a variation.

Examples of ASA format in-text citation examples for different numbers of authors

The number of authors changes how you write the citation. This is where students often hesitate, so let’s walk through several real examples.

One author

For a single author, use the last name and year:

Rising economic inequality has reshaped family life in the United States (Cherlin 2014).

Quoted with a page number:

Cherlin (2014:62) notes that “family instability is more common among the less educated.”

Two authors

For two authors, use and between their last names (not an ampersand):

Political polarization has deepened in recent decades (Pew Research Center and Nieman 2023).

Or in the sentence:

Pew Research Center and Nieman (2023) document growing divides in media trust.

Another clear example of ASA format in-text citation with two authors:

Studies show that religious polarization interacts with political identity (Putnam and Campbell 2010).

Three or more authors

For three authors, ASA style wants you to list all authors the first time and then use et al. afterward.

First mention:

Climate-related migration is projected to increase over the next decades (Black, Adger, and Arnell 2022).

Later mentions:

Black et al. (2022) argue that climate stress interacts with existing social inequalities.

Direct quote with page:

“Migration decisions are rarely driven by climate alone” (Black et al. 2022:19).

These are some of the best examples of ASA format in-text citation examples for handling multiple authors in a way that looks polished and correct.

Examples include organizations, government reports, and no author

Modern sociology papers in 2024–2025 often rely on data from organizations, agencies, and online reports. Here are examples of ASA format in-text citation examples for those.

Organization as author

Use the full name of the organization as it appears in your reference list. You can abbreviate later if it’s long and well known, but spell it out the first time.

First mention:

According to recent public health data, obesity rates remain high among U.S. adults (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2023).

Later mention with abbreviation:

The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2023) also reports widening racial disparities in health outcomes.

Another real example:

College enrollment patterns shifted significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic (National Center for Education Statistics 2024).

These examples of ASA format in-text citation examples show how cleanly organizational authors can fit into your sentences.

No individual author listed

If no personal author is given, use the organization or the title. Avoid “Anonymous” unless that’s how it appears in the source.

Using a report title:

Recent trends show an increase in remote work across multiple sectors ("Future of Work in America” 2024).

Or with an organization instead of a personal author:

Data from the U.S. Census Bureau (2024) indicate continuing shifts in household composition.

If your source truly has no author and is cited by title in the references, use the first few words of the title in quotation marks.

Real examples of ASA format in-text citation examples for multiple sources

Sometimes you need to show that several studies support the same point. In ASA style, you put all the citations in the same parentheses, separated by semicolons, and ordered alphabetically.

Here’s an example of ASA format in-text citation with multiple sources:

Research consistently links neighborhood disadvantage to health outcomes (Diez Roux 2001; Sampson 2012; Williams 2020).

Or with organizations and individuals mixed:

Surveys show rising mental health concerns among college students (American College Health Association 2024; Lipson et al. 2023; National Institute of Mental Health 2024).

These examples include individual scholars and organizations in the same parenthetical citation, which is very common in current sociological writing.

If you mention some authors in the sentence, you can still group others in parentheses:

Lipson et al. (2023) and the American College Health Association (2024) both report elevated anxiety and depression among undergraduates.

Direct quotes vs. paraphrase: examples of page numbers in ASA citations

Page numbers are required in ASA style when you use a direct quote, and strongly recommended for very specific facts or data. Here are real examples of ASA format in-text citation examples showing when and how to include them.

Direct quote

“Racism is not simply an individual attitude but a social system” (Bonilla-Silva 2018:8).

Or integrated into the sentence:

Bonilla-Silva (2018:8) argues that “racism is not simply an individual attitude but a social system.”

Specific statistic or finding

In a recent national survey, 42 percent of adults reported working remotely at least part-time (Pew Research Center 2024:5).

For general paraphrases that summarize a whole argument or chapter, page numbers are optional:

Remote work is reshaping family routines and gender dynamics in the home (Pew Research Center 2024).

When in doubt, including the page number is usually a good idea—it helps your reader and shows you’ve actually looked at the source.

2024–2025 trends: online sources, social media, and datasets

Modern sociology papers increasingly cite digital sources: government dashboards, online reports, social media posts, and datasets. Let’s look at examples of ASA format in-text citation examples that match these newer sources.

Online government reports and data dashboards

Most online government reports are cited just like print reports: author (often an agency) and year.

COVID-19 mortality rates vary dramatically by race and ethnicity (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2024).

Recent labor statistics show a tight job market in many service sectors (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics 2025).

Even if the report is updated frequently online, you still use the year in your reference list (often the year you accessed or the latest update shown on the page).

Datasets

If you’re using a dataset, treat the data producer as the author.

Analysis of General Social Survey data shows declining trust in institutions (NORC at the University of Chicago 2022).

According to the Panel Study of Income Dynamics, income volatility has increased since the 1980s (University of Michigan 2023).

These examples include well-known sociological datasets and show how cleanly they fit into ASA’s author-year system.

Social media and online content

Social media isn’t always your professor’s favorite source, but in 2024–2025, it’s often relevant for studying movements, discourse, and public opinion. In ASA style, you still stick to the author-year pattern.

Public reaction to the new policy was swift and polarized (Hernandez 2023).

In your reference list, you’d give full details (e.g., Hernandez, Maria. 2023. “Tweet text…” Twitter/X post, Month Day), but in-text you just need the author and year.

If the post is by an organization:

The campaign gained momentum after a widely shared statement from the American Sociological Association (American Sociological Association 2024).

These modern examples of ASA format in-text citation examples help your paper feel current and aligned with how sociologists actually work with digital content today.

Tricky situations: same author, same year, and secondary citations

A few situations cause headaches even for strong writers. Here are practical examples of ASA format in-text citation examples for those edge cases.

Same author, same year

Use lowercase letters after the year to distinguish sources. The letters must match what you use in your reference list.

Social media use among teens has increased steadily (Twenge 2019a, 2019b).

If you’re referring to just one of those works:

Twenge (2019a) argues that digital media use is linked to changes in adolescent well-being.

Citing a source you found in another source (secondary citation)

ASA strongly prefers that you track down the original source. But if that’s impossible, you can cite it in a limited way. Mention the original author in the text, but cite the source you actually read.

Durkheim’s early work on suicide highlighted the role of social integration (as cited in Giddens 2021).

In your reference list, you would only include Giddens 2021, not Durkheim’s original work (unless you actually read it).

Use this sparingly; professors often mark off for too many secondary citations.

FAQ: common questions and short examples

What is one clear example of ASA format in-text citation for a book?

If you’re citing a book by a single author, you can write:

Bourdieu (1984) argues that cultural tastes reflect social class.

Or in parentheses:

Cultural tastes often reproduce class distinctions (Bourdieu 1984).

Do I always need a page number in ASA in-text citations?

You must include a page number for direct quotes:

“Gender is a primary way of signifying relationships of power” (Scott 1986:1067).

For general paraphrases, page numbers are optional but recommended when referring to a specific part of the work.

How do I handle three or more authors in ASA style?

In ASA format, you list all authors the first time:

(Smith, Jones, and Lee 2022)

After that, you can shorten to:

(Smith et al. 2022)

This is one of the most common examples of ASA format in-text citation examples that students forget, so it’s worth double-checking.

Can I cite websites in ASA in-text citations?

Yes. If the website has a clear author or organization and a year, use the standard author-year format:

Many universities have expanded mental health services for students (Harvard University 2024).

If there’s no date, ASA often uses n.d. (no date):

Some advocacy groups provide online toolkits for organizers (Climate Justice Network n.d.).

How do I show multiple sources support the same point?

Group them in one set of parentheses, separated by semicolons and ordered alphabetically:

Several studies find that neighborhood violence affects children’s academic performance (Anderson 1999; Harding 2010; Sharkey 2018).

These short FAQ answers give you quick examples of ASA format in-text citation examples you can adapt directly into your own writing.

If you keep the basic author-year pattern in mind and use these real examples as a model, ASA in-text citations stop being scary and start feeling like a simple, repeatable habit. When you’re unsure, check your assignment instructions and compare your sentence to a similar example here, and you’ll be in good shape.