How to Paraphrase in APA Style (7th Edition)

Paraphrasing in APA style requires more than just rewriting someone's words—you must also format the citation correctly. APA (American Psychological Association) uses the author-date system, which means every paraphrase needs an in-text citation with the author's name and publication year, followed by a full reference entry in your reference list. This guide walks you through APA paraphrasing rules, formatting, and real-world examples.

The APA Author-Date System for Paraphrasing

APA's core rule for paraphrasing is simple: every paraphrased idea needs an in-text citation. Unlike direct quotes, paraphrases don't use quotation marks, but the citation is still mandatory. The basic format is:

(Author Year)

Or, when the author's name is already in your sentence:

Author (Year) explained that [paraphrased idea].

The 7th edition of the APA Publication Manual emphasizes that paraphrasing without citation is plagiarism, even if you've reworded the entire passage. This is why understanding proper APA paraphrasing is essential for academic integrity.

In-Text Citation Format for Paraphrases

One Author

Narrative citation (author name in sentence):

Smith (2022) found that remote work increases employee satisfaction but reduces collaboration.

Parenthetical citation (author-date in parentheses):

Remote work increases employee satisfaction but reduces collaboration (Smith, 2022).

Two Authors

Both author names appear in every citation:

Johnson and Lee (2021) demonstrated that social media algorithms prioritize engagement.

(Johnson & Lee, 2021)

Note the ampersand (&) in parenthetical citations but "and" in narrative citations.

Three or More Authors

First mention: List all authors.

Garcia, Martinez, and Thompson (2020) argued that climate policy requires international cooperation.

Subsequent mentions: Use "et al."

Garcia et al. (2020) argued that climate policy requires international cooperation.

In parenthetical citations, use "et al." from the first mention:

(Garcia et al., 2020)

Corporate or Government Author

If the author is an organization, use its abbreviation after the first citation:

First: (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2023)

Subsequent: (CDC, 2023)

Paraphrasing Without Quotation Marks: Step-by-Step

The key difference between quoting and paraphrasing in APA is this: paraphrases use no quotation marks, but they require citations. Here's how to do it correctly:

Read the source material thoroughly.
Close the source and rewrite the idea entirely in your own words.
Check your paraphrase against the original to ensure you haven't used the same sentence structure or key phrases.
Add an APA in-text citation immediately after the paraphrased sentence.

Here's a real example:

Original source:

"Artificial intelligence has begun to reshape how organizations approach customer service, enabling faster response times and 24/7 availability through automated systems" (Chen, 2023, p. 45).

Poor paraphrase (too close to original—plagiarism even with citation):

"Artificial intelligence has started to change how companies handle customer service, allowing quicker responses and round-the-clock access through automatic systems" (Chen, 2023).

Proper paraphrase in APA:

Organizations are using AI to transform their customer service operations, providing immediate responses and continuous availability (Chen, 2023).

The proper paraphrase restructures the sentence, changes vocabulary, and shifts emphasis—all while correctly citing the source.

APA Reference List Entries for Paraphrased Sources

Every paraphrased source must appear in your reference list. The reference entry depends on the source type:

Book

Author Last, F. M. (Year). Title of book. Publisher.

Smith, J. A. (2022). Remote work and workplace culture. Academic Press.

Journal Article

Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Year). Title of article. Title of Journal, Volume*(Issue)*, page range. DOI

Johnson, M. & Lee, S. (2021). Social media and employee engagement. Journal of Business Research, 45(3), 234–251. https://doi.org/10.1234/example

Website or Blog

Author, A. A. (Year, Month Day). Title of web page. Name of Website. Retrieved from URL

Garcia, P. (2023, June 15). Climate policy and international cooperation. Climate Action Today. Retrieved from https://example.com/article

Common APA Paraphrasing Scenarios

Scenario	Format	Example
Author mentioned in text	Author (Year) paraphrased idea	Smith (2022) found that remote work increases productivity.
Author not mentioned	Paraphrased idea (Author, Year)	Remote work increases productivity (Smith, 2022).
Two authors	Both names + Year	Johnson and Lee (2021) demonstrated...
Three+ authors first mention	All names + Year (then et al.)	Garcia, Martinez, and Thompson (2020) argued...
No author (government source)	Organization name (Year)	(Centers for Disease Control [CDC], 2023)

Page Numbers in APA Paraphrasing

APA style recommends (but doesn't always require) including page numbers for paraphrases, especially if the source is long and you want to help readers locate the specific material:

(Smith, 2022, p. 45)

Or:

Smith (2022, p. 45) found that remote work increases employee satisfaction.

For online sources without page numbers, use paragraph numbers if available:

(Jones, 2023, para. 4)

Combining Paraphrasing With Direct Quotes in APA

Sometimes you'll paraphrase one part and quote another. Here's how to combine them properly:

Smith (2022) explains that remote work transforms workplace dynamics. As she notes, "employees gain flexibility but lose spontaneous collaboration" (p. 67). This shift requires new strategies for team connection.

Notice: The paraphrased idea has an author-year citation, and the direct quote includes author, year, and page number.

How to Paraphrase Without Plagiarizing in APA

The most common mistake is paraphrasing too closely—changing only a few words while keeping the source's structure. To avoid this in APA:

Understand the idea deeply.
Rewrite using completely different sentence structure and vocabulary.
Learn how to paraphrase without plagiarizing by reading the full guide.
Check your paraphrase against the original.
Cite using APA author-date format.

Tools like HumanMe can help you refine your paraphrase wording after you've completed the intellectual work of understanding and rewriting, ensuring your final version is distinct from the source.

APA Paraphrasing Checklist

My paraphrase is in my own words, not just synonyms for the source's words
My paraphrase has different sentence structure than the original
I've included an in-text citation with author and year
For print sources, I've included page numbers when possible
My full source appears in the reference list
I haven't used quotation marks (paraphrases don't use them)
I haven't accidentally left the same phrases as the original

Key takeaways

Every paraphrase in APA requires an in-text citation with author and year, even without page numbers.
Paraphrases don't use quotation marks, but they must still be cited.
The author-date system (Author Year) is the foundation of APA in-text citations.
For multiple authors, include all names in the first mention; use "et al." for three or more authors in subsequent mentions.
Your reference list must include full details for every source you paraphrased.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a page number when paraphrasing in APA?

Page numbers are recommended but not always required for paraphrases. If the source is long (like a book or report), including a page number is helpful so readers can locate the specific material. For websites or short articles, a page number may not be necessary.

What's the difference between APA paraphrasing and MLA paraphrasing?

APA uses author-date citations (Smith, 2022), while MLA uses author-page citations (Smith 45). Both require citations for paraphrases, but the in-text format differs. The reference list also differs—APA calls it "References," while MLA calls it "Works Cited."

Can I paraphrase the same source multiple times in my paper?

Yes, you can cite the same source multiple times. Each paraphrase from that source needs its own citation. If you're paraphrasing the same idea repeatedly, it's often better to cite it once and add your own analysis rather than repeatedly paraphrasing the same material.