How to Write In-Text Citations for Political Science

In political science, precision in attribution is essential for distinguishing between empirical data, normative arguments, and established theoretical frameworks. Whether analyzing voting behavior or international treaties, your in-text citations must clearly signal the lineage of the ideas you are critiquing or expanding upon.

What Is an In-Text Citations in Political Science?

In-text citations in political science are brief references within the body of your paper that direct readers to the full source in your reference list. Unlike humanities fields that may focus on prose style, political science citations emphasize the currency of the research and the specific school of thought—such as Realism, Constructivism, or Institutionalism—to which the author belongs.

Before You Start

• Confirm if your department requires the American Political Science Association (APSA) style or Chicago Manual of Style (Author-Date).
• Differentiate between primary political documents (constitutions, treaties) and secondary scholarly analysis (journal articles).
• Ensure you have the specific page numbers for direct quotes from foundational texts like 'The Federalist Papers' or 'Leviathan'.
• Identify the primary methodology of your source to ensure you are citing the data correctly within your literature review.
• Verify the institutional author for reports from intergovernmental organizations like the United Nations or the World Bank.

Identify the Author and Publication Date

Most political science journals use the author-date format. Start by identifying the lead researcher or the organization responsible for the dataset.

Example: Mearsheimer argues that the anarchic nature of the international system compels states to seek hegemony.

Tip: If citing a classic work with many editions, use the date of the specific edition you are reading to ensure page numbers match.

Cite Theoretical Frameworks Using Parentheticals

When summarizing a broad theory without a direct quote, place the author and date at the end of the sentence to show the origin of the logic.

Example: Democratic peace theory suggests that liberal democracies are hesitant to engage in armed conflict with one another (Doyle).

Tip: Avoid citing the theory name alone; always link it to the scholar who operationalized it.

Format Direct Quotes with Page Numbers

When quoting specific definitions of political phenomena, such as 'path dependency' or 'soft power,' you must include the page number.

Example: Nye defines soft power as "the ability to get what you want through attraction rather than coercion or payments" (Nye, 11).

Tip: Keep quotes short; in political science, paraphrasing data is usually preferred over long block quotes.

Handle Multiple Authors in Comparative Studies

For works with two or three authors, list all names. For four or more, use the 'et al.' abbreviation after the first author's name.

Example: Levitsky and Ziblatt argue that constitutional safeguards alone are insufficient to protect democracy from authoritarian populism.

Tip: In the reference list, you will list all authors, but the in-text citation stays concise.

Cite Institutional Data and Reports

Political science often relies on data from the IMF, OECD, or Freedom House. Use the organization's name as the author.

Example: Global levels of political rights and civil liberties have declined for the 15th consecutive year (Freedom House).

Tip: Use the full name in the first citation and an abbreviation in subsequent citations if it is well-known.

Reference Legal Cases and Constitutions

Unlike standard books, legal citations for Supreme Court cases or international law use the case name in italics followed by the year.

Example: The expansion of executive power was challenged in Youngstown Sheet & Tube Co. v. Sawyer.

Tip: Check if your subfield (e.g., Constitutional Law) requires Bluebook style instead of APSA.

Integrate Secondary Citations Carefully

If you are reading a critique of Marx by a modern scholar, cite the modern scholar and mention the original work in the text.

Example: Waltz's interpretation of Rousseau's 'Stag Hunt' illustrates the structural constraints of systemic anarchy.

Tip: Always try to find the original source rather than relying on a 'cited in' reference.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Citing a political party's platform as an objective fact rather than a primary source document.
• Forgetting to include the year of publication, which is vital in political science to gauge the relevance of policy data.
• Misattributing a theory to a secondary commentator instead of the original theorist (e.g., attributing 'Orientalism' to a reviewer instead of Edward Said).
• Using 'ibid.' in APSA style; modern political science formatting generally prefers repeated author-date citations.
• Failing to cite the specific dataset version when using longitudinal studies like the World Values Survey.

Pro Tips

• When citing a translated work, such as Weber's 'Economy and Society,' note the original publication date if relevant to your historical analysis.
• Use signal verbs that reflect the author's stance, such as 'posits,' 'contends,' or 'demonstrates,' to add nuance to your literature review.
• If citing multiple works by the same author in the same year, append letters (e.g., Huntington a, b) to the date.
• Place the citation before the period at the end of the sentence, never after.
• For news articles from The Economist or New York Times, use the publication name as the author if no byline is provided.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I cite a speech by a political leader?

Cite the speaker as the author and use the year the speech was delivered. In your reference list, provide the full date and the location or medium where the speech was accessed.

What is the difference between APSA and Chicago style citations?

APSA is based on Chicago style but includes specific rules for government documents and legal cases. Most political science journals prefer APSA because it handles legislative citations more effectively.

Do I need to cite a common political term like 'Gerrymandering'?

If you are using the general term, no citation is needed. However, if you are citing a specific study's measurement of gerrymandering (like the efficiency gap), you must cite the researchers who developed that metric.

How do I cite a tweet or social media post from a politician?

Use the handle or name of the account as the author and the year of the post. Ensure the text clearly indicates the platform to provide context for the communication.

Related Resources

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• How to Write In-Text Citations for Biology

• How to Write In-Text Citations for Psychology

• How to Write a Sentence Rewriting for Political Science

• How to Write Topic Sentences for Political Science

• How to Write a Paragraph Structure for Political Science

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