An inline citation (or inline reference) is a citation placed at the end of a sentence or paragraph for the purpose of cataloging where the said information came from. Inline citations may include electronic and print references, such as books, magazines, encyclopedias, dictionaries, and the internet. The purpose of an inline citation is to provide evidence for one's claim(s) and/or fact(s).

Systems in use

The two most popular formal systems of in-text citations are Harvard style and footnotes. Less formal system of inline citations found online include simple hyperlinks to refer to online texts.

At present, academic legal articles are always footnoted, but motions submitted to courts and court opinions traditionally use inline citations which are either separate sentences or separate clauses. Inline citation is controversial among lawyers, because it is thought to be one of the reasons why most laypersons find legal writing hard to read.

See also

• Citation