I have included parenthetical citations for:
__ all paraphrases.
__ all direct quotations.
__ all summaries.
My parenthetical citations:
__ relate to sources in my Works Cited or Reference page.
__ are put at the end of the sentence.
__ All the facts and information that come before the citation are from that source.
Examples in MLA Style:
Paraphrase: Because children were usually baptised soon after birth, we celebrate Shakepeare's birthday as April 23, 1564 (Best).
Quotation: April 23rd is also the date of his death which provides a "pleasing, though possibly artificial, symmetry to his life" (Best).
The parenthetical citations above relate to this citation from the Works Cited:
Best, Michael. Internet Shakespeare Editions. N.p., 2 Apr. 2012. Web. 24 Jan. 2013.
A "signal phrase" is used to introduce a quotation or paraphrased information.
Example with quotation: According to Michael Best, celebrating Shakespeare's birthday as the same date as his death provides a "pleasing, though possibly artificial, symmetry to his life" (Best).
You use them after every quotation, paraphrase, or summary. All the facts and information before the parenthetical citation must have come from the same source. The only time you do not use one is for your thoughts and opinions, and anything considered "common knowledge." An example of common knowledge is "George Washington was the first President of the United States." This doesn't need a citation. Use this rule of thumb. If you didn't know it before you read it, it is probably not common knowledge.
Websites - use author: (Best).
Websites with no author - use article title in quotes: ("Shakespeare's Childhood").
Database articles - use author: (Morris).
Database articles with no author - use article title in quotes: ("Shakespeare's Childhood").