Q. Hi—I’m editing a MS where the author has included the page reference for a quotation as follows:
. . . a performative intervention that would “challenge the conceptual categories that frame” such historical encounters (Merrill 2006, 65).
Is the citation placement correct? In APA the citation immediately follows the quotation, e.g.,
. . . that frame” (Merrill 2006, p. 65) such historical encounters.
But as the author has adopted this generally as a style, I’m thinking it might be right according to Chicago (with which I am less familiar). Can you help, please?
A. CMOS does not dictate a single approach to placing citations, but if you move a citation, you must be careful not to change the nature of the attribution. Presumably your writer wants to attribute the entire thought to Merrill 2006, but APA style obscures that point (in addition to separating the verb from the direct object). If you move citations in this MS, be prepared to explain why, and ask the author to check that you haven’t introduced any problems.