How to Cite if an Author Is a Doctor

Quoting a doctor in your scholarly paper can lend weight to your argument. However, it's important to give the proper credit to the contributors you use. Several style manuals are used for research papers and manuscripts, including those of the MLA (Modern Language Association), APA (American Psychological Association) and AMA (American Medical Association). According to MLA style, listing a doctor's credentials is inappropriate for the works-cited page, but it is acceptable to include them with the quoted text in your paper.

Use an in-text citation. Introduce the quote with the doctor's name and credentials. For example, "According to Dr. Ezra Gomes of Institute X, 'insert quote here.'"

Cite the author in parentheses following the quote. List the last name followed by the year published. For example, a quote from a paper written by Dr. Ezra Gomes in 2005 would be followed by: (Gomes, 2005).

Corroborate controversial quotes. Be familiar with how the doctor's work is viewed by his academic community. For instance, if you are using the quote to substantiate a controversial theory, you might consider adding another example or two to support the original idea.

List the author's name in the reference section or on the works-cited page. List the last name first, followed by the first name and middle initials. Do not include academic credentials (e.g., MD, MPH, PhD) when citing doctors.

Make sure to follow the style manual required for your research paper or publication.

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