How an instructor’s name should appear in a research paper depends on the guidelines set forth by the chosen style guide. The two most commonly used guides for formatting research papers are the American Psychological Association (APA) style and the Modern Language Association (MLA) style. While styles may vary slightly depending on publisher preferences, these guides provide the standard formats for documenting sources and structuring paper elements.
The APA style recommends including the instructor’s name in a signal phrase within the body of the paper when their teachings or guidance directly relate to the research being presented. For example, “According to Smith (2021) course lecture, operant conditioning plays an important role in shaping human behavior.” Alternatively, the name can be included in a parenthetical citation at the end of the sentence. “Operant conditioning plays an important role in shaping human behavior (Smith, 2021).”
When the instructor’s teachings are considered common knowledge or included as part of an anthology, textbook, or class materials, only the year is necessary in citations per APA style guidelines. For example, “Positive reinforcement is an effective tool for behavior modification (2021).” It is not necessary to repeatedly name the instructor throughout the paper if context makes the source clear.
The name should be written in standard title case format with only the last name and initials used on first reference even if the instructor’s full name is known. For example, “John Q. Smith” would appear as “Smith, J.Q.” in the body of the paper and “Smith” in subsequent references. The publication year should match the year the materials were presented or published, not the instructor’s year of birth or personal publication history.
The MLA style does not require direct inclusion of the instructor’s name in citations within the body of the paper. Instead, it follows a “Works Cited” format where full source information is listed alphabetically by last name at the end. For an instructor, the first and last name should be written with the last name first followed by a comma, a space, their first name, and any applicable titles or credentials.
For example:
Smith, John Q., instructor. Course Name, College Name, Term Year. Lecture or Class Material Title.
If parts of multiple lectures or class discussions are cited, the reference can be shortened:
Smith, John Q., instructor. Course Name. College Name, Term Year.
Whichever style is being followed, consistency is key. The instructor’s name, credentials, and source information should be presented in a uniform manner throughout the paper according to the chosen documentation guidelines. Accuracy is also important to avoid plagiarism and to properly attribute any ideas that came from an instructor’s teachings. Formatting these references correctly allows readers to easily identify the source when evaluating the research presented.