When referencing a translated book, the first element in the works cited (and the name used in any in-text citations) will vary depending on the focus of your use of the source. If the focus is on the work itself, begin with the author's name. If the focus is on the translation, begin with the translator's name.
There are different ways to format an in-text citation, depending on your writing style and sentence structure. Use of the author or translator's name in the in-text citation will depend on whether the focus is on the work itself, or the translation. Use the name that appears as the first element in the reference as the name in your in-text citation. Formatting examples are outlined below:
| Reference Information |
Homer. The Iliad. Translated by Michael Reck, HarperCollins Publishers, 1994.
Reck, Michael, translator. The Iliad. By Homer. HarperCollins Publishers, 1994. |
| In-text Citation Guidelines |
Examples |
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Include the author/translator's name and the page number in brackets at the end of the sentence. |
Consider this a paraphrased sentence (Homer 99). |
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Include the author/translator's name in the sentence, and include the page number in brackets. The first time the author/translator is mentioned in text use their full name (excluding middle initials), and use their last name only after that. |
According to Michael Reck, "consider this a direct quote" (99). Reck goes on to argue that this is a paraphrased sentence (100). |
Remember, in-text citation formatting changes depending on a number of factors.