Here's why:
* Attribution: It clearly indicates the source of the information, giving credit to the original author.
* Organization: It helps readers quickly identify the source of the quoted or paraphrased material.
* Navigation: It allows readers to easily locate the full citation in the reference list.
Example:
"The study found that..." (Smith, 2023)
In this example, "Smith" is the author's last name, and "2023" is the year of publication. This information allows readers to find the full citation in the reference list and further explore the source material.