The "author-date" citation style is a method used in academic writing to reference sources. In this format, the author's last name and the year of publication are included in the text, typically in parentheses. For example, a citation might look like this: Smith 2020. This allows readers to quickly identify the source of information without interrupting the flow of the text. At the end of the document, a complete reference list provides full details about each source cited. This list includes the author's full name, publication year, title of the work, and other relevant information. The "author-date" style is commonly used in disciplines like social sciences and natural sciences.