How to pass an cell array as input to a function

Hi, Can I know how to pass a cell array as input to a function as shown below

function [averagedSignal]=shift_and_Average(a,needed{a},p5,p4,p3,p2)
    if (a==1)
        p5=needed{a};
    elseif(a==2)
        p4=needed{a};
    elseif(a==3)
        p3=needed{3};
    elseif(a==4)
        p2=needed{4};
    else
     p1=p1;

The above usage is giving error like "Unbalanced or unexpected parenthesis or bracket".

Answer 1

[Mischa Kim]

Remove the {a} in the function input: shift_and_Average(a,needed,p5,p4,p3,p2)

Answer 2

[Azzi Abdelmalek]

If needed represent an array

function [averagedSignal]=shift_and_Average(a,needed,p5,p4,p3,p2)
  if (a==1)
      p5=needed{a};
  elseif(a==2)
      p4=needed{a};
  elseif(a==3)
      p3=needed{3};
  elseif(a==4)
      p2=needed{4};
  else
   p1=p1;

Answer 3

[Tyler Cushman]

When I try to do this it just says undefined function for input arguments of type cell, however when I take it out of the function and just paste the code into what I want to use it on it works.