How to Cite Multiple Authors in APA In-Text
Citing multiple authors in APA style can sometimes be confusing, especially when dealing with a list of three or more names. However, following the proper guidelines will ensure that your in-text citations are accurate and consistent. In this article, we will discuss the different scenarios in which you may need to cite multiple authors in APA in-text format and provide examples to illustrate the process.
When Citing Two Authors
When citing two authors in APA in-text format, simply list both authors’ last names followed by the publication date in parentheses. For example:
(Johnson & Smith, 2020)
If you mention the authors’ names in your sentence, you can omit the parentheses and include the year of publication after the authors’ names. For instance:
According to Johnson and Smith (2020), the results indicate…
When Citing Three to Five Authors
When citing three to five authors, include all of their last names in the first citation, followed by “et al.” (meaning “and others”) and the publication date in parentheses. For example:
(Johnson, Smith, Brown, Davis, & Wilson, 2020)
In subsequent citations, you can use just the first author’s last name followed by “et al.” and the year of publication. For example:
The study also found similar results (Johnson et al., 2020).
When Citing Six or More Authors
For six or more authors, follow the same format as when citing three to five authors. However, you can abbreviate the names of the first few authors to save space. For example:
(Johnson, S., Smith, J., Brown, L., Davis, R., & Wilson, T., 2020)
In subsequent citations, use the first author’s last name followed by “et al.” and the year of publication:
The findings are consistent with previous research (Johnson et al., 2020).
When Citing Works by the Same Author(s)
If you need to cite works by the same author(s) published in the same year, include a lowercase letter (a, b, c, etc.) after the year of publication to differentiate the works. For example:
(Johnson, 2020a) discusses the importance of…
(Johnson, 2020b) examines the impact of…
Remember to maintain consistency in your in-text citations and to double-check the formatting guidelines provided by the APA Publication Manual.
By following these guidelines, you can ensure that your in-text citations for multiple authors in APA style are accurate and easy to understand. Always refer to the latest edition of the APA Publication Manual for the most up-to-date information on citation formats.
