How to Put Citation if There Are Many Authors
In academic writing, it is crucial to provide proper citations to acknowledge the original sources of information. When citing a source with multiple authors, it is essential to follow a specific format to ensure accuracy and consistency. This article will guide you on how to put citation if there are many authors, using the most common citation styles such as APA, MLA, and Chicago.
APA Citation Style
When citing a source with multiple authors in APA style, you should list all authors’ last names and initials in the order they appear in the source. If there are more than 20 authors, list the first 19 authors followed by an ellipsis (“…”) and then the last author’s name. Here’s an example:
> “The impact of climate change on global agriculture has been extensively studied (Smith, Jones, Smith, Brown, … , & Zhang, 2020).”
If the source has more than 60 authors, you can use the term “et al.” after the first author’s name, followed by the year of publication. For example:
> “The role of social media in political activism has been examined by numerous researchers (Smith et al., 2019).”
MLA Citation Style
In MLA style, when citing a source with multiple authors, you should list all authors’ last names and first initials in the order they appear in the source. If there are more than three authors, list the first author followed by “et al.” Here’s an example:
> “Smith, Jane, et al. ‘The Effects of Climate Change on Coastal Cities.’ Journal of Environmental Studies, vol. 12, no. 3, 2020, pp. 45-58.”
If the source has more than 20 authors, you can use the term “et al.” after the first author’s name, followed by the year of publication. For example:
> “Smith, et al. (2020) examined the impact of climate change on global agriculture.”
Chicago Citation Style
In Chicago style, when citing a source with multiple authors, you should list all authors’ last names and first initials in the order they appear in the source. If there are more than two authors, list the first author followed by “et al.” Here’s an example:
> “Smith, Jane, et al. ‘The Effects of Climate Change on Coastal Cities.’ Journal of Environmental Studies, vol. 12, no. 3, 2020, pp. 45-58.”
If the source has more than 20 authors, you can use the term “et al.” after the first author’s name, followed by the year of publication. For example:
> “Smith et al. (2020) conducted a comprehensive study on the impact of climate change on global agriculture.”
By following these guidelines, you can ensure that your citations are accurate and consistent, regardless of the number of authors involved. Remember to always check the specific requirements of your academic institution or publication to ensure compliance with their citation style preferences.
