How to Cite Multiple Authors in APA Bibliography
In academic writing, it is common to reference works that have multiple authors. The American Psychological Association (APA) provides specific guidelines on how to format the bibliography when citing such sources. This article will guide you through the process of citing multiple authors in APA bibliography format.
Formatting the In-text Citation
When citing a source with multiple authors in the text, APA recommends using the first author’s last name followed by “et al.” (meaning “and others”) for subsequent authors. The format for in-text citations is as follows:
– If there are two authors, include both names in the parentheses: (Smith & Johnson, 2020).
– For three or more authors, list only the first author followed by “et al.”: (Smith et al., 2020).
Formatting the Reference List Entry
The reference list entry for a source with multiple authors should include the following elements:
1. Author(s): List all authors’ last names followed by their initials. Separate the authors with commas, and use an ampersand (&) before the last author’s name.
2. Year of publication: Place the year of publication in parentheses immediately following the authors’ names.
3. Title of the work: Capitalize the first letter of each major word in the title. Do not use quotation marks or italics.
4. Source type: Include the source type (e.g., book, journal article, website) in italics.
5. Publisher or website: Provide the publisher or website name for the source.
Here is an example of a reference list entry for a source with multiple authors:
Smith, J., Johnson, L., & Thompson, R. (2020). The impact of climate change on coastal ecosystems. Journal of Environmental Studies, 10(2), 45-58.
Formatting for Works with Three or More Authors
When citing a source with three or more authors, follow the same format as mentioned above. However, if you need to cite a specific part of the work, such as a chapter or a specific page range, include that information in parentheses after the title:
Smith, J., Johnson, L., & Thompson, R. (2020). The impact of climate change on coastal ecosystems (Chapter 3, pp. 45-58). In J. Smith & L. Johnson (Eds.), Coastal ecosystems in a changing climate (pp. 45-58). Journal of Environmental Studies.
Formatting for Works with More Than Seven Authors
If a source has more than seven authors, list the first six authors followed by “et al.” in the in-text citation. In the reference list entry, list all authors’ names:
Smith, J., Johnson, L., Thompson, R., Brown, M., Davis, N., & Gomes, P. (2020). The role of social media in political activism. Journal of Communication Studies, 15(4), 78-95.
By following these guidelines, you can effectively cite multiple authors in APA bibliography format. Remember to always double-check the specific requirements of your academic institution or publisher, as formatting rules may vary slightly.
