When citing sources in academic writing, it's essential to follow a consistent citation style to avoid plagiarism and give credit to the original authors. One popular citation style is the American Psychological Association (APA) style, which provides guidelines for in-text citations, reference lists, and formatting. In APA style, "et al." is used to shorten citations with multiple authors.
What is Et Al.?
Et al. is a Latin phrase that means “and others.” It’s used in academic writing to shorten citations with multiple authors. When a source has three or more authors, APA style recommends using “et al.” in the in-text citation to avoid cluttering the text with a long list of names. However, in the reference list, all authors’ names should be included, unless there are more than 20 authors, in which case “et al.” can be used after the first 19 authors.
Using Et Al. in In-Text Citations
In APA style, the first in-text citation for a source with three or more authors should include all authors’ names, separated by commas, and an ampersand (&) before the last author’s name. For example: (Smith, Johnson, & Williams, 2020). However, in subsequent citations, “et al.” can be used to shorten the citation: (Smith et al., 2020). If the source has six or more authors, “et al.” can be used in the first citation as well.
| Citation Type | Example |
|---|---|
| First citation with 3-5 authors | (Smith, Johnson, & Williams, 2020) |
| Subsequent citation with 3-5 authors | (Smith et al., 2020) |
| First citation with 6 or more authors | (Smith et al., 2020) |
Reference List Guidelines
In the reference list, all authors’ names should be included, unless there are more than 20 authors. In that case, “et al.” can be used after the first 19 authors. For example: Smith, J., Johnson, K., Williams, P., … , & Thompson, R. (2020). When formatting the reference list, make sure to use a hanging indent and double-spacing.
Some examples of reference list entries with "et al." include:
- Smith, J., Johnson, K., Williams, P., & Thompson, R. (2020). Journal Article. Journal of Psychology, 100(1), 1-10.
- Smith, J., Johnson, K., Williams, P., Brown, L., Davis, M., ... , & Thompson, R. (2020). Book Chapter. In J. Smith (Ed.), Handbook of Psychology (pp. 1-10). New York, NY: Wiley.
It's essential to follow APA style guidelines to ensure consistency and accuracy in academic writing. By using "et al." correctly, you can avoid cluttering the text with long lists of names and give credit to the original authors.
What does “et al.” mean in APA style?
+“Et al.” is a Latin phrase that means “and others.” It’s used in APA style to shorten citations with multiple authors.
When can I use “et al.” in APA style?
+You can use “et al.” in APA style when citing sources with three or more authors. In the first citation, all authors’ names should be included, but in subsequent citations, “et al.” can be used to shorten the citation.
How many authors can I include in the reference list before using “et al.”?
+In APA style, you can include up to 19 authors in the reference list before using “et al.” If there are more than 20 authors, “et al.” can be used after the first 19 authors.
