When writing academic papers using APA Style, citing sources properly is essential for giving credit to original authors and maintaining academic integrity. One of the common challenges writers face is how to cite works that have multiple authors using parenthetical citations. The American Psychological Association (APA) provides clear rules for handling citations with two or more authors. Understanding these rules is especially important for students, researchers, and professionals who write in psychology, education, business, or other social sciences. This guide will explain in detail how APA parenthetical citation for multiple authors works, with easy-to-follow examples and tips for correct usage.
Understanding APA Parenthetical Citations
What Are Parenthetical Citations?
In APA Style, a parenthetical citation is a way of crediting a source directly within the text by placing author names and publication year in parentheses at the end of the sentence or clause. It differs from narrative citations, which integrate the author’s name into the sentence itself.
For example, a basic parenthetical citation looks like this:
- (Smith, 2020)
Why Are Multiple Author Citations Important?
Many academic sources, such as journal topics or research reports, are written by multiple authors. In order to properly acknowledge all contributors and help readers locate the source, APA has specific rules for citing sources with two or more authors.
APA Citation Rules for Two Authors
Format and Examples
When a source has two authors, APA requires both last names to be included in the parenthetical citation, separated by an ampersand (&), followed by the year of publication.
- Format: (Author1 & Author2, Year)
- Example: (Johnson & Lee, 2019)
This format remains the same throughout the entire paper, regardless of how many times the source is cited.
APA Citation Rules for Three or More Authors
General Rule
If a source has three or more authors, APA Style 7th edition instructs writers to use only the first author’s last name followed by ‘et al.’ and the year of publication.
- Format: (Author1 et al., Year)
- Example: (Martinez et al., 2021)
The abbreviation ‘et al.’ stands for the Latin term et alii, meaning and others. This rule simplifies citations, especially for sources with many authors.
Consistency in Usage
Use ‘et al.’ for all citations of a source with three or more authors, even the first time it is cited. This is a change from APA 6th edition, where the first citation used all authors’ names. The 7th edition simplifies this requirement.
Special Cases and Exceptions
Multiple Works with Similar Author Names
If multiple sources have first authors with the same last name and year, include as many author names as needed to distinguish them. For example:
- (Garcia, Thomas, & Liu, 2020)
- (Garcia, Singh, & Patel, 2020)
If both would normally be shortened to (Garcia et al., 2020), this creates confusion. Instead, expand the names to avoid ambiguity.
Group Authors with Multiple Contributors
Sometimes, a source may list an organization or group as the author. If the group has multiple publications, treat it as you would an individual name, but use the group’s full name:
- (American Psychological Association, 2020)
If an abbreviation is commonly known, it can be introduced on first use:
- First citation: (American Psychological Association [APA], 2020)
- Subsequent citations: (APA, 2020)
Multiple Works in One Citation
To cite more than one source in a single parenthetical citation, list them alphabetically by the first author’s last name and separate them with semicolons:
- (Brown & Davis, 2018; Lee et al., 2020; Nguyen, 2021)
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Using and instead of & in parenthetical citations: Always use an ampersand (&) inside parentheses.
- Incorrect placement of the period: The citation goes before the period at the end of the sentence.
- Forgetting italics: In parenthetical citations, titles are not italicized; italics are used only in the reference list.
- Incorrect spacing of et al.: Always use a space between the name and et al. and include a period after al.
Practice Examples for Better Understanding
Example 1: Two Authors
Original sentence: The research indicates a strong correlation between sleep and academic performance.
APA parenthetical citation: (James & Wu, 2017)
Example 2: Three Authors
Original sentence: This experiment demonstrated long-term effects on memory function.
APA parenthetical citation: (Lopez et al., 2022)
Example 3: Two Sources with Different Author Counts
APA parenthetical citation: (Baker & Ellis, 2016; Zhang et al., 2020)
APA Style Reference Page and Its Relation
Why It Matters
Every parenthetical citation in your text must correspond to a full citation in the reference list. The parenthetical citation briefly tells readers where the information came from, while the reference entry gives them all the details to locate the source.
Reference List Entry for Multiple Authors
- Two Authors: Smith, R., & Tan, K. (2018).Understanding brain behavior. BrainWorks Publishing.
- Three or More Authors: Allen, J., Cruz, M., & Singh, R. (2019).Social dynamics in the workplace. Sociology Press.
Remember, for three or more authors in the reference list, you must list up to 20 authors before using an ellipsis ( ) and adding the final name.
Tips for Remembering APA Parenthetical Citation Rules
- Two authors = use both names with an ampersand (&)
- Three or more authors = use first author’s last name + et al.
- Always include the publication year
- Ensure every in-text citation matches an entry in the reference list
Mastering APA Parenthetical Citations with Multiple Authors
Learning how to properly format APA parenthetical citations with multiple authors can greatly improve the clarity and credibility of academic writing. Whether citing two authors or several, following APA’s 7th edition rules ensures that your work is professional, consistent, and ethically sound. From student essays to scholarly research papers, understanding the correct way to cite multiple authors allows your readers to follow your sources and demonstrates your commitment to high academic standards.