The American Psychological Association's 7th edition (APA7) of the Publication Manual provides specific rules for citing multiple authors. This aspect is crucial for anyone engaged in academic writing, particularly in psychology and social sciences.
Citing Two Authors
In APA7, when citing a work by two authors, always include both names separated by an ampersand (`&`), both in-text and in the reference list.
- In-text: (Smith & Johnson, 2020)
- Reference List: Smith, A. & Johnson, B. (2020). Title of the article.
Citing Three or More Authors
For works with three or more authors, include only the name of the first author followed by “et al.” for all in-text citations. However, list all authors in the reference list.
- In-text: (Williams et al., 2020)
- Reference List: Williams, A., Thompson, B., & Harris, C. (2020). Title of the article.
Special Cases: Same Last Name, Same Year
If there are two or more works by different authors with the same last name, include the authors' initials in the in-text citation.
- In-text: (A. Smith, 2020; B. Smith, 2020)
Multiple Works in a Single Parenthetical Citation
To cite multiple works within one set of parentheses, list the authors alphabetically and separate them by a semicolon.
- In-text: (Johnson, 2018; Smith, 2020)
Understanding how to cite multiple authors according to APA7 guidelines is an essential skill for maintaining the integrity and credibility of your work. It also makes your paper more accessible to readers and reviewers, thereby broadening its academic impact.
