How to Cite Multiple Authors in APA 7 With Examples

How to Cite Multiple Authors in APA

To cite multiple authors in APA 7, first count the authors and determine whether you are creating an in-text citation or a reference-list entry. For in-text citations, name both authors when a work has two authors; for three or more authors, use the first author’s surname followed by “et al.” In the reference list, include every author when a source has up to 20 authors.

Here is the quickest way to choose the correct format:

Learning how to cite multiple authors is an important part of mastering APA in-text citation rules. Once you understand the different author combinations, you'll be able to format citations correctly in almost any academic paper.

In-text citation multiple authors APA 7th edition

An in-text citation identifies the source within your writing using the author’s surname and publication year. APA permits parenthetical citations, which place both elements in parentheses, and narrative citations, which incorporate the author into the sentence. The punctuation changes slightly depending on the number of authors and citation type.

Two authors

Cite both surnames every time a work has two authors. Use an ampersand between the names in a parenthetical citation, but write “and” when the names form part of your sentence. This rule applies to the first and every subsequent citation.

Parenthetical citation:

Narrative citation:

Writing “Lopez et al.” would be incorrect because the source has only two authors. Likewise, do not use “and” inside a parenthetical citation or an ampersand in ordinary narrative prose. Check the reference entry if you are uncertain about the total number of authors.

How to cite 3 authors APA 7th edition

When learning how to cite 3 authors APA 7th edition rules are simple: use the first author’s surname followed by “et al.” in every citation, including the first one. Do not list all three surnames before shortening later citations. This differs from APA 6th edition, which generally named more authors in the first citation.

Parenthetical citation:

Narrative citation:

The reference list still includes all three authors:

Four or more authors

The same in-text rule applies to a source with four, five, or more authors. Give only the first author’s surname followed by “et al.” and the year. The number of authors affects the reference entry, but it does not change the shortened in-text format.

APA in-text citation multiple authors: punctuation rules

Write “et al.” without italics. The word “et” has no period, while “al.” does because it is an abbreviation. In a parenthetical citation, place a comma after “al.” before the year.

Correct:

Incorrect:

In a narrative citation, do not place a comma between the author expression and the year. The year follows in parentheses immediately after “et al.” Keep the citation connected to the claim it supports.

Correct:

Adding page numbers for quotations

Include a page number when quoting directly from a paginated source. Place the page locator after the year in a parenthetical citation. In a narrative citation, the author and year can appear before the quotation, with the page number following it.

Parenthetical quotation:

Narrative quotation:

Use “pp.” for a page range, such as “pp. 48–49.” For a source without page numbers, use an appropriate locator such as a paragraph number, section heading, or timestamp. A locator is optional for most paraphrases but can help readers find a long or complex passage.

APA citation with multiple authors example

The following example shows how one three-author source appears in the reference list and in the body of a paper. The names are shortened only in the in-text citation. All three authors remain visible in the reference entry.

Reference entry:

Parenthetical citation:

Narrative citation:

The first author controls both the alphabetical position of the reference and the shortened citation. Do not rearrange the authors alphabetically within the entry. Preserve the order shown in the published source because author order can communicate contribution and responsibility.

APA 7th edition multiple authors reference list

In an APA reference entry, write each personal author as surname followed by initials. Separate authors with commas and place an ampersand before the final author. The author rules remain the same across journal articles, books, and other source types, although the publication details after the author and date will differ.

Sources with two to 20 authors

List every author when a source has between two and 20 authors. Include a comma before the final ampersand, even when the work has only two authors. Do not replace any names with “et al.”

Two-author pattern:

Three-author pattern:

Up-to-20-author pattern:

The abbreviated pattern above demonstrates punctuation rather than a complete 20-author entry. In an actual reference, include every author in the published order. Apply a hanging indent to the finished entry.

Sources with 21 or more authors

For a source with 21 or more authors, include the first 19 names. Insert an ellipsis after the 19th author, then add the final author’s name. Do not place an ampersand before the final author.

The ellipsis shows that authors have been omitted from the middle of the list. It does not mean “et al.,” and it should not appear after the final author. Count carefully because listing the first 20 authors before the ellipsis is a common error.

When shortened citations look identical

Two sources may shorten to the same first-author-and-year citation. For example, separate works by “Patel, Chen, Rivera, and others” and “Patel, Chen, Morgan, and others” could both become “Patel et al. (2024).” That abbreviation would leave readers unable to identify the intended reference.

In this situation, include enough surnames to distinguish the works, then use “et al.” when additional authors remain. If the author groups cannot be distinguished that way, APA may require year suffixes such as 2024a and 2024b. Match those suffixes in both the in-text citations and reference list.

Author formatting rules also apply when creating an APA block quote. If you're citing a quotation of 40 words or more from a source with multiple authors, be sure to follow both the block quote and author citation guidelines for APA 7.

Using an APA Citation Generator with multiple authors

When you need to know how to cite multiple authors APA style, the APA Citation Generator can arrange surnames, initials, commas, and the final ampersand in the reference entry. It can also create a corresponding author–date citation, which is useful for sources with long author lists. Enter the names in the same order shown on the original publication.

Review the generated result before adding it to your paper. Confirm that all authors through 20 are included, a 21-author source uses the first-19-plus-final-author rule, and “et al.” appears only where appropriate. Automated output can be incorrect when source metadata is incomplete or imports author names in the wrong order.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Using “et al.” for a source with two authors
• Listing all authors in a three-author in-text citation
• Using an ampersand in a narrative citation
• Writing “et. al.” instead of “et al.”
• Replacing authors with “et al.” in the reference list
• Listing only 19 authors and omitting the final author for a 21-author source
• Alphabetizing coauthors instead of preserving publication order
• Forgetting a page number when quoting directly