The American Psychological Association (APA) citation style is widely used in various academic disciplines, making it essential for students and researchers to have a thorough understanding of its principles. One common issue that arises when citing sources is dealing with multiple authors. In this article, we will explore four ways to cite multiple authors in APA.

1. Two Authors

When citing a work with two authors, use an ampersand (&) between the authors’ names and list their last names followed by their initials. Separate the names with a comma. In the case of an in-text citation, use parentheses and include the publication year after the authors’ names.

Example (reference list):

Smith, J. D., & Brown, R. K. (2020). Title of the work. Publisher.

Example (in-text citation):

(Smith & Brown, 2020)

2. Three or More Authors

For a work with three or more but fewer than 20 authors, list all authors’ last names followed by their initials in the reference list entry. Use commas to separate the individual names and place an ampersand before the final author’s name.

Example (reference list):

Jones, H., Miller, R., Thompson, K., & White, S. (2018). Title of the work. Publisher.

When citing in-text for a source with three or more authors but fewer than 20, include only the first author’s name followed by “et al.”

Example (in-text citation):

(Jones et al., 2018)

3. Twenty or More Authors

If a work has 20 or more authors, list the first 19 author’s names in your reference list entry, followed by three ellipsis points (…), and then the final author’s name.

Example (reference list):

Green, A., Adams, B., Clark, C., Davis, D., Foster, E., Graham, F., Hill, G., Irving, H., Johnson, I., King, J.,…Williams, X. (2021). Title of the work. Publisher.

For in-text citation use the same format as for works with three to 19 authors:

Example (in-text citation):

(Green et al., 2021)

4. Group or Organization as Author

When a group or organization is the author of a work, list the name of the organization as you would an individual author. Use abbreviations where appropriate.

Example (reference list):

American Psychological Association. (2019). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association. Publisher.

For in-text citations, use the abbreviation when you refer to the source throughout your paper.

Example (in-text citation):

(American Psychological Association [APA], 2019)

These four ways of citing multiple authors in APA should help you navigate some common citation scenarios. Properly citing your sources will both enhance your credibility and help others find these valuable resources more easily.