What does et al. mean and how do I use it in an APA style paper?
Answer
The abbreviation et al. means and others. It is used when citing an item that has multiple authors.
Here are the guidelines from APA:
- When a work has two authors, cite both names every time the reference occurs in the text.
- When a work has three, four, or five authors, cite all the authors the first time the reference occurs, but in subsequent citations, include only the surname of the first author followed by et al.
- When a work has six or more authors, cite only the surname of the first author followed by et al.
To see examples, visit the APA Help guide. Click the drop down arrow by Books and choose 3 to 7 authors.
See also APA Formatting and Style Guide: In-text Citations: Author/Authors.
Thank you for using ASK US.