How to Reference More Than 3 Authors in APA 7th Edition
In the APA 7th edition, referencing more than three authors can be a bit tricky, especially for those who are new to academic writing. The APA style requires specific formatting when citing sources with multiple authors. This article will guide you through the process of referencing more than three authors in APA 7th edition.
When citing a source with more than three authors, you have two options: listing all authors in the text or using “et al.” after the first author’s name followed by the year of publication.
If you choose to list all authors in the text, simply follow the order of the author names as they appear in the source. For example:
“According to Smith, Johnson, Brown, and Davis (2021), the impact of climate change on agriculture is significant.”
However, if you prefer to use “et al.,” you should do so when the list of authors exceeds three. In this case, you would write:
“Smith, Johnson, Brown, et al. (2021) found that the impact of climate change on agriculture is significant.”
When using “et al.,” it is essential to ensure that the first author’s name is included in the reference list, while the rest of the authors are listed in the text. The reference list should be formatted as follows:
Smith, J., Johnson, B., Brown, L., & Davis, M. (2021). The impact of climate change on agriculture. Journal of Environmental Studies, 1(2), 123-145.
It is also important to note that when using “et al.,” you should not include the word “and” before the first author’s name. Additionally, “et al.” should be written in lowercase letters and followed by a period.
In conclusion, referencing more than three authors in APA 7th edition can be done by either listing all authors in the text or using “et al.” after the first author’s name. Ensure that you follow the formatting guidelines to maintain consistency and accuracy in your academic writing.
