How to Cite Two Authors in Works Cited
In academic writing, it is essential to give proper credit to the sources you use. One common scenario is when you need to cite two authors in your works cited list. Properly formatting the citation can be challenging, especially if you are new to academic writing. This article will guide you through the process of citing two authors in works cited.
When citing two authors in the text, you should mention both authors’ last names in the sentence. For example, “According to Smith and Johnson (2020), the impact of climate change on coastal cities is significant.” In the works cited list, you will need to format the citation slightly differently.
If the two authors have the same last name, you must include their first initials to differentiate them. For instance, “Smith and Smith (2019) argue that…”. In the works cited list, the citation will look like this:
Smith, A., & Smith, B. (2019). Title of the article. Journal Name, 10(2), 123-145.
In cases where the authors have different last names, you can simply list them in alphabetical order. For example, “In their study, Brown and Davis (2018) found that…”. The works cited entry will be formatted as follows:
Brown, J., & Davis, K. (2018). Title of the article. Journal Name, 15(3), 234-256.
When citing two authors from the same source, you must include both names in the text and the works cited list. For example, “As noted by Smith and Johnson (2020), the research indicates that…”. The works cited entry will be:
Smith, A., & Johnson, B. (2020). Title of the article. Journal Name, 20(4), 345-367.
Remember that these guidelines are for citing two authors from a single source. If you need to cite two authors from different sources, you will need to list them separately in the text and the works cited list.
In conclusion, citing two authors in works cited can be a straightforward process if you follow the proper formatting guidelines. Always ensure that you include the authors’ last names, first initials (if necessary), and the publication year. By doing so, you will give proper credit to the sources you use and maintain the integrity of your academic work.
