How to Parenthetically Cite a Book with Two Authors
Citing a book with two authors in a parenthetical citation can sometimes be confusing, especially for those who are new to academic writing. However, with a few simple guidelines, you can easily format your citation correctly. In this article, we will discuss how to parenthetically cite a book with two authors, ensuring that your references are accurate and consistent.
Firstly, when citing a book with two authors, you should include both authors’ last names in the parentheses, separated by a comma. The format should be as follows: (Author1, Author2). For example, if the book is written by John Smith and Jane Doe, your citation would be: (Smith, Doe).
Secondly, include the page number(s) where the information you are referencing is found. If you are referencing a specific page, simply place the page number after the authors’ names, like this: (Smith, Doe 23). If you are referencing multiple pages, use a hyphen to indicate the range, like this: (Smith, Doe 23-45).
It’s important to note that if the book has more than two authors, you should include the first author’s last name followed by “et al.” (meaning “and others”) after the first author’s name. For example, if the book has three authors, your citation would be: (Smith, Doe, Johnson et al.). However, if the book has four or more authors, you should list only the first author’s last name followed by “et al.,” like this: (Smith et al.).
In addition to the format, it’s crucial to maintain consistency in your citations. If you are citing the same book multiple times in your paper, you can use a shortened version of the title or a unique identifier to avoid repetition. For example, you could use (Smith, Doe, Johnson et al. 2019) for the first citation and then (Smith et al. 2019) for subsequent citations.
Remember that the formatting may vary slightly depending on the citation style you are using. For instance, APA style requires you to include the publisher’s name and publication date in the citation, while MLA style does not. Here’s an example of how to parenthetically cite a book with two authors in APA style:
(Smith, Doe, 2019, p. 23)
And in MLA style:
Smith, John, and Jane Doe. Book Title. Publisher, Year of Publication, p. 23.
By following these guidelines, you can ensure that your parenthetical citations for books with two authors are accurate and consistent, making your academic writing more credible and professional.
