Since et al. is plural, it should always be a substitute for more than one name. In the case that et al. would stand in for just one author, write the author’s name instead.

Feb 17, 2020 · For sources with one, two, or three authors, list all author names in your in-text citations (whether footnotes or author-date). For sources with four or more authors, use the first name …

To avoid ambiguity, when the in-text citations of multiple works with three or more authors shorten to the same form, write out as many names as needed to distinguish the references, and abbreviate the …

May 3, 2025 · Learn how to use ‘et al.’ in citations for APA, MLA & Chicago. Avoid common errors and format your citations correctly with this guide.

Jan 7, 2026 · When citing more than one author parenthetically, place ampersand before last author, not the word and. Example: (Smith & Jones, 2011). Avoid making et al. a possessive. Arrange …

Jan 9, 2026 · When a reference has two authors, cite both names every time the reference occurs in text. See section 8.17 of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (2020) …

Sep 20, 1999 · APA follows an author and date of publication model for citing sources in your research paper and are presented as either narrative or parenthetical citations.

Jun 9, 2025 · List only the first author’s name followed by “et al.” in every citation, even the first, unless doing so would create ambiguity between different sources. Kernis et al. (1993) suggest... In et al., et …

Typically, “et al.” will be used when referring to source material by three or more authors within the body text of a paper. (e.g., Smith (2018) states...). A source with two authors will always be referenced in …

Sep 11, 2025 · Learn how to use et al correctly in APA, MLA, and Chicago styles. Tips on typing, formatting, and avoiding common mistakes, with fast software solutions.