In academic writing, it's common to encounter sources with multiple authors. To avoid lengthy citations, the abbreviation "et al." is used. This Latin term, short for "et alia," means "and others"[1]. It simplifies citations by indicating that there are additional authors not listed.

What is "et al."?

"Et al." is an abbreviation of the Latin phrase "et alia," which translates to "and others"[1]. It is used in academic writing to refer to multiple authors without having to list each one. This is particularly useful in fields where collaborative research is common, and papers often have several contributors.

Using "et al." in APA 7th Edition

The American Psychological Association (APA) style is widely used in the social sciences. The 7th edition of the APA Publication Manual provides specific guidelines for using "et al." in citations.

In-Text Citations

In APA 7th edition, "et al." is used for in-text citations when a source has three or more authors. Here’s how to apply it:

1. First Citation: For a source with three or more authors, list only the first author's surname followed by "et al." and the publication year.
   • Example: (Smith et al., 2020)
2. Subsequent Citations: The format remains the same for all subsequent citations.
   • Example: (Smith et al., 2020)

This rule simplifies the citation process and avoids redundancy. For sources with one or two authors, always list both names.

• Example: (Smith & Jones, 2019)

Reference List

In the reference list, "et al." is not used. Instead, list all authors up to 20. If there are more than 20 authors, list the first 19 followed by an ellipsis (…) and then the final author's name[2].

• Example for a source with more than 20 authors:

  Smith, J., Jones, M., Brown, L., ... Wilson, R. (2020). Title of the article. Journal Name, 10(2), 123-145.

Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

1. Incorrect Punctuation: Ensure "et al." is followed by a period after "al" and not after "et."
   • Incorrect: (Smith et. al., 2020)
   • Correct: (Smith et al., 2020)
2. Comma Usage: Do not place a comma between the author's name and "et al."
   • Incorrect: (Smith, et al., 2020)
   • Correct: (Smith et al., 2020)
3. Singular Use: "Et al." should only be used when referring to three or more authors. For one or two authors, list their names.
   • Incorrect: (Smith et al., 2019) for two authors
   • Correct: (Smith & Jones, 2019)

Practical Examples