Did you know that incorrect citations are one of the most common reasons students lose points on university papers? Understanding the American Psychological Association (APA) style guide is essential for your academic success.
Today, we are answering three questions students ask about APA citations: how to cite two authors, how do you cite three or more authors, and how do you cite sources cited within another source. Let’s get started!
Part 1: Citing Two Authors
First, how do you cite a source written by two authors? It is actually very simple, but there is a key rule you must follow.
- For in-text citations, always name both authors every time you cite the work.
- If you put the citation in parentheses, connect their last names with an ampersand: (Smith & Taylor, 2023).
- However, if you use their names directly in your sentence, spell out the word ‘and’: Smith and Taylor (2023) argued that…
For your reference list at the end, include both authors’ last names and initials, separated by an ampersand.
Part 2: Citing Three or More Authors
Now, what about a source written by three or more authors? APA style keeps it simple!
- For in-text citations, you don’t need to write every author’s name.
- Just list the first author’s last name followed by ‘et al.’, which is Latin for ‘and others’.
- For example, if an article is written by Smith, Mack, and Petty, you simply write: (Smith et al., 2016).
However, on your reference page at the end, you must list all the authors’ last names and initials so everyone gets proper credit for their work.
Part 3: Citing Secondary Sources
Finally, how do you cite a source another author cited in their article?
- While it’s always best to use primary sources, secondary sources are necessary when you have time constraints.
- In your text, acknowledge both authors by using the phrase ‘as cited in’.
- For example, write: (Johnson, 2014, as cited in Robinson, 2018). This credits the original author while showing the exact work you read.
For your reference page, only list the source you actually read. In this case, include Robinson, but leave out Johnson’s original paper.
Conclusion
I hope this makes your APA formatting easier! Practicing these rules will make you a much stronger academic writer. Wishing you the best as you continue to write. Until next time, this is Richard Carrigan, take care!