Citing many authors can be cumbersome, particularly with long author lists. This is where the term ‘et al.’ comes into play. We've crafted a guide which is helpful exclusively for students, researchers, and other professionals. In this guide, we explain when to use ‘et al.’ and bring practical examples of how to cite ‘et al.’ in MLA, APA, Chicago, and Harvard formats. Knowing how to write ‘et al.’ in a citation will help you improve your academic writing process and not lose points because of wrong formatting.
Understanding et al. in Citations
Et al. is short for the Latin et alii, which means “and others.” It is used to shorten in-text citations with three or more authors. For example, in in-text citations, there is no need to list all authors, but you can simply state the first author’s last name and add ‘et al.’ instead. Doing this not only saves space but also improves readability. Here are two things to remember when using ‘et al.’ citations:
- When to use et al.: Typically used when a work has three or more authors.
- Using ‘et al.’ correctly: Always follow the first author’s name with a comma before ‘et al.’
Why Use ‘Et Al.’ Citation?
'Et al.' is used primarily to simplify citations, especially in academic writing where sources frequently have multiple collaborators. Instead of writing out all authors, you can streamline your references. Here are a few guidelines for how to use ‘et al.’ :
- Use 'et al.' after the first author’s name when citing a work by 4 or more authors in APA, MLA, and Chicago styles.
- Note that different citation styles have specific requirements, so make sure you know what is needed for yours.
- Be consistent and double-check all “et al.” citations across your document.
How to Write ‘Et Al.’ in a Citation
In fact, the citation ‘et al.’ format is easy to implement, however, you need to know a few guidelines for using et al. correctly. We recommend following these rules:
- Always place a period after 'al' since it is an abbreviation.
- Do not italicize 'et al.' unless your style guide specifies otherwise.
- Use 'et al.' in both in-text citations and reference lists as needed.
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Using Et Al. in Different Formats
Basically, academic writing includes four major reference formats - MLA, APA, Chicago, and Harvard. As well as these formats differ in their approaches to citing sources, 'et al.' citations also have different rules depending on the format. Basic rules you need to know:
APA Format
In APA format, show 'et al.' instead of all author names in in-text citations:
(Smith et al., 2020)
MLA Format
In MLA, 'et al.' is used when citing a source with more than three authors:
(Smith et al. 45)
Chicago Style
Chicago style also employs 'et al.' for four or more authors:
(Smith et al. 2020)
Turabian
Turabian follows similar rules to Chicago, using 'et al.' for multiple authors in bibliographies.
Harvard
In Harvard referencing, you also use 'et al.' for works with multiple authors.
Vancouver
Vancouver style uses 'et al.' in in-text citations after the first author's name.
In this table, look at examples of et al. citations in different academic reference formats.
| Style | In-text Citation Example | Reference Format |
|---|---|---|
| APA | (Smith et al., 2020) | Smith, J., Johnson, L., & Brown, A. (2020). Title of the work. Publisher. |
| MLA | (Smith et al. 23) | Smith, John, et al. Title of the Work. Publisher, 2020. |
| Harvard | (Smith et al., 2020) | Smith, J., Johnson, L., and Brown, A., 2020. Title of the work. Publisher. |
As you can see, the formats vary, and understanding these nuances can help you avoid citation errors.
Avoid These Et Al. Citations Mistakes
While the citation ‘et al.’ format seems to be clear and simple, people still make a lot of mistakes when using this type of citation. From our experience, here are a few common mistakes to watch out for when using ‘et al.’
Plural vs. singular
Because a phrase ending in ‘et al.’ refers to a group of people, you need to use a plural verb when the “et al.” phrase is the subject.
- Smith et al. (2015) state that …
Punctuation
- ‘Et al.’ is written as two words, with the “al” always followed by a period. The period indicates that the term is an abbreviation. Don’t write like this:
et al
etal.
et. al
et. al.
et al.
- ‘Et al.’ may be directly followed by other punctuation where necessary, but the period always comes first:
(Smith et al., 2013)
- When “et al.” comes right at the end of a sentence, only one period is used:
This is a time-consuming process, as shown by Richardson et al.
- When “et al.” comes after a list of two or more names, it’s preceded by a serial comma. When there’s only one name before it, no comma should be used.
Smith, et al.
Smith, Jones, et al.
- ‘Et al.’ vs. ‘etc.’
‘Et al.’ should not be confused with “etc.”; it is used for lists of people, whereas “etc.” is used for lists of things and concepts:
McDouglas et al. (2019) discuss various identity considerations (gendered, racial, etc.) that may bias the results.
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Wrapping Up Your Citation Skills
Essentially, the reference et al format is crucial in academic writing. Understanding when to use et al citation and specific requirements of APA, MLA, and Chicago formats gives a huge advantage and empowers you to write more concisely. With our easy-to-use rules, tricks to Avoid Common Mistakes in et al citations, and utilizing tools like JustDone to double-check your references, you can boost your academic writing skills and simplify your work significantly.
