There are certain confusions regarding “how to cite an article with multiple authors.” What are those? Well, suppose the first two authors are similar but share different topics—now what to do? To omit this kind of confusion while enlisting the blog post’s referencing lists, we need to read further.
Blog posts do follow the same procedure as journals and research papers. In the same way as the titles of the journals are italicized, the blogs are italicized here. It helps in referencing and also omits much confusion.
Even quotation marks are used in any common phrase or words that are used to avoid plagiarism. Now let’s see how to cite articles with multiple authors:
How to Cite Multiple Authors
Before proceeding, we need to know how to cite multiple authors on a single topic. The following steps turn out to be helpful:
- Citing two authors on a single topic of the blog post while referencing is very common today. In that regard, the in-texting needs to be like:
“Thomas and Jones (2010) inferred…” - In APA style, if three to five authors have contributed to the same topic, then the last names of the authors are listed the first time. After that, use the first author’s name followed by “et al.”
Example: “Johnson, Smith, Jack, and Astor (2012) found that…”
Later: “Johnson et al. (2010) described that…” - For more than five authors:
“Chaves et al. (2007) describe the…”
Here, two primary styles of referencing are discussed:
- APA Style
- MLA Style
How to Cite Multiple Authors – APA Style
For a single author, APA style uses the last name in the in-text citation. When two or more authors are involved, use “and” or an ampersand (&) depending on the citation format.
If there are more than three authors, use the Latin abbreviation “et al.” after the first author’s last name.
Note: “et” does not include a period, but “al.” does.
This simplifies citations when many authors are listed and avoids clutter.
Why One Uses “et al.”
“Et al.” is used to indicate multiple authors in a concise way. It translates to “and others,” and is a standard academic practice for streamlining citations.
What if the Writer Is Unknown?
If the author is unknown, use the title of the work and the publication date. In APA style, “Anonymous” is used if no author is listed.
Example:
“PETA, 2013 states that…”
If the same author has multiple publications:
Example:
Smith, K. J. (n.d.), Smith, K. J. (2010), & Smith, K. J. (2014)
For online content without page numbers, cite the paragraph number instead.
How to Cite Multiple Authors – MLA Style
MLA in-text citations follow the author–page method. Include the author’s last name and the page number from which the quote or information is taken.
Example:
Romantic poetry is featured by a “spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings.” (Wordsworth 263)
For multiple authors, MLA allows using the first author’s last name followed by “et al.” for both in-text and Works Cited page citations.
Safeguard From Creating Plagiarized Content
Proper referencing helps reduce the risk of plagiarism. To avoid issues:
- Use a plagiarism checker
- Consider paraphrasing tools when rewriting ideas
- Verify citations for accuracy
- Run a plagiarism report before submission
Before producing an article, the writer needs to be cautious about plagiarism. Research thoroughly, cite carefully, and use reliable tools like Copyleaks to scan for duplicate content. Proper referencing is essential not just for academic honesty, but also for protecting your work and reputation online.