How to Cite 3 Authors APA in Text
When citing three authors in APA style within the text of your document, it is important to follow the correct format to ensure accuracy and clarity. APA (American Psychological Association) style is widely used in the social sciences, education, and other academic fields. Proper citation is essential for avoiding plagiarism and giving credit to the original authors of the work.
To cite three authors in APA style in-text, you should include the last names of all three authors followed by the publication date in parentheses. Here is an example:
According to Smith, Johnson, and Williams (2020), the findings indicate that…
In this example, “Smith, Johnson, and Williams” are the authors’ last names, and “2020” is the year of publication. This format is straightforward and easy to follow.
If you are citing a source with three authors in the text for the first time, it is a good practice to include the full citation in the reference list at the end of your document. This provides the reader with complete information about the source. Here’s how the full citation would look:
Smith, J., Johnson, L., & Williams, R. (2020). The impact of technology on education. Journal of Educational Technology, 15(2), 123-145.
When citing the same source multiple times within the text, you can use a shortened form of the author’s name, followed by the year of publication. For example:
As previously mentioned, Smith, Johnson, and Williams (2020) found that…
In this case, the reader can easily identify the source by referring to the reference list at the end of the document.
It is important to note that when citing more than three authors, APA style requires you to list only the first author followed by “et al.” (meaning “and others”) and the year of publication. For example:
Research indicates that social media usage has increased significantly over the past decade (Smith et al., 2020).
This format ensures that the reader is aware that there are more than three authors, while still maintaining a concise citation.
In conclusion, when citing three authors in APA style in-text, it is crucial to follow the proper format, including the authors’ last names and the publication date. By doing so, you can effectively credit the original authors of the work and maintain academic integrity in your research.
