How to APA Cite an Article with Multiple Authors
In academic writing, citing sources correctly is crucial to give proper credit to the original authors and to avoid plagiarism. One common situation that arises is how to APA cite an article with multiple authors. The APA (American Psychological Association) citation style has specific guidelines for formatting references when there are two to nine authors. In this article, we will explore the steps to follow when citing an article with multiple authors in APA format.
First and foremost, it is essential to gather all the necessary information about the article. This includes the authors’ names, the title of the article, the title of the journal, the volume, the issue number, the publication date, and the page range. With this information in hand, you can begin the citation process.
For articles with two to nine authors, the APA format requires you to list all the authors’ names in the order they appear on the byline. The names should be followed by a comma, and the last name should be followed by an ampersand (&) symbol before the final author’s name. For example:
Smith, J., Johnson, L., & Brown, M. (Year).
The year of publication should be included in parentheses after the authors’ names. Next, you need to provide the title of the article in italics. The title should be followed by a period. For example:
Smith, J., Johnson, L., & Brown, M. (Year). Title of the Article.
After the title, include the title of the journal in italics. The journal title should be followed by a comma. For example:
Smith, J., Johnson, L., & Brown, M. (Year). Title of the Article. Journal Title,
Now, you must provide the volume and issue number of the journal. If the article is from a single issue, include the volume number and the issue number, separated by a comma. If the article is from a multi-volume journal, include the volume number and the issue number, separated by a comma, and the year of the issue. For example:
Smith, J., Johnson, L., & Brown, M. (Year). Title of the Article. Journal Title, 22(4),
Next, include the page range of the article, separated by a hyphen. The page range should be followed by a period. For example:
Smith, J., Johnson, L., & Brown, M. (Year). Title of the Article. Journal Title, 22(4), 78-95.
Finally, you may need to include additional information, such as a DOI (Digital Object Identifier) or a URL (Uniform Resource Locator) if the article is available online. If the article has a DOI, include it at the end of the reference. If the article is online but does not have a DOI, include the URL in the reference. For example:
Smith, J., Johnson, L., & Brown, M. (Year). Title of the Article. Journal Title, 22(4), 78-95. https://doi.org/10.1234/example
By following these steps, you can effectively APA cite an article with multiple authors. Always double-check the specific requirements of your institution or publisher, as some may have additional guidelines for formatting citations. Properly citing sources not only demonstrates academic integrity but also allows readers to locate the original work for further reference.
