How to in-text cite APA 3 authors is an essential skill for anyone writing academic papers or research reports. APA (American Psychological Association) style is widely used in the social sciences, education, and other fields, and it requires specific formatting for in-text citations. In this article, we will guide you through the process of citing three authors in your text using APA style.
When citing three authors in APA style, you should include all three names in the text, separated by commas. The format is as follows: Author1, Author2, & Author3 (Year). For example, if you are referencing a study by Smith, Johnson, and Brown (2020), you would write: “Smith, Johnson, and Brown (2020) found that…”
It is important to note that if you are directly quoting the authors’ words, you must also include the page number in parentheses after the citation. For example: “Smith, Johnson, and Brown (2020, p. 45) found that…”
In some cases, you may need to cite a source that has more than three authors. In this situation, you can use the “et al.” abbreviation, which means “and others.” The format for a source with four or more authors is as follows: Author1, Author2, Author3, & et al. (Year). For example, if you are referencing a study by Smith, Johnson, Brown, Davis, and et al. (2020), you would write: “Smith, Johnson, Brown, Davis, and et al. (2020) argue that…”
When citing a source with three or more authors, it is also important to ensure that you have correctly formatted the reference list entry. The format for a reference list entry with three authors is as follows: Author1, Author2, & Author3. (Year). Title of the source. Journal Name, volume(issue), page range. DOI or URL
For example, a reference list entry for a journal article with three authors would look like this: Smith, J., Johnson, B., & Brown, C. (2020). The impact of social media on youth. Journal of Communication, 70(2), 45-60. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcom.12345
By following these guidelines, you can effectively in-text cite APA 3 authors in your academic writing. Remember to always double-check the APA style guidelines and consult your instructor or academic advisor if you have any questions or concerns.
