How to Reference Three Authors APA
When writing a research paper or academic article, it is common to cite multiple sources to support your arguments and provide evidence. APA (American Psychological Association) style is widely used in the social sciences and other disciplines for referencing sources. One of the challenges that researchers often face is how to reference three authors in APA format. This article will guide you through the process of citing three authors in APA style.
1. In-text Citation
When you mention three authors in your text, you should include all three names in the parentheses. If you are directly quoting the authors, use quotation marks. Here’s an example:
> “According to Smith, Johnson, and Brown (2020), the impact of climate change on agriculture is significant” (p. 15).
If you are paraphrasing the authors, you can omit the quotation marks:
> Smith, Johnson, and Brown (2020) found that climate change has a significant impact on agriculture.
2. Reference List Entry
When you list the source in your reference list, you should follow the APA format. Here’s how to reference three authors in the reference list:
> Smith, J., Johnson, L., & Brown, M. (2020). The impact of climate change on agriculture. Journal of Environmental Studies, 12(3), 15-20.
In this example, the authors’ names are listed in alphabetical order, followed by the publication year, the title of the article, the journal name, the volume number, the issue number, and the page numbers.
3. When Adding Additional Authors
If you need to reference more than three authors, you can use the “et al.” abbreviation to indicate that there are additional authors. Here’s an example:
> According to Smith, Johnson, Brown, et al. (2020), the findings are consistent with previous research.
In the reference list, you would list all the authors’ names, followed by “et al.”:
> Smith, J., Johnson, L., Brown, M., et al. (2020). The impact of climate change on agriculture. Journal of Environmental Studies, 12(3), 15-20.
4. Works Cited Page
If you are using a works cited page instead of a reference list, the format remains the same. Simply list the source entries in alphabetical order by the authors’ last names.
In conclusion, referencing three authors in APA style is a straightforward process. By following the guidelines for in-text citations and reference list entries, you can ensure that your paper is properly cited and meets academic standards. Remember to always double-check the specific requirements of your institution or publication when formatting your references.
