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For a source with three or more authors, list only the first author’s last name, and replace the additional names with et al.
You can use et al. in both your MLA in-text citations and the Works Cited page. When using et al., you should always use the name of the writer listed first in the source material. Note: Using et al. should not be confused with etc. or other abbreviations that indicate more content than listed.
Use “et al.” for 3+ authors in MLA in-text citations and Works Cited entries. Use “et al.” for 4+ authors in a Chicago in-text citation , and for 10+ authors in a Chicago bibliography entry.
An MLA in-text citation provides the author’s last name and a page number in parentheses. If a source has two authors, name both. If a source has more than two authors, name only the first author, followed by “et al.” If the part you’re citing spans multiple pages, include the full page range.
The abbreviation et al. is used with references in parentheses, as well as in full references. To include the authors’ names in prose, you can either write each name out individually or, you can type out the meaning of et al., which is “and others.” Here is an acceptable MLA citation in prose example for sources with more than three authors
Key takeaways. The term “et al.” comes from Latin and means “and others.” Under the MLA guidelines, you must use “et al.” when citing works by three or more authors. MLA in-text citations for sources with three or more authors follow this format: (1 st Author’s Last Name et al. Page number (s))
In-text citations are inserted in the body of your research paper to briefly document the source of your information. In-text citations in MLA style follow the general format of author's last name followed by a page number enclosed in parentheses.
The phrase "et al." stands for "and others" in Latin. It is a traditional way of denoting multiple authors. Note that "al." has a period because "et al." is an abbreviation for the longer phrase "et alia." Unknown Author. If the author is unknown, use the first, second, or third words of the title. Omit articles like "A" or "The."
Cite your source automatically in MLA. Using citation machines responsibly. Powered by. Please use the example at the bottom of this page to cite the Purdue OWL in MLA. See also our MLA vidcast series on the Purdue OWL YouTube Channel. Creating a Works Cited list using the ninth edition.
MLA in-text citation style uses the author's last name and the page number from which the quotation or paraphrase is taken, for example: (Smith 163). If the source does not use page numbers, do not include a number in the parenthetical citation: (Smith). Example paragraph with in-text citation.