In academic writing, it is imperative to give due credit to the sources you use in your research. Properly citing books with multiple authors can be confusing, but doing so is essential to avoid plagiarism and ensure that your work is properly credited. Here are three ways to cite books with multiple authors based on three different citation styles: APA, MLA, and Chicago.

1.APA Style

The American Psychological Association (APA) format is predominantly used in social sciences. When citing a book with multiple authors in APA style, list the authors’ names in the order they appear in the published work. Utilize an ampersand (&) before the last author’s name.

In-text citation: Author’s Last name(s), (Publication year)

Reference List: Author’s Last name(s). (Publication year). Book title: Subtitle. Publisher.

Example – In-text citation: (Johnson & Smith, 2019)

Reference List: Johnson, M., & Smith, L. (2019). The science of happiness: Exploring the secrets of a joyful life. Happy Publishing.

2.MLA Style

The Modern Language Association (MLA) format is widely used in humanities disciplines such as literature and language studies. When citing a book with multiple authors using MLA style, list the authors’ full names in the order they appear on the title page of the published work, replacing commas with “and.”

In-text citation: (Author’s Last Name 1 et al. page number)

Works Cited entry: Last Name 1, First Name 1 et al. Book Title: Subtitle. Publisher, Publication year.

Example – In-text citation: (Johnson et al. 45)

Works Cited entry: Johnson, Mary et al. The Science of Happiness: Exploring the Secrets of a Joyful Life. Happy Publishing, 2019.

3. Chicago Style

The Chicago Manual of Style is often used in history and other humanities subjects. For books with multiple authors, list the authors’ full names in the order they appear on the title page of the published work.

Footnote or Endnote Citation: First Name 1 Last Name 1 et al., Book Title: Subtitle (Publication Place: Publisher, Publication year), page number.

Bibliography Entry: Last Name 1, First Name 1, First Name 2 Last Name 2, and First Name 3 Last Name 3. Book Title: Subtitle. Publication Place: Publisher, Publication year.

Example – Footnote or Endnote Citation: Mary Johnson et al., The Science of Happiness: Exploring the Secrets of a Joyful Life (New York: Happy Publishing, 2019), 45.

Bibliography Entry: Johnson, Mary, Lewis Smith, and Sarah Roberts. The Science of Happiness: Exploring the Secrets of a Joyful Life. New York: Happy Publishing, 2019.

In conclusion, properly citing books with multiple authors is vital to maintain academic integrity and ensure that your sources are credited appropriately. By familiarizing yourself with the citation styles discussed in this article, you can confidently cite books with multiple authors across various disciplines in your research papers or articles.