Et Al. Rules Calculator
Determine when to use “et al.” in your citations. Enter the number of authors and select a citation style to see the correct rules and example formatting.
APA 7th Edition Rules for 3 Authors
In-text citation rule
1-2 authors: list all. 3+ authors: first author et al.
Reference list rule
List up to 20 authors. For 21+, list first 19, ellipsis, then last author.
Example with 3 authors
In-text citation
(Smith et al., 2024)
Reference list entry
Smith, X., Johnson, X., & Williams, X. (2024). Title of work.
Quick Reference: When to Use Et Al.
| Style | In-Text | Reference List |
|---|---|---|
| APA 7th | 3+ authors | 21+ authors |
| MLA 9th | 3+ authors | 3+ authors |
| Chicago A-D | 4+ authors | 11+ authors |
| Chicago Notes | 4+ authors | 11+ authors |
| Harvard | 4+ authors | List all |
| Vancouver | Numbers only | 7+ authors |
| IEEE | Numbers only | 7+ authors |
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Frequently Asked Questions
- What does et al. mean?
- Et al. is an abbreviation of the Latin phrase 'et alia', meaning 'and others'. It is used in citations to shorten references with multiple authors.
- When do I use et al. in APA?
- In APA 7th edition, use et al. for works with three or more authors from the very first citation. For example, (Smith et al., 2024).
- Is et al. italicized?
- No. In most citation styles, et al. is not italicized. However, the period after 'al' is required because it is an abbreviation.
- Do MLA and Chicago use et al. differently?
- Yes. MLA uses et al. for works with three or more authors. Chicago Notes-Bibliography uses et al. for four or more authors, while Chicago Author-Date uses it for four or more.