Authors

This section will cover how to format single, double, multiple, and no authors (click on each link to navigate to their respective sections) when citing in APA. For any other questions on how to format authors in APA, visit the APA Style page on Elements of reference list entries and scroll to Authors. 

One Author

For a single author, list the last name of the author, then the first and middle (if applicable) initial. A comma is placed after the author’s last name, and periods are included after each initial. 

Tracy, O. (2021). “A movable object”: Props and possibility in writing consultations. Praxis: A Writing Center Journal, 18 (2), 50–60. https://www.praxisuwc.com/182-tracy.

Two Authors

For two authors, list authors in order on the source by last name and initials, separated by a comma and the final name separated with an ampersand (&). 

Bell, K., & Hewerdine, J. (2016). Creating a community of learners: affinity groups and informal graduate writing support. Praxis: A Writing Center Journal, 14 (1), 50–55. https://www.praxisuwc.com/bell-141. 

Three or More Authors

For three or more authors (up to twenty), list authors in order on the source by last name and initials, separated by commas and the final name separated with an ampersand (&). 

Zuccarelli, J., Cunningham, N., Elis, C. G., Lee, A., & Cummiskey, K. (2022). Measuring the effect of writing center visits on student performance. Praxis: A Writing Center Journal, 19 (3), 3–10. https://www.praxisuwc.com/193-zuccarelli-et-al. 

If a source has more than twenty authors, first list the names of the first 19 authors. Then, use an ellipsis (…) in place of the final authors’ names. Finally, list the final author’s name (no ampersand needed). 

Aaij, R., Beteta, C. A., Ackernley, T., Adeva, B., Adinolfi, M., Afsharnia, H., Aidala, C. A., Aiola, S., Ajaltouni, Z., Akar, S., Albrecht, J., Alessio, F., Alexander, M., Alfonso Albero, A., Aliouche, Z., Alkhazov, G., Cartelle, P. A., Amato, S., Amhis, Y.,…Braun, S. (2022). Test of lepton universality in beauty-quark decays. Nature Physics, 18(3), 277–282. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41567-021-01478-8.

Unknown Author

If the source does not have an author, start the citation with the title of the work. Only use Anonymous if the author is listed as Anonymous. 

How to survive an encounter with an ostrich. (2024). Wikihow. https://www.wikihow.com/Survive-an-Encounter-with-an-Ostrich.