Et Al. Meaning: What It Means and How to Use It Correctly

"Et al." is one of the most commonly used abbreviations in academic writing, yet many writers are unsure exactly what it means, when to use it, and how to format it correctly. This guide explains the et al. meaning, how it is used in in-text citations and reference lists, and how the rules differ across the major citation styles.


What Does Et Al. Mean?

"Et al." is an abbreviation of the Latin phrase et alii (masculine), et aliae (feminine), or et alia (neuter), all of which translate to "and others" in English. In academic and scholarly writing, et al. is used in citations, reference lists, and bibliographies to represent multiple authors or contributors without listing every name individually.


The abbreviation is most commonly used when a source has three or more authors. Rather than listing every name each time the source is cited, et al. allows writers to acknowledge all contributors efficiently while keeping the text readable.


How to Use Et Al. in Citations

The standard pattern for using et al. in in-text citations is to list the first author's last name followed by "et al." and the publication year. For example:


  • First citation: Williams, Clark, and Fisher (2010)
  • Subsequent citations: Williams et al. (2010)

Here is a second example with four authors:

  • First citation: Anong, Johnson, Anderson, and Brown (2022)
  • Subsequent citations: Anong et al. (2022)

The exact rules for when et al. is introduced and how it is formatted vary by citation style. Each major style guide, including APA, MLA, and Chicago, has its own conventions for using et al. in in-text citations and reference lists. Always consult the appropriate style guide for your institution or target journal before finalizing your citations.


Some journals do not require a specific citation style but ask that reference formatting be applied consistently throughout the manuscript. The Journal of Economic Psychology, for example, states that references can be in any style or format as long as the style is consistent.


Using Et Al. in Reference Lists

In a reference list or bibliography, et al. is used by some style guides to indicate that a source has more authors than are listed. Not all style guides permit this in the reference list, so it is important to check the rules for your specific citation style. Here is an example of et al. used in a reference list entry:


Anong, S., Solis, O., et al. (2022). Title of the article. Journal Name, Volume(Issue), Page range.


In this example, the first few authors are listed, followed by et al. to indicate that additional authors exist. The number of authors listed before et al. appears depends on the style guide being used.


Et Al. Meaning in APA Style

APA (American Psychological Association) style has specific rules for using et al. in both in-text citations and reference lists. Here is how et al. works in APA 7th edition:


In-text citations with three or more authors: Use the first author's last name followed by et al. and the publication year from the very first citation. Unlike older editions of APA, the 7th edition does not require listing all authors the first time a source is cited when there are three or more authors.

  • First and all subsequent citations: (Anong et al., 2022)

In-text citations with two authors: Always include both authors' names, connected by an ampersand inside parentheses or "and" in running text.

  • (Anong & West, 2022) — parenthetical citation
  • Anong and West (2022) — narrative citation

Reference list: APA 7th edition requires listing up to 20 authors in the reference list. For sources with 21 or more authors, list the first 19 authors, insert an ellipsis (...), and then add the final author's name. For example:

Anong, S., Johnson, A., Anderson, B., ... Brown, C.


For comprehensive guidance on APA citations, consult the official APA Publication Manual (7th edition) or the resources provided by the American Psychological Association.


Et Al. in a Sentence: Examples

Here are examples of et al. used correctly in sentences following APA style, for a paper authored by Zhong, Xiao, and Su:


  • Narrative citation: Zhong et al. (2005) found a gender difference in behavior.
  • Parenthetical citation: Research has shown a gender difference in behavior (Zhong et al., 2005).

Quick Reference: Et Al. Formatting Rules

A few formatting points to keep in mind when using et al. in your writing:

  • Always place a period after "al" because it is an abbreviation. "Et" is a complete Latin word and does not take a period.
  • Et al. is not italicized in most modern style guides, including APA 7th edition.
  • In APA style, et al. is not followed by a comma before the year in a parenthetical citation: (Anong et al., 2022) is correct.
  • If two different sources both shorten to the same et al. citation, include enough additional author names to distinguish them.

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