The Latin phrase et al. finds frequent usage in academic papers and bibliographies. It often appears alongside the name of the author in citations as shown below:
Johnson et al. (2020)
Naming more than two authors for a cited source is likely to make the citation long and even difficult to follow and/or remember. Et al. provides a solution for this issue. An abbreviation of et alia, it means “and others.” It is used to indicate that the source cited has more authors or contributors than the one named.
The meaning of et al. is similar to that of another Latin phrase which is even more commonly used: et cetera, usually abbreviated to etc. It means “and the rest.” However, the two cannot be used interchangeably as etc. implies a list of things, while et al. implies a list of people.
Punctuating et al. Correctly
The abbreviation in et al. lies in al., which is short for alia; et is not an abbreviated word. Thus, with regards to punctuation, a period always follows et al. On the other hand, it is never placed after et, only after al.
Any additional punctuation mark needed can be placed after the period, as in
et al.,
or et al.;
If et al. is the last phrase in the sentence, a single period suffices as an indicator of both the abbreviation and the end of the sentence.
Using et al. in Citations
The use of et al. in inline citations varies slightly based on the style guide the writer is following for their document.
- When following the APA Style Guide (7th edition)
When a source has just two authors, et al. is not used in the citation. The names of both authors are listed every time the source is cited.
Olsen and Christie (2018)
When a source has three or more authors, the citation includes the name of the first author followed by et al. This format is used in every instance of the citation, including the first time it appears in the document.
Bryson et al. (2007)
- When following the MLA Style Guide (8th Edition)
When a source has just two authors, the citation includes both their names.
Richards and Kingsnorth
When there are three or more authors for a source, the citation includes the name of the first author followed by et al.
Walker et al.
- When following the Chicago Manual of Style
When a source has one to three authors, all their names are listed in the citation.
Christie, Rankin, and Tartt (2015)
When a source has more than three authors, the citation includes the first author’s name followed by either “et al.” or “and others.”
Jackson et al. (2011)
or Jackson and others (2011)
Et al. is usually not used in reference lists.
Given how frequently et al. is used and the functions it performs, writers ought to ensure that they use it correctly. Since the appropriate usage of the phrase is determined by the style guide being used for the whole document, consistency must be maintained and the respective rules should be verified and followed.
