How to Cite an Author in a Research Paper

Citing Authors in APA Style

• 1

  List your author in the following format if the text you are referencing has one author:

  Smith, A.

• 2

  List your author in the following format if the text you are referencing has two authors:

  Smith, A. & Smith, B.

• 3

  List your author in the following format if the text you are referencing has three or more authors:

  Smith, A., Smith, B. & Smith, C.

  Never list more than seven authors in a reference.

• 4

  List your author in the following format if it is an organization:

  Modern Language Association.

Citing Authors in MLA Style

• 5

  List your author in the following format if the text you are referencing has one author:

  Smith, Andrew.

• 6

  List your author in the following format if the text you are referencing has two authors:

  Smith, Andrew and Barry Smith.

• 7

  List your author in the following format if the text you are referencing has three or more authors:

  Smith, Andrew, et al.

• 8

  List your author in the following format if it is an organization:

  Modern Language Association.