How to Cite a Book with Multiple Authors in MLA

Reference3 min read·Updated May 2024

MLA Citation for Books with Multiple Authors

To create an mla citation book multiple authors format, list both names for two authors, separating them with a comma and the word "and." For three or more authors, list only the first author followed by a comma and the phrase et al. (Latin for "and others").

MLA Citation Rules by Author Count

Number of Authors	Works Cited Format	In-Text Citation Format
1 Author	Last, First.	(Last Page)
2 Authors	Last, First, and First Last.	(Last and Last Page)
3+ Authors	Last, First, et al.	(Last et al. Page)

Citing Two Authors

When a book has exactly two authors, the first author's name is reversed (Last, First), while the second author's name stays in standard order (First Last). Use a comma to separate the first author from the word "and."

Works Cited Structure:
Last Name, First Name, and First Name Last Name. Title of Book. Publisher, Year.

In-Text Citation Structure:
(Last Name and Last Name Page Number)

Citing Three or More Authors

For three or more authors, MLA 9th edition requires shortening the list to avoid clutter. Provide the first author's name in reverse order, followed by a comma and "et al." throughout the entire paper.

Works Cited Structure:
Last Name, First Name, et al. Title of Book. Publisher, Year.

In-Text Citation Structure:
(Last Name et al. Page Number)

Examples

Example

**Two Authors Example**
- **Works Cited:** Gilbert, Sandra, and Susan Gubar. *The Madwoman in the Attic*. Yale University Press, 1979.
- **In-Text:** (Gilbert and Gubar 124)

**Three or More Authors Example**
- **Works Cited:** Charon, Rita, et al. *The Principles and Practice of Narrative Medicine*. Oxford University Press, 2017.
- **In-Text:** (Charon et al. 58)

Citation Tip

Always place a period after the "al" in et al. because it is an abbreviation for the Latin word alii. Never place a period after "et."

Frequently Asked Questions

No, you must list both authors for a book with exactly two authors. Use the format: Last Name, First Name, and First Name Last Name. Only use et al. when there are three or more authors.

Alphabetize the entry based on the first author's last name. If the first author is the same for multiple entries, alphabetize by the book title.

For four or more authors, use the first author's last name followed by et al. and the page number. For example: (Smith et al. 42).

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