Here’s the big, beautiful secret that makes everything easy. When you quote two authors in the text itself, you simply use the word “and” between their names. Yes, it’s really that simple. Like saying, “Hey, you two, come join the party!”
For example, imagine you are writing about happiness. You’d write: According to Smith and Jones, happiness is actually a choice we make daily. See? No drama, no confusion. Just a clear, friendly introduction.
And what about the cute little parentheses at the end? Same deal! Just put the last names, ampersand, and page number. Like this: (Smith & Jones 45). The & symbol is that little squiggle that makes everything look official but still friendly.
What If There Are Three or More Authors? (No Sweat!)
Okay, but what if you are quoting three authors? Or five? Or a whole committee? Easy peasy. You just use the first author’s last name and then add “et al.” This is Latin for “and others,” which sounds way fancier than it really is. Think of it as a cool, mysterious abbreviation.
PPT - MLA Citation Guide PowerPoint Presentation, free download - ID
In your sentence, it looks like this: Brown et al. argue that procrastination is a form of self-regulation. Instantly, you sound like a scholarly insider. In the parentheses, it looks like this: (Brown et al. 23). You just handled a whole team of experts with one elegant move.
