Let’s start with the short mentions inside your paragraph—the “in-text” citations. Think of this as a quick wave from across the room. You’re not stopping for a full conversation, just acknowledging, “Hey, I see you.”
For three authors, you simply list all their last names with the word “and” before the last one. It looks like this: (Smith, Jones, and Lee 45). See? Just three last names, no comma after “and,” followed by a space and the page number.
You can also weave them into your sentence naturally. For example: Smith, Jones, and Lee argue that “coffee is the true fuel of civilization” (45). It’s like telling a story at a party: “So Mark, Tina, and Kevin all said…”
Why should you care? Because if you only wrote “(Smith 45),” your reader would think you only used one person’s work. That’s like saying you baked a cake with only one egg—slightly dishonest and confusing for everyone.
But What If I Mention Them Before the Quote?
Great question! If you say their names in your sentence, you don’t need them in the parentheses. You just need the page number at the end. Like this: According to Smith, Jones, and Lee, “a good fiction is better than a good vacation” (88).
Examples Of Citations With Three Authors
Think of it as introducing your friends at a party. You say, “This is Sarah, Ben, and Chloe.” You don’t then whisper, “And also Sarah, Ben, and Chloe” under your breath. You just point to the snack table and say, “They made these chips.” The page number is the snack table.
