What is the correct way to write et al?

What is the correct way to write et al?

When using et al. in your papers, be sure to abbreviate it correctly and to use the right punctuation. Et al. is always spelled as two separate words—”et” and “al”—with a period after “al.” The best way to remember how to punctuate and spell it is to remember that it’s an abbreviation.

How do you punctuate et al at the end of a sentence?

Second, never put a period after the first word in et al. because et is a complete Latin word meaning and — it’s not an abbreviation. But always put a period after al because it’s the abbreviation for the different forms of the Latin word meaning others (alii, alius, alia, or aliae). Two final notes.

How do you use et al in the middle of a sentence?

Use it in an email greeting by saying, “Dear Mr. Smith et al.,” when there is more than one recipient. For punctuation, always follow the abbreviation with a period since it’s short for “et alia” or “and others.”

Do you put period after et al?

Because et al. is short for et alii (Latin for “and others”), the second word is actually an abbreviation and as such takes a period.

How do you use et al in a sentence?

and elsewhere (used when referring to other occurrences in a text). (1) The concert included works by Mozart et al. (2) This book is by John, Jones, et al. (3) The concert included works by Tchaikovsky et al.

Is there a space between et al?

The phrase “et al.”—from the Latin et alii, which literally means “and others”—must always be typed with a space between the two words and with a period after the “l” (since the “al.” is an abbreviation). A comma does not follow the abbreviation unless the sentence’s grammar requires it.

How do you cite et al in a sentence?

List only the first author’s name followed by “et al.” in every citation, even the first, unless doing so would create ambiguity between different sources. In et al., et should not be followed by a period. Only “al” should be followed by a period.

Do you put a comma before an in text citation APA?

Yes, APA language guidelines state that you should always use the serial comma (aka Oxford comma) in your writing.

Does a comma go before or after citation?

Punctuation marks such as periods, commas, and semicolons should appear after the parenthetical citation. Question marks and exclamation points should appear within the quotation marks if they are a part of the quoted passage but after the parenthetical citation if they are a part of your text.

Do you ever put a comma after quotation marks?

Quotation marks and other punctuation marks In the United States, the rule of thumb is that commas and periods always go inside the quotation marks, and colons and semicolons (dashes as well) go outside: “There was a storm last night,” Paul said.

Do you add a comma after in text citation?

Punctuation marks such as periods, commas, and semicolons should appear after the parenthetical citation. Question marks and exclamation points should appear within the quotation marks if they are a part of the quoted passage, but after the parenthetical citation if they are a part of your text.

Is there a comma after et al in APA?

Remember that there is no comma between the surname and “et al.,” and the period goes only after the “al.” The English translation of “et al.” is “and others.” A helpful table of this rule can be found in APA 7, Table 8.1. Shortening Citations With et al. Video

When do you put a comma after a name in MLA?

In MLA style, a comma is generally only used before et al. in the “Author” slot of works-cited-list entries when the author’s first and last names are reversed: Burdick, Anne, et al. Digital_Humanities.

How do you write et al in APA?

Only “al” is followed by a period. That means that “et al.” is the only proper spelling of the phrase. Should I italicize et al.? Another key thing to note is that most major style guides (including APA, MLA, the Chicago Manual of Style, and Harvard) do not require et al. to be italicized.

Which is correct et al or et al?

That means that “et al.” is the only proper spelling of the phrase. Should I italicize et al.? Another key thing to note is that most major style guides (including APA, MLA, the Chicago Manual of Style, and Harvard) do not require et al. to be italicized.