Think of et al. as a magical wand. Three authors? Poof—just the first name.
Imagine your citation like a band. You only mention the lead singer. The drummer is et al.
It’s not unfair. It’s functional.
The Big "Oops" Moment
Don’t put a comma before et al. inside parentheses. Big mistake.
Wrong: (Smith, et al. 12). Right: (Smith et al. 12).
The comma is a traitor here. It makes you look like a rookie.
