Let’s start easy, because you deserve a win. If you have a source with two or three authors, you just list their last names in the parenthetical citation. No commas between "and," just a simple "and" before the last name.
For example: (Smith and Jones 42). Or if there are three: (Smith, Jones, and Lee 78). See? That’s almost too simple. I can practically hear you thinking, "Wait, that’s it?" Yes, that’s it. You don’t need to panic over a comma placement here.
What About the Works Cited Page?
In your Works Cited, you flip the first author’s name (Last, First) but keep the others in normal order. So for three authors, it looks like: Smith, John, Jane Jones, and Alex Lee. This is the only part where you need to be a little fussy—but after that first one, just relax.
Pro tip from someone who has been there: double-check the "and" is spelled out. Some guides try to use an ampersand, but not MLA. We’re not in a text message; we’re in academia. (Even if it feels like a group chat gone wrong.)
