Imagine you’ve just read a brilliant book co-written by two geniuses. In MLA 8th and 9th editions, you simply connect their last names with the word “and.” It’s that easy: Smith and Johnson argue that… or (Smith and Johnson 42) in a parenthetical citation.
No ampersands (&) allowed here—MLA wants and every time. Think of it as a little high-five between the authors in your sentence. You’re not just citing data; you’re acknowledging a partnership!
Why This Makes Your Life More Fun
Here’s the secret joy: once you nail this pattern, you can effortlessly drop citations into your writing like confetti. Instead of dreading the end of a paragraph, you’ll feel a tiny thrill knowing you’ve got the rules down cold. Plus, your teacher or editor will silently high-five you for being a pro.
Let’s test it! If you were quoting from a book by Alice Munro and Jane Urquhart, you’d write: “Munro and Urquhart illuminate the quiet power of Canadian landscapes” (45). Notice how the names flow naturally? You’re not interrupting your own voice—you’re weaving theirs in.
