List all authors instead of et al

cswade
I am using Zotero via Google Chrome (I could not get it to download through Firefox) and have used Zotero for several papers without any issues. Recently, when I add a new citation to my Word document, Zotero only adds the first author's name and et al when I need it to list all of the authors for the first citation, how do I fix this? One of the articles I am using has 8 authors and I would like to not have to type them in by hand.

Also, I have seen several posts regarding an issue where Zotero gets stuck doing the opposite (listing all authors when should be using et al) so if anyone knows how to adjust this issue as well, I would really like to know since it seems that may become an issue in the future.
  • adamsmith
    this isn't an "issue," really, it's a question of the citation style you're using. Different citation styles have different requirements for when to use (or not use) et al. Which one are you using? Would using a different one be an option?
  • cswade
    I am using APA style (it's required), but as I stated before, Zotero used to correctly document my citations with all authors the first time, then et al for citations of the same source throughout the rest of the paper. Now, every first citation comes up et al.
  • adamsmith
    APA style has specific et al. requirements:
    List up to 5 authors in the first citation of an item and only two for subsequent citations. With more authors, use the first author followed by et al. That's what Zotero has done for years and APA does not allow for anything else.
    https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/03/ (or any other APA source)
  • cswade
    Lol! I am very familiar with APA formatting, that's not what I'm asking.

    Let me give you an example:

    If you start a brand new APA style document, download a source into Zotero that has 7 authors, and you use that source as the FIRST citation in your paper, what do you do when it shows up as (Jones et al.; 2014)? How do you this corrected?
  • fbennett
    As I read the APA rules (and adamsmith's summary of them), it's supposed to do that.
  • cswade
    So if Zotero isn't doing what it (should) used to, I should just get used to correcting it myself from now on?
  • cswade
    I was just hoping there was a solution - I've tried closing everything out, deleting, removing all citations from the entire document and putting them back in, etc. It seems that there would be some easier way to do this. I know people who will add a citation from a source that they used toward the end of their paper and decide that a quote from that source would be great in the introduction, according to what you are telling me, there is no way to tell Zotero that the citation being added is now going to be the first citation and that the author details need to be adjusted accordingly.
  • fbennett
    You can prepare a personal version of the style that works as you describe; but the distributed version of the style will have to stay as it is.
  • fbennett
    edited November 10, 2014
    [Y]ou are telling me, there is no way to tell Zotero that the citation being added is now going to be the first citation and that the author details need to be adjusted accordingly.
    As far as I can tell, you didn't ask about it before, but if citations are moved in the document, they will adjust to their new context when you click the Zotero refresh button in the word processor. It's automatic.
  • cswade
    What? I'm sorry, but it seems that we are having a communication issue because nothing you've posted applies to what I'm trying to fix; maybe I'm explaining it in a way that is not making sense to you. Thanks anyway, I'll keep Googling for an answer.
  • adamsmith
    No, you're simply wrong about APA style.
    and you use that source as the FIRST citation in your paper, what do you do when it shows up as (Jones et al.; 2014)? How do you this corrected?
    well, hopefully it shows up at (Jones et al., 2014) but assuming that it does, that's correct APA style for a first citation.
    and you use that source as the FIRST citation in your paper, what do you do when it shows up as (Jones et al.; 2014)? How do you this corrected?
    Zotero will automatically correct et al. according to the placement of the citation but, in spite of what you seem to think, a citation with 7 authors should always be in the form (firstAuthor et al., Year) in APA style. You never list more than 5 authors in APA style. If you don't believe me, check the manual (or the link I posted).

    You can change the citation style template if you want to, but it's not going to be APA any more.
  • cswade
    That is what I've been saying all along - Zotero stopped adjusting citations, the only way my citations come up (ALL citations: first, 10 authors, it doesn't matter) is as "et al"
  • fbennett
    Yes, we don't seem to understand what the problem is. It's helpful if you can explain exactly what to do (or did), what result you expected, and what actually happened. On the seven-authors issue (which you explained in exactly that way), the answer above tells you everything you need to know.
  • cswade
    I understand you're trying to help, but telling me over and over what Zotero "should be doing" is of no use at all. I need to find someone who is familiar with getting Zotero back on track so that it will do what it is supposed to - and FYI refreshing isn't doing it either.
  • adamsmith
    edited November 10, 2014
    Could you confirm that this is with a citation with 5 or less authors? As I keep saying, once you have 6 or more authors, et al. is correct.
  • adamsmith
    (and FWIW, you're talking to the two most knowledgeable people in the world wrt Zotero's citation generation)
  • adamsmith
    and yes, doing what Frank says and giving us a first citation the way it appears and the way it should, in your opinion, appear, would maybe help to clarify.
  • DWL-SDCA
    By what Zotero "should be doing", Frank and Sebastian are stating that Zotero is exactly following APA style guide requirements.

    If you want a cited item with 7 authors to list all authors the first time it appears in your manuscript you will _not_ be following APA requirements. It may be possible to create a style that performs the way you want but that is a different issue. I'm unaware of an existing style with that author listing behavior.

    Be aware that if you provide a manuscript with author cites the way you desire, you will not be using standard APA style. You should ask the person who gave you the assignment if they indeed want a non-standard APA-like style. [There is a tenured professor at my institution who has their own modified APA style requirements and insists that this be used. This makes everyone unhappy.]
  • Emmadukew
    edited November 12, 2014
    cswade, have you tried with, say a 4 author paper .... What's confusing me is that you keep mentioning papers with a ton of authors (just be glad you're not wanting to reference http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S037026931200857X ...) - which typically are et al right from the start, rather than one that should have all the names the first time.
  • Tuyeni_Kumw27
    I am also experiencing the same issue,zotero list my first three authors i cite for the first time with et al,and this wrong for Apa cititations.

    e.g First citation: List all the authors’ surnames.
    e.g.
    Löfström, Trotman, Furnari, and Shephard (2015)

    after the first citation then second one with the same authors will be Löfström., et al (2015)
  • damnation
    Are you sure you are using APA in its 7th edition and not APA6 or ASA?
    Please test it out in a fresh document.
  • DWL-SDCA
    edited August 21, 2020
    Although this is a very old thread and APA has a new version, Zotero will insert the proper form of an author list for the first and for subsequent citations according to this new new APA version.

    If this doesn't seem to be happening make sure that you are using the proper APA (not ASA or some other) citation style, and tell us exactly how many authors contributed to the first article (from the publisher) and exactly how many authors are included in the Zotero-inserted citation. How many authors are listed in your Zotero record for that citation?

    edit : minor changes to word order to more clearly ask my questions
  • bwiernik
    @ Tuyeni_Kumw27 This changed in APA 7th edition. Citations now always use et al, even for the first citation. If you want APA 6th edition, you can install that from the Styles pane of Zotero preferences.
  • mariehoughton
    Came here to ask about this. Thought that Zotero was wrong but turns out Zotero knows exactly what it's doing and I just didn't realise that APA style had changed!
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