et al.
"Et al." is a Latin abbreviation that stands for "et alii," meaning "and others." It is commonly used in academic writing and citations to refer to a group of authors when there are multiple contributors to a work. Instead of listing every author's name, "et al." simplifies the reference, making it easier to read and understand.
In scholarly articles, particularly in fields like science and social sciences, "et al." is often used after the first author's name when citing a source with three or more authors. This practice helps maintain clarity and conciseness in citations, allowing readers to focus on the main ideas without getting bogged down by lengthy author lists.