[Tex/LaTex] How to tweak 3-5 authors citation with the biblatex-apa style

apa-styleauthor-numberbiblatex

One thing about the biblatex-apa style I could not get used to, is the 3-5 authors citation: if the authors number is between 3-5, all of them will be printed in citation.

e.g. Biblatex-apa style:

[Citation] Goossens, Mittelbach, Samarin and Peter (2020)

[Bibliography] Goossens, M., Mittelbach, F., Samarin, A. & Peter, T. (2020). How to DIY a nuclear bomb at home (1st ed.). Reading, Mass.: Addison-Wesley.

Sometimes the authors list is really long in text, and I thought it is indeed not necessary. So how to make the maxcitenames number to 2, just like the built in biblatex styles do.

MWE is provided:

\documentclass{article}

\usepackage[colorlinks]{hyperref}
\usepackage{libertine}
\usepackage[UKenglish]{babel}
\usepackage{csquotes}
\usepackage[
    style=apa,
    backend=biber,
    maxcitenames=2,  % no effect!      
    natbib=true] {biblatex} 
\DeclareLanguageMapping{british}{british-apa}
\LetLtxMacro{\cite}{\citet} %

\addbibresource{biblatex-examples.bib}
\begin{document}

\section*{Apa citation}

Article - 2 authors: \cite{sarfraz}\\
Article - 3 authors: \cite{companion}\\
In proceeding: \cite{salam}\\
Ph.D thesis:  \cite[see e.g.][]{geer} \\
Master thesis: \cite{loh}\\
Report: \cite{padhye}\\
Repeat citation:  \cite{companion}, \citet{companion}, \citep{companion} \\
Multi-citation:  \cite{bertram,knuth:ct:a,knuth:ct:b,knuth:ct:c} \\
\printbibliography

\end{document}

Best Answer

Yes the maxcitenames apparently has no effect in biblatex-apa. I faced this issue where the biblatex-apa was very close to the style I required but I did not want all the author names for 3-5 authors and I also didn't want the implementation of first cite as described in the APA style.

The solution is to alter the code that causes this, you can find it in the file apa.cbx and it is usually in ...../tex/latex/biblatex-apa.

The corresponding piece of code is the following:

\DeclareNameFormat{labelname}{%
  \ifthenelse{\value{uniquelist}>1}
    {\numdef\cbx@min{\value{uniquelist}}}
    {\numdef\cbx@min{\value{minnames}}}%
  \ifboolexpr{test {\ifnumcomp{\value{listcount}}{=}{1}}
              or test {\ifnumcomp{\value{listtotal}}{=}{2}}}
    {\usebibmacro{labelname:doname}{#1}{#2}{#3}{#4}{#5}{#6}{#7}{#8}}
    {\ifboolexpr{test {\ifnumcomp{\value{listtotal}}{>}{5}}
                 or test {\ifciteseen}}
     {\ifnumcomp{\value{listcount}}{<}{\cbx@min + 1}% normal name
       {\usebibmacro{labelname:doname}{#1}{#2}{#3}{#4}{#5}{#6}{#7}{#8}}%
       {}%
      \ifnumcomp{\value{listcount}}{=}{\cbx@min + 1}% first past ul is et al
      % but enforce plurality of et al - only truncate here if there is at
      % least one more element after the current potential truncation point
      % so that "et al" covers at least two elements.
       {\ifnumcomp{\value{listcount}}{<}{\value{listtotal}}
         {\andothersdelim\bibstring{andothers}}
         {\usebibmacro{labelname:doname}{#1}{#2}{#3}{#4}{#5}{#6}{#7}{#8}}}%
       {}%
      \ifnumcomp{\value{listcount}}{>}{\cbx@min + 1}% nothing thereafter
       {\relax}%
       {}}%
     {\usebibmacro{labelname:doname}{#1}{#2}{#3}{#4}{#5}{#6}{#7}{#8}}}}

One of the things this code does is check if the number of authors is > 5 or if the entry has already been cited, if so; then it assigns et al after the first author. By altering the code, changing the 5 to 2 and getting rid of or test {\ifciteseen} (watch out for the closing bracket), then any citation with more than 2 authors will have et al regardless if it has been used or not. Here's the edited part in addition to \makeatletter and \makeatother which are required when putting this into the document preamble

\makeatletter

\DeclareNameFormat{labelname}{%
  \ifthenelse{\value{uniquelist}>1}
    {\numdef\cbx@min{\value{uniquelist}}}
    {\numdef\cbx@min{\value{minnames}}}%
  \ifboolexpr{test {\ifnumcomp{\value{listcount}}{=}{1}}
              or test {\ifnumcomp{\value{listtotal}}{=}{2}}}
    {\usebibmacro{labelname:doname}{#1}{#2}{#3}{#4}{#5}{#6}{#7}{#8}}
    {\ifboolexpr{test {\ifnumcomp{\value{listtotal}}{>}{\value{maxnames}}}}% <- EDIT
     {\ifnumcomp{\value{listcount}}{<}{\cbx@min + 1}% normal name
       {\usebibmacro{labelname:doname}{#1}{#2}{#3}{#4}{#5}{#6}{#7}{#8}}%
       {}%
      \ifnumcomp{\value{listcount}}{=}{\cbx@min + 1}% first past ul is et al
      % but enforce plurality of et al - only truncate here if there is at
      % least one more element after the current potential truncation point
      % so that "et al" covers at least two elements.
       {\ifnumcomp{\value{listcount}}{<}{\value{listtotal}}
         {\andothersdelim\bibstring{andothers}}
         {\usebibmacro{labelname:doname}{#1}{#2}{#3}{#4}{#5}{#6}{#7}{#8}}}%
       {}%
      \ifnumcomp{\value{listcount}}{>}{\cbx@min + 1}% nothing thereafter
       {\relax}%
       {}}%
     {\usebibmacro{labelname:doname}{#1}{#2}{#3}{#4}{#5}{#6}{#7}{#8}}}}

\makeatother

The xpatch package provides an easy way to apply the same change to the labelname formatting directive.

\usepackage[style=apa,backend=biber,natbib=true,
            maxcitenames=2,uniquelist=false]{biblatex} 
\DeclareLanguageMapping{british}{british-apa}
\usepackage{xpatch}

\xpatchnameformat{labelname}
  {\ifciteseen}{\ifnumcomp{\value{listtotal}}{>}{\value{maxnames}}}{}{}

Related Solutions

[Tex/LaTex] Mimic BibTeX “apalike” with BibLaTeX – (biblatex-apa broken?)

I've been able to answer my own question using various hacks I found on tex.sx. As @PLK pointed out, there appears to be a compatibility issue with polyglossia and Biblatex, but among all the styles I tried this issue is only visible with the APA style. So I am using authoryear-comp instead that suits the requirements I stated. This might be useful for anyone wanting a simple, apalike style, particularly when using Mendeley.

Citations: cite: year in parentheses or citep: Author-Year separated by coma) -> \let\citealp\cite \let\cite\textcite
If using hyperlink, creating link for the full citation and not just the year. -> Answer from @Audrey, see MWE below.
Use of et al. when more than 2 authors. -> maxcitenames=2
Bibliography: Only initials for first/middle name. -> giveninits=true, uniquename=init
Last name, First name -> \DeclareNameAlias{sortname}{family-given}
Never use et al. -> maxbibnames=99
Only show year, even when month is specified -> \AtEveryBibitem{% \clearfield{month}{}% \clearlist{language}{}% } (also omits the language field)
Never show URL (retrieved from...) -> url=false, doi=false, isbn=false, eprint=false
Issue in parentheses, next to volume -> see MWE below.

There are also some other tweaks in the MWE below, such as using "cited" instead of "cit." for backrefs, removing "in:" for articles, increasing vertical space for bib items.

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{xcolor}
\usepackage{hyperref}
\hypersetup{%
    colorlinks=true, 
    citecolor=blue} 

\usepackage{polyglossia}
\setmainlanguage[variant=british]{english}

\usepackage{csquotes}

\PassOptionsToPackage{
        natbib=true,
        style=authoryear-comp,
        hyperref=true,
        backend=biber,
        maxbibnames=99,
        giveninits=true,
        uniquename=init,
        maxcitenames=2,
        parentracker=true,
        url=false,
        doi=false,
        isbn=false,
        eprint=false,
        backref=true,
            }   {biblatex}
\usepackage{biblatex}
\DeclareNameAlias{sortname}{family-given} 

% remove "in:" from articles. Thanks to Herbert.
\renewbibmacro{in:}{%
  \ifentrytype{article}{}{%
  \printtext{\bibstring{in}\intitlepunct}}}

% mit "month" and "language" from Bibliography
\AtEveryBibitem{%
  \clearfield{month}{}%
  \clearlist{language}{}%
  }

% some natbib backwards compatibility 
\let\citealp\cite
\let\cite\textcite

% increase vertical space between bibliography items.
\setlength\bibitemsep{0.5ex}
\setlength\bibnamesep{1.2ex}

% Comma before and after journal volume. Thanks to lockstep.
\renewbibmacro*{volume+number+eid}{%
  \setunit*{\addcomma\space}% NEW
  \printfield{volume}%
  \printfield{number}%
  \printfield{eid}}
  \DeclareFieldFormat[article]{number}{(#1)}% number of a journal

% Citation Hyperlinks (not just years), thanks to Audrey.
\makeatletter
\renewbibmacro*{cite}{% Based on cite bib macro from authoryear-comp.cbx
  \iffieldundef{shorthand}
    {\ifthenelse{\ifnameundef{labelname}\OR\iffieldundef{labelyear}}
       {\printtext[bibhyperref]{% Include labelname in hyperlink
          \DeclareFieldAlias{bibhyperref}{default}% Prevent nested hyperlinks
          \usebibmacro{cite:label}%
          \setunit{\addspace}%
          \usebibmacro{cite:labelyear+extrayear}}%
          \usebibmacro{cite:reinit}}
       {\iffieldequals{namehash}{\cbx@lasthash}
          {\ifthenelse{\iffieldequals{labelyear}{\cbx@lastyear}\AND
                       \(\value{multicitecount}=0\OR\iffieldundef{postnote}\)}
             {\setunit{\addcomma}%
              \usebibmacro{cite:extrayear}}
             {\setunit{\compcitedelim}%
              \usebibmacro{cite:labelyear+extrayear}%
              \savefield{labelyear}{\cbx@lastyear}}}
          {\printtext[bibhyperref]{% Include labelname in hyperlink
             \DeclareFieldAlias{bibhyperref}{default}% Prevent nested hyperlinks
             \printnames{labelname}%
             \setunit{\nameyeardelim}%
             \usebibmacro{cite:labelyear+extrayear}}%
             \savefield{namehash}{\cbx@lasthash}%
             \savefield{labelyear}{\cbx@lastyear}}}}
    {\usebibmacro{cite:shorthand}%
     \usebibmacro{cite:reinit}}%
  \setunit{\multicitedelim}}

\renewbibmacro*{textcite}{% Based on textcite bib macro from authoryear-comp.cbx
  \iffieldequals{namehash}{\cbx@lasthash}
    {\iffieldundef{shorthand}
       {\ifthenelse{\iffieldequals{labelyear}{\cbx@lastyear}\AND
                    \(\value{multicitecount}=0\OR\iffieldundef{postnote}\)}
          {\setunit{\addcomma}%
           \usebibmacro{cite:extrayear}}
          {\setunit{\compcitedelim}%
           \usebibmacro{cite:labelyear+extrayear}%
           \savefield{labelyear}{\cbx@lastyear}}}
       {\setunit{\compcitedelim}%
        \usebibmacro{cite:shorthand}%
        \global\undef\cbx@lastyear}}
    {\ifnameundef{labelname}
       {\printtext[bibhyperref]{% Include labelname in hyperlink
          \DeclareFieldAlias{bibhyperref}{default}% Prevent nested hyperlinks
          \iffieldundef{shorthand}
            {\usebibmacro{cite:label}%
             \setunit{%
               \global\booltrue{cbx:parens}%
               \addspace\bibopenparen}%
             \ifnumequal{\value{citecount}}{1}
               {\usebibmacro{prenote}}
               {}%
             \usebibmacro{cite:labelyear+extrayear}}
            {\usebibmacro{cite:shorthand}}%
          \ifthenelse{\iffieldundef{postnote}\AND
                      \(\value{multicitetotal}=0\AND\value{citetotal}=1\)}
            {\bibcloseparen% Include closing parenthesis in hyperlink
             \global\boolfalse{cbx:parens}}
            {}}}
       {\printtext[bibhyperref]{% Include labelname in hyperlink
          \DeclareFieldAlias{bibhyperref}{default}% Prevent nested hyperlinks
          \printnames{labelname}%
          \setunit{%
            \global\booltrue{cbx:parens}%
            \addspace\bibopenparen}%
          \ifnumequal{\value{citecount}}{1}
            {\usebibmacro{prenote}}
            {}%
          \iffieldundef{shorthand}
            {\iffieldundef{labelyear}
               {\usebibmacro{cite:label}}
               {\usebibmacro{cite:labelyear+extrayear}}%
             \savefield{labelyear}{\cbx@lastyear}}
            {\usebibmacro{cite:shorthand}%
             \global\undef\cbx@lastyear}%
          \ifthenelse{\iffieldundef{postnote}\AND
                      \(\value{multicitetotal}=0\AND\value{citetotal}=1\)}
            {\bibcloseparen% Include closing parenthesis in hyperlink
             \global\boolfalse{cbx:parens}}
            {}}%
          \savefield{namehash}{\cbx@lasthash}}}%
  \setunit{%
    \ifbool{cbx:parens}
      {\bibcloseparen\global\boolfalse{cbx:parens}}
      {}%
    \multicitedelim}}

\makeatother

% Backrefs "cited" instead of "cit"
\DefineBibliographyStrings{english}{%
backrefpage={cited on p\adddot},
backrefpages={cited on pp\adddot}
}

\addbibresource{bib.bib}

\begin{document}
Finally, as written by \cite{Attanasio2010}, my Bibliography is cool \citep{Galindo2002}. Furthermore (see, for example, \citealp{Attanasio2010}) there are some cool tweaks.

\printbibliography

\end{document}

enter image description here

[Tex/LaTex] Biblatex-apa: No change of citation with three authors to “et al.” (“/u.a.” in german) after first citing the source

This is, in fact, the correct disambiguation behaviour. When you cite the 2004 paper, the biblatex "uniquelist" feature (which APA requires) expands the name lists to the point of minimum ambiguity which is:

Stroebe & Nijstad et al.
Strobe & Nijstad

However, since "et al" is plural and should not replace only one name, the hidden name is printed instead of "et al". I have confirmed this as correct behaviour with the APA and it will appear in future revisions of the official style.

Best Answer

Related Solutions

[Tex/LaTex] Mimic BibTeX “apalike” with BibLaTeX – (biblatex-apa broken?)

[Tex/LaTex] Biblatex-apa: No change of citation with three authors to “et al.” (“/u.a.” in german) after first citing the source

Related Question