How do you cite multiple authors, MLA style, IN-TEXT on an essay?

Question

I'm writing a research essay, and for one of my sources, I need to cite multiple authors. I know how to do this in the works cited sheet, but not in the actual essay. When citing one author, I know how to format it (Likethis 123). With two authors, though, I'm confused. Can someone clarify this?

Please don't give me a website that just helps with MLA format - most of them either don't assist with in-text citation or don't mention multiple authors.

Answer 1

it have all of the authors last names, followed by a page number (if there is one)

example:

Blah blah blah (Smith, Johnson, and Hartley; 42)

Answer 2

TWO OR THREE AUTHORS: Name the authors in a signal phrase, as in the following example, or include their last names in the parenthetical reference: (Redelmeier and Tibshirani 453).

Redelmeier and Tibshirani found that "the risk of a collision when

using a cellular telephone was four times higher than the risk

when a cellular telephone was not being used" (453).

When three authors are named in the parentheses, separate the names with commas: (Alton, Davies, and Rice 56).