The author widget provides a handy link to authors’ posts on a group blog.  Readers just need to click on the authors name to view all post published by that person.

Here’s what it looks like when it’s added to a blog sidebar:

Settings

Once you add the widget to your sidebar in Appearance > Widgets, you’ll see that the widget settings look like this:

• Title:  Allows you to add your own custom title.  For example,  Student Authors.
• Role: Controls which user roles you want displayed in the author list.
• Displays:  Allows you to control what is displayed in the author list.  In most situations you would leave it as ‘Name only’.  Display options are:  Avatar +  Name; Avatar only; Name only.  If you choose an avatar option users need to upload their own avatar via Users > Your Profile (or Profile > Your Profile).
• Name Character: Used to control the number of characters displayed.  In more situations you would leave it as 20.
• Avatar size: Controls the size of the avatar displayed next to the blog name, if you choose to the avatar display option.
• Display all authors: Leave selected if you want all authors listed including those that haven’t published a post.
• Number: Controls the number of posts that are listed.