How to Cite a Journal Article Correctly

Journal article citation requires two components including precise in-text reference markers and full citation entries that enable readers to access publication details. The guidelines of your chosen style determine the proper format for both components. For example there are APA, MLA, Chicago, etc., and each has its own rules for formatting.

This blog post details how to cite journal articles, from what information you should collect, to how to cite complex cases, like missing DOIs.

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Must-Have Details for a Journal Article Citation

The first step in journal article citations is collecting the right information. Each detail helps readers find the source and gives credit where it’s due. Here’s what to look for:

• Author(s): The person or group that wrote the article. They are present either at the top of the first page or beneath the title. If there are four or more authors, the common form is to provide the first author and then et al. Be careful of the exact spelling and order.
• Publication Year: Located near the author, or at the top of the periodical. In APA and similar styles, put the year in round brackets following the author.
• Article Title: Use quotation marks or italics depending on your style guide. Also, be sure if it is a printed source or an online source and how the formatting might differ.
• Journal Name: Located at the top of the article or at the journal website.
• Volume and Issue Number: Identify the journal edition - which comes first (volume) and then the issue in round brackets.
• Page Range: Identifies where the article appears in the printed source or digital version.
• DOI or URL: Use the DOI if available, if not provide the stable URL. Make sure to identify which version of the print or online version you are using.

Citing a Journal Article in APA

APA format is the dominant style in social sciences. Key rules are:

• Author: The author's last name is printed first with initials afterwards. If there are multiple authors, separate by commas. Use and '&' before the last author.
• Year: The year should be placed in parentheses immediately after the author.
• Title of Journal Article: The first words of the article title, subtitle (if applicable), and any proper nouns should be capitalized.
• Journal Title and Volume Number: Italicize the name of the journal and the volume number; the issue number would go in parenthesis.
• Page range: Full article page range.
• DOI/URL: You should include a DOI, If not, the URL.

This basic format works for a print journal article or any electronic journal.

Citing a Journal Article in MLA

For journal article citations in humanities, the MLA format is very popular. Keep the following principles in mind:

• Author: Use First Name Last Name for full name.
• Title: Article title in quotation marks and in title case.
• Journal Name & Volume/Issue: Journal name italicized; volume and issue number included.
• Publication Date: If the month and year appear, include them.
• Pages: Use “pp.” before page numbers.
• DOI/URL: Include a DOI if available; otherwise include a URL.

Find out more about APA vs MLA differences in our dedicated blog post.

Citing a Journal Article in Chicago

Chicago style is frequently used in history and some social sciences. Here's what to remember in regards to citation:

• Author: Full name as First Name Last Name.
• Title: Article title in quotation marks, title case.
• Journal & Volume/Issue: Italicize journal name; include volume, issue, publication date.
• Pages: In the bibliography, include the full page range; in the footnotes, give only the specific page numbers cited.
• DOI or URL: If you have a DOI, include it. If not, provide the URL.

See a related guide on Turabian style that breaks down the citations in detail.

Addressing Common Citation Issues

Even if you try your best, sometimes you simply start to cite a journal article and it gets complicated. This section will go over issues students face most often, with some simple solutions so that your reference list can be accurate and professional.

1. When DOIs Are Absent

Often older or peer-reviewed articles you read do not have DOIs. If the DOI is missing, you have two choices:

• Use a URL: Include either the direct link to the journal homepage or the article webpage.
• Use an ISBN: If an article is in book collections, or volumes, use the ISBN instead of a DOI.

Just always be sure that your reference points to a stable and reliable source so readers can easily access the material.

2. Multiple Authors

There are rules about the citations of multiple authors, depending on the citation style used:

• APA: You will include all authors in the reference entry up to and including 20 authors. For in-text citations with three or more authors, you must include the first author's last name, followed by et al.
• MLA: You will list all authors in Works Cited (for two authors). For four or more authors, you will only include the first author's name, followed by et al.
• Chicago: In your bibliography entries you will list all authors for works with up to 10 authors, but for works with more than 10 authors, you will include the first seven authors, and then proceed to use et al. in other citations. Footnotes typically include et al. (to refer to multiple authors) when there are multiple authors and the final author's name.

3. Citing Online and Print Articles

The basic form depends on whether the article is from a print source, such as a newspaper article, or any article that is published online:

• Print Articles: Standard publication information (volume, issue, and page numbers are details to include). No URL is needed. Ensure that the title of article is in the correct formatting.
• Online Articles: DOI or stable URL. If the online article came from a database (in this style, Chicago, etc.), then in others styles (APA, MLA) it may be most appropriate to put the database name without including a URL.