How do I cite a journal article in APA format?

APA 7: Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Year). Title of article. Title of Periodical, Volume(Issue), page–page. https://doi.org/xxxxx. Example: Smith, J. A., & Jones, B. (2024). AI in education. Nature Education, 15(3), 45-52. https://doi.org/10.1038/xxxxx. Italicize the journal name and volume number.

How do I cite a journal article in MLA format?

MLA 9: Author(s). 'Title of Article.' Title of Journal, vol. X, no. X, Year, pp. X-X. DOI or URL. Example: Smith, John A., and Bob Jones. 'AI in Education.' Nature Education, vol. 15, no. 3, 2024, pp. 45-52. Only the journal name is italicized. Article title goes in quotation marks.

How do I cite a journal article with no author?

APA: Move the article title to the author position. Title of article. (Year). Journal, Volume(Issue), pages. DOI. MLA: 'Title of Article.' Journal, vol. X, no. X, Year, pp. X-X. In-text APA: ('Shortened Title,' Year). In-text MLA: ('Shortened Title' page).

What is the difference between DOI and URL in citations?

A DOI (Digital Object Identifier) is a permanent, unique link to the article that never changes. A URL is a web address that can break. Always use the DOI when available. Only use a URL if no DOI exists. Format: https://doi.org/10.XXXX/XXXXX.

How do I cite an article found in a database?

APA 7: Do NOT include the database name (JSTOR, EBSCOhost, ProQuest) — just include the DOI. If there's no DOI and the article is only in the database, include the database URL. MLA 9: Include the database name as a second container. Example: JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/xxxxx.

How do I cite an article with 3+ authors?

APA: List all authors up to 20 in the reference list. Use 'et al.' after the first author in in-text citations for 3+ authors. MLA: First author, et al. in both the Works Cited and in-text. Chicago: List all in bibliography; use 'et al.' in footnotes for 4+ authors.

Research Article

How to Cite a Journal Article: APA, MLA, Chicago & Harvard (2026)

Learn how to cite a journal article in APA 7th, MLA 9, Chicago, and Harvard formats. Step-by-step examples for print, online, DOI, multiple authors, and no-author articles.

Journal article citation core elements: Author(s), Year, Article title, Journal name, Volume(Issue), Pages, DOI. APA: Author, A. A. (Year). Title. Journal Name, Volume(Issue), pages. DOI. MLA: Author. 'Title.' Journal, vol. X, no. X, Year, pp. X-X. Chicago NB: Author, 'Title,' Journal Volume, no. Issue (Year): pages. Harvard: Author (Year) 'Title', Journal, Volume(Issue), pp. pages.

TL;DR: Journal citations need author(s), year, article title, journal name, volume, issue, pages, and DOI. The exact order and formatting differs by style. Always include the DOI when available.

Journal articles are the most commonly cited sources in academic writing. Whether it's a single-author paper in Nature or a 25-author meta-analysis in The Lancet, getting the citation format right is critical. Each style guide handles author names, titles, and DOIs differently.

This guide covers every journal article citation scenario across APA 7th, MLA 9, Chicago 17th, and Harvard.

Smith, J. A. (2024). The impact of artificial intelligence on medical diagnosis. The Lancet Digital Health, 6(3), e215–e228. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2589-7500(24)00012-3

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Frequently Asked Questions

How do I cite a journal article in APA format?: APA 7: Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Year). Title of article. Title of Periodical, Volume(Issue), page–page. https://doi.org/xxxxx. Example: Smith, J. A., & Jones, B. (2024). AI in education. Nature Education, 15(3), 45-52. https://doi.org/10.1038/xxxxx. Italicize the journal name and volume number.
How do I cite a journal article in MLA format?: MLA 9: Author(s). 'Title of Article.' Title of Journal, vol. X, no. X, Year, pp. X-X. DOI or URL. Example: Smith, John A., and Bob Jones. 'AI in Education.' Nature Education, vol. 15, no. 3, 2024, pp. 45-52. Only the journal name is italicized. Article title goes in quotation marks.
How do I cite a journal article with no author?: APA: Move the article title to the author position. Title of article. (Year). Journal, Volume(Issue), pages. DOI. MLA: 'Title of Article.' Journal, vol. X, no. X, Year, pp. X-X. In-text APA: ('Shortened Title,' Year). In-text MLA: ('Shortened Title' page).
What is the difference between DOI and URL in citations?: A DOI (Digital Object Identifier) is a permanent, unique link to the article that never changes. A URL is a web address that can break. Always use the DOI when available. Only use a URL if no DOI exists. Format: https://doi.org/10.XXXX/XXXXX.
How do I cite an article found in a database?: APA 7: Do NOT include the database name (JSTOR, EBSCOhost, ProQuest) — just include the DOI. If there's no DOI and the article is only in the database, include the database URL. MLA 9: Include the database name as a second container. Example: JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/xxxxx.
How do I cite an article with 3+ authors?: APA: List all authors up to 20 in the reference list. Use 'et al.' after the first author in in-text citations for 3+ authors. MLA: First author, et al. in both the Works Cited and in-text. Chicago: List all in bibliography; use 'et al.' in footnotes for 4+ authors.

How to Cite a Journal Article: APA, MLA, Chicago & Harvard (2026)

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