How to Cite a Journal Article in APA 7th Edition
Learn the exact format with examples, in-text citations, and common mistakes to avoid.
Citation Format
Basic Template
Author. (Year). Title of article. Journal Name, Volume(Issue), page range. DOI or URL
Citation Components
Author(s)
Use (Last, First Initial.) format for each author. Separate multiple authors with commas; use '&' before the last author.
Year
Enclose publication year in parentheses.
Article Title
Use sentence case (capitalize only first word and proper nouns). Not italicized or quoted.
Journal Name
Italicized. Capitalize all major words (title case).
Volume Number
Italicized. Format: Volume(Issue), page range.
DOI or URL
Prefer DOI; if no DOI, use URL. Format: https://doi.org/xxxxx or full URL.
Real-World Example
Example Source
Smith, J. A., & Johnson, M. B.
2022
Impact of digital learning on student engagement
Journal of Educational Psychology
114
3
625-641
https://doi.org/10.1037/edu0000680
Formatted Citation
Smith, J. A., & Johnson, M. B. (2022). Impact of digital learning on student engagement. Journal of Educational Psychology, 114(3), 625–641. https://doi.org/10.1037/edu0000680
In-Text Citation
(Smith & Johnson, 2022)
(Author & Author, Year) or (Author, Author, & Author, Year)
Common Mistakes
Wrong:
Smith, J., & Johnson, M. (2022). Impact of Digital Learning on Student Engagement. Journal of Educational Psychology, 114(3), 625-641.
Right:
Smith, J. A., & Johnson, M. B. (2022). Impact of digital learning on student engagement. Journal of Educational Psychology, 114(3), 625–641.
Why: Journal titles use title case and are italicized; article titles use sentence case. Use en dashes for page ranges.
Wrong:
Smith, J., Johnson, M., & Williams, T. (2022). Title. Journal Name, 114(3): 625-641.
Right:
Smith, J., Johnson, M., & Williams, T. (2022). Title. Journal Name, 114(3), 625–641.
Why: Use commas and 'and' symbol (&) consistently; use parentheses and comma before page numbers, not colons.
Wrong:
Smith, J. A. (2022). 'Impact of digital learning'. Journal Name, 114(3), p. 625-641.
Right:
Smith, J. A. (2022). Impact of digital learning. Journal Name, 114(3), 625–641.
Why: Don't use quotation marks for article titles, and don't use 'p.' or 'pp.' before page ranges in journal citations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I include the issue number in an APA journal citation? ▼
Include the issue number in parentheses when each issue begins with page 1. If pages are numbered continuously through the volume, you may omit the issue number.
How do I format multiple authors in APA? ▼
Use (Last, First Initial.) for each author, separate with commas, and use '&' before the final author: (Smith, J., Johnson, M., & Williams, T.)
Is the DOI required if I have the URL? ▼
Prefer the DOI if available, as it's more stable. If only the URL is available, that's acceptable. Don't include both.
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