How to Cite a Journal Article in MLA Format

Direct Answer

To cite a journal article in MLA format, use this structure: Author(s). “Article Title.” Journal Name, vol. number, no. number, Year, pp. page range. DOI or URL. Include the volume number, issue number, publication year, page range (or article number), and DOI or stable URL for online access.

Complete MLA Journal Article Format

Journal articles require specific formatting to ensure readers can locate your sources. The basic structure includes the author’s name, article title in quotation marks, journal name in italics, volume and issue numbers, publication year, page range, and DOI or URL.

Basic Structure

Author(s). "Title of Article." Title of Journal, vol. number, no. number, Year, pp. page-page. DOI.

Detailed Breakdown

Author Name(s): Begin with the author’s last name, followed by a comma and first name. For multiple authors, list all authors in the order they appear in the article source.

Example: Smith, John and Mary Johnson.

Article Title: Place the complete article title in quotation marks. Capitalize all major words (excluding articles, prepositions, and conjunctions unless they appear first). End the title with a period before closing the quotation marks.

Example: “The Evolution of Modern Narrative Techniques.”

Journal Title: Provide the complete journal name in italics. Capitalize all major words. Do not abbreviate journal names in MLA 9th Edition.

Example: Contemporary Literary Review

Volume and Issue Numbers: Include the volume number (vol.) followed by the issue number (no.). These numbers tell readers which publication of the journal contains the article.

Example: vol. 45, no. 3

Publication Year: The year the journal issue was published. This appears after the volume and issue numbers.

Example: 2023

Page Numbers: For print and paginated articles, provide the page range using pp. followed by the first and last page numbers, separated by a hyphen.

Example: pp. 234-251

DOI or URL: Include the DOI if available, as it provides a permanent link to the article. If no DOI exists, include the stable URL where the article can be accessed.

Example: https://doi.org/10.1234/example or www.journalname.edu/article

Step-by-Step Citation Process

Step 1: Identify Essential Information

Gather these elements from the journal article:

• Author’s full name(s) as listed in the byline
• Complete article title from the first page
• Journal name from the masthead
• Volume number (usually on the cover or first page)
• Issue number (usually on the cover or first page)
• Publication year
• Page numbers (from first to last page of the article)
• DOI (typically near the byline or on the first page)

Step 2: Format the Author’s Name

Write the author’s last name first, followed by a comma, space, and first name. Include middle initials if available.

Single Author: Smith, John Two Authors: Smith, John and Mary Johnson Three or More Authors: Smith, John, et al.

Step 3: Add the Article Title

Type the complete article title in quotation marks. Apply title case, capitalizing all major words. Place the closing quotation mark before the period.

Example: “Postmodern Literature and Digital Narratives.”

Step 4: Insert Journal Information

Add the journal name in italics, followed by volume number (vol.), issue number (no.), publication year, and page range.

Example: Modern Literary Review, vol. 28, no. 4, 2022, pp. 512-530.

Step 5: Include DOI or URL

Append the DOI (with https://doi.org/ prefix if not already included) or the stable URL where the article can be accessed online. Place a period at the end.

Example: https://doi.org/10.5555/example.2022.28.4.512

Complete Examples

Single Author, Print Journal

Chen, Patricia. "The Impact of Globalization on Literary Traditions." International Journal of Literature, vol. 52, no. 2, 2023, pp. 145-168.

Two Authors, Journal with DOI

Rodriguez, Miguel and Sarah Thompson. "Climate Change Narratives in Contemporary Fiction." Environmental Humanities Review, vol. 15, no. 1, 2023, pp. 87-104. https://doi.org/10.1234/ehr.2023.15.1.87.

Online Journal Without Page Numbers

Williams, James. "Artificial Intelligence and Ethics in Modern Society." Digital Philosophy Quarterly, vol. 9, no. 3, 2023. https://www.digitalphilosophy.edu/articles/williams.

Multiple Authors, Journal Database

Anderson, Christine, David Lee, and Robert Park. "Advances in Genetic Research." Journal of Molecular Biology, vol. 401, no. 2, 2022, pp. 234-251. JSTOR, https://www.jstor.org/stable/example.

Journal Article with Article Number

Foster, Margaret. "Quantum Computing Applications in Data Science." Nature Computing, vol. 31, article 4521, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1038/computing.2023.4521.

MLA In-Text Citations for Journal Articles

When citing a journal article in your paper, use the author-page format in parentheses. Place the citation immediately after the quoted or paraphrased material.

With Page Numbers: (Smith 245)

Without Page Numbers: (Smith)

Direct Quote: According to recent research, “modern literature reflects societal anxieties” (Chen 156).

Paraphrase: Contemporary fiction increasingly addresses environmental concerns (Rodriguez and Thompson 95).

Multiple Sentences Citing Same Source: Studies show that literary narratives shape cultural understanding (Williams 102). Furthermore, this influence extends across media platforms (Williams 103).

Special Situations and Variations

Journal Articles Accessed Through Databases

When accessing articles through academic databases like JSTOR, ProQuest, or Google Scholar, include the database name before the DOI or URL:

Thompson, Laura. "The Evolution of Postmodern Fiction." Literary Studies Online, vol. 22, no. 1, 2023, pp. 78-95. JSTOR, https://www.jstor.org/stable/example.

Articles in Online-Only Journals

For journals that exist only in digital format, include the volume and issue numbers if available, along with the publication date and URL:

Martinez, Carlos. "Digital Humanities and Literary Analysis." Open Access Journal of Literary Studies, vol. 14, no. 2, 2023, pp. 234-250. https://www.openaccess-lit.org/articles/martinez.

Journal Articles with No Author Listed

When a journal article has no credited author, begin the citation with the article title:

"New Approaches to Citation Analysis." Journal of Academic Research, vol. 19, no. 3, 2023, pp. 112-127.

Journal Articles with Corporate Author

Some articles are published under organization or corporate names rather than individual authors:

American Psychological Association. "Standards for Educational Testing." Journal of Educational Assessment, vol. 45, no. 2, 2023, pp. 89-104.

Common Formatting Errors to Avoid

Abbreviating Journal Names: MLA 9th Edition requires complete journal titles. Do not use abbreviations like “Rev.” for “Review” or “J.” for “Journal.”

Incorrect Volume/Issue Format: Always use “vol.” and “no.” when citing journal issues. Avoid formats like “Volume 45(2)” or “45:2”.

Missing DOI or URL: For online articles, always include a DOI or URL to help readers locate the source.

Improper Title Capitalization: Capitalize all major words in article titles. Don’t capitalize articles, prepositions, or coordinating conjunctions unless they’re the first word.

Inconsistent Formatting: Ensure all journal titles are italicized and all article titles appear in quotation marks throughout your Works Cited page.

Advanced Citation Scenarios

Citing a Specific Section or Comment Within a Journal

Davis, Robert. "Response to 'The Evolution of Modern Narrative.'" Literary Forum, vol. 33, no. 1, 2023, pp. 15-18.

Journal Articles Translated from Another Language

Müller, Hans. "Die Modernität der Literatur." Translated by Patricia Smith, Journal of European Studies, vol. 27, no. 4, 2023, pp. 289-304.

Journal Articles as Part of a Special Issue

Green, Jennifer. "Climate Change and Literature." Journal of Environmental Humanities, vol. 18, no. 3, special issue, 2023, pp. 45-62.

Distinguishing Journal Articles from Magazine Articles

While both appear in periodicals, journal articles and magazine articles follow slightly different citation formats:

Journal Articles: Peer-reviewed publications for academic audiences, with volume and issue numbers Magazine Articles: Popular publications without peer review, cited with date format (Month Day, Year) instead of volume/issue numbers

Using GenText for Journal Article Citations

Manually formatting multiple journal article citations is tedious and error-prone. GenText’s citation generator automatically formats all your journal citations to MLA 9th Edition standards. Input your source information, and GenText creates complete, accurate citations ready to add to your Works Cited page.

GenText handles journals with DOIs, online-only journals, database citations, and articles with multiple authors—all formatted perfectly. Save time and eliminate formatting mistakes by using automated citation generation for your research papers.

Best Practices for Journal Article Citations

Verify All Information: Cross-check author names, article titles, volume numbers, and page ranges against the original source. A single typo breaks the citation chain.

Preserve Page Numbers: For print journals or paginated online articles, always include page numbers. They help readers locate your source quickly.

Use Stable Links: Prefer DOIs over URLs, as DOIs remain stable if journal websites change. If using URLs, ensure they’re stable links that won’t break.

Maintain Alphabetical Order: On your Works Cited page, arrange all journal article citations alphabetically by the author’s last name.

Check for Updates: Some journals update articles or add corrections. Verify you’re citing the most current version.

Conclusion

Citing journal articles correctly demonstrates your engagement with peer-reviewed research and strengthens your academic credibility. By following the MLA 9th Edition format for journal citations, you ensure your readers can easily locate and verify your sources.

Whether citing a single journal article or managing dozens of sources, consistency in formatting matters. Use this guide as your reference, consult GenText’s citation generator for accuracy, and continue developing strong research and citation habits that will serve you throughout your academic career.