How to Cite an Online Article in MLA Format

Direct Answer

To cite an online article in MLA format, use this structure: Author. “Article Title.” Publication Name, Publisher, Date, URL. Include the author’s name, complete article title in quotation marks, publication name, publisher (if different from publication), publication date, and the article’s URL.

Complete MLA Online Article Citation Format

Online articles are published across numerous platforms—news websites, online magazines, digital-only publications, and news aggregators. Citing them correctly requires similar elements to print articles, with the addition of URLs for reader accessibility.

Basic Online Article Citation Structure

Author. "Title of Article." Title of Publication, Publisher, Date, URL.

Detailed Element Breakdown

Author: The journalist or writer’s name as credited in the article byline. Last name first, followed by comma and first name.

Example: Anderson, Patricia.

Article Title: The complete headline of the article, placed in quotation marks with title case capitalization.

Example: “Climate Change Accelerates Environmental Crisis”

Publication Name: The name of the news organization or publication where the article appears.

Example: The New York Times

Publisher: The parent company or organization publishing the article (often the same as publication name; include if different).

Example: New York Times Company

Publication Date: The date the article was published. Format: Day Month Year (15 Mar. 2024)

Example: 15 Mar. 2024

URL: The complete web address where the article can be accessed. Include https:// if helpful for clarity.

Example: https://www.nytimes.com/article/climate-change-crisis

Step-by-Step Citation Process

Step 1: Gather Essential Article Information

Locate these elements on the article page:

• Author’s full name from the byline
• Complete article headline/title
• Publication or news organization name
• Publisher (often same as publication)
• Publication date (sometimes labeled “published,” “updated,” or “posted”)
• Complete article URL from your browser

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: Anderson, Patricia. Two Authors: Anderson, Patricia, and David Chen. Three or More Authors: Anderson, Patricia, et al. Multiple Authors (All Listed): Anderson, Patricia, David Chen, and Robert Lee.

Step 3: Add the Article Title

Type the complete article headline in quotation marks. Use title case, capitalizing all major words. Place a period inside the closing quotation mark.

Example: “The Hidden Costs of Fast Fashion.”

Step 4: Insert Publication Information

Include the publication name, publisher (if different), and publication date.

Example: CNN International, Turner Broadcasting System, 12 Mar. 2024,

Step 5: Complete with URL

Add the complete URL where the article can be accessed, ending with a period.

Example: https://www.cnn.com/world/fast-fashion-environmental.

Complete Examples for Different Article Types

News Website Article (Single Author)

Williams, Jennifer. "Breakthrough Discovery in Medical Research." CNN Health, Turner Broadcasting System, 14 Mar. 2024, https://www.cnn.com/health/medical-breakthrough.

Online Magazine Article (Multiple Authors)

Garcia, Miguel, and Sarah Thompson. "The Future of Remote Work." Forbes, Forbes Media, 10 Mar. 2024, https://www.forbes.com/sites/remote-work-future.

Online News Article (No Author Listed)

"Global Climate Summit Reaches Historic Agreement." BBC News, BBC, 12 Mar. 2024, https://www.bbc.com/news/climate-summit-agreement.

Article from News Aggregator with Original Source

Chen, Robert. "Artificial Intelligence Reshapes Education." Medium, 15 Mar. 2024, https://medium.com/@robertchen/ai-education.

Online Article with Updated Date

Martinez, Carlos. "Understanding Cryptocurrency." The Verge, Vox Media, originally published 2022, updated Mar. 2024, https://www.theverge.com/crypto-guide.

Article from Publication’s Website

Johnson, David. "Tech Giants Face New Regulations." The Wall Street Journal, News Corp, 13 Mar. 2024, https://www.wsj.com/articles/tech-regulation.

Online Scientific Article

Foster, Jennifer. "Quantum Computing Advances Reported." Nature Communications, Nature, 11 Mar. 2024, https://www.nature.com/articles/quantum-computing-2024.

MLA In-Text Citations for Online Articles

When citing online articles in your paper, use the author-page format. Most online articles don’t have page numbers, so citations typically include just the author’s name.

With Author: (Williams)

Without Author (Using Article Title): (“Breakthrough Discovery in Medical Research”)

With Page Number (Rare for Online Articles): (Williams 5)

Direct Quote: Recent medical breakthroughs demonstrate that “early diagnosis significantly improves treatment outcomes” (Williams).

Paraphrase: New regulations aim to create accountability for technology companies operating globally (Martinez).

Multiple Authors: (Garcia and Thompson)

Multiple Authors (Three or More): (Garcia et al.)

Citing Entire Article: If you reference the article overall without specific information, cite only the author or title: (Williams)

Citation Variations for Special Article Types

Article in Online-Only Publication

Anderson, Jennifer. "The Rise of Digital Publishing." Digital Media Today, 15 Mar. 2024, https://www.digitalmediatoday.com/articles/digital-publishing.

Article from News Organization’s Mobile App

Thompson, Robert. "Latest Market Trends." Bloomberg, Bloomberg Media, 14 Mar. 2024, https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/market-trends.

Opinion Piece or Column

Smith, David. "The Future of Education Policy." The Atlantic, Atlantic Media, 12 Mar. 2024, https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/education-policy.

Article Translated from Another Language

Müller, Hans. "Modern German Literature." Translated by Patricia Davis, *International Literary Review*, 10 Mar. 2024, https://www.intliteraryreview.com/german-literature.

Sponsored or Branded Content

Anderson, Patricia. "How to Invest in Renewable Energy." Forbes, sponsored by SunPower, 8 Mar. 2024, https://www.forbes.com/sites/sunpower/renewable-energy.

Article with Video or Multimedia Content

Chen, Laura. "Climate Crisis Explained Visually." The Guardian, Guardian News, 15 Mar. 2024, https://www.theguardian.com/climate-visual.

Distinguishing Online Articles from Related Source Types

Different publication formats require different citation approaches:

• Online Article: Authored article on news or publication website with specific publication date
• Website: General organizational pages without specific article attribution
• Journal Article Online: Peer-reviewed articles in academic journals (uses journal article format)
• Blog Post: Personal or organizational blog entries (sometimes uses article format, sometimes website format)
• News Wire Service: Brief reports from AP, Reuters, etc. (follows article format with wire service as publisher)

Common Online Article Citation Mistakes to Avoid

Missing Author Information: When an author is listed, always include it. If no author, begin with the article title.

Incomplete Article Titles: Use the complete headline exactly as it appears in the article, not shortened versions.

Wrong Publication Name: Use the official publication name as it appears in the masthead or header, not shortened versions.

Missing URL: Online article citations must include a URL. Without it, readers cannot locate your source.

Incorrect Date Format: Use the format: Day Month Year (15 Mar. 2024), not 3/15/2024 or March 15, 2024.

Article Title in Italics: Article titles go in quotation marks, never italics. Only publication names are italicized.

Including Access Dates Unnecessarily: MLA 9th Edition doesn’t require access dates, though they’re acceptable for frequently updated content.

Advanced Citation Scenarios

Article Behind Paywall or Subscriber Wall

Williams, David. "Investigative Report on Corporate Corruption." The Wall Street Journal, News Corp, 13 Mar. 2024, https://www.wsj.com/articles/corporate-investigation.

Article from Print Publication Also Available Online

When an article appears both in print and online, cite the online version with the URL:

Thompson, Jennifer. "Architecture in Modern Cities." The New York Times, New York Times Company, 14 Mar. 2024, https://www.nytimes.com/architecture-cities.

Article from Alternative News Source or Independent Outlet

Anderson, Maria. "Local Community News." Community Voices, 15 Mar. 2024, https://www.communityvoices.org/local-news.

Tweet or Social Media Post (if treating as article)

Generally, social media posts use a different format (see social media citation guide). However, if a post is substantive enough to warrant article treatment:

Garcia, Miguel. "Thoughts on Climate Policy." Twitter, 12 Mar. 2024, https://twitter.com/mariosthoughts/status/climate-policy.

Online Article Best Practices

Verify Author Information: Ensure author names match the byline exactly. Some publications obscure author names or list multiple contributors.

Confirm Publication Date: Look for the original publication date, not update dates. If updated significantly, note “originally published [date], updated [date].”

Check URL Stability: Test that the URL works and will continue to work. Some news sites remove older articles.

Use Current URLs: Avoid shortened URLs (bit.ly, tinyurl) in citations. Use the full, original URL from your browser.

Record Complete Information Immediately: Note all necessary citation elements when you find an article. Returning later to locate publication details wastes time.

Using GenText for Online Article Citations

Managing citations from dozens of online articles across multiple publications is time-consuming and error-prone. GenText’s citation generator automatically formats online article citations to MLA 9th Edition standards. Input your article information—author, title, publication, date, and URL—and GenText creates perfect citations.

GenText handles all article types: news websites, online magazines, digital-only publications, and more. Our tool ensures consistent formatting, proper URL inclusion, and complete publication information, saving you time and eliminating formatting errors in your research papers.

Best Practices for Online Article Citations

Distinguish Original from Aggregated Content: When an article appears on multiple sites, cite the original source where the article was first published.

Include Full Publication Context: Provide enough information for readers to understand the source’s credibility and find the article themselves.

Maintain Consistency: Format all online article citations consistently throughout your Works Cited page.

Cross-Reference Related Formats: Familiarize yourself with differences between online article, website, and journal article formats to apply the correct one.

Conclusion

Online articles are increasingly important sources in academic research. Citing them correctly ensures readers can access and verify your sources while giving proper credit to journalists and writers whose work you’re building upon.

Whether you’re citing breaking news, in-depth investigations, or analysis from online publications, accurate online article citations meet professional standards and strengthen your academic credibility. Use this guide as your reference, leverage GenText’s citation generator for quick, accurate formatting, and continue developing strong research habits that serve you in all your academic endeavors.