How to Cite a Journal Article | APA, MLA, & Chicago Examples
To cite an article from an academic journal, you need an in-text citation and a corresponding reference listing the name(s) of the author(s), the publication date, the article title and journal name, the volume and issue numbers, the page range, and the URL or DOI.
Different citation styles present this information differently. The main citation styles are APA, MLA, and Chicago style.
You can use the interactive example generator to explore the format for APA and MLA journal article citations.
We also recommend trying QuillBot’s Notepad, which let’s you take online notes to keep track of your sources.
Citing an article in APA Style
In an APA Style journal article reference, the article title is in plain text and sentence case, while the journal name appears in italics, in title case.
The in-text citation lists up to two authors; for three or more, use “et al.”
| APA format | Author last name, Initials. (Year). Article title. Journal Name, Volume(Issue), Page range. DOI or URL |
|---|---|
| APA reference entry | Pinchot, R. (2020). Calle 13 and Ana Tijoux’s joyous rebellion: Modeling transnational protest through lyric and song. Latin American Music Review, 41(2), 196–225. https://doi.org/10.7560/LAMR41203 |
| APA in-text citation | (Pinchot, 2020, p. 199) |
When citing a journal article in print or from a database, don’t include a URL. You can still include the DOI if available.
You can also cite a journal article using our free APA Citation Generator. Search by title or DOI to automatically generate a correct citation.
Generate accurate APA citations with Scribbr
Citing an article in MLA Style
In an MLA Works Cited entry for a journal article, the article title appears in quotation marks, the name of the journal in italics—both in title case.
List up to two authors in both the in-text citation and the Works Cited entry. For three or more, use “et al.”
| MLA format | Author last name, First name. “Article title.” Journal Name, vol. Volume, no. Issue, Month Year, pp. Page range, DOI or URL. |
|---|---|
| MLA Works Cited entry | Pinchot, Ryan. “Calle 13 and Ana Tijoux’s Joyous Rebellion: Modeling Transnational Protest Through Lyric and Song.” Latin American Music Review, vol. 41, no. 2, Fall/Winter 2020, pp. 196–225, doi:10.7560/LAMR41203. |
| MLA in-text citation | (Pinchot 199) |
A DOI is always included when available; a URL appears if no DOI is available but the article was accessed online. If you accessed the article in print and no DOI is available, you can omit this part.
You can also use our free MLA Citation Generator to create your journal article citations.
Generate accurate MLA citations with Scribbr
Citing an article in Chicago Style
In Chicago notes and bibliography style, you include a bibliography entry for each source, and cite them in the text using footnotes.
A bibliography entry for a journal article lists the title of the article in quotation marks and the journal name in italics—both in title case. List up to 10 authors in full; use “et al.” for 11 or more.
In the footnote, use “et al.” for four or more authors.
| Chicago format | Author last name, First name. “Article Title.” Journal Name Volume, no. Issue (Month Year): Page range. DOI or URL. |
|---|---|
| Chicago bibliography entry | Pinchot, Ryan. “Calle 13 and Ana Tijoux’s Joyous Rebellion: Modeling Transnational Protest Through Lyric and Song.” Latin American Music Review 41, no. 2 (Fall/Winter 2020): 196–225. https://doi.org/10.7560/LAMR41203. |
| Chicago footnote | 1. Ryan Pinchot, “Calle 13 and Ana Tijoux’s Joyous Rebellion: Modeling Transnational Protest Through Lyric and Song,” Latin American Music Review 41, no. 2 (Fall/Winter 2020): 197. https://doi.org/10.7560/LAMR41203.
2. Pinchot, “Joyous Rebellion,” 199. |
A DOI or URL (preferably a DOI) is included for articles consulted online; for articles consulted in print, omit this part.
Chicago also offers an alternative author-date style of citation. Examples of how to cite journal articles in this style can be found here.
Frequently asked questions about citations
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If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.
Caulfield, J. (2024, November 06). How to Cite a Journal Article | APA, MLA, & Chicago Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved April 14, 2025, from https://www.scribbr.com/citing-sources/cite-a-journal-article/
