How to Cite a Journal Article in APA, MLA & Chicago Format (2026 Guide)
Learn how to cite journal articles in APA, MLA, and Chicago format with easy examples. Covers print, online, and DOI citations for academic papers.
How to Cite a Journal Article in APA, MLA & Chicago Format (2026 Guide)
Journal articles are the backbone of academic research. They're peer-reviewed, credible, and professors love seeing them in your references. But citing them correctly? That's where students struggle.
One missing period or misplaced comma can cost you points. And with so many citation styles, it's easy to mix up the formats.
In this guide, you'll learn exactly how to cite journal articles in APA, MLA, and Chicago format — with clear examples you can copy and adapt for your own papers.
Table of Contents
- What Information Do You Need to Cite a Journal Article?
- How to Cite a Journal Article in APA Format
- How to Cite a Journal Article in MLA Format
- How to Cite a Journal Article in Chicago Format
- How to Cite Online Journal Articles
- How to Cite Journal Articles with DOIs
- Common Mistakes to Avoid
- FAQ
What Information Do You Need to Cite a Journal Article?
Before you start formatting, gather these details from the article:
- Author(s): Full names of all authors
- Publication year: When the article was published
- Article title: The title of the specific article
- Journal name: The name of the journal (italicized in most styles)
- Volume number: Usually a number like "Vol. 45"
- Issue number: The issue within that volume (e.g., "Issue 3")
- Page numbers: Where the article appears (e.g., pp. 234-256)
- DOI or URL: For online articles, the Digital Object Identifier or web address
Most of this information appears on the first page of the article or in the database record if you accessed it online.
How to Cite a Journal Article in APA Format
APA (American Psychological Association) style is commonly used in psychology, social sciences, education, and business.
Basic APA Format for Journal Articles
Template:
Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Year). Title of article. Title of Journal, Volume(Issue), Page range. https://doi.org/xxxxx
Example with DOI:
Smith, J. K., & Johnson, L. M. (2025). The impact of social media on student learning outcomes. Journal of Educational Psychology, 117(3), 234-256. https://doi.org/10.1037/edu0000789
Example without DOI:
Williams, R. T. (2024). Cognitive effects of sleep deprivation in college students. Psychology Today Research, 45(2), 78-95.
APA In-Text Citations for Journal Articles
One author:
- (Smith, 2025)
- Smith (2025) found that...
Two authors:
- (Smith & Johnson, 2025)
- Smith and Johnson (2025) argued...
Three or more authors:
- (Smith et al., 2025)
- Smith et al. (2025) demonstrated...
APA Journal Citation Tips
- Capitalize only the first word of the article title (and proper nouns)
- Italicize the journal name and volume number
- Include the issue number in parentheses (not italicized)
- Always include the DOI if available — it's preferred over URLs
How to Cite a Journal Article in MLA Format
MLA (Modern Language Association) style is standard for humanities, literature, and language studies.
Basic MLA Format for Journal Articles
Template:
Last name, First name. "Title of Article." Title of Journal, vol. #, no. #, Year, pp. #-#.
Print journal example:
Garcia, Maria. "The Evolution of Digital Storytelling in Modern Literature." Literary Studies Quarterly, vol. 28, no. 4, 2025, pp. 112-134.
Online journal example:
Thompson, David L. "Climate Change Narratives in Contemporary Fiction." Environmental Humanities Review, vol. 15, no. 2, 2025, pp. 45-67. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/12345678.
MLA In-Text Citations for Journal Articles
MLA uses author-page format:
- (Garcia 118)
- According to Garcia, "the shift toward digital formats..." (120).
- Garcia argues that digital storytelling has transformed how we consume literature (115-118).
MLA Journal Citation Tips
- Use quotation marks around article titles
- Italicize journal names
- Spell out "volume" and "number" as "vol." and "no."
- Include the database name for online sources
How to Cite a Journal Article in Chicago Format
Chicago style offers two systems: Notes-Bibliography (humanities) and Author-Date (sciences). Here's both.
Chicago Notes-Bibliography Style
Footnote/Endnote:
1. James Wilson, "The Psychology of Decision Making Under Pressure," Behavioral Science Journal 33, no. 2 (2025): 156.
Bibliography entry:
Wilson, James. "The Psychology of Decision Making Under Pressure." Behavioral Science Journal 33, no. 2 (2025): 145-167.
Chicago Author-Date Style
In-text citation:
- (Wilson 2025, 156)
- Wilson (2025) found that...
Reference list entry:
Wilson, James. 2025. "The Psychology of Decision Making Under Pressure." Behavioral Science Journal 33 (2): 145-167.
Chicago Journal Citation Tips
- In notes, give specific page numbers
- In bibliography, give the full page range
- Put the year right after the author in Author-Date style
- Include access dates only for online sources without DOIs
How to Cite Online Journal Articles
Most journal articles you use will probably come from online databases like JSTOR, PubMed, or Google Scholar. Here's how to handle them.
APA Online Journal Citation
Chen, W., & Lee, S. (2025). Artificial intelligence in healthcare diagnostics. Medical Informatics Today, 12(4), 89-112. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.medinfo.2025.04.003
If there's no DOI, use the journal's homepage URL:
Chen, W., & Lee, S. (2025). Artificial intelligence in healthcare diagnostics. Medical Informatics Today, 12(4), 89-112. https://www.medinfojournal.com
MLA Online Journal Citation
Chen, Wei, and Susan Lee. "Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare Diagnostics." Medical Informatics Today, vol. 12, no. 4, 2025, pp. 89-112. PubMed, doi:10.1016/j.medinfo.2025.04.003.
Chicago Online Journal Citation
Chen, Wei, and Susan Lee. "Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare Diagnostics." Medical Informatics Today 12, no. 4 (2025): 89-112. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.medinfo.2025.04.003.
How to Cite Journal Articles with DOIs
A DOI (Digital Object Identifier) is a permanent link to an online article. It looks like this: 10.1037/edu0000789
Why DOIs matter:
- They never change, unlike URLs
- They're the preferred identifier in all major citation styles
- They make your sources easy to verify
How to format a DOI:
All styles now recommend the full URL format:
https://doi.org/10.1037/edu0000789
Not the old format:
doi:10.1037/edu0000789 ❌
Where to find the DOI:
- On the first page of the PDF
- In the database record
- At the top of the online article
- Through CrossRef.org if not listed
Common Mistakes to Avoid
1. Mixing Up Citation Styles
Don't use APA formatting for article titles (sentence case) but MLA for the rest. Pick one style and stick with it.
2. Forgetting Issue Numbers
Some journals restart page numbers each issue. Without the issue number, your reader can't find the article.
3. Using Outdated DOI Formats
Always use https://doi.org/ format, not doi: or DOI: prefixes.
4. Citing the Database Instead of the Journal
You found the article on JSTOR, but cite the actual journal. The database is just the access point.
5. Missing Volume/Issue for Print Journals
Online-only journals might not have traditional volume numbers, but print and most academic journals do. Include them.
6. Incorrect Author Order
List authors in the order they appear on the article — that order reflects contribution levels.
Quick Reference Chart
| Element | APA | MLA | Chicago | |---------|-----|-----|----------| | Article title | Sentence case, no quotes | Title case, quotes | Title case, quotes | | Journal name | Italicized | Italicized | Italicized | | Volume | Italicized | Not italicized | Not italicized | | Issue | In parentheses | Preceded by "no." | Preceded by "no." | | Year position | After author | Near end | After author (A-D) or in note | | DOI format | https://doi.org/... | doi:... | https://doi.org/... |
FAQ
How do I cite a journal article with no author?
Start with the article title instead of the author name. In APA, use the first few words of the title in the in-text citation.
Do I need to include the database name?
In MLA, yes — include the database name (like JSTOR or EBSCOhost). In APA and Chicago, only include it if there's no DOI.
How do I cite an article with multiple DOIs?
Use the DOI that links to the version you actually read. If you read the published version, use that DOI, not the preprint DOI.
What if the journal only has online publication?
Some journals are online-only. Just omit page numbers if they don't exist. Include the article number if provided (e.g., "Article e12345").
Should I include access dates for journal articles?
Generally no. Only include access dates for online sources without stable identifiers (DOIs). Most journal articles don't need them.
Conclusion
Citing journal articles doesn't have to be complicated. The key is knowing which style your professor requires and following its rules consistently.
Here's what to remember:
- Gather all the details from the article first
- DOIs are preferred over URLs
- Each style has specific rules for capitalization and italics
- When in doubt, check your style guide
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