Citation
How to cite a journal article
Scholarly articles are the gold-standard source — and they have a precise citation format. Here it is, with the DOI demystified.
What you need
Author(s), year, article title, journal name (italicised), volume(issue), page range, and a DOI if one exists.
Examples
APA 7
Okafor, L., & Bray, T. (2021). Vowel length in tonal languages. Journal of Phonology, 12(3), 210–235. https://doi.org/10.1234/jphon.2021.0123
In-text:
(Okafor & Bray, 2021)MLA 9
Okafor, Lina, and Tom Bray. “Vowel Length in Tonal Languages.” Journal of Phonology, vol. 12, no. 3, 2021, pp. 210–35. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.1234/jphon.2021.0123.
In-text:
(Okafor and Bray 221)Chicago 18 (author-date)
Okafor, Lina, and Tom Bray. 2021. “Vowel Length in Tonal Languages.” Journal of Phonology 12 (3): 210–35. https://doi.org/10.1234/jphon.2021.0123.
In-text:
(Okafor and Bray 2021, 221)The DOI
A DOI (digital object identifier) is a permanent address for an article — it won’t break like an ordinary link. If the article has one, always include it as a full https://doi.org/… link.
Frequently asked questions
What is a DOI and do I need it?
A DOI is a permanent link to an article (it starts with 10.). Include it whenever one exists — APA and MLA format it as a full https://doi.org/… link.
What if there’s no DOI?
Give the database name or a stable URL instead. For print-only articles, the volume, issue and page numbers are enough.
What do volume and issue mean?
Journals are published in numbered volumes (often one per year), each split into issues. Both appear in the citation, e.g. vol. 12, no. 3.
How do I shorten three or more authors?
APA uses “First Author et al.” in-text; MLA does the same in both the in-text citation and (for 3+) the Works Cited entry.
These guides explain the current editions in plain language and are a study aid, not official style manuals. For exact rules and edge cases, check your assignment brief and the official APA, MLA or Chicago guidance — and when in doubt, ask your instructor.